Game 2: Pistons v. Heat (Thu 5/25, 8p ET, ESPN, Chat)

[Glenn]

Bavetta just flat out blew that call.

When you are the ref on the baseline on an inbound, your only responsibility is to do the 5 second countdown and look for the man to call timeout, especially when you get close to a violation.

The fact that he had his head on a swivel when he had two other guys out there watching the same thing is unforgivable. He had a simple, but important task, and he flat out blew it.

I wonder if we'll see him "retire" after the playoffs?

[Fool]

That end of the game stretch wasn't cool but I wasn't worried about the Heat actually winning. The Pistons were at fault for letting a lot of it happen and that 5 second call was crap but the Pistons don't lose games like that. Even playing as bad as they did in that stretch they weren't about to lose it. They've got too many guys with too much will to let that happen.

[Taymelo]

My thoughts:

For the 1st 3 3/4 quarters, the only poor officiating was centered around Dwyane Wade.

It is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 1,000,000% obvious that the NBA reminded the refs before the game that superstar Wade got into real BIG early foul trouble in game 1, and they better NOT let it happen again, or they'd no longer be NBA officials.

I think Shaq was officiated fairly, Walker, Posey, Mourning - all of them - except Wade - until the 4th quarter.

He could do ANYTHING he wanted on either end of the floor, and no matter how hard he HIT you or KNOCKED YOU DOWN, or SHOVED you, there would be no foul. And if you BREATHED on him, he'd go to the line.

In fact, he went to the line more than anyone on either team, had no fouls all game, and still found time to bitch about the officiating after the game (talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth. If I were Bavetta, I'd demand a bigger payoff).

I've never seen officials try so hard to have a guy finish a game without committing a SINGLE foul. I've heard of makeup calls - but makeup GAMES?!?!?!? And exactly what did he deserve a makeup for? He was guilty of ALL the charges he was called for in game 1!

Of course, by the end of the game, the officials went all "lets see if we can win the game for the Heat since they clearly can't come CLOSE to doing it by themselves" - as per usual when we play a team with a superstar (or two) that the NBA really, really, really, really, really, really wants to advance to the next round.

But until that point near the end of the game, the only blatant cheating and conspiratorial conduct by the officials was centered on Wade. They deserve a reward, they did exactly what the NBA told them to do - keep Wade out of foul trouble so he can help them sell jerseys, Sprite, and gym shoes.

PS: That game was a BLOWOUT - yes, a 4 point BLOWOUT, kinda like a 5 game sweep against the Lakers.

I don't care about the final score.

If I were a player, I'd take from that game that in game 1, they were EXHAUSTED and still hung with Miami and had a chance.

In game 2, all things were equal for both teams (although Detroit is far more injured), and Detroit SMOKED them from START to (pretty much) FINISH.

That was a 12 point win, IMO, if you overlook the garbage officiating at the end and the Pistons' sloppy play for a couple MEASLY possessions when the game was already OVER. Yes. The game was never in doubt. Ask my friend. I sat there for the last 15 minutes of the officials cheating to get the Heat back into the game, and every time my friend said "uh, oh", I said "the game's over, forget it. We won." He'd say "its a two point game", and I'd say "the Pistons already won. Its over. Its a formality. They're just making a blowout look interesting".

I was right.

Everyone here should stop bitching and be happy that our team DESTROYED the Heat last night. Embarrassed them. Humiliated them. Blew them out. But officially only won by 4. So, what. We killed the fuckers - and they HAVE to know it.

Game 1: We're DEAD tired, you're totally rested, but you barely beat us in anybody's game? You want a cookie?

Game 2: We're equal in terms of energy, and we're more injured than you are, yet we build as much as a 12-14 point lead, hold it ALL GAME, DESTROY YOU (but only win by 4).

I know which team should be confident right now and which shouldn't.

Hint: The team that should not be confident has a guy that got BETTER THAN LeBron treatment last night.

[Fool]

I've missed you.

[realistic]

Game 1: We're DEAD tired, you're totally rested, but you barely beat us in anybody's game? You want a cookie?

Game 2: We're equal in terms of energy, and we're more injured than you are, yet we build as much as a 12-14 point lead, hold it ALL GAME, DESTROY YOU (but only win by 4).

I don't think Miami was equal in terms of energy. To me, Miami looked exactly like a team that knew it had reclaimed home court--they were lazy, complacent, and they settled for jumpshots. They were satisfied.

Game 3 will be the test. In Miami they'll turn up the energy--they have to--and we'll see who emerges the victor. Then we'll have answers.

[Taymelo]

Game 1: We're DEAD tired, you're totally rested, but you barely beat us in anybody's game? You want a cookie?

Game 2: We're equal in terms of energy, and we're more injured than you are, yet we build as much as a 12-14 point lead, hold it ALL GAME, DESTROY YOU (but only win by 4).

[b]I don't think Miami was equal in terms of energy. To me, Miami looked exactly like a team that knew it had reclaimed home court--they were lazy, complacent, and they settled for jumpshots. They were satisfied.[b]

Game 3 will be the test. In Miami they'll turn up the energy--they have to--and we'll see who emerges the victor. Then we'll have answers.

I didn't say energized.

I said rested.

I actually agree with everything you posted, and everything I posted.

They didn't have energy, but it wasn't because of fatigue, like it was for the Pistons in game 1. It was because of complacency (and frustration b/c the Pistons stole their hearts early in the game).

What I'm saying is that you can't mentally fight fatigue. If you are tired, your jump shot will be short. So, the Pistons have a legitimate excuse for losing game 1. The Heat, on the other hand, don't have a legitimate excuse that they couldn't have avoided with the right attitude.

[Uncle Mxy]

The one thing that bugs me about the fatigue diagnosis is that it usually results in more missed FTs, but that wasn't the case in Game 1.

Oh well, we're 1-1 after two -- time to take a couple in Miami...

[Glenn]

That was Zeebneebesque.

Also, it's good to know Taymelo has a friend, but I'm not sure how we would go about asking him anything for verification purposes.

[Taymelo]

That was Zeebneebesque.

Also, it's good to know Taymelo has a friend, but I'm not sure how we would go about asking him anything for verification purposes.

Oh, I've got a friend.

Whether he's imaginary or not is of no consequence.

The important thing is he's my friend.

[Anthony]

My man Taymelo speaks the truth!