No one on the Pistons seems to be taking offense from Jameer Nelson’s “guarantee.” From Krista Jahnke of the Free Press:
“I’ve heard from people that I guaranteed a win, but what am I supposed to do — guarantee a loss? We’ve got to win the game,’’ Nelson said. “We have the confidence that we can do it. I believe it. It’s not that I’m saying it because that’s what we have to do, I believe in this team. I’m not saying it to be arrogant or cocky or anything like that, but we know we have to win — so let’s go win.’’
The Pistons didn’t see Nelson as arrogant either. They can’t really fault his comment.
Said Tayshaun Prince: “He doesn’t have anything to lose by saying that. I think one thing he’s probably trying to do is spark his club. Who knows?
Said Flip Saunders: “I wouldn’t expect anything less. Teams have to have that mentality that, “We’re going to come back and play in Orlando.” Anything less than that, you’d question their ability to beat you. That’s part of what it’s about.”
Said Lindsey Hunter: “I don’t have a reaction. That’s how he feels, that’s how he feels. I’ve been on the other end of a guarantee too. I just laugh at those guys – even our own guys.”
As a Pistons fan, it was always fun when Rasheed Wallace would guarantee a win … up until the point he stopped batting 1.000. These “guarantees” are just words on paper, but if Nelson is really confident his team will win, I’d like to see him actually put something on the line. “We’re going to win … and if we don’t, I’m giving my game check to charity.” Win or lose, if a player did that, he’d be the top story on SportsCenter for days.
He’d be the top story for years! Good point!! That’d be sweet!
For years? Brad, don’t you think that’s a bit too much hyperbole? I mean, people barely talk about the brawl anymore, and that story was bigger than anything to hit the NBA in decades.
The only story that would rock the NBA for years is if Sam Cassell finally confirmed that he is a basketball playing alien from the planet Cohonius.
Rob, I thought Cassell was from Zeta Reticuli. What gives?
Boston looking shaky, while Cleveland shoots the lights out here in the first.
“Robert Parrish is not walking through that door!!”
Before the half, it’s obvious that LeBron must play every single minute of each game to beat the Celtics. There’s just no support. Delonte West is just hamstringing them. That 20+ from him in Game 3 provided a BIG boost. If Wallace and West can’t pull it together, Boston’s gonna kill them.
LeBron says, “Happy Mother’s Day! NOW SIT YOUR ASS DOWN, MOM!”
Wow, Boston sucks. That team is so mentally weak, if they can even find a way to escape with a win tonight (doubtful), they just look like complete chumps. LeBron has yet to have an all-star performance, let alone superstar performance, all series and Boston still got blown out in Game 3. Game 4 may be closer, but even if Boston wins, they look confused and temperamental as all hell.
They’re really scatter-shot. Brown is making a good move by going right at Sam Cassell, which I’d like to see us do.
Wow, BOTH teams suck. This is some of the boringest, jack-up-a-bad-shotingest, lazy-screen-settingest, Lebron-versus-five-guysingest bunch of lame-ass ball I’ve seen in a long time.
Does Mike Brown think this is a video game? Does he think he’s in his living room, controller in hand, screamin’ “I got LeBron! I’m LeBron! I can beat all y’all by myself!” And then he just gets LeBron drive the lane against five guys with 4 on the shot clock?
The Celtics look totally vincible right now.
*LeBron TO drive
I swear, half of me and LB’s comments are grammar corrections…
*…half of MY and LB’s comments are grammar corrections…
Holy … what … was … that?
perkisavictim … the Celtics are in TROUBLE. They will not win on the road in this series. If they expect to win, it’s going to 7 games.
Here’s a debate: what’s more shocking - Dallas flaming out in the first round last year, or Boston’s inability to win a road game this year? As of now, I’d say the Dallas series, but it’s close…
Wow. When Varajeo is hitting 18 foot jumpers, you know you’re toast…
Good evening Boston.
I would like to welcome you to Playoff Collapse Anonymous. please take a seat and don’t hold it in.
Its OK to cry.
One of the best playoff dunks I’ve ever seen. LeBron is from another planet.
That dunk was silly, just silly. Amazing.
SIT DOWN MOMMA!
Just got back from the Q in Cleveland. These Celts are complete wimps. No spine. I was sitting down very close and there was a lot of fear in those eyes, and the body language wasn’t positive either. They can be intimidated, and for all the talk of their vaunted “Big 3,” not one of those guys stepped up in the clutch.
