Sports Talk with MC

by MC

The Pistons eliminated the Chicago Bulls from the playoff picture today. Surprising?

Not really.

As good as the Bulls have been, in stretches, this year, they’re still basically a perimeter oriented team, one the crumbles once their jumpshots starting “clanking” and not “swishing”. Ben Wallace is a decent inside presence, but he’s not a low post scorer. Big Ben won a title with Detroit, but down there, he had guys like Rasheed Wallace, steadies like Rip and Chauncey, plus a do-it-all forward in Tayshaun Prince, to help him anchor the middle. The Bulls have Nocioni, and Deng, plus perhaps Tyrus Thomas. All are physical players, but noe quite have the poise, experience, and defensive prowess of the Piston 5.

Not even the heady Kirk Hinrich.

I say that the Pistons will make the NBA finals irregardless of whether they play Cleveland or New Jersey. Both teams can be floozies on offense, and once Detroit sees inconsistencies in your offense, they pounce on it like sharks that smell blood. Couple that defense with the ability to run or slow the game down (much like what the Spurs can do), and what you have is a formidable squad capable of beating anybody.

Well, maybe not the Spurs or the Suns (many a Pistons fan will shoot me for this comment), but I digress.

I predict a Spurs-Pistons finals rematch. Anyone agree?

What’s more, I predict the Spurs to win it all (hey, it’s an alternate year) for 2007.

PS- Bowen and Horry should be ashamed of themselves for their actions against Phoenix guard Steve Nash. They’ve proven that whatever they do statistically, it doesn’t change the fact that deep inside, they’re pretty much a bunch of thugs who don’t play the game with enough class to make them worth mentioning…more than once. =p