Golden opportunity blown Detroit

[Reality]

Can't close with an 89-83 lead and shooting more FTs at Staples?
That miracle is indeed a rare opportunity.
BWalls foul on Shrek was huge.  2+1 to make lead 3 instead of 4.
Deciding not to double Kobme after he gets the ball with only 5 seconds left and only a 3 pointer can sink you? :huh:

Derik Swisher initiating contact with Billups then not only flopping down to the floor but following it with a floor slide then a backward somersault for max drama queen effect.  :rofl:

Props to Kobme.  He did it again.

Final play after another clutch Sheed moment, nice of Malone to step out of bounds with 0.8 on the clock.  But then a .4 moment could only happen to the Lakers.

[spursfan101]

The stars are aligned, it's definately LA's year. TOUGH, tough loss by an inexperienced Piston team. Hope they can recover to make it a series. :couch:  

[Derek Bodner]

larry's ethics (no hack-a-shaqing) might have cost detroit the series (might).  When shaq touched the ball with 8 seconds left down 3 you maul the guy.  but larry will never do that.

still, if i were la, i'd be worried.  one game can be considered a fluke.  This proved that detroit can (and will) play with them.  LA must take 2 of the next 3.

[RolandoBlackman]

Hey Reality!!!

First of all, yes, I'm still juicing and growing/juicing my own wheatgrass -  let me tell you, my fresh wheatgrass is MUCH stronger (in both taste (OMG) and effect) than whatever it is they sell you at Jamba Juice and the like.  My son can even  almost stand it now!

That game last night almost gave me heart failure - let's face it, this is the weakest of the four Lakers Shaq/Kobe-era Finals teams.  With Karl only a shadow of himself and Payton doing his 'The Glove is Off' routine, 'Our Heroes' have been exposed as now having only two legitimate scorers and defenders amongst the starting quintet.

Fortunately for LAL fans, those two offensive/defensive options compose what is arguably the greatest tandem ever set foot on the 94x47 chunk of hardwood (R.I.P., Chick)!!!  And when one of the bench contributes as solidly as Luuuuuuke Walton did last night, the LAL are difficult to defeat...BTW, as a Dad myself it was kind of cool to see the fatherly pride beaming from 'The Big Red-head', Bill Walton at his son's high-wattage performance.  That alley-oop from Luuuuuke to Shaquille in OT was as sa-weeet as they come!

Definite props to the Pistons and their fans...this ain't gonna be easy.  

Note to Shaq-bashers - guess who hit a crucial free-throw at the end of regulation when it counted?  You know that make got 'The Daddy' rolling and revved up for his dominant effort in the OT period...oh yeah!!!

-RB

Shaq #1
 

[Derek Bodner]

Actually, I take it back.  LB did instruct them to foul shaq.  Guess the pistons players were either slow or stupid.

On Shaq:

We talked about if they threw it inside, yeah, Shaq gets it, put him on the line.

On fouling kobe when he had the ball:

Q: You've been asked about fouling, but that shot that Kobe made, are you content to live or die if he can make that shot?

Brown: Again, he's so athletic, he's going to go up and shoot it anyway. I can just think about a four-point play, just fouling him and put him on the line for three. I thought about it.

http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/DETLAL_040608_playoffs.html

Also, probably the dumbest play was ben wallace's foul on shaq to give him a 3 pt play, and cut it to 3.  Either let him have the 2 or make sure he doesn't get the shot off.

[WayOutWest]

LA must take 2 of the next 3.

Nah.  Lakers only need one to bring it back to L.A.  My only concern would be fatigue.  Game 4 will be critical.  What ever happens in game 3 is not as important as game 4.

[Rickortreat]

Pistons did everything to win the game, but finish them off.  Game should have been over, all Detroit needed was one stinking basket. :huh:

:hail: Kobe is now officially the new "Jordan" of the league with that clutch 3 to save the game.:up:

Why wasn't Prince on Kobe at the end?:crazy:

The Pistons had so many opportunities to blow this game, and were so strong in the 4th quarter I thought they would take it.  

Gotta give the Lakers credit for hanging in there, had they lost I would have projected LA to not get back to the Staples Center!  

They still might.  A loss like this has to get Detroit angry and inspired- either that or they'll collapse to Jelly. :eek2:        

[WayOutWest]

Why wasn't Prince on Kobe at the end?:crazy:
 

He was but he got picked off and had to switch.

The Pistons just blew the game in the last 30 SECONDS.  How can you be up 6 with about 30 seconds and lose the game.  They didn't foul Shaq when they should have, Sheed fouled him when he shouldn't.  They didn't foul Kobe when they should have and let the MOST dangerous clutch player take a game winning/tying shot.

[RolandoBlackman]

Hey WoW!!

I've seen bigger collapses...remember the "Showtime" Lakers being up by 6 in the Finals with 25 seconds to go, and Worthy making two quick turnovers in a row that resulted in making Gerald Henderson a hero for the Celtics?

