You are right in more ways than one. Even with the most recent addition of Gasol, the key to the Laker's is Fisher. He is such a class act and the most dangerous type of player because of his clutch plays. This is one unique fellow who can quickly step up, not because of he may be hot for the moment, but through the ability to zone-in on the team's energy level that has brought them the potential of winning the game.

Jackson blew the last play for them and there should have been only two people shooting the ball....Fisher or Kobe. It would have been an easy setup for them. One quick inlet pass to a big, who uses a camouflaged look to Kobe and then a kick out to Fisher...who would have hit that shot.

To be honest with you, the starting five did not deserve to win that game. We still have an attitude problem with the somehow deserved right that the entire starting five thinks is a conspiracy theory against them. This attitude will not bring them out of the Eastern finals.

I don't think for a minute that JD doesn't know this. On the other hand, I am grateful for the full acknowledgment that no one on the piston team reads this forum, since this would only reinforce them further to complain that they get no respect and in this area they need no further help.

My simple answer for their solution is...gentlement, show some of your own class and play beyond it!

Feed from it and shut your mouths; or let Ford Motor Company buy you out, which is one way of shirking your own responsibility levels.

These comments are right on the money

But he did.

touche!!!!!

I would argue that IS one of the problems with Flip. Not only to we always take 3's in clutch situations (even when we don't need them!, and when they are not falling), but a majority if not all our plays in clutch time are jump shots.

I don't remember the last time we ran a play going to the basket unless it's Chauncey just deciding on the fly to drive. We actually use to run alot more post-ups for Prince than we do now (granted he was struggling).

Easy baskets are crucial in the PO's. 3-pointers are not exactly high %, esp the stupid ones Chauncey takes at times.

Watch some more NBA games when the Pistons aren't playing. At the end of the game it's always going to be a jumper for the game winner, or an offensive rebound. The only times that doesn't happen is if you have Kobe, Lebron or Wade on your team. Now I'm sure if we had one of those 3, the Pistons would get more points going to the basket too.

While I can't stand Flip's stupid, "Guys need to make shots" philosophy of basketball, it's 100% true in the last few mins of a tight game. The Spurs are champions because they've always had perimeter players who can knock down J's late in the 4th qtr, Manu is one of the best, and Fisher did the same for the Lakers back in the day. To be a champion, a guy has to be able to hit a long J, often times with a hand in his face.

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Play hard, Play smart, Play together, share the ball, have fun....Play the right way!!!!!!

If Tay doesn't grab that board or hit that shot then everyone would be killing Flip for calling for a 3 in a 2 point game.

I prefer if Sheed had closed out on Horry in 2005 we would have won two championships in a row.

Speaking of jumpshots in pressure situations, the play Larry Brown drew up for the Pistons in that game, with Detroit down one and several seconds to go on our home court, was Rip Hamilton isolating for a jump shot in the mid-post guarded by Tony Parker (a guard known for playing awful defense in the postseason, and a midget with no hops to boot).

Rip choked.

I agree that it is important to make jump shots but to an extent.

The Spurs are champions b/c Tony Parker and Manu Ginobbli are fantastic at slashing and able to get to the hole. They didn't win championships shooting jump shots. They won b/c they have an amazing low post player, and slashing guards that can also set up three point shooters effectively.

I've watched enough NBA games to know that you can't jump shoot your way to a title. The Pistons have proved that over the past 2 years.

edited to add;

While i do have a problem with the jump shots at the end of the game, what really irks is the 3-pointers. I can accept a mid-range by Rip or a post-up fade way for Sheed a lot easier than a play call for Sheed to take a three (which he never makes anyway in the clutch, yet we keep going to it)