prophet_of_rage wrote:Billups post ups was the Pistons closing strategy. It gave them their separation.Greyhound wrote:Ben Wallace is like 6’8” 240 pounds. You are being very liberal with your usage of size.
Todd McCullough and Jason Collins are very big guys, even though they were nowhere near the defensive players that Wallace was.
The Pistons had quality size in Eldin Campbell and Mehmet Okur to throw at Shaq, so I get your point. That did not stop Shaq from being dominant that series. What prevented him from being more dominant (imo) was the situation with Kobe. Specifically Kobe deciding to punish the Pistons for single covering him.
That would not be an issue with the 2002 version of the Lakers. The strategy the Pistons used to defend Shaq was not some novel approach. Double and triple teams on Shaq were par the course during that time. The key for the Lakers was drawing that defensive attention with Shaq then finding the open shooters. Kobe deciding to attack his man and jack up shots against the set defense (who chose to single cover him) threw off the entire Lakers offense.
In terms of your point about Payton and Malone being the problem. I am not sure where you got that from. Not once have I ever stated anything so ridiculous.
That being said, there is value in having high end role players who know their role and how to excel in it. Going from being a star your entire career to a player who operates around other established stars is not the easiest, most seamless transition in the world.
Malone was injured that series, let’s not forget. A healthy Malone would have been better then Slava Medvedenko, and could have made a difference.
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The Pistons did not attack the Billups, Payton matchup. Billups was not being posted nearly as much as you are leading on. What the Pistons exploited was Shaq’s pick and roll defense (more then anything else). It was the same strategy the Sacramento Kings employed with Mike Bibby. It was an excellent strategy that is typically balanced out with Shaq dominating the interior on the other end. Kobe ball threw off a dynamic that was not a new one for the Lakers. Shaq being a paint beast who did not hedge well, or close to shooters was nothing new. It was a common thing for him to surrender outside shots to shooting PG’s out of the pick and roll.
Shaq being unable to dominate the way he was accustomed to (due to lack of touches), while hemorrhaging points to Billups on the opposite end created an impact imbalance that compromised his effect on the game.
This goes back to Kobe once again. Those Lakers needed Shaq to be Shaq more then they needed Kobe trying to be all that he could be.
I don't know why 2002 Kobe is less inclined to shoot than the 2004 version. Thats my issue with the idea that the Pistons would be destroyed. It's a close series that could swing either way.
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Maybe because Kobe was working through a rape allegation that was headed to trial in 2004 and was out trying to prove something. Furthermore, there is the whole issue about Kobe’s comment that he should have payed the girl to go away the way Shaq does with his side chicks (not a direct quote, but something to that affect). That created a massive rift in the locker room.
The mindset of a 2002 Kobe is not the same as Kobe in 2004.
Shaq was traded that summer for a reason.
