Two wins away from a NBA Title
Wow! That is all I can say after watching the Pistons' huge 88-68 victory over the Lakers in game 3 of the NBA Finals.
This was such an impressive victory for the Pistons after that extemely tough game 2 loss. Most people thought the Pistons would come out flat but that was the complete opposite. They started the game with a 8-0 lead and never looked back. LA never tied or took the lead in this game and they never made a run to get back into the game.
Detroit did everything right in this game. They just plain destroyed the Lakers. After watching this game, I now believe the Pistons can and will win this series. LA hasn't played the best, but it is how good the Pistons are playing that has allowed them to take the 2-1 series lead.
Detroit took Shaq and Kobe out of their game. Detroit held Shaq to 14 points. Equally impressive was that Shaq only got to the free-throw line once. Ben Wallace was the main reason why Shaq had a bad game. He didn't allow him to get the ball as much as he would like. The Pistons also held down Kobe Bryant. He scored just 11 points. He was guarded by Tayshaun Prince who contested every one of Bryant's shot.
Detroit again got huge performances from their guards. Rip Hamilton scored 31 points. If you would have told me that Hamilton would have outscored Shaq and Kobe combined, I would have said you were nuts. Chauncey Billups also had a good game scoring 19 points(9 in the third quarter). In all three games of this series Billups is averaging about 23 points a game. He needed to step it up in this series and he has done just that.
The Pistons' team defense was the difference in this game and has been the difference throughout this series. They have played so good on the defensive end that if they had scored a few more points in all three games, they might have blown the Lakers out in every game. They held LA to 68 points. That was a franchise low and also the first time the Lakers have been held under 70 since the shot clock era.
Game 4 is not till Sunday night and if the Pistons continue to play this good, they might not even have to go back to LA.
This was such an impressive victory for the Pistons after that extemely tough game 2 loss. Most people thought the Pistons would come out flat but that was the complete opposite. They started the game with a 8-0 lead and never looked back. LA never tied or took the lead in this game and they never made a run to get back into the game.
Detroit did everything right in this game. They just plain destroyed the Lakers. After watching this game, I now believe the Pistons can and will win this series. LA hasn't played the best, but it is how good the Pistons are playing that has allowed them to take the 2-1 series lead.
Detroit took Shaq and Kobe out of their game. Detroit held Shaq to 14 points. Equally impressive was that Shaq only got to the free-throw line once. Ben Wallace was the main reason why Shaq had a bad game. He didn't allow him to get the ball as much as he would like. The Pistons also held down Kobe Bryant. He scored just 11 points. He was guarded by Tayshaun Prince who contested every one of Bryant's shot.
Detroit again got huge performances from their guards. Rip Hamilton scored 31 points. If you would have told me that Hamilton would have outscored Shaq and Kobe combined, I would have said you were nuts. Chauncey Billups also had a good game scoring 19 points(9 in the third quarter). In all three games of this series Billups is averaging about 23 points a game. He needed to step it up in this series and he has done just that.
The Pistons' team defense was the difference in this game and has been the difference throughout this series. They have played so good on the defensive end that if they had scored a few more points in all three games, they might have blown the Lakers out in every game. They held LA to 68 points. That was a franchise low and also the first time the Lakers have been held under 70 since the shot clock era.
Game 4 is not till Sunday night and if the Pistons continue to play this good, they might not even have to go back to LA.
posted by Dan at
12:18 AM
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