Spurs are in the driver’s seat

By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 06/16/2005

San Antonio, Texas — When the last two NBA Champions meet in the finals, you expect a competitive series. Right? After the first two games in San Antonio, it looks like the Spurs are halfway to a third NBA title in seven years.

 

After routing the Pistons 84-69 in game one and 97-76 in game two, the Spurs became the first team since 1951 to win games one and two both by 15 points or more. This just in: The Spurs are really good.

 

They are led by superstar Tim Duncan, who has dominated Rasheed Wallace, while Manu Ginobili has established that the NBA's theme for the finals is correct: "Where legends are born!"

 

Ginobili has been sensational, leading both teams in scoring in the first two games with 26 and 27 points. The Spurs have the defending champion Pistons reeling. Don't count the Pistons out yet with games three, four, and if necessary game five all on Detroit's home court this week.

 

Maybe the Pistons can muster up enough inner toughness and emotion to stand up to the talented Spurs, who right now look like one of the best teams in NBA history. Last year, the Pistons swept all three games from the Lakers on their home court to win the title. In 1990, when the Pistons won the title over Portland, they swept all three road games. Defensively, the Spurs have shut the Pistons down completely.

 

In the eight quarters of games one and two combined, the Spurs have outscored the Pistons in six of the eight quarters, with one quarter being a tie. Defensive stopper Bruce Bowen has shut down Detroit's leading scorer Richard Hamilton, holding him to 14 points in each game, which is seven points below his playoff scoring average.

 

Three-point shooting has been lopsided, a complete domination by the Spurs. In games one and two the Spurs have outscored the Pistons by a whopping 45-3 margin while putting the clamps on the Pistons' offense, holding them to 39 percent shooting.

 

The Pistons appear to be flustered by the Spurs, who are out-working and out-hustling them. The international flavor of Spurs stars Duncan, Tony Parker and Ginobili, all born outside the U.S., have gotten the best of the U.S.-born Pistons.

 

The Spurs' ability to spread the floor, passing the ball and working it inside out to Duncan and using the three-point shot, has been something the Pistons have had no answer for.

 

The winner of game one of the NBA Finals has won the championship 72 percent of the time. And, the team that wins the first two games, like the Spurs in these finals, has won the title 94 percent of the time. The Pistons have to beat the Spurs in four of the next five games to keep the title, which is highly unlikely.

 

Fitz Notes & Quotes

 Hall-of-Famer Dave Winfield will be in town this week for his annual Dave Winfield Awards. Winfield, the St. Paul native, two-time World Series champion, and former Gopher and Twins star, is now vice president of the San Diego Padres, who play the Twins at the Dome this weekend, June 17, 18 and 19.

 Earl Bowman: What a man!

 We are all saddened by the tragic death of the great Earl Bowman. Bowman was stricken with an aneurysm two weeks ago Sunday while playing golf in a charity tournament that I also played in to benefit young people. We have lost a tremendous leader, humanitarian and philanthropist, and I have lost a good friend and advisor.