2005 NBA Finals Preview
The 2005 NBA Finals is going to be a defensive chessmatch. The San Antonio Spurs are #1 in NBA Defense Points Per Game allowed, the Pistons are second. The Spurs beat running teams in the playoffs with good transition defense, low turnovers, and timely scoring. So far, the Pistons have accomplished the same thing in the playoffs . Two conference championship teams, two defensive minded coaches, one NBA champion. NBA Playoff basketball at its best.
There is a major difference in the NBA Finals than in the regular playoffs. Home court advantage is subjective. The regular playoffs use a 2-2-1-1-1 format. The home team enjoys an advantage with 2 of the first 4 games at home and 2 of the last 3 games at home. With the NBA Finals the format changes to 2-3-2. The home team enjoys the first and last two games at home. The road team has an advantage with this format. If the road team splits the first 2 games, and wins 2 of 3 games at home, then the road team has a 3-2 lead with 2 games left to win 1. This format change and the fact that Detroit wins on the road as well as they do at home to me gives them the edge in this series.
Head to head the Pistons and Spurs almost look like mirror images. Position by position they both have a quick PG that shoots from the outside well. They both have a long lanky SF that defends well and scores. They both have a PF that plays inside and outside with long range, and banging bruisers that defend and rebound at C. The only mismatch comes at SG.
Spurs SG Bruce Bowen plays physical defense, while the Pistons SG likes to run all the time and hits shots from anywhere and everywhere. Bowen may be a good defender, but Hamilton has scored 20 points or more in 16 of 17 Pistons playoff games this year. If Rip Hamilton gets going, then the Pistons score a lot.
The only other question is whether PF Tim Duncan's ankles are healed. Rasheed Wallace plays from the three point line to the paint. If Duncan has to chase Wallace around the three point line, and defend Wallace in the paint he needs to be 100%. When Rasheed Wallace has a good scoring performance it leads to Pistons victories as well. If Pistons SF Tayshaun Prince can't cover Spurs SF Manu Ginobili, then everyone on the Spurs gets involved on the offensive end. Those three matchups are crucial to winning the series for each team. Who will win? In the clash of the defensive titans the Pistons win in 6 games(4-2).
San Antonio Spurs vs. Detroit Pistons
96.19 PPG #18 in Scoring vs. 93.32 PPG #24 in Scoring
88.39 PPG #1 in Defense vs. 89.46 PPG #2 in Defense
+7.8 #1 in Scoring Differential vs. +3.86 #6 in Scoring Differential
Series tied 0-0
1. Thu, Jun 9 - at SA, 9:00 pm (ABC)
2. Sun, Jun 12 - at SA, 9:00 pm (ABC)
3. Tue, Jun 14 - at Det, 9:00 pm (ABC)
4. Thu, Jun 16 - at Det, 9:00 pm (ABC)
5.* Sun, Jun 19 - at Det, 9:00 pm (ABC)
6.* Tue, Jun 21 - at SA, 9:00 pm (ABC)
7.* Thu, Jun 23 - at SA, 9:00 pm (ABC)
All times are Eastern Daylight Time
* - If necessary
Head to Head
PG Tony Parker vs. Chauncey Billups
SG Bruce Bowen vs. Richard Hamilton
SF Manu Ginobili vs. Tayshaun Prince
PF Tim Duncan vs. Rasheed Wallace
C Nazr Mohammed vs. Ben Wallace
There is a major difference in the NBA Finals than in the regular playoffs. Home court advantage is subjective. The regular playoffs use a 2-2-1-1-1 format. The home team enjoys an advantage with 2 of the first 4 games at home and 2 of the last 3 games at home. With the NBA Finals the format changes to 2-3-2. The home team enjoys the first and last two games at home. The road team has an advantage with this format. If the road team splits the first 2 games, and wins 2 of 3 games at home, then the road team has a 3-2 lead with 2 games left to win 1. This format change and the fact that Detroit wins on the road as well as they do at home to me gives them the edge in this series.
Head to head the Pistons and Spurs almost look like mirror images. Position by position they both have a quick PG that shoots from the outside well. They both have a long lanky SF that defends well and scores. They both have a PF that plays inside and outside with long range, and banging bruisers that defend and rebound at C. The only mismatch comes at SG.
Spurs SG Bruce Bowen plays physical defense, while the Pistons SG likes to run all the time and hits shots from anywhere and everywhere. Bowen may be a good defender, but Hamilton has scored 20 points or more in 16 of 17 Pistons playoff games this year. If Rip Hamilton gets going, then the Pistons score a lot.
The only other question is whether PF Tim Duncan's ankles are healed. Rasheed Wallace plays from the three point line to the paint. If Duncan has to chase Wallace around the three point line, and defend Wallace in the paint he needs to be 100%. When Rasheed Wallace has a good scoring performance it leads to Pistons victories as well. If Pistons SF Tayshaun Prince can't cover Spurs SF Manu Ginobili, then everyone on the Spurs gets involved on the offensive end. Those three matchups are crucial to winning the series for each team. Who will win? In the clash of the defensive titans the Pistons win in 6 games(4-2).
San Antonio Spurs vs. Detroit Pistons
96.19 PPG #18 in Scoring vs. 93.32 PPG #24 in Scoring
88.39 PPG #1 in Defense vs. 89.46 PPG #2 in Defense
+7.8 #1 in Scoring Differential vs. +3.86 #6 in Scoring Differential
Series tied 0-0
1. Thu, Jun 9 - at SA, 9:00 pm (ABC)
2. Sun, Jun 12 - at SA, 9:00 pm (ABC)
3. Tue, Jun 14 - at Det, 9:00 pm (ABC)
4. Thu, Jun 16 - at Det, 9:00 pm (ABC)
5.* Sun, Jun 19 - at Det, 9:00 pm (ABC)
6.* Tue, Jun 21 - at SA, 9:00 pm (ABC)
7.* Thu, Jun 23 - at SA, 9:00 pm (ABC)
All times are Eastern Daylight Time
* - If necessary
Head to Head
PG Tony Parker vs. Chauncey Billups
SG Bruce Bowen vs. Richard Hamilton
SF Manu Ginobili vs. Tayshaun Prince
PF Tim Duncan vs. Rasheed Wallace
C Nazr Mohammed vs. Ben Wallace
