The Three Point Play 05.15.08: Cavs and Spurs Face Elimination, Pistons Advance

Posted by Blake Lovell on 05.15.2008

Lebron finally had a big game in Boston, but not enough for a Cleveland win. The Pistons ended the Magic, even without Chauncey Billups. And why am I apologizing to Rajon Rondo? Find out inside this exciting playoff edition of the Three Point Play!

Hello everyone and welcome to another action-packed playoff edition of the Three Point Play. Well one team has finally moved on to the Conference Final round, and now we wait for others to head down that road as well. One thing is for sure though. Unless the Cavs and Spurs can fight off elimination in their respective series and win two in a row, we will have a different matchup in the Finals this year. I expected the Cavs to be in this situation, but really didn't think the Spurs would allow the Hornets to push them around like they have so far in the series. Now both teams must win on their home floor in Game 6 if they want to make a return trip to the NBA Finals. And if you're the television networks, you don't want that to happen. We all know the networks are salivating over the opportunity to hype Boston vs. L.A. in the Finals, so they may not be happy about a Cleveland-San Antonio rematch, but honestly, they probably won't have to worry about that. However, it's time to get down to business, so let's talk about all the recent playoff action. NOTE: Lakers-Jazz Game 5 was still in progress as of this writing. We'll discuss it in the next edition of the Three Point Play.

1. The Boston Three Party (Sorry, Scott Van Pelt)

At times, Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers look like the best team in the Eastern Conference. And at other times, they can look pretty bad. This seemed to be the case in Game 5, as they looked very impressive in the first half, but looked rough for most of the second half, with the exception being a late run at the end of the game to make it close. But a lot of the credit for the difference has to go to the Celtics. Towards the start of the game, the Celtics didn't look energetic, and certainly didn't look like a team that had to keep their home-court advantage if they didn't want to face elimination in Game 6 on the road. They changed all that in the second half, as they proved that they can be the best defensive team in the NBA whenever they want to be. Lebron had a big first half, scoring 23, and looked like he was on his way to a 45+ point game. The Boston defense had other plans. Lebron was held to only two points in the third quarter, and the rest of the Cavs team couldn't find ways to score either. When Lebron is held, the supporting cast for the Cavs have to step up and make contributions. They didn't seem to be able to do that in the second half of Game 5.

As for the Celtics' impact players, Kevin Garnett finally stepped up and had a huge game for the green team. KG had the type of game he needed to have given the circumstances, and really put the team on his back at times. Not just scoring, but Garnett was effective passing and playing defense as well. He had a complete game, which is what he has to do if the Celtics want to win the NBA Championship. But all in all, it was a total team effort for the Celtics, as Pierce played well, as did Rajon Rondo. When Rondo entered the league, I thought he would be a benchwarmer for life in the NBA. I didn't really think he had much of a chance of contributing to any team period, but boy has he proven me wrong. He's made me look like a fool. He had a double-double with points and assists in Game 5, and is just an excellent passer when you really look at it. You can say that he's only able to do it because he plays with three of the best talents in the game, and while that is true, he's still got the tools to be a good point guard. Although he doesn't have a great jumpshot, he's been able to counter that by slashing through the lane and getting to the basket. My bad Rajon. I used to think you could never make it in the NBA. But you've stepped up big-time in the playoffs.

And while all that talk above was great and all, now the Celtics get another chance to win on the road in Game 6. Let's be perfectly clear about something. The Celtics DO NOT have to win on the road once in the NBA Playoffs for them to win the championship, as long as they win all of their games in Boston. They've got the home-court advantage, and that's why it's such a great thing to have in the postseason. But sooner or later, these guys have to overcome these road problems. It has to be in their psyche by now. It's the big monkey on their backs. They were the best road team during the regular season, but now face the possibility of being 0-6 on the road in the playoffs. They will lose a game at home eventually. Which means they've gotta figure out how to win on the road at some point. And they better do it in Cleveland. Because they don't want Lebron coming back to Boston with a trip to the Conference Finals on the line. Lebron loves those situations.

2. The First To Advance

For the second year in a row, the Detroit Pistons eliminated the Orlando Magic. And for the sixth year in a row, the Detroit Pistons find themselves in the Eastern Conference Finals. Whether you like them or not folks, that's a remarkable accomplishment. For a team in any professional sport to reach a conference final for six straight times is just outstanding. The last team to do this in the NBA was the Los Angeles Lakers (with a player by the name of Magic Johnson), in which they won three World Championships in that stretch. Joe Dumars and Detroit front office have done an excellent job of keeping the nucleus of this team together, even though they've had several different coaches in this span of dominance in the Eastern Conference. Guys like Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, and Richard Hamilton have been the faces of this franchise during these successful years, and they all still have quite a bit left in the tank.

