If you’ve been following the NBA playoff race at the bottom rung of the Eastern Conference, you’ll notice a small, albeit significant chance to standings. The Chicago Bulls, by virtue of a win last night over the Miami Heat, have inched into the seventh seed. And Detroit, currently on a three-game losing skid, has slipped into that eighth spot.
And I do not want to see them there for reasons both personal and professional.
Let’s deal with the latter first. Despite the fact that the Pistons have a losing record at 34-37 and despite the fact that there appears to be a quiet protest going on with Allen Iverson regarding his playing situation , the Pistons will be dangerous for the Cavaliers. There’s just too much intensity in the rivalry for them not to be.
Nevermind that the situations have changed over the course of just a season with the Cavs running away with the division, they still have Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince and, according to reports, Iverson, who always has fun at the Cavs’ expense, will return next Tuesday for the final push.
Yes, there are no guarantees should they play the Bulls given that the Cavs finished their season series against them before they completed trades that brought Brad Miller and John Salmons to the team. There, however, hasn’t been much of a rivarly there since Michael Jordan frustrated the Cavs years ago.
Detroit? Different story.
As for why I don’t want to see it? The Palace at Auburn Hills is a great facility, but it reminds me of the Richfield Coliseum in that it sits almost in the middle of nowhere.
Secondly, driving I-75 as repairs continue to be made would test the patience of a Bhuddist monk.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
i like detroit as a match up. i think your right about everything you said regarding the pistons. that’s why i like it. since the cavs have the 1 seed pretty much locked up a good wake up call might be in order. detroit would fit the bill.
if the cavs manage to blow through them…even better.
As far as strictly opponents are concerned, I would have liked to see this:
http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/42006052.html
As far as first-round opponents are concerned, who cares? Cleveland will win, but obviously, assuming they can finally get all of their players, Detroit will be the more difficult competition. All Cleveland has to do is avoid James getting a sprained ankle, and to a lesser extent, Williams or Varejao getting a sprained ankle.
And can we please quite exaggerating that word “rivalry?” Seriously. The Northeast Ohio scribes love to bandy that word around, no matter the professional sport, when a rivalry doesn’t actually exist. Anything to add a compelling storyline. Hey, how ’bout that New York Giants-Brooklyn Dodgers rivalry?
Apparently that Gilbert thing occurred at a bar mitzvah, of all places. Ya gotta love this guy. I wonder who he’s fronting with respect to that Ohio gambling scheme.
George you need to jump all over that story! You know the shills masquerading as sports writers up in Cleveland will pooh pooh it.
We could help you think of an interesting angle but the story sounds like it would tell itself.
The Pistons lost their edge about four years ago now and I’d guess they’d be just as apt to roll over as the Bulls.