LeBron might try to make it happen all by his lonesome a little too much, but the Celtics don’t have *anybody* wit the guts to step up right now.
If the Celts even manage to scrape past the Cavs, we’ll do those punks in 6, maybe even 5.
whoa, lebron clearly tells his mom to “sit your ass down”
i had no idea that was his mom…
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/LeBron-James-scolds-mom-during-Cavs-Celtics-game;_ylt=Audz51NSo1DnW8PfLKXCtpW8vLYF?urn=nba,82089
3-1 feels better and better.
Man, what a bunch of losers. Can you imagine if they lost the next 2 to Bron Bron, how pathetic would … that… umm…. be… right… forget that
You know as fun as this is, I still can’t root for the Cav’s. I almost want the same result as ATL series (each home team wins out). If the Cav’s steal game 5 I can see the Celts somehow benefiting from being at the edge and Cav’s not closing. Am I crazy on that one? Would prefer that first home loss be to DET game 1 ECF, word!
If the Celts lose the next one, they’ll fold in six. But, I think they’ll get it together (for Game 5 anyway) and win.
I know Joe Smith is supposed to be a bust and all, but he’s so damn solid. I feel like I haven’t seen him miss a shot in two years.
ok, so that lebron dunk was as sick as his mom attacking paul pierce was hilarious.
speaking of hilarious, we’ve all seen the nba playoff ads where opposing players’ faces are split screen while they say the same thing. have you guys seen the one that’s a split between tony parker and peja? it’s comedy gold. you can’t understand a single word.
back to the lebron dunk, how was that not at least an and-1 on garnett? he shoved lebron right in the midsection, arms extended, no attempt on the ball. embarrassing.
JD, I was thinking the same thing about Lebron’s mom AND the foul on Garnett.
Yeah, I couldn’t believe KG didn’t get a foul on that monster dunk. Nobody else around me in the arena seemed to care tho
u guys are so funny…and also, LOL @ boston
LawyerBoy
May 12th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Holy … what … was … that?
That was in reference (approximately real time) to LeBron’s dunk. That thing was vicious. KG getting posterized, so beautiful.
I know it’s crazy … BUT … what if all along KG’s reluctance to be the go-to guy in the playoffs was Flip Saunders’ Achilles heel, and it wasn’t simply Flip’s own incompetence? Nahhhhh … but seriously though, Flip has been extremely impressive this entire season. I think Flip graduates this year, and at the end of the season The Palace sits on Six Championship Drive.
LB are you Phil Saunders?
Seriously though, I completely agree with your analysis of KG, or ‘Shrinking Violet’ He is intent on NOT being the go-to-guy at end game.
I seem to recall Charley Rosen writing for some time that KG was only ever a 2nd string not a Superstar. However, I thought that having two other scorers of notable stature would allow him to succeed; I was wrong. Some players have a killer instinct, a desire to shine when it matters most, KG for all his desire and skill doesn’t.
He can still be a very capable part of a championship team, but what Boston needs is a closer.
Its not Pierce.
Certainly not Allen.
They lack that final piece in my mind, therefore no ship.
Finally, yes Flip has done well. But I wish to wait just a little longer before I can confidently join you on that bus down Six Championship Drive.
What I’ve learned about being a defensive player of the year: if you’re about to get dunked on, punch the dunker in the stomach with both hands. That’s intensity! That’s leadership! That’s KG!
That’s hilarious Garrett
Another thing about the Celts-Cavs game — the refs allowed the Celtics to push off on the boards all night long. It was really ridiculous. And still the Cavs outrebounded them.
If the Celts try that pushing off shit at the Palace, the fans need to give the refs an earful. The Q was concentrating more on chanting MVP for LeBron or “Celtics/Boston suck” to bash the refs for allowing Boston to play rugby under the rim.
From Dime Magazine’s smack this morning:
“All of the C’s struggled down the stretch, but Garnett (15 pts, 10 rebs) and Ray Allen (15 pts) both went scoreless in the fourth quarter. Going by most people’s T-Mac Meter, that means they either aren’t clutch or they have no heart, or both.”
Zing!
Laughton: Just callin’ it like I see it, mate. And in terms of this NBA season, I’ve been calling it surprisingly well. I’ve been on the Flip bandwagon for quite some time now. Besides, I post way too much as it is, why would I need to post more?
