i really don't know whether to say the pistons are the model for the nba anymore... they might even be the ANTIMODEL of the league.

ok, yeah, they have the best starting 5 in the nba. that's an organizational success on joe dumars' part.

but as of late, the way they approach games is very kobe-shaq laker-ish...

-act like they can just turn it on when it matters(i think they blur the line between confidence and cockiness way too often; i don't see the sense of urgency at all until they're muddled deep)
-rely more upon their offense than their defense to win
-maybe try to rely too much upon getting calls?
-i want to say this is part of flip's doing, but i think flip knew what the pistons needed to work on, and so strayed away from the 1-on-1 lockdown D THINKING that the players would always know how to play it. it's probably both sides' fault; flip for not emphasizing it and urgency, and the players for not doing it.

even if they win tonight, will they carry that same sense of urgency into miami? or that sense of cockiness?

that said, even if the pistons get knocked out, they'll come back the next year. i expect it. and san antonio too. they just need a reality check.

that being said, maybe it IS good that the pistons get knocked out; i really need to finish the rest of this quarter strong.