NBA Conference Finals: Youth Against the Old Pros
Old warriors the Spurs and Pistons have won 4 NBA titles since 1999, and the two faced each other two years ago in the Finals. They are veteran teams taking on the new kids on the block, youthful Utah and Cleveland.
Consider the key Pistons and their ages: Chauncey Billups (30), Richard Hamilton (29), Rasheed Wallace (32), Antonio MyDyess (32), Chris Webber (34), Tayshaun Prince (27), and Lindsey Hunter (36). This is an experienced team that is playing in its fourth straight Eastern Conference Finals. Only Webber and MyDyess have no championship rings.
The Cavs, on the other hand, have only one starter over the age of 28 in Zydrunas Ilgauskas (31). The other key players are relative babies in LeBron James (22), Larry Hughes (28) and Drew Gooden (24). Oddsmakers expect the veteran teams to advance, as they are deeper and have home court.
The Cavaliers were just 1-3 SU/ATS during the regular season against the Pistons, and in their long victory they needed OT. One thing Cleveland has got to do to stay competitive is to score, and do it with someone other than James. In the regular season, the Cavs beat the Pistons 101-97 in overtime, but lost the other three games scoring 71, 78, 82 points. Yes, that was 3-1 under the total for you totals players scoring at home.
In eliminating the Nets in six games, the Cavaliers only averaged 86 points. The Cavs won the Nets series shooting just 41 percent! They shot only 69 percent at the foul line after being last in the NBA during the regular season from the charity stripe. That's not going to cut it against Detroit.
In the seven-game playoff series against the Pistons last season, the Cavaliers averaged 80 points. In four regular-season games, it was 83 points. One problem for Cleveland coach Mike Brown, despite the team's youthful legs, is that he prefers to slow the pace to a crawl. In their three victories in last year's playoff series with the Pistons, the Cavs scored 86, 74, and 86 points. By Game 7, the Cavs scored 61 points! They made only five field goals in the entire second half as they scored 23 points.
Unfortunately for Cleveland, they are going to need Larry Hughes to regain some confidence. He was 3-for-17 in Game 5 against the Nets, as New Jersey double-teamed and harassed James. The Nets were begging anyone for the Cavs to step up and hit open outside shots, but Hughes couldn't deliver as the team shot 33%. Then in Game 6 Hughes took 6 shots, making only one. The Cavs won the game easily, but shot just 43% as a team. That's not going to cut it against Detroit. In fact, in the regular season, Hughes averaged 12.5 points but shot 39 percent against the Pistons.
Out West, the veteran Spurs took it to the young Jazz in Game 1, 108-100. Athletic Utah won the battle of the boards by a whopping 48-33, which they've been doing all postseason, but San Antonio won every other important stat, including shooting 54% and holding Utah to 42%. The game wasn't that close, with San Antonio leading by 18 at the half.
The next three games are going to be interesting, as two will be in Utah, where the Jazz is 37-10. Of course, San Antonio is a sizzling 31-15 SU, 26-19 ATS on the road. Even with the loss, Utah is still 18-15 SU, 19-12 ATS as a dog. One other note: The home team is 6-0 SU/ATS the last six meetings between these teams. Whoever can steal a road win somewhere will have a huge upper hand, otherwise it's the Spurs in 7!
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