URL:http://www.nba.com/playoffs2004/rivers_040503.html
Doc Rivers on Nets-Pistons
Doc Rivers wears many hats these days: Head coach of the Boston Celtics, ABC's
NBA analyst, and NBA.com Blog Squad member. We asked Coach Rivers to wear
another one: analyst for the Nets-Pistons series, which continues Friday night
(8 ET, ESPN). The Pistons feel this is their year. The Nets had won 14 straight
playoff games in the East before Monday's Game 1 loss. Who will emerge from
this East semifinals clash? Coach Rivers gave us some insight into the keys to
the series.
Doc's breakdown:
Everyone is talking about the Lakers-Spurs series and rightly so, considering
the teams won the last five championships are playing each other. I think
that's the series everyone should be talking about.
But I don't think we should go to sleep on the Nets-Pistons series. I think
this is going to be a great series. These are two teams that are so evenly
matched it's amazing.
Similar mentalities:
Last year, the Nets swept the Pistons, but this is a different Detroit Pistons
team. Last year, I think the Pistons were just happy to advance in the playoffs.
This year, they have a different mindset. If they don't make The Finals, in
their opinion, everything is a bust. They've already been to the Eastern
Conference finals. By changing coaches (Larry Brown in for Rick Carlisle) and
bringing on Rasheed Wallace, I think anything less than making it to The Finals
will be a disappointing season in their minds. I think that mindset helps the
Pistons.
This "Finals or bust" mentality is probably the Nets' mindset as well. They've
gone to The Finals the last two years and no one is picking them. All season,
no one has really talked about the Nets. It's been the Pistons and it's been
Indiana. There has been very little mention of the Nets until their first round
destruction of the Knicks. Now, people are starting to notice the Nets.
The Nets are just playing great basketball and they're streaking through the
East again. And the time off has done them some good. Of all the teams that
needed a break, the Nets would be the No. 1 team because of their injuries.
Kenyon Martin has had time to get to 100 percent by now, and Jason Kidd looked
to be at 100 percent in the first round.
Coaching matchups:
This is Lawrence Frank's first time around and it would be tough to give him
the edge. And you can never go against Larry Brown. But both guys have new
teams. In a lot of ways, Lawrence Frank may know his team better than Larry
Brown. For Larry, this is the first time he's coached the Pistons, the first
year he's coached them in the playoffs, and they've only had Rasheed Wallace
half a season.
If Larry Brown's in a series, you give him the customary nod. But they're both
still learning as they go.
The Pistons' biggest advantage:
They have size. The Nets aren't a great rebounding team to begin with. In this
series, when you're playing against Ben Wallace -- who has a chance to dominate
this series -- and Rasheed Wallace, the big question is: Does this combination
neutralize Kenyon Martin?
That combination is bigger than Kenyon Martin, is athletic like Kenyon Martin
and in Ben Wallace's case, stronger than Kenyon Martin. I don't know if they're
faster than Kenyon getting up and down the floor, but this is a true test for
Kenyon Martin.
The Nets have to shoot the ball well from the outside to win this series. I
don't see them dominating inside because of the shot-blocking abilities of the
Wallaces.
The Nets' biggest advantage:
One advantage that I see, when I was with the Magic, the Pistons had a
difficult time dealing with Tracy McGrady and his speed. I can see the Pistons
having a difficult time dealing with Richard Jefferson.
At the two and three, Tayshaun Prince will need to take on the same challenge.
Prince turned that Pistons-Magic series around for Detroit. Without him, the
Magic are playing in the second round and the Pistons go home. Down 3-1, Prince
comes into the series and turns it around with his defense. I think he'll need
to do the same thing with this series guarding Richard Jefferson.
Jefferson has been close to spectacular in the playoffs. He's really come into
his own in his third year. Each year, he's improved in one area, and this year
he improved his jump-shot. As a rookie, you could lay off of him and play him
for the drive. Last year, he was making the in-between shot a little bit more.
Now, he's become even more consistent with it.
With the way he runs the floor, if he can continue to shoot the ball it would
help the Nets in a big way. He's also extended his range with the spot-up
jump-shot, so when they're running the floor, he can run to a spot, catch and
shoot. He hadn't been able to do that consistently in the past.
What the Pistons need to do to win:
They need to make shots. The Pistons have a habit of going into scoring
droughts. They need consistent play from Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton and
Rasheed Wallace.
What the Nets need to do to win:
The Nets must get into the transition game, they must take care of the boards
so they can run, and the outside shooters must make shots or the Pistons will
pack it in and make them make shots.
Who will win:
It will be a series about pace. If the Nets can score in transition, they have
an excellent shot of winning this series. But if they don't score in transition,
then I think it turns into the Pistons' series.
Bottom line, it's a tough call. Detroit has more defensive weapons. The one
thing that scares you with Detroit is not having a go-to guy and the fact that
the Nets have done it before. They're not just going to lay down. It will be a
bigger factor than people think.
I wouldn't be surprised to see this one go seven games. And I would put this as
a pick 'em. It will be one of the more entertaining playoff series that we'll
have.
-- Doc Rivers
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