GOLD MEDAL ROUND MATCHUP- DIOP VS FATSOVERVIEWAfter both teams finished 1 and 2 in the regular season you could call this somewhat a shock and a disappointment for both teams.
Both teams have more of a throwback style where they don't stretch the floor much and use their superior big men along with heady PG play to beat teams. Two of the best centers of all time will face off and bang bodies in KAJ and Moses Malone. Can one grab the upper hand? Is this the battle that can win the Bronze? Or will rest on someone else's shoulders.
The concern for Fats would be how do they guard Bird? Cooper was a DPOY, but he doesn't have the size to body up on Bird. Do they try Larry Johnson off the bench or even Magic to guard him at times. End the end does it matter who guards Bird? Nobody fares well in that matchup.
The concern for Diop would be how do you handle Magic? Paul is a great defender, but a rookie and he is given up almost 10 inches to Magic. You can put in another good defender in Livingston to give you the size, but you lose almost everything else to Paul. Wade is well atheltic enough, but he's still giving up half a foot and no big man on Diop's roster can match size and speed. We will have to wait and see how it plays out.
GAME 1A HUGE 4TH QUARTER LEADS FATS TO A 119 - 95 WINUp one after 3 quarters, Fats outscores Diop by 23 in the fourth to take Game 1 of the Bronze Medal round.
Karl Malone was the blame for all in the semifinals, but he stepped it up in Game 1 with 26 and 11. Four more players added in double digit scoring with Moses malone chipping in a double double, and Magic Johnson putting together a 15/9/7 night. In the end 3 point shooting (+21 over Diop) sealed the deal along with the Malone's out dueling Kareem and Bird.
The reason Diop ended up in the Bronze Medal Round and not the Gold Medal Round was becuase Kareem and Bird didn't play well enough together. This happened again in Game 1. They combined for less points than Karl Malone, combined for only 3 more boards than Moses Malone, and combined for the same amount of assists as Magic. Add in the fact that in the 4th quarter they combined to go 0 - 4 with zero points and you got yourself a blowout. They can't get out dueled and hope to win this series.
https://www.whatifsports.com/nba/boxscore.asp?GameID=13580354&nomenu=1&teamfee=-1
GAME 2A 14 - 4 RUN IN THE LAST 4 MINUTES GIVES FATS A 2 - 0 EDGE IN THE SERIES.At the 3:41 mark it was a 1 point game at 95 - 94, edge to Fats. Then Karl Malone and Magic Johnson score 12 of Fats last 14 points to put Diop in an 0 - 2 hole.
K. Malone and Magic combine for 51 points and it was just too much for Diop. Ray Allen and Moses both contributed for 17 each and Grandmama put in 10 off the bench. The concern for Diop was how do they handle Magic, and it isn't going well. Fats has done a better job on Bird and it is a main reason they are up 2 - 0.
Bird and Kareem both had double doubles, but they can't find there scoring, combing for only 28. They were the 3rd and 4th leading scorer on their team and and the 7th and 8th of the entire game. You can't get away with that from your two best players. Add in the fact that Kareem once again went scoreless in the 4th and Bird only scored 4 (4 combined points from both in the 4th two games) and you get another loss because you can't close games in the 4th. Diop heads home for Game 3 to hopefully get this series back on track.
https://www.whatifsports.com/nba/boxscore.asp?GameID=13580371&nomenu=1&teamfee=-1
GAME 3KARL MALONE IS UNSTOPPABLE ONCE AGAIN AND FATS TAKES THE 3 - 0 LEADIn a nailbiter Fats takes a 3 - 0 series lead with a 107 - 104 win on Diop's home court. Diop took a 1 point lead with 3 minutes to go off a Vlade Divac dunk, but Manu Ginobili gets a bucket on the next posession and Fats never looked back matching Diop bucket for bucket. The main Diop mistake was Vlade turnover, but it didn't seal the game. They just couldn't grab the lead as Fats held them back like the older brother putting his hand on his little brothers forhead as he swings with great force, but never connects.
Ray Allen adds in 22 for Fats and Moses gets another double double for his team. It was truly a team effort for Fats in the 4th getting buckets from over 5 players, but Malone sealed the deal at the free throw line going 4 - 4 with less than 10 ticks left.
Bird put together a 14/5/5 and Kareem added in 10/14/6/4, but as you can see the points still had to come from somewhere else. Five other players for Diop got in double digits and Wade had a 18/8/7 game as the team played great, but just came up short. Bird poured in 8 of his 14 in the 4th, but once again Kareem goes scoreless in the 4th. I've never seen anything like this. Possibly the greatest center ever hasn't scored a point in three straight fourth quarters when the game could have been won. Just unbelievable.
https://www.whatifsports.com/nba/boxscore.asp?GameID=13580405&nomenu=1&teamfee=-1
GAME 4AT THE BUZZER!!! KARL MALONE DRAINS A SERIES WINNER AS FATS SWEEPS DIOPWith the game tied at 109 a piece, Larry Bird rises up from the right wing and only draws iron. Karl Malone grabs the board and as Magic motions for the pass, Malone waves him off. He refuses to give up the ball. he knows no one can guard him because for four straight games Diop has had no answer. Malone backs down Bosh to 8 feet and with 3 seconds left he hits a half spin turnaround, rises up and drains the jumper as the buzzer sounds in the arena. Silence from 35,000, jubilation for Fats.
Fats had five players in double figures, with Karl Malone leading the way with 21. Moses Malone adds his 4th double double of the series with a 19 and 14 (8 offensive).
Bird came to play with a 23/9/3 for Diop and Wade and bosh both scored over 20, but outside of them Diop struggled. Kareem had another double double and he finally scored in the 4th quarter (only 2 points), but he finished with a 13 and 10. Not what you can survive with when he is one of your two best players.
https://www.whatifsports.com/nba/boxscore.asp?GameID=13580466&nomenu=1&teamfee=-1
SynopsisThis is a pretty easy summary. Fats star players showed up to play. Karl Malone was unstoppable and Moses was a forced to be reckoned with on the inside. K. Malone showed up when it mattered icing Game 3 and winning Game 4 at the buzzer.
On the other side it comes down to Kareem and Bird. Neither took over or dominated and that's why they never even got to a fifth game. When you have two top 5 players of all time they have to come in and dominate. They need to be the leaders and take over for their team. When Kareem doesn't average 15 points in the series and Bird barely makes it over that mark then you won't win too many games.
Fats wins the bronze which could be considered a disappointment after his regular season. This series does nothing to spell that because it showed how well he can play when Karl Malone plays well. Malone struggled in basically two games all year and it cost him a shot at a championship. I'm sure he will remember them for a long time...or he will forget about them pretty quickly like he did his kids.