How about Reggie Miller drilling those 3's in the ECF a few years back as time ran out to lift the Pacers to victory after being down by 6 with less than 20 seconds to go in the 4th?

It happens...and in my experience, usually it breaks down the will and resolve of the team on the receiving end of a knockout blow.


-RB

Shaq #1

[rickortreat]

Agree completly WOW.  Didn't see the pick- good idea for LA to do that!  Should have fouled Shaq as soon as he touched the ball.  Also couldn't belive they didn't go right at Shaq and Kobe with 5 fouls each in OT.

Your team dodged a bullet.  Still on track for LA to take it in 6, but the Pistons now know that they can win.  Desparation for the Lakers bringing in the rookies- told ya your role players BITE!

 :rofl:

Wonder how well your team will do in a very hostile environment, particularly Luke and Rush.  Only 3 more wins required, Pistons hold serve for 3. Come back to LA with a 3-2 lead only to blow it in 6, hmmn.  Maybe 7.  Maybe your boys don't get to play another in  LA....

Best drama and ratings would be for Detroit to win the first 2 at home, LA to win in a desparation situation,  take game 6 and we have a 7 game series for the finals.

Did anybody else think the broadcasting crew sucked?  Couldn't believe all the assinine Football coments.  Doc was especially irratating- his observations were idiotic.  Claiming they let a player get down the middle of the floor when his shot was blocked and the officials bailed him out with a fould call.

 

[westkoast]

Actually bringing in Walton was not a desperation move.  Usually PJ and Tex like to bring him in when the Lakers are either A) Not moving the ball or hitting cutters or B)Shaq needs to be fed.  Walton gets the team cutting and moving because everyone on the team knows that if they get open Walton will hit them with a pass.  Shaq and Luke have a close relationship.  So much so that Shaq personally requested that Luke get some extra playing minutes.  He always does an excellent job of getting the ball to Shaq and the big fella knows that.

Luke has been a great passer and a player who understands the triangle very well for a rook.  Its been that way since the earlier stages of the season so to us Laker fans it wasnt suprising.  What was suprising was the fact that he played like he wasn't in the finals.  His confidence, poise, and his ability to read the defense and react inside the triangle was amazing.  That last play where he froze Ben Wallace and thru the lob for the nail in the coffin of game 3 was beautiful.

[Reality]

larry's ethics (no hack-a-shaqing) might have cost detroit the series (might).  When shaq touched the ball with 8 seconds left down 3 you maul the guy.  but larry will never do that.

 

First time around I didn't catch that it was Shaq who caught with 10 9 8 seconds.
Foul shaq?  Ummn Yaaa.  Why on earth would a team NOT foul Shaq in that situation.  Don't get what you mean "Larry wont do that" ( I see later you showed where Larry said to foul, team didn't follow instructions.)  Its a no brainer.
This is hoop 101 and Detroits players blew it royally.  Also with the Wallace foul.

Why did you say "but larry will never do that."?
Some macho stupid code of Browns being "We'll win with D and wont take the win that way."?  If so  :crazy: 2-0 makes series much more winnable then 1-1.

To not foul Shaq at 8 and istead give the ball to Kobadiah Springfield could well give the series to LA.  I think its that momentum changing.

[Derek Bodner]

Reality: It's not "playing the right way" and cheapens the integrity of the game.

He went through this in 2001.  He doesn't do hack-a-shaq, although it appears he's adjusted.

[Lurker]

Reality: It's not "playing the right way" and cheapens the integrity of the game.

He went through this in 2001.  He doesn't do hack-a-shaq, although it appears he's adjusted.

Actually Popovich feels the same way....the integrity of the game comes first.   However fouling a player to prevent a layup is not considered hack-a-Shaq.

Only time I have seen Pop use hack-a-Shaq was in game 6 of this last series with the Lakers.  Almost as if he was saying desparate times call for desparate measures.  

[Reality]

Whoa whoa,

on this "integrity" front as to whether or not a coach wants to play Hack a Shaq 5-15 times a game thats one thing.  Even that if Brown or Zit choose to not play that way does not make them integral while other coaches are not.

Lets differentiate.  Playing Hack a Shaq the entire 4th qtr (or game) vs being ahead by 3 with 10 seconds to go on the Lakers final offensive possession fouling the teams worst FT shooter thus 99% chance of winning the game.

As dabods posted the quote of LBrowns that he did indeed instruct his team to foul Shaq.  That is indeed the only way to have played that last LA possession.  It was not rrrrrrraaaaaagh Laker greatness.  Kobes shot was great, to give it to him was a gift.  As for the pick, also while a good move it was not rrrrrraaaagh the end all.  Prince had time to recover and double Kobe but chose to stick on Luke.  Either way if 101 hoop is played then Shaq gets fouled.

Any interviews of Piston players commenting on their choice to NOT foul Shaq?