AUBURN HILLS, Michigan, 13 June 2004 — It was hard to determine which left a bigger impression in game three, the Detroit Pistons running on all cylinders or the Los Angeles Lakers’ shocking collapse.
Kobe Bryant’s three-point dagger in game two didn’t leave the lasting mark it was supposed to. In fact, it seemed light years away as the teams went through their respective practices here on Friday at the Palace arena. Bryant was smothered by Tayshaun Prince in Detroit’s dominating 88-68 home triumph over the Lakers, giving the Pistons a 2-1 lead in the 2004 NBA finals.
Detroit also achieved on Thursday what no other club had been able to do in the last three finals the Lakers have been involved in — they found a way to stop three-time playoff Most Valuable Player Shaquille O’Neal.
“In the last few years once we have gotten to the finals, we have been able to just force ourselves on a team,” Lakers guard Derek Fisher said.
“We used our will and poise and composure to really take advantage of teams.
“The Pistons have combated all that with effort, playing hard, energy, fight and desire. This isn’t going to be easy to do, but we still firmly believe it’s a series that we can win.” It remains to be seen what tricks Lakers’ coach and Zen master Phil Jackson has up his sleeve for today’s Game Four.
Jackson said that he thought the game-one loss in Los Angeles should have been a wake-up call to his team.
“I talked about the Pistons playing their type of game and we’ve allowed this to happen for three games consistently without enforcing our will on the game,” Jackson said. “We have to start exerting our will and that requires a certain sense of determination that we have to possess.
“But I don’t think being mad or getting angry (with the players) is the way to go.”
It was the Lakers most devastating loss since game five of the 2000 finals when Indiana spanked them 120-87.
“It is real frustrating, but you know it is more about us and that we have to execute our offense and do the little things,” Lakers giant center O’Neal said. “This is just another game that we let slip away.”
O’Neal had two points in second half and finished with 14 points Thursday. He had just eight rebounds.
“I am getting older but I am not slow and weak,” O’Neal said. “I still cause people to send three or four guys. I can still cause defenders to flop and beg for a call. Of course, I am slower and weaker. But I’m still me.” Bryant couldn’t shake off Prince and finished with his lowest scoring playoff game in his last 68 postseason contests.
“They play terrific defense. They are aggressive,” Byrant said. “They do a good job of disrupting our offense.”
The Lakers, who are hobbled with injuries in this series, are 0-7 when down 2-1 in an NBA finals series. But O’Neal, who refuses to give the Pistons much credit, says the series is a long way from over.
Jackson Gives Insight on Coaching Superstars
When Phil Jackson retires from coaching basketball he could write a chapter or two about how to handle superstars.
Don’t think the Los Angeles Lakers’ coach hasn’t already thought about it. “I think I should write a book,” Jackson said. “What every superstar gets is the perception of invincibility.
“When you are a coach, you have to allow them to understand that the perception is part of their persona and they are still a player that has to do the things that are correct in basketball to win at this level.
“Because if you don’t, the little things slip, the things that make a player great ... moving the ball if you are double teamed, playing inside a team offense, playing defense the correct way. All of those things still have to be performed if you are going to be a superstar.” Jackson’s star-studded Lakers are down 2-1 to Detroit in the 2004 NBA finals. He has coached nine of the last 13 NBA champions in Los Angeles and Chicago, matching former Boston coach Norman “Red” Auerbach for the all-time record.
“(Stars) have to understand you are not going to get all of the calls and the game is not going to always go your way. That’s the difficulty of coaching superstars.”