I enjoyed watching the Cavs beat the Celtics last night too, and some of the comments above are hilarious as well as true. But let’s not get carried away. Pretty much EVERY playoff team has had at least one embarrassing road loss this year (including the Pistons), and some very good teams have gotten whipped TWICE on the road in this very round (Spurs, Hornets). Indeed, as we all know, Detroit is the only team to have actually won on the road in the second round (and that win was only by a point).
So while I’m happy that the Celtics don’t look like the Unbeatable Machine they often appeared to be in the regular season, I’m hardly counting them out. Their inability to win at all on the road is weird, but of course they don’t have to win on the road to win the championship. Monster Dunk from LeBron aside, they still play pretty tough defense, and I find it hard to believe Ray Allen is going to continue to play so poorly throughout the playoffs. It would be a huge flameout if they lost in this round (although the team with the best record in the NBA hasn’t won the title in 7 years, IIRC). But they are only 2-2, and they still have the homecourt advantage.
On the other hand, I’m not sure who would be a tougher matchup for Detroit. Until last night, I was thinking Boston would be tougher and that facing them was inevitable. My realistic hope was that the Cavs could take 2-3 games and wear on Boston. Now I honestly don’t know who will win the Boston-Cavs series or who would give the Pistons more problems. I see Chauncey and Rip going right at and over Rondo and Sam-I-Am. Meanwhile, now that everyone is healthy, the Cavs have a good set of bigs: Z, Ben, Anderson V., and Joe Smith.
Toledo Joe: PTI confirmed that every NBA Champion has won on the road at least 3 times during the playoffs. THREE. Right now, Boston is the only team left in this whole thing who has NO road wins. Also, the Celtics are the only one who could theoretically win it all without having to win 3 on the road. It’s mathematically impossible for all other teams to win the title and win less than 3 road games. This is a nice Boston squad, but Ray Allen is starting to look pretty tuckered out at times, making it really like a big 2 and a nice complimentary player. While Pierce is a talented (yet annoying) player, he is not THE GUY. KG is their guy (he’s the only one w/an MVP), but he is reluctant (maybe Rasheed isn’t as far behind KG as we thought?) to step up in the clutch.
Laughton may be right that I’m premature in handing us the NBA Title (though I truly believe the path of least resistance and a bolstered bench will do it for us this year), but Boston doesn’t have it. They have Doc Rivers, not “it”.
Re: Joe Smith, people forget that this guy has averaged 12 and 7 over the course of his thirteen year career. And if Smith hadn’t had to deal with so many interruptions, especially early in his career (mid-season trade to Philly and never fitting in there, as well as missing half of his next season) when he was dropping 19 and 9, he might have put up those type of numbers for a couple more seasons and had a more impressive looking resumé in terms of stats. If he’s the #2 pick instead of the #1 pick, and if he’s not in a draft so loaded as 1995 with lots of more successful players selected after him (KG, Sheed, Dice, Stackhouse, Damon Stoudamire, Michael Finley). Joe Smith probably takes more criticism than Bryant Reeves (picked #6, before Stoudamire, Kurt Thomas, Brent Barry, Michael Finley, Theo and Corliss), when the dude has actually had a long, productive (albeit serviceable) career. On an aside, weird to think each the Pistons and Spurs have 3 of the top 21 picks from that draft on their respective squads 13 years later when only 11 players from that class are still in the league.
Kelly Dwyer pens a good one by me:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Asi7ZindYNnrFZ4AXr6PTYm8vLYF?slug=ys-saunderspistons051208&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
LawyerBoy:
I agree with everything you say. My only point was, bizarre as Boston’s inability to win on the road in the playoffs so far has been, it’s still only mid-way through the second round, and Boston still has the homecourt vs. the Cavs (and would have it against anybody else). So what we now have is a Celtics squad that looks pretty human, might be having some physical issues (is Allen getting worn down?), and/or some psychological issues (about playing on the road, not living up to their hype, none of their “big three” being or wanting to be “The Guy,” etc.). But they are still a tough squad.
And so are the Cavs. And so is every team still playing in the West. So I’m not handing us any trophies, especially without knowing more about Chauncey’s injury. And as great as that game 4 win against Orland was, I’m still worried about the “flip the switch Pistons” showing up again.
Of course, if Detroit wins game 5, the only thing Detroit would need to show up for in the next several days is watching the other teams knock the crap out of each other. Which is what I’m rooting for.