How did the 2004 Pistons win the chamion

[SpecialQue]

The Pistons were no joke. I mean, not only did they end the Shaq/Kobe Lakers, but they also took the Spurs to 7 games the next season. They were in the conference finals every year from 2003-2008. It wasn't some fluke that they won. They were a fantastically constructed team.

[SCdac]

This team also made it to Game 7 of the '05 NBA Finals, too. That Game 7 was tied going into the 4th quarter.... In other words, they were nearly 2 time champs.

[SilkkTheShocker]

Kobe put them over the edge

[mr.big35]

I dont like people underrate the 2004 Pistons. They come up with all these excuses for the lakers and not giving any credit to the Pistons.

[houston]

defense and pistons guards outplaying Lakers hall of fame backcourt

[mr.big35]

2004 Pistons would beat 2008 Celtics

[Stringer Bell]

They simply were a better team.

The Lakers had the two best individual players in the series, but Detroit was deeper and worked as a unit better.

[SilkkTheShocker]

2004 Pistons would beat 2008 Celtics

Probably.

Look who the 08 Celtics beat on the way to their title run:

-Sub .500 Hawks
-Cavs team with Delonte West as 2nd best player
-Solid Pistons team
-Lakers without Bynum and hurt Ariza.

I always lmao when people try to act like they were some world beater title team.

[T_L_P]

They held Kobe, then arguably their "guy," to 22.6 points .381 FG%.

And he was playing 46 minutes a game.

[HOoopCityJones]

They held Kobe, then arguably their "guy," to 22.6 points .381 FG%.

And he was playing 46 minutes a game.

Who else did they have to worry about? be honest here, Gary Payton couldn't figure out the triangle and was old, Malone was old playing on a bum ankle until he was just out and Shaq was out of shape all year.

All they had to defend was Kobe wit double teams and they had it.

[DMAVS41]

Great defense and under-rated playmaking from some of the guys. And by great defense I mean historic defense.

Also, Kobe didn't play like a star in the finals. If he had played like Manu did in the 05 finals...Lakers might have won.

[DMAVS41]

Who else did they have to worry about? be honest here, Gary Payton couldn't figure out the triangle and was old, Malone was old playing on a bum ankle until he was just out and Shaq was out of shape all year.

All they had to defend was Kobe wit double teams and they had it.

LOL...I'd have to watch the game tape, but if they did double Kobe a lot...why the **** did he take so many shots?

If they actually did double Kobe...he never should have shot 30 more times than Shaq in 5 games...

[Lebron23]

They held Kobe, then arguably their "guy," to 22.6 points .381 FG%.

And he was playing 46 minutes a game.

Kobe choked in that series. he had poor shot selection, and RIP hamilton out played him in their head to head matchup.

[Rake2204]

All they had to defend was Kobe wit double teams and they had it.

I actually think one Detroit's keys to victory was the fact that they didn't go out of their way to double team either of L.A.'s stars. We had a thread here about this about a week ago. The Lakers' tendency that series was to pound the ball inside to Shaq at the start of each contest (leading to a stream of close range finishes and dunks) then slowly work away from O'Neal as the game wore on.

Detroit seemed content with that approach. They took their lumps from O'Neal for the first quarter or so, then let Kobe Bryant iso himself into oblivion. Surely, Detroit's defense was ready to help on any drive, hedge on any screen, and trap in corners (on the baseline and half court) but I don't recall seeing a lot of outright doubles on Kobe or Shaq.

Here's Bryant's Game 1 shot-by-shot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tDpobypzSo

[Magic 32]

I actually think one Detroit's keys to victory was the fact that they didn't go out of their way to double team either of L.A.'s stars. We had a thread here about this about a week ago. The Lakers' tendency that series was to pound the ball inside to Shaq at the start of each contest (leading to a stream close range finishes and dunks) then slowly work away from O'Neal as the game wore on.

Detroit seemed content with that approach. They took their lumps from O'Neal for the first quarter or so, then let Kobe Bryant iso himself into oblivion. Surely, Detroit's defense was ready to help on any drive, hedge on any screen, and trap in corners (on the baseline and half court) but I don't recall seeing a lot of outright doubles on Kobe or Shaq.

Here's Bryant's Game 1 shot-by-shot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tDpobypzSo

Kobe played a near perfect game 2....and they barely won.