HoopWatch

I know I said last May 21, that the Detroit Pistons will finish their series against the Cleveland Cavaliers in six. I was wrong. A new “Number 23” has surfaced and proved me otherwise. LeBron James is a man on a mission, pouring 48 points in a classic double-overtime win in Detroit.

James scored 29 points of Cleveland’s last 30 points in their 109-107, Game Five win. He also had nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals. He is averaging over 27 points in this series against a tough defensive Detroit team. He also scored all of the Cavaliers 18 points in two overtimes. He just wouldn’t budge, and remained focus in keeping what he promised at the start of the season, that they will reach the NBA Finals and perhaps win the Larry O”Brien trophy in the end.

But the Pistons have been here before. This series is very much similar to last year’s when Detroit lost all three middle games, before finishing the Cavaliers in Game Seven. They have the swagger, the discipline, the defense and the experience to do so. Again! If there is any other team that can easily come back from being down 2-3, it’s the Pistons!

They have done so, so many times. I can still remember that Tayshaun Prince swat on Reggie Miller that sealed the deal for the Pacers. It was a go-ahead lay-up and was supposed to put an end to the Pistons playoff ascension. But Prince ran the whole court and made that huge block.

These guys have played together for years. Though Ben Wallace is gone, there is another able man in Chris Webber to compliment their formidable four of Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Prince and Rasheed Wallace. They have reached the Eastern Finals for the fifth straight year, a feat in NBA record books. And anything short of an NBA Finals will be an utter disappointment. They won’t allow that. They are poised to bounce back.

But they have to stop King James. They can’t let him produce near triple-doubles every game. They should stop him as a team like they planned. And I believe they will. LeBron’s superhuman efforts can only go so far. And there will be an end to it. Remember that even Michael Jordan’s 63-point effort failed to defeat a tough collective team in Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics in the 80’s.

I can’t wait for Game Six. I still stay it will be Detroit. Not in six though, but in seven.