Gotta love ABC's coverage.
And to top it off, they had a nerve to let Kid Rock sing "America the Beautiful". Please gag me with a spoon.
And to top it off, they had a nerve to let Kid Rock sing "America the Beautiful". Please gag me with a spoon.
9:18: We have the tipoff, and San Antonio starts off pretty well. They aren't afraid of attacking the basket, and they get the first two scores. Chauncey starts his team off with a great layup. The Spurs can't allow that to happen. 4-2.
9:24: Michelle Tafoya said Greg Popovich promised a completely different Duncan and Parker. Yup...I see it, because Duncan can't guard Rasheed Wallace and Tony Parker can't play perimeter defense. Drastically different from what we've seen throughout the season and the playoffs.
The Pistons have pulled away from the Spurs and lead by seven early in the game.
9:33: The Spurs have settled down, and are getting some pretty good looks at the basket. Both Duncan and Parker have started pretty well. The Spurs are taking advantage of loose balls as well. However, Wallace is once again doing a good job contributing on the offensive end, as he has 8 points already. Pistons up by 6 with 3 mins left.
9:43: The Pistons continue to extend their streak against the Spurs, as they've outscored them eight consequtive quarters in this series. Very surprising. However, Ginobili continues to make an impact in this quarter, and it looks like he might have gotten his groove back as a slasher. With the exception of a late bucket by Muhammed, the big three (Ginobili, Parker, and Duncan) have scored all of the Spurs points in the 1st. The need others to help out, especially Bruce Bowen (0-3, and a turnover). The Pistons lead 23-21.
9:24: Michelle Tafoya said Greg Popovich promised a completely different Duncan and Parker. Yup...I see it, because Duncan can't guard Rasheed Wallace and Tony Parker can't play perimeter defense. Drastically different from what we've seen throughout the season and the playoffs.
The Pistons have pulled away from the Spurs and lead by seven early in the game.
9:33: The Spurs have settled down, and are getting some pretty good looks at the basket. Both Duncan and Parker have started pretty well. The Spurs are taking advantage of loose balls as well. However, Wallace is once again doing a good job contributing on the offensive end, as he has 8 points already. Pistons up by 6 with 3 mins left.
9:43: The Pistons continue to extend their streak against the Spurs, as they've outscored them eight consequtive quarters in this series. Very surprising. However, Ginobili continues to make an impact in this quarter, and it looks like he might have gotten his groove back as a slasher. With the exception of a late bucket by Muhammed, the big three (Ginobili, Parker, and Duncan) have scored all of the Spurs points in the 1st. The need others to help out, especially Bruce Bowen (0-3, and a turnover). The Pistons lead 23-21.
9:52: Parker and Ginobili have been very impressive during this stretch of the 2nd quarter. They are active on the boards, Parker has been hitting that long-range jumper, and it looks like they have solved the turnover problem that led to blowouts in Games 3 & 4. The Pistons can not afford for both of them to regain their confidence.
Oh yeah, and Bruce Bowen has finally scored, hitting a wide-open 3. Spurs lead by 3.
9:59: Folks, the Spurs decided to show up tonight. Duncan is hitting baskets in the paint again, Ginobili is running around like a chicken with his head cut off, the role players are doing their job (Barry just hit a three a second ago), and as a result, the Detroit crowd has been quiet for the first time in the Finals. The Spurs lead by nine with six and a half minutes before halftime.
10:11: Chauncey Billups responds, and he looks like he's carrying the Pistons offensive-wise again. Whether it's slashing to the basket or hitting the mid-range jumper, it's all going in. Back-to-back baskets for Billups cuts the Spurs lead to 3, 38-35 with 3:23 to go before halftime.
10:19: The Spurs are starting to turn the ball over again. Three turnovers in the last couple of minutes creates opportunities for the Pistons on the other end. However, the Spurs are getting calls going their way. A Ben Wallace dunk makes it a one-point lead.
10:25: At halftime, the Spurs and the Pistons are tied at 42.
