Better Defensive team: 2004 Detroit Pistons or 2008 Boston Celtics

[GOBB]

I never really liked the Detroit team. Didnt hate them but they didnt have anyone to pull me in. That said they were the better defensive team in 04. Operation Lockdown.

[boozehound]

I think a good argument can be made for either squad. I also think that the spurs need to be mentioned. However, the league changed the rules of defense as a result of the 04 pistons.

[boozehound]

@ people talking about the bad boy Pistons.


The same team that whooped Jordan 3 years in a row and sent him home fishing.

Whats you point? It took 4 attempts for Jordan to finally get past the Pistons in the playoffs, but people always give Kobe a hard time for going down to the Celtics once? What kind of sh*t is that?


There were bruiser teams playing back then, but there is a reason why Jordan was able to average 30+ a season like it was nothing while shooting well under 100 attempts from downtown. He could get by off of sheer athleticism, that sh*t will NOT fly in today's game.



You put a player like J.R smith and put him in the 80's and he would be in the hall of fame right now.

and posts like this is why lakers fans get a bad rap on this forum. SO much ridiculous nonsense is posted by fools with laker's avys. I feel bad for the decent fans of the team, but damn, what a bunch of fools.

[Calabis]

@ people talking about the bad boy Pistons.


The same team that whooped Jordan 3 years in a row and sent him home fishing.

Whats you point? It took 4 attempts for Jordan to finally get past the Pistons in the playoffs, but people always give Kobe a hard time for going down to the Celtics once? What kind of sh*t is that?


There were bruiser teams playing back then, but there is a reason why Jordan was able to average 30+ a season like it was nothing while shooting well under 100 attempts from downtown. He could get by off of sheer athleticism, that sh*t will NOT fly in today's game.



You put a player like J.R smith and put him in the 80's and he would be in the hall of fame right now.

[Pointguard]

Celts

The Pistons were amazing in defeating the Lakers that year. The Lake show had no answers with two potent weapons and a super experienced team.

But the Pistons were lucky to get there. They would have lost to the Nets (hobbled Kidd and Martain still took them to 7) and Pacers (Tinsley and O'neal) if key injuries didn't strike both teams.

No team escaped the Celts rapture in 08. The West was thought to be a better conference and everybody was in a tight race. Yet all of them lost a key game down the stretch to Boston on their homecourt.

[King Lebron LBJ]

Pistons. Best defensive team in the last 5-7 years.

[Apocalyptic0n3]

Indeed.

That image with "We beat you" on it would be great for the Laker haters. lol

[hoopaddict08]

Celts

The Pistons were amazing in defeating the Lakers that year. The Lake show had no answers with two potent weapons and a super experienced team.

But the Pistons were lucky to get there. They would have lost to the Nets (hobbled Kidd and Martain still took them to 7) and Pacers (Tinsley and O'neal) if key injuries didn't strike both teams.

No team escaped the Celts rapture in 08. The West was thought to be a better conference and everybody was in a tight race. Yet all of them lost a key game down the stretch to Boston on their homecourt.

I don't see how any of that explains why Bostons defense was better. This isn't "who was the better champion thread". Detroit after acquiring Rasheed was the better defensive team. The numbers back that up, and have already shared.

[Disaprine]

In Sheed's 21 starts in the '04 regular season, the Pistons allowed an average of just 76.8 ppg and they were 17-4 in those games. They held opponents under 70 points in 5 consecutive games in that stretch and under 80 points in 8 consecutive games during that same stretch. In those 21 games, an opponents high was 94(the only time an opponent scored over 90 vs Detroit in those 21 games Sheed started). They held Indiana to just 61 points one game and in 8 out of those 21 games, they held their opponent under 70 points. In a playoff game, they held the Nets to just 56 points.

That's incredible, it's the first time I looked up the numbers, but even before that I was sure they were the best defensive team I've ever seen. And they were a true team at both ends. Everyone knew their roles and they're the only championship team in the last 2, maybe 3 decades with no clear best player which was the beauty of that team, though to me, Big Ben was their MVP.

I'll admit, I hated them at the time! I root for the Knicks and Nets and with the Marbury/Houston combo being a let down in the first round, I was rooting for the Nets again, yet Detroit beat them in a devastating series, they beat the Pacers and I was a Jermaine O'Neal fan and of course, they beat the Lakers and Shaq was my favorite player.

But looking back on them, that has to be one of my favorite teams now, along with the 2002 Kings who I also rooted against, but ran the most gorgeous offense I've ever seen.

that pistons team was amazing.

[embersyc]

I realize we are doing championship teams, but the 05 Pistons were better defensively than the 04 team (Sheed playing with us for a full season definitely helped us). I would take both the 05 Pistons and the 05 Spurs over the 08 Celtics, though. That Finals was one of the greatest defensive matchups ever and may never be surpassed.

No way, 04 Pistons had Mike James and Lindsey Hunter terrorizing the other team's point guards and causing turnovers left and right. Only teams with elite point guards stood a chance against that combo.

After Mike James left the team was never the same. Also the rule changes hurt them majorly.

[Mr. Jabbar]

The real question is 2008 C's vs 2010 C's. /Thread

[dealer77]

Pistons. Best defensive team in the last 5-7 years.

The Pistons defense that year was legendary. Easily the best defense of the last 5-7 years, and one of the best all time. The only defense I can compare it to would be the Baltimore Ravens team of 2000-01. Different sport, but equal dominance

[hoopaddict08]

The real question is 2008 C's vs 2010 C's. /Thread

Um...no.

09/2010 Celtics aren't even close to the 08 Celtics or 04 Pistons. Kevin Garnett was a shell of his former self almost all season. Although they picked it up in the playoffs, the defense wasn't the same as it was in 2008.

[LA KB24]

and posts like this is why lakers fans get a bad rap on this forum. SO much ridiculous nonsense is posted by fools with laker's avys. I feel bad for the decent fans of the team, but damn, what a bunch of fools.

i'm pretty sure he's just trolling.

no way he's seriously be THAT stupid.

[Samurai Swoosh]

Better defensive team? 2004 Pistons

Better team overall? 2008 Celtics