I'm still puzzled over the MVP thing

[gaither]

Still think Big Ben should have gotten the nod over Chauncey Billups. Although, with a team that plays like the Pistons, in which the star of the game often changed from night-to-night, it wasn't an easy decision.

Guess Minnesota wishes they'd held onto Billups, though I suppose he was demanding too much money as a free agent.  

[ziggy]

Guess Minnesota wishes they'd held onto Billups, though I suppose he was demanding too much money as a free agent.

....and I am sure that Orlando wishes they had signed Grant Hill outright and not done a sign and trade giving up Big Ben in the process.

[jn]

Would you believe we let Billups go so we could resign JOE SMITH from the Pistons?  For cap reasons we could only sign one of the two. That was after the season where Stern ruled Smith could not play for the Wolves.  I swear that Smith had compromising photos of Glen Taylor.... :nonono:


Billups is a great example of what stability can do for a player.  After bouncing around different teams and forced to play a lot of 2 guard, Flip wisely kept him at point and he started to really learn how to run an offense.  His defense has improved under Carlisle and Brown.  

[westkoast]

Still think Big Ben should have gotten the nod over Chauncey Billups. Although, with a team that plays like the Pistons, in which the star of the game often changed from night-to-night, it wasn't an easy decision.

Guess Minnesota wishes they'd held onto Billups, though I suppose he was demanding too much money as a free agent.

I agree.  Billups played well but the offensive rebounding and the defense in the paint really is what took the wind out of the Lakers IMO.  I also think he did a pretty good job on Shaq for the most part.  Minus that one game Shaq droped 30 and grabbed 20.

[Joe Vancil]

Actually, my pick for Finals MVP isn't based upon points, or rebounds, or great defense.  It's not even based on "hustle."  It's based on doing the smart thing that gets your team on the course of doing the right things.

It's not Chauncey Billups.  Billups started Game One doing supremely stupid things.  They were supremely stupid things that worked...but they were supremely stupid things.

It's not Hamilton or Ben Wallace.

My MVP is Tayshaun Prince.  Early in Game One, he DROVE.  He HAD the shot, passed on it, and DROVE.  He did that several times.  And - lo and behold - Chauncey Billups picked up on it.  And from that point on, the Pistons were in control.

No one would have griped about Tayshaun pulling up for a shot.  But he didn't.  I remarked to Skander and Caleb at the time that that play by Prince might end up being the difference in the game.  I didn't realize it would end up being the difference in the series.
 

[gaither]

No doubt, Joe, Prince had a pretty awesome series. I think you could make a case for every one of the starters to have gotten the MVP award based on things they "did right" to win this series. It's too bad the award can't be awarded to a team, not just an individual.

[Derek Bodner]

It's too bad the award can't be awarded to a team, not just an individual.

I think that's what the rings and trophy are for

[gaither]

I think that's what the rings and trophy are for

Oh I don't know, DB. One can never have too many trophies...or money...or both. Though it really does cheapen the concept of having an MVP to have more than 1 player (not to mention an entire team) win. Still, of the starting five for the Pistons, I would probably have written Billups in as 3rd runner up.

[Reality]

Still think Big Ben should have gotten the nod over Chauncey Billups.

gaither,

Wouldn't that be a problem tho for the title of Most Dominant Ever?  I mean since BWal was guarding and guarded by Shaq for the most part.  And Shaq is of course the Most........Dominant......... Ever.....isn't he?

Concur with you that it was such a team effort.
Also concur with JoeV that it was Prince who most set the attitude early on to help give the Pistons a mindset.