The Spurs faltered at the end of the 2nd quarter despite being up as many as nine due to the turnovers and missed advantages created by offensive rebounds and looks in the paint. A big plus is the fact that Tony Parker is shooting the ball really well tonight, but they need more help from the role players to keep the pressure on the Pistons, as the bench has only scored four points.
The Pistons were able to overcome that Spurs run early in the 2nd, but they need to bring the pain in the second half. Ginobili has been able to run circles around Prince and Billups, and better defense is needed for those Parker jumpers. Also, Billups is the only one scoring, and we know how that went in Game 1. Ben Wallace is helping on the boards and is already in double digits, but it's sporadic.
In the halftime analysis, Bill Walton has jumped back on the Spurs bandwagon, while Greg Anthony is still cheerleading the Pistons on (although he's been doing that the whole series). The truth lies somewhere in the middle, leading to Walton's side.
10:42: Second half starts. Both coaches have griped at their teams. Brown says they're lucky to be tied. Popovich says they need to feed Duncan the ball deeper in the paint.
10:46: So far they've been trading baskets. Muhammed's already scored twice in this half, and most of the shots the Spurs have gotten have been in the paint. The same with the Pistons as well, as Ben now has 13 pts. His offensive production has gone up consistently every game. Spurs lead by 2.
Oops...another Bruce Bowen sighting gives the Spurs the lead by 5. Timeout.
10:55: The Spurs are doing everything better tonight. They are beating the Pistons trap, they're dominating the boards (Ginobili has five boards in his own right) and they're taking advantage of second chances. The Pistons are forced to foul and strip the ball. Bruce Bowen is showing up as well, as he has 5 pts in this half. Spurs up by seven with four and a half left.
11:07: Chauncey Billups is having a great night. Back-to-back baskets, which consisted of a three and then a basket on a foul, ties this game up with 1:30 left in the 3rd.
11:12: Just when I thought the Spurs was about to falter down the stretch, here comes Robert Horry to drill a big three-pointer to regain the lead. I swear, Horry could miss every shot he takes in this game, but damn if he won't hit that clutch three pointer, even if he's off-balance. Actually, that's his first points of the game.
The Pistons are doing well, though. Parker can't stop Billups from scoring, Rip is getting the better of Bruce Bowen (and that's a good battle too), and Ben Wallace is still making an impact, although it did falter in that quarter. The Spurs lead 64-63 at the end of the third quarter.
11:20: Horry starts off the quarter with ANOTHER three. However, he's still a liability in this game, as Tayshaun Prince beats him off the dribble and takes him on the baseline. The Pistons are doing a great job frustrating the Spurs for stretches to prevent them from breaking open the game. And Antonio McDyess has been the X factor off the bench. Pistons lead by 2 with 8:44 left in regulation.
11:25: Duncan is playing with two sprained ankles, according to Tafoya. Well, it looks like he's also playing with two sprained wrists, missing two fts a second ago. A nice floater by Prince, but here's Ginobili slashing the lane again to draw the foul, get the basket and hit the ft to give the Spurs the lead by one.
11:37: Horry is still burning em. Drills a three pointer right in Sheed's face. Tim Duncan is still going to work on the boards, and I'm surprised I haven't seen more of a defensive presence from the Wallaces.
But the equalizer is Chauncey Billups. Tony Parker simply doesn't have an answer for him, and Parker still hasn't scored in this half. Game is tied with three minutes to go.
11:37: Horry is still burning em. Drills a three pointer right in Sheed's face. Tim Duncan is still going to work on the boards, and I'm surprised I haven't seen more of a defensive presence from the Wallaces.
But the equalizer is Chauncey Billups. Tony Parker simply doesn't have an answer for him, and Parker still hasn't scored in this half. Game is tied with three minutes to go.
11:42: If you haven't figured it out, this is turning out to be a nailbiter. Both teams are starting to trade baskets. Ginobili drives the lane for a great floater, which is answered by a long-range jumper on the baseline by Hamilton. Pistons are up by 2 with 2:20 left.
