What i dont understand is why more teams in the playoffs and in every game dont just shut down PGs as soon as they cross half court like the Nets did to Marbury? send your PF and SG at the PG on offense, and force the PG to give up the rock immediately...

If LA had sent two guys at Billups every time he crossed midcourt, you would have taken him out of his game and maybe had a chance at making that a series.

the only reason the Nets won is because they completely took the ball out of marbury's hands on every play and made other knicks try to beat the nets, which we couldnt.

injuries are part of the game and usually cost the better team from winning in the playoffs or the championship.

T-wolves would have been in the finals with a healthy cassell. Knicks would have probably beat the Nets with a healthy houston & TT.

I don;t think we would have beat the Nets with a healthy TT and Houston when we got swept. The series wasn't close.

you had multiple guys who could bring the ball up court and 4 other explosive athletes who could take it to the hole. detroit passed the ball very well.

i think its a big mistake comparing detroit to NY they are a much different team with much more size athletsicm toughness better depth length at every position etc....

still, billups was the sparkplug for detroit. you double team and get the ball out of his hands, just like marbury had the ball taken out of his hands. with good rotation and spacing, that double team whenever billups got the ball would have been solid. shut him down when he crossed half court or before, not when he's at the top of the key.

problem is : who could have done that ? perimeter d was one of the lakers weaknesses. If they couldn't defend pick and rolls at all, I could they set any trap ?