What I believe

By Dan Nied [send email]

I believe Rasheed Wallace acted alone when he left William Tell, er, Robert Horry in the closing seconds of game five to hit a game-winning three-pointer.

However, I also believe that there were 11 other Pistons involved in that game and they lost as a team.

I believe that Horry might not even be the best clutch shooter in the NBA Finals right now. Chauncey Billups has earned the nickname Mr. Big Shot for a reason. But still, Horry is definitely the guy you want with the ball, down by two with time winding down.

I believe that the Pistons proved in Game 6 that they are one of the toughest teams in NBA history and that is why tonight’s game 7 will be a classic along the lines of Ben Hur, Citizen Cane and Animal House.

I believe that the Pistons may very well win this thing. But then, the Spurs have some potent weapons.

I believe that Manu Ginobili flops every time a door opens in the arena. But he is the MVP of this series if the Spurs win tonight.

I believe most stats are meaningless. So no team has ever won games six and seven on the road in an NBA finals? As Hubie Brown said during game six, “It’s always nice to be the first.”

I believe Bull Durham is playing on cable right now, and sometimes imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

I believe Isiah Thomas is the best guard in Pistons history and David Robinson the best forward/center in Spurs history. Therefore Billups has been downright Thomasesque in this series and Tim Duncan has been absolutely Robinsonian.

But still, I believe that you foul Duncan whenever he gets the ball in the fourth quarter. That is when the noose is tightest.

I believe Tony Parker is the only Frenchman I didn’t immediately hate…and I am a quarter French.

I believe Bruce Bowen is a dirty player, and there is nothing wrong with that if you can get away with it.

I believe Ben Wallace plays better fro’d out and I believe Darko Milicic will turn into one of the best forwards in basketball some day.

I believe you can’t say the same about Rasho Nesterovic.

I believe the Wallace Boys are the best forward tandem in basketball and I am shocked anytime Ginobili or Parker drives to the basket and scores over them.

I believe Larry Brown will coach the Pistons next season if he is healthy and that none of the Pistons players care about that at this moment.

I believe the Spurs have more talent than the Pistons, but not as much heart.

I believe that the best team always wins game seven, and tonight should be no different. Intangibles such as home court advantage and regular season record mean nothing in game seven. But determination means everything.

I believe these are easily the best two teams in the NBA and they have proven it with a series that should, but won’t, be remembered for years to come. Look past the blowouts in the first four games. These guys were feeling each other out. Look at the last two games and try to find a dull moment.

I believe the Pistons complain about fouls too much, but the Spurs do to. Only nobody talks about that.

I believe Greg Popovich and Larry Brown are good friends.

I believe in playing the right way, and I believe that both of these teams do. Basketball is a team game, and there is nothing finer than to see two groups of guys defining the team concept on the games brightest stage.

I believe that Antonio McDyess wants a championship ring more than anyone else on either side. To go through three knee surgeries and cry yourself to sleep at night because your career might be over, well, that’s no fun.

I believe McDyess will respond with a big game tonight for Detroit.

I believe that in some small way I have an impact on this series. As an proud Pistons supporter, I found myself unconsciously wearing Spur-colored black and gray shorts for the first five games (They were washed a few times in between. Don’t get any ideas). In game six, I switched to red and gray. Pistons win.

I believe the Palace of Auburn Hill will be sold out tonight even though the game is in San Antonio. They’ll be playing the telecast on the scoreboard for 20,000 Piston fans.

I believe that the city of San Antonio did the logical thing in planning the championship parade after the Spurs won game five. But that still doesn’t make it smart.

I believe that no one should ever doubt the Pistons. Sometimes they look like the Washington Generals, but when the game is on the line, no one is better.

So I believe that the basketball season will end tonight, with the best team winning the title.

And I believe predictions are out of style.