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Pistons 15 Double digit losses with Iverson in lineup. How many double digit losses without him? how about just 1 (to the Lakers). read on for details.
I said back in 1996, watching Iverson throw up shot after contested shot like back alley playground ball, that he'd never win a championship. So we know about the blockbuster trade where the Nuggets made out like a bandit. Well this is what George Karl said about Iverson right after:
"I don't think there's any question coaching a team for many minutes, without a passing and point guard mentality, is frustrating for a coach. Sometimes I saw something, but I couldn't get it done on the court because I didn't have a playmaker out there. Now that he's gone, there are less bad plays, more solid plays. I think the wasteful, cheap possessions that we used to have ,10 or 15 a game, they don't exist very much anymore. We have contested-shot charts, bad-shot charts and cheap defensive possessions. I would say that when A.I. was here, we had most games in the teens of contested , tough shots, sometimes in the 20s. And I don't think we've had a double digit one since Billups has been here."
It wasn't hart to figure the Pistons would suffer. With the Nuggets last season, they snuck into the playoffs but a close look reveals that Iverson's team couldn't beat the best on the road. His crew lost all but one road game to the Celtics, Pistons and best of the West (Lakers, Suns, Mavs, Spurs) and many of the losses were by 15, 20 and 30 points! Naturally, the pattern followed when the Pistons screwed up their continuity and traded Billups away for him. The Pistons went 15-12 without him this season, but from the 1st game he started at NJ to the last at NO on Feb. 25th, they went 23-29 with 14 double digit losses. He did play a short stint in late March off the bench with a 1-2 team record, but after shooting 1-8 in a 13 point loss at NJ, it was time to hit the bench again. Most importantly, let's recognize the Pistons are a 12 point dog at Cleveland (biggest dog the Pistons have ever been to Cleveland?) but they DONT HAVE IVERSON. So now to the key stat: WIth Iverson, against playoff teams and the Phoenix Suns, the Pistons lost 10 games by double digits. So how did they fare in the 30 games without him? How about just 1 double digit loss to playoff teams (the Lakers), and they had a close game with Cleveland.
Also keep in mind the Cavs lost thier final home game which has a bigger psycholigical impact then one may think. A rare 40-1 home record would be something the NBA would love to see preserved into the NBA finals for ratings purposes but instead falls to 39-2. Another thing to keep in mind is, like Boston, the Cavs rested their starters in the last game. Not a hindrence but not an advantage either, and sometimes this can take a good team out of their rythmn. Just ask the Mavs 2 yrs. ago against the Warriors.
Overall the Pistons are the 8 seed and oddsmakers are treating them as a below .500 team appropriately, but without Iverson they are a completely different and better team, which some people may not realize and that's why they're undervalued coming in. Cleveland is great and will win the series as the NBA would love LeBron in the Finals for ratings, but look for the Pistons team (with no i) to stay within the big number in the majority of these road games now that Iverson is on the bench. Good Luck! TFM
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