Whether at the high school level or the pros, teamwork ultimately wins out as opposed to quests for individual glory.
That is the lesson from the Detroit Pistons? conquest of the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers to win the 2004 NBA championship. The Pistons clinched the title with a 100-87 win at The Palace of Auburn Hills June 15 ? and it wasn’t that close.
The Pistons were clearly the superior team throughout the series, and would have swept the Lakers were it not for Kobe Bryant’s miracle shot at the end of regulation in Game 2 that eventually propelled the Lakers to their only win of the series.
Detroit guard Chauncey Billups won the Finals Most Valuable Player award because someone had to, but even he admitted you could split that trophy up and give it to everyone on the team. Contrast that to the bickering Lakers and the Shaq vs. Kobe sideshow, and it’s no contest which squad better fits the definition of team. Everyone on the Pistons ? starters and reserves — was a part of this championship.
Congratulations are also in order for Pistons Coach Larry Brown, who constantly tells his team to ‘play the right way.? The Pistons did just that, and as a result, Brown is now the only coach to win NCAA and NBA titles.
Four years ago, former Pistons great Joe Dumars took the reins as president of basketball operations. He is now only the second person (former Laker Jerry West being the other) to win a Finals MVP and lead the same team to a title as general manager.
Dumars never wavered when critics questioned his moves. He took particularly strong criticism for two decisions last year ? firing Rick Carlisle (who had come off back-to-back 50-win seasons) and bringing in Brown as coach, and passing up Syracuse star Carmelo Anthony to draft 7?1? Serbian Darko Milicic with the second pick in the 2003 NBA draft. Anthony went to the Denver Nuggets with the third pick.
Well, the Pistons defeated Carlisle’s new team, the Indiana Pacers, in the Eastern Conference finals. As for Darko, yes, he barely got off the bench this year, but remember, he’s only 18, and Dumars, as well as several of Darko’s teammates, have praised him for his work ethic and believe he will be a big-time player in the future.
I’m sure that next year, when the Pistons play the Nuggets, Darko will be happy to show Carmelo his NBA championship ring. As for all the critics: This title shows that maybe Joe D. knows what he’s doing.
The newly crowned champions are a group we can all be proud of, and they taught us a valuable lesson in the process.