Talked to Mike Yam (FF freak from NBAtv) and former GM of the Sixers Billy King, and they disagreed.

I argued that only 3 TO's for us and 21 for them is DEFENSE. They said it was just bad ball handling, I said that it was steals, blocks, and getting in their head that caused all that. Over 50% shooting and they can't score enough to beat us @ 38% shooting. Whaddya think?

I'm pretty sure DH won't forget how he got beaten up by JMax, Dyess, Sheed and Ratliff until the start of next season.

Pistons get lots of credit for their defensive play from some basketball people, and don't get much from the others. I believe that they were very solid defensively, and it is probably their defensive play throughout the series that got into Magic players' heads and made them rush their passes, moves, etc. and turn the ball over. There were blocks, slapaways, steals that contributed to the turnovers.

The most stand out defensive game that I remember is game two of the 2004 ECF at Indiana. Both teams played terrific defense that night.

Tayshaun's block on Reggie is the dominate memory, but the two teams combined for about 20 blocks in that game. This was also Sheed's first win guarantee. It was the most hard earned (and perhaps most important) victory of our current run. Game six of round two at New Jersey that same year was also a standout victory.

I have to side with the "bad ballhandling" crowd.

There were numerous plays for Orlando where barely contested or uncontested passes were way off the mark, or slightly off the mark and the guy that was supposed to receive the pass just stood there and watched it bounce out of bounds ala Cliff Robinson.

Even Fratello felt the overwhelming need to point out that coming to the pass was something that the Orlando Magic team was failing to do.

Bottom line for me: When a team squanders a 10 point lead with less than 4 minutes to go because they gave up uncontested jumpers, penetration leading to point blank looks at the basket, and second chance opportunities due to failure to secure offensive rebounds....

I hardly call that an offensive or a defensive gem of a night, regardless of the final turnover tally.

A better team makes us pay for that. In games 2,4, and 5.

What about that game where we held NJ to 53 points?

Yeah, or that entire record setting under 70 run.

I'm not sure you can call any game against Orlando a "best defensive" effort as long as they are starting Nelson and Evans. These are still guys who probably wouldn't start for any other team in the league.

They shot a high FG% and a lot of free throws. That is why I can't consider it a top defensive effort.

They turned it over a lot, but that has been their weakness ever since they got Superman. I guess the basketball is their kryptonite.

Go waaay back to the last time the Pistons beat the Utah Jazz. Horrible game, but great win considering we couldn't hit anythign in the 4th. Who played better defense??

the best stretch i remember is being at a playoff game against indiana where we went on a 30-4 run and the only points the pacers scored were from free throws