6.23.2005

The finale

Someone is going to lose tonight, in more ways than one.

If the Spurs lose, Duncan all of a sudden has some serious legacy problems (what is he without Robinson? did he choke?).

(Pistons immediately crowned the Pats of the NBA)

If the Pistons lose, they get branded a one-year fluke, who wouldn't have even made it this far if Wade hadn't gone down.

(Duncan cements his legendary status, a million analysts remind us that they picked the Spurs to win in the pre-season)

All of the above are somewhat true, but how much so, we'll only know after tonight.

Do we think of Game 7's as the culmination of a series and a season, when everything that's gone before comes to a head. Players bear their true selves, all lessons learned are put into action, glaring weaknesses come back to haunt in decisive fashion, you get a meaningful ending to the tale of might, doubt and longing that we call the 2004-2005 NBA.

Or is it just another game between two (as of late) erratic teams in a truly incomprehensible Finals, the last contest of the year but hardly a culmination of 2004-2005 or even Spurs vs. Pistons?

Again, both are probably true. But I'm not going to go flying off in one direction or the other until I see it with my own eyes.

And if it sounds like most of what I've just said is about Duncan, well, it is. This is his time.

5 Comments:

At 6/23/2005 1:14 PM, Blogger Bethlehem Shoals said...

i like resigning hunter for the suns more than taking on thomas. q is probably expendable after this year's dismal playoff showing, but what they basically need is a player just like him (2/3 who can hit the three and rebound a little) but more consistent, whoever that is.

 
At 6/23/2005 2:45 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

the biggest thing is that it allows the suns to move amare back to the 4 and matrix to the 3. joe johnson is the perfect 2 for that team, and they need to re-sign him. they still need a back up point guard (payton?), but hunter, jackson, and whoever they draft should provide decent depth.

i wish they could have gotten someone like stromile instead, though.

 
At 6/23/2005 3:30 PM, Blogger Ken said...

I don't think the Pistons would be a one year fluke, as they are taking this series to seven games and went to the Eastern Conference Finals twice before they won their title.

 
At 6/23/2005 4:02 PM, Blogger Bethlehem Shoals said...

even if they move marion to the 3, amare to the 4, and resign hunter to play center, they could still really use someone with richardson's skills coming off the bench. athletic scorer not afraid to play with some muscle underneath.

i don't personally think the pistons are a fluke, but history would remember them that way. going to the eastern conference finals meant nothing before this year, and they'll have to fend off the pacers and a healthy heat next year for it to really mean something this time around.

 
At 6/23/2005 4:07 PM, Blogger Bethlehem Shoals said...

taking the spurs seven has been impressive. .. fine, i have no answer for that.

if tonight's game is interesting ennough that people remember the series, not just who got the title, then the pistons go down in history as notable. if san antonio blows them out, they'll have to prove themselves all over again next year.

 

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