This Pacers fan loves Ryan Howard

[HurricaneDij39]

Being the expert's pick (correctly, by the way) does not equal a bigger market draw, especially for the finals which is national television. The Pistons played stingy defense and slow, pounding offense which is about the least friendly basketball there is for the casual fan to watch. You can not honestly think that the NBA head office wanted a Detroit/Spurs match up for marketing. Just because they were better teams does not mean that Stern rigged it. If it were rigged it would be NY vs LA in the finals.

I'm sorry that you were depressed in that era of your life, but I would look for other causes than the Pistons and David Stern. It really is time to move past it.

Unless you were in that situation, you have no idea what it was like living through those days as a loyal Pacers fan as a teenager no less. Until then, I don't feel sorry for any of you for any nixed trades or whatever bullshit. That goes for anyone in this thread. Granted I might have had a different, more mature outlook if it had happened today, but it's still unlikely my opinion of $tern would be any different.

And no, an LA/NY finals matchup would have never taken place regardless due to the Shaq/Kobe beakup the previous offseason and your boy Isiah running the Knicks at the time....