"2004 Pistons would beat the current Warriors"

[CodeBreaker]

“It would be no comparison.” Hamilton said on CBS Sports’ NBA Crossover. “We can guard every position. Every guy from our point guard to our five, can guard any position. We were big. We were long.”

Do you agree with Rip Hamilton?

 

[wildturkey]

Fuck no. They'd play Ben Wallace right off the floor

 

[CodeBreaker]

Draymond vs Rasheed would be interesting to watch

 

[broncosmitty]

The Pistons would prolly win in 5.

Rasheed never did cover the corner well when it mattered.

(These Warriors wouldn't beat many teams previous to this decade.)

 

[HurricaneDij39]

Fuck Detroit.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I think it would depend on which rules you use. Old School Pistons were thugs and would have sent the Warriors home beat up and crying. If Detroit of that era had to play under today's rules without being physically abuse, then I think they most likely lose. There talent was as spectacular in comparison to todays teams. What they had going was really good team ball and the Lakers only had two players that really could shoot

 

[broncosmitty]

Fuck Detroit.

Reggie should've dunked.

 

[tlance]

The Pistons would prolly win in 5.

Rasheed never did cover the corner well when it mattered.

(These Warriors wouldn't beat many teams previous to this decade.)

Are you joking? I think maybe, but I am not sure.

I find quotes like these really funny. It is easy for retired players to sit back and say "my team would have beat them." Bottom line, it is an unprovable comment so it is a pointless thing to say. Still though, just because a team can guard 1-5 does not automatically make them better than GS. GS has ridiculous offensive fire power and they can guard a bit themselves too.

In fact, while those Pistons might match up okay defensively, I would go so far as to say they do not matchup well offensively. Their only real 1 on 1 matchup where they have a scorer matched up on a non-elite defender would be whichever of the guards Curry defended.

 

[CodeBreaker]

Are you joking? I think maybe, but I am not sure.

I find quotes like these really funny. It is easy for retired players to sit back and say "my team would have beat them." Bottom line, it is an unprovable comment so it is a pointless thing to say. Still though, just because a team can guard 1-5 does not automatically make them better than GS. GS has ridiculous offensive fire power and they can guard a bit themselves too.

In fact, while those Pistons might match up okay defensively, I would go so far as to say they do not matchup well offensively. Their only real 1 on 1 matchup where they have a scorer matched up on a non-elite defender would be whichever of the guards Curry defended.

Well, they beat Shaq-Kobe team which I think is one of the most dominant teams ever. They were able to shut down Kobe, and it was just Shaq who was carrying the Lakers that time. With the Warriors not having a legit big, I don't think they have any problem with it.

 

[tlance]

Well, they beat Shaq-Kobe team which I think is one of the most dominant teams ever. They were able to shut down Kobe, and it was just Shaq who was carrying the Lakers that time. With the Warriors not having a legit big, I don't think they have any problem with it.

Shutting down 1 of 2 is easier than shutting down 4. These Warrior teams are much different than those Lakers. Malone and Payton were well past their prime and Shaq was in decline too. Also, Kobe

 

[tlance]

Shutting down 1 of 2 is easier than shutting down 4. These Warrior teams are much different than those Lakers. Malone and Payton were well past their prime and Shaq was in decline too. Also, Kobe

Kobe was the only player in the team who made more than 1 3 per game. The Pistons were well set up to guard teams that did their damage in the paint like the Lakers. The Warriors are about the opposite of that.

 

[CodeBreaker]

Shutting down 1 of 2 is easier than shutting down 4. These Warrior teams are much different than those Lakers. Malone and Payton were well past their prime and Shaq was in decline too. Also, Kobe

Billups on Curry
Hamilton on Klay
Prince on KD
Not to mention the 2 Wallace.

You think they aren't beating this Warriors?

 

[tlance]

Billups on Curry
Hamilton on Klay
Prince on KD
Not to mention the 2 Wallace.

You think they aren't beating this Warriors?

No way. Every single one of those matchups is advatage GS. Green is as good or better than Rasheed and I don't recall any bench players from that group that made anywhere near the impact of Iguodala or Livingston. Ben Wallace is the Pistons only matchup advantage and he didn't score.

those are good perimeter defenders, but elite offense beats very good defense. Besides, this isn't Kobe going ISO. Much harder to defend a group that spreads the floor like these Warriors can.

Those Pistons beat the Lakers because they played better team basketball. Nothing I have seen from Golden State indicates they will have any trouble playing together.

