8901240333
DETROIT FREE PRESS
890609
Friday, June 09, 1989
METRO FINAL
1A
Photo Color STEVEN R. NICKERSON
MITCH ALBOM
NBA FINALS: PISTONS - LAKERS;; SEE ALSO METRO FINAL CHASER EDITION 1A
Copyright (c) 1989, Detroit Free Press
PISTONS 108 LAKERS 105
DOUBLE TAKE
MAGIC IS GONE FOR THE LAKERS
AS PISTONS GRAB 2-0 SERIES LEAD
Suddenly, it was heart against heart. The Lakers had just lost Magic
Johnson to a hamstring injury, and the Pistons had just lost their last
excuse. There could be no losing now. Not with this advantage. Not with these
circumstances. The heart of the champion, pride and will, met the heart of the
challenger, hunger and dreams. Only one could survive.
"Not this time, LA," the Pistons seemed to say, as they whittled away at a
weakened Lakers lineup and finally snuffed the Lakers, 108-105, to take a 2-0
lead in the NBA Finals -- thanks to a missed free throw by LA's James Worthy
with two seconds left. "Too bad about Magic. Too bad about James. See ya
later."
What did you expect, sympathy? Was there any sympathy when Detroit lost
Isiah Thomas to injury last year? Was there any sympathy when Joe Dumars,
born to be a hero, missed a shot that could have won it all last year? None
then. None now.
Instead it was Isiah, driving through the Lakers in the final moments,
arching up a high toss and watching it fall. Instead it was James Edwards
rising high on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to block him. Instead it was Vinnie Johnson
dashing down court and filling up the net with a short jumper. Instead it was
Dumars, playing like a banshee, shooting out the lights when the Pistons
needed it most. Sympathy? You must be joking.
Instead, they were growing up before our eyes, getting larger, their
voices going deeper. They were making the baskets -- a Dennis Rodman stuff, a
Johnson baseliner, a Thomas jumper. They were making the stops -- a block
here, a steal there. And they were not embarrassed to take the benefits of LA
mistakes.
"Didn't think we had this killer instinct stuff, did you?" the Pistons
seemed to say. "We've been watching you. Live and learn."
Never mind that the Lakers had held them off most of the game. Never mind
that Magic Johnson had left with 4:39 remaining in the third quarter, robbing
the Lakers of their entire starting backcourt -- as Byron Scott was already
missing. Never mind all that. What were the Pistons supposed to do, feel sorry
for LA? Not here. Not now. Detroit was understanding a simple rule of the
jungle: you want to kill the snake, you have to cut its head off.
"INTENSITY!" the Pistons screamed during time-outs in the final minutes.
"NO LET UP!"
In other words: Kill them.
Not that the Lakers didn't give it a game effort. You can have nothing but
respect for what they did without Magic or Scott. Until the final seconds,
they could have won this thing, with the Pistons failing to make the critical
basket in the final minute. The Lakers had the ball with eight seconds left
and a two-point deficit. They drew the foul on Rodman. But when Worthy's first
shot rolled out, the Pistons leaped in the air.
NBA Finals are hard to predict, but when this one is all said and done,
Game 2 may prove the critical turnaround. Oh sure, the Pistons had proven
volumes already, the best record in the NBA, the deepest bench, the tightest
defensive squeeze. Win? They could win, they could beat LA pretty
convincingly. But the intangible the Lakers always held was attitude,
championship brain cells, the kind that clicked in just in time for the
desperation victory. Thursday night, the voices were calling -- Arise, Lakers,
show them who you are -- but suddenly, the Pistons were taller, quicker, they
were . . . in the way.
Credit the team defense. Credit Thomas. And credit Dumars, who took over
like a knight handed the sword from the stone. Courageous? Just consider what
he was up against:
On offense; Michael Cooper, perhaps the best backcourt defender in the
league.
On defense: Magic Johnson, maybe the best player in history.
No problem, right?
Dumars did not allow it to be. What a performance! During a critical
stretch in the second period, when the Lakers threatened to run away, he
almost single-handedly rammed the Pistons back into the game. A
behind-the-back dazzle move, topped with a banker off the glass; a 15-foot
jump shot; an offensive foul drawn on Mychal Thompson; a running two-hander
over Tony Campbell; free throws, free throws, personal fouls, technical fouls,
no problem, he'll shoot anything. And hit it. Dumars had 26 points in the
first half. Without him, the Pistons would have been long buried before
Magic's hamstring gave out.
In the end, however, it was the Lakers mistakes, and the Pistons taking
advantage. It was Thomas hitting the critical free throws to seal a
three-point lead. And it was the Pistons going to Los Angeles with a 2-0 lead.
Heart against heart, will against will. The challenger is growing stronger.
We go on.
CUTLINE
Detroit's Anita Baker sings "The Star-Spangled Banner" before the start of
Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Thursday between the Pistons and the Los Angeles
Lakers at the Palace in Auburn Hills.
DPISTONS;GAME;BASKETBALL;LOS ANGELES;COLUMN;Pistons