Category: Detroit Pistons

The Statement: It’s over!

The Question: Wait a second, what’s over? Was there anything even there, so we could actually say that it is truly over?

The Answer: No!

If I may dare to ask, will all the confused individuals please raise their hands!

Thank you.

     They’re beyond reach now. The Detroit Pistons are off to the fastest start in team history and hold the best record in the league at 28-5. Outside of temporary lapses in defense and rebounding, Detroit is performing flawlessly and they show no signs of slowing down. With this success, many games have developed into bench showcases. The habitually censured bench has evolved and at times impressed, however, one setback remains the topic of controversy. With the second overall pick in the 2003 draft, the Pistons selected Darko Milicic, the 18-year-old Serbian phenom. His career has been anything but phenomenal. The excuses are plentiful, but their legitimacy is laughable.

     The Detroit Pistons are off to the quickest start in team history, leaving the ignorant masses of ESPN in a state of perplexity and shock. Not stunned, however, are those who seriously contemplated the likelihood that the Pistons were merely one-hit wonders, not so much talented and efficient as in the right place at the right time to take advantage of the collapse of the Los Angeles Lakers. Detroit has been granted a breath of fresh air under the regime of new head coach Flip Saunders. His new flex offense and the heartwrenching completion of last year’s NBA Finals have rejuvenated the best starting five in basketball and renewed the pursuit of dynasty eminence.

Only a couple days ago, the Pistons were in the Finals. Only this time, Detroit was competing for free agent Michael Finley. They didn’t land Fin, but the Pistons still were winners this offseason.

Less than 24 hours after severing ties with Larry Brown, the Detroit Pistons agreed to a contract with new head-coach Flip Saunders. With a 4-year, $20 million contract, you have to admire Saunders for his courage…or is it stupidity?

Forget the final score.  Forget the MVP.  The real intrigue as I’m typing this at the start of the fourth quarter is the over/under on the number of arrests (120), the number of burnt out cars (15), and the number of bowls `Sheed will be smoking (3) tonight as Detroit celebrates the Pistons championship.

Imagine you’re David Stern.  You trot out superstar after superstar trying to fill the shoes of Michael Jordan.  Still, all of them fail for one reason or another. Vince Carter – no killer instinct; T-Mac – no heart; Kobe – too arrogant, flawed; Tim Duncan – too boring.  So how do you fix the NBA?  You make a team worthy of winning the championship.  

Despite the claims that Detroit is boring and numerous experts bemoaning of the death of the NBA, these Finals are giving the league back some of its credibility.  So here’s the conspiracy.  You make it look like the league is doing everything possible to give LA another championship.  Then you let the good guys win.  You smile for the camera and say, “see, the NBA is a level playing field.” If this is the latest NBA conspiracy, I’m all for it.