 

[logic]

I think it would be a great series to see. Great offense versus great defense. Wallace and Wallace were awesome together. Not only as individual defenders, but set up the team rotations on help defense almost perfectly, allowing Prince, RIP, and Billups to take more risks on the perimeter. However there has never been a team with the perimeter firepower than the Warriors have. Hamilton definitely overrates his defensive abilities; his best defense was his non-stop motion on the offense tiring even Kobe down. But he was an average defender at best. To balance that out I think Rasheed's abilities during the 2004 and 2005 run are highly underrated; the guy was almost unstoppable with his baseline fade away----then he fell in love with the 3 after losing to the Spurs.
I think it could go either way and would be one of the best clash of styles matchup to watch.

 

[logic]

No way. Every single one of those matchups is advatage GS. Green is as good or better than Rasheed and I don't recall any bench players from that group that made anywhere near the impact of Iguodala or Livingston. Ben Wallace is the Pistons only matchup advantage and he didn't score.

those are good perimeter defenders, but elite offense beats very good defense. Besides, this isn't Kobe going ISO. Much harder to defend a group that spreads the floor like these Warriors can.

Those Pistons beat the Lakers because they played better team basketball. Nothing I have seen from Golden State indicates they will have any trouble playing together.

I like Draymond, but no way Green is better th a Rasheed was in 2004. Plus 'sheed would have been in Draymond's head so fast he would blow a gasket by game 2.
The Pistons bench may not have had the huge names you remember but Williamson, Okur, Hunter, and even ancient Campbell all made great contributions during their run, especially not letting the defense slip.

 

[TBBishop]

No one thought they'd beat the Lakers and they beat them in 5. Would have swept them if not for a typical Shaq foul call. That team was very underrated. They didn't have a single guy that was a true superstar but they had 5 guys who on any given night could give them a superstar performance. You really couldn't score on them. I don't know if I ever saw a team work together better. And I personally think Larry Brown is as good a coach as there is. The Warriors are certainly a more talented team but I'm not even sure if they'll live up to the hype this year much less be better than 2004's Pistons. We'll see.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

If the Warriors were fully healthy, no.

 

[tlance]

I like Draymond, but no way Green is better th a Rasheed was in 2004. Plus 'sheed would have been in Draymond's head so fast he would blow a gasket by game 2.
The Pistons bench may not have had the huge names you remember but Williamson, Okur, Hunter, and even ancient Campbell all made great contributions during their run, especially not letting the defense slip.

Sheed and Green are very different players and both excellent. Not saying one is better than the other because it is very close.

As for Sheed getting in Green's head? I am sure that is true, but Sheed was not exactly a model of self control. Those two would be at each other constantly and I am guessing neither would be at their best.

 

[TBBishop]

I think it would be a great series to see. Great offense versus great defense. Wallace and Wallace were awesome together. Not only as individual defenders, but set up the team rotations on help defense almost perfectly, allowing Prince, RIP, and Billups to take more risks on the perimeter. However there has never been a team with the perimeter firepower than the Warriors have. Hamilton definitely overrates his defensive abilities; his best defense was his non-stop motion on the offense tiring even Kobe down. But he was an average defender at best. To balance that out I think Rasheed's abilities during the 2004 and 2005 run are highly underrated; the guy was almost unstoppable with his baseline fade away----then he fell in love with the 3 after losing to the Spurs.
I think it could go either way and would be one of the best clash of styles matchup to watch.

Rasheed was unstoppable whenever Rasheed decided to be. He was that kind of talent, unfortunately his attitude problem kept him from being the player his talent said he should be. He was our most talented player but not our best player.

 

[trojanfan12]

As @tlance points out, the Warriors are a different animal than the Lakers were. There were a few reasons that Detroit was able to beat the Lakers.

1.) They were uniquely set up to defend the Lakers. They had the one center in the league who could actually slightly slow down Shaq without having to double him. They could also throw a variety of looks at Kobe.

2.) Because of the way they were built, they were able to take an "if we're going to get beat, Shaq and Kobe are going to have to do it by themselves" mentality. Shaq averaged 26.6 ppg and Kobe averaged 22.6 ppg. After that, the next highest scoring average was Derek Fisher at 6.4 ppg.

3.) The Lakers were an old team. 3 of the 5 starers were either in decline (Payton, Malone) or starting their decline (Shaq).

4.) The Lakers were a divided team. There was in-fighting and the distraction of Kobe's trial in Colorado.

We'll never know if that Detroit team could beat today's Warriors. My guess would be no, but it would be interesting to see.