The big question heading into this series was whether the Pistons would play at a high level all the time, or take a game or two off like they did in the first round against the Sixers. They quieted those critics, myself included, and put away the Magic in five games, instead of allowing it to go the distance. Despite Billups' presence in Games 4 and 5, they still found a way to win those games, as I was particularly impressed by the play of Rodney Stuckey. Stuckey has a bright future in this league, and the Pistons should definitely try to keep that guy around for a while. Lindsey Hunter also stepped up big in Billups' absence, as he really hasn't been much of a factor in many years, as the arrival of Billups in Detroit likely had something to do with that. The numerous Magic turnovers ultimately cost them the game, as they had leads throughout the game, but just couldn't stop turning the ball over. But as long as Stan Van Gundy is the head coach in Orlando, they will continue to improve. Van Gundy could very well be the most underrated coach in the league in my opinion, as the guy really knows how the game is played. And of course, as long as Dwight Howard is in Orlando, they will have many good years ahead of them.

Now the Pistons wait. They get some much needed rest to heal some nagging injuries, especially in the case of Chauncey Billups, and now await the winner of the Celtics-Cavs series. I'd say the Pistons would rather play the Cavs, but then again, after the performances Lebron put on against them year, they may want to stay away from Cleveland. Of course it would also be exciting to see the two best teams in the East duke it out for a trip to the NBA Finals, as Detroit and Boston have clearly been the two best teams in the conference this season. It may not be a pretty series since both teams specialize in defense, but it would without a doubt be a battle that would probably go deep into the series. But the Pistons don't have to worry about their opponent just yet. They can sit back and relax, which is something teams rarely get to do this deep into the playoffs.

3. On the Brink of Elimination

Just when you think the Spurs are getting their momentum back, the Hornets come around and kick them right in the backside. The Hornets blasted the Spurs 101-79 in Game 5, and now the defending champions face elimination in Game 6 in San Antonio. It was once again the tale of two halves, as the Spurs took control in the first half, before the younger, more athletic Hornets completely took over the game in the second half. David West had a monster game, racking up 38 points, and ladies and gentleman who follow the league, this guy is for real. He's got a solid jumpshot for a big man, and is agile enough to make plays at the basket. And perhaps the biggest positive for the Hornets when West plays well is that they usually win. Chris Paul had another great game, as did Tyson Chandler, who was non-existent in Game 4 against the Spurs. Chandler was more efficient around the basket, and did a nice job of making himself available inside, and went to work on Tim Duncan and Kurt Thomas. The Hornets played like they have all series at home, and now are one win away from a trip to the Western Conference Finals.

But don't expect the Spurs to just lay down. At this point, we pretty much have to go with what has happened so far, and the while the Spurs have yet to win in New Orleans, the Hornets have yet to win in San Antonio. So the champions are the clear favorites heading into Game 6. Another important focus for the Spurs needs to be Bruce Bowen staying on the floor. Bowen had some silly fouls in Game 5, which forced him to sit on the bench, which in turn allowed Peja Stojakovic to get his flow back. Without Bowen guarding him, and he many more opportunities to score, which is something the Spurs did a great job of preventing in the two games in San Antonio. Good shooters change games. And the Spurs have to make sure that doesn't happen in Game 6, or they may see their season end. With such an experienced team, the Spurs won't have any trouble getting up for this game. I'd expect them to play their best, because they've been here before and know what's on the line. But I'd also expect the Hornets to play much better than they did in the previous two games there, so it should be an exciting matchup to say the least. Until they're eliminated though, I just can't pick against the Spurs.

THE BONUS

- So first of all, reports come out that claim Mike D'Antoni wants to trade Stephon Marbury. Then later in the day, reports come out that claim D'Antoni wants to keep him around. Marbury isn't Steve Nash, and D'Antoni knows that. It wouldn't surprise me to see Marbury stick around for one more year to try and prove he can play in the system, and then when it doesn't work out, he'll move on to another team.

- Take your pick. As of today, who is your favorite to win the NBA Championship? I realize that statistically the one seeds would be the favorites, but as far as who is playing the best, who's your pick?

- I know, I know. It's a little early to talk NBA Draft. But here's another take your pick. Who is the best player in the upcoming NBA Draft? Or which player is the most NBA ready?

- And lastly, reports are that Rick Carlisle wants to speed up the Mavericks offense next season. Will this be good for the Mavericks for guys like J-Kidd and Dirk? Or will this hurt their productivity? Guys like Josh Howard and Jason Terry should have no trouble in that type of system, but I question some of the other guys.

That's all for this edition of the Three Point Play. Tune in next time for more playoff coverage as we are getting closer and closer to the NBA's version of the Final Four.