11:49: Robert Horry is why you want to have veterans on your bench. He has shook off the cobwebs and has made things happen for the Spurs ever since he hit that big three to close the 3rd.
However, the Spurs had a chance to make some space in this game, yet Duncan misses both of his free throws. Ugh. The Spurs lead by one with a minute to go in the game.
However, the Spurs had a chance to make some space in this game, yet Duncan misses both of his free throws. Ugh. The Spurs lead by one with a minute to go in the game.
11:52: Rip continues to make baskets at will. Detroit fouls Duncan on the other end, yet he is TERRIBLE at the line tonight. He goes 1-2 that time, and he's only 4-11 tonight. Terrible. Score's tied with 33.8 seconds remaining in regulation.
11:55: I want a revote of the NBA Coach of the Year, because Popovich's decision to put Bowen on Billups was pure genius. Billups coughs up the ball, and the Spurs now get the last shot to win with the game tied at 89.
12:00: OVERTIME. Ginobili drove the lane, missed the layup, Duncan had the chance for the tip, and he blew that too. It's as if Duncan has done everything to lose this game tonight.
Overtime has started. Missed baskets by both teams. Duncan is not focused right now.
12:03: I don't know what the hell just happened. The refs called the ball out of bounds after Billups lost it, it was "converted" to a foul after the refs talked about it, and Billups goes to the line and hit the foul shots. Overtime in the Finals is the wrong time for the refs to be messing up like that. Pistons lead by four with 2:51 left, and the Spurs haven't scored in OT yet.
12:09: Robert Horry gorilla dunked on Rip Hamilton. I'm talking about poster material right now. My goodness.
However Tim Duncan has not done anything. Missing shots, missing passes, he is terrible.
However Tim Duncan has not done anything. Missing shots, missing passes, he is terrible.
Billups once again gets the ball, drives to the basket...MISSES. Tim Duncan gets the rebound and calls the timeout. Spurs down by two with 9.4 seconds remaining.
12:15: ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!?!?!?!?? Robert Horry AGAIN WITH THE THREE POINTER!!! This kat just hurt his arm dunking on Rip Hamilton and NOW here he comes with the three! This is totally unreal.
The Spurs lead by ONE with 5.9 seconds left.
12:15: ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!?!?!?!?? Robert Horry AGAIN WITH THE THREE POINTER!!! This kat just hurt his arm dunking on Rip Hamilton and NOW here he comes with the three! This is totally unreal.
The Spurs lead by ONE with 5.9 seconds left.
- That's it. Hamilton drove the lane, and missed the shot with Parker in his face. Even then, the ref should have called the offensive foul because Rip threw the elbow. Bowen got the rebound and ran out the clock.
I was giving Robert Horry hell from the beginning of the game up to the third quarter, and all of a sudden he exploded. He came off the bench and carried the Spurs through the 4th quarter and overtime. Tim Duncan did everything to lose that game and almost succeeded. He needs to give Horry his game check tonight, and he knows it.
I don't care what people say about stats, but when you consistently have performances like this throughout your career to give the fans something to talk about year after year, you deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. Robert Horry is about to get his sixth ring, and he has made an impact for every ring he's gotten, even if he wasn't the primary player. In my mind, it's a no-brainer.
I was giving Robert Horry hell from the beginning of the game up to the third quarter, and all of a sudden he exploded. He came off the bench and carried the Spurs through the 4th quarter and overtime. Tim Duncan did everything to lose that game and almost succeeded. He needs to give Horry his game check tonight, and he knows it.
I don't care what people say about stats, but when you consistently have performances like this throughout your career to give the fans something to talk about year after year, you deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. Robert Horry is about to get his sixth ring, and he has made an impact for every ring he's gotten, even if he wasn't the primary player. In my mind, it's a no-brainer.
Now the Spurs are in the driver's seat. They take a 3-2 lead in the series and they're going back to San Antonio for the last two games. Things aren't looking good for Detroit right now.
I'll have some more analysis on the great game tomorrow. Thanks for reading.