Pistons Restore Our Faith

I will keep it brief, because tons is going to be written and spoken about this in the days and weeks ahead. Suffice it to say things like the Pistons' crushing of the Lakers Tuesday helps to restore our faith in mankind.

Nobody deserved to have all their arrogance and petulance stuffed back in their faces as much as the Lakers. Nothing was sweeter than hearing a room full of fans, watching here on TV, start laughing at and ridiculing the inept and lazy alleged kings of the court when the margin reached 28 points in the second half.

You knew what kind of night it was going to be when Motown's Aretha Franklin pulled off one of the best versions of the National Anthem ever. This one was all about Detroit, as an underdog team and an underdog town, as a slice of real America compared to phony Hollywood glitz and Jack Nicholson.

The Lakers couldn't pull off their usual thug routine because the Pistons were too quick. It was like Roger Rabbit foiling his oafish adversary by darting and running circles so fast around him he turned into a blur.

The Lakers also couldn't pull it off because one of sports' most overrated coaches, Phil Jackson, blew it by dissing the officials after Game 3. Given how far most NBA officials bent over in service to the Lakers all season, Jackson's failure to show them some love when things started to get rough only incited them to, well, call the game more fairly.

One of the foulest examples of the Laker approach to basketball came midway through the third period when Gary Payton deliberately whacked Richard Hamilton's protective plastic face mask with his elbow. It was a clear attempt to send the Piston star to the sidelines if not the hospital. Payton targeted Hamilton's nose, knowing it had been broken twice already and that another blow could put him out of commission. But, fortunately, the protective mask did its job. Hamilton went down, but got right back up.

No foul was called, as it happened away from the ball. Seconds later, though, a double-technical was called when Hamilton let Payton know his displeasure at the cheap, and dangerous, shot.

As many times throughout the game as the Pistons hit or were tossed to the deck, they always sprang back to their feet for a rebound or a put-back.

The Lakers were exposed for their flat-footed disdain for defense. It wasn't something they could even begin to change so deep into the season. Piston Coach Larry Brown's "one extra pass" approach to offense humiliated the lethargic Lakers.

The series was a contrast between a team with chemistry and one with none. Coach Brown took a rag tag bunch of bad boys and rejects and molded them into a sleek and inspired unit. Coach Jackson was nothing more than a babysitter for a couple of emotionally adolescent superstars.

This one was deserved, by both teams. It was eloquent in its outcome not only by the teams that won, but by the way the mighty Lakers were not just beaten but crushed.

Still and all, not to worry, Kobe. The season is over, but you're still going to be making plenty of headlines.