Monday, January 10, 2011

(#4) Pistons - (#3) Bulls Series

I know the Western Conference is due for another series here, as I've been hitting the East pretty hard lately, but after the Pistons recent "Upset of the Century" over what I thought was probably the best top to bottom team in this thing, I know that every basketball fan in the nation is on the edge of their seat, wondering if they can continue their Cinderella run. It also begs the question, can it really be called a Cinderella run if everyone in the country hates you and wants you to lose? It'd be like if Duke made the NCAA tournament as a 16 seed and then managed to make it to the Final Four... It'd certainly fit the bill of a classic Cinderella team, except for the fact that everyone not associated with Duke would be rooting for them to lose. I'm not even sure what I'd call that phenomenon. Also, if the Pistons end up winning this thing, I may have to murder Isiah Thomas. Don't worry. I'm kidding. And if I'm not, I'll make sure to do it in New York so no jury would convict me. I can see the New York Times headline now: Isiah Thomas Murdered Over Mock Basketball Tournament; Statue of Accused Erected Outside Madison Square Garden. Anyway, lets get to the games, where I'll root for Michael Jordan as the lesser of two evils.

Game 1: Pistons 92 - Bulls 102


Ultimate Pistons
PLAYER MIN FGM/FGA 3PM/3PA FTM/FTA OREB REB AST BLK STL TO PF TP
1984-85  Isiah Thomas* 36 4/11 0/2 0/0 1 3 9 0 2 5 3 8
1983-84  Bill Laimbeer* 30 5/9 0/1 1/2 3 11 1 1 0 1 4 11
2001-02  Ben Wallace* 29 1/5 0/0 0/0 4 13 0 3 1 0 2 2
1992-93  Joe Dumars* 26 2/8 0/1 5/6 0 1 2 0 0 2 2 9
1996-97  Grant Hill 25 8/13 0/0 3/5 3 4 7 1 1 1 3 19
2005-06  Chauncey Billups* 24 3/9 1/2 0/0 2 2 4 0 0 4 3 7
1973-74  Bob Lanier 23 3/8 0/0 0/0 2 7 4 3 0 0 1 6
2005-06  Richard Hamilton 14 3/6 0/0 0/0 1 3 1 0 1 2 2 6
1957-58  George Yardley 10 2/4 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
1953-54  Larry Foust 9 3/4 0/0 0/0 1 2 0 1 0 1 1 6
1970-71  Dave Bing 9 3/7 1/1 0/0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 7
1959-60  Gene Shue 5 2/2 1/1 2/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
TOTALS   39/86 3/8 11/16 17 46 28 9 6 16 22 92
   
Ultimate Bulls
PLAYER MIN FGM/FGA 3PM/3PA FTM/FTA OREB REB AST BLK STL TO PF TP
1994-95  Scottie Pippen* 48 8/14 1/1 3/11 3 11 12 0 6 0 3 20
1988-89  Michael Jordan* 39 12/20 0/0 6/6 3 9 7 1 1 4 3 30
1991-92  Horace Grant* 34 4/7 0/0 1/2 1 7 2 2 0 0 1 9
1970-71  Chet Walker* 27 6/10 2/2 1/1 2 6 3 3 1 3 2 15
1970-71  Bob Love* 23 1/6 0/1 0/0 0 0 2 1 0 1 1 2
1978-79  Artis Gilmore 19 4/5 0/0 2/2 1 2 2 4 0 1 0 10
1998-99  Toni Kukoc 18 3/7 0/1 3/3 1 3 2 0 2 1 1 9
1997-98  Ron Harper 9 2/4 1/1 0/0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 5
1976-77  Norm Van Lier 9 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 0
1970-71  Jerry Sloan 8 1/2 0/0 0/0 0 1 1 1 0 2 2 2
1994-95  B.J. Armstrong 6 0/2 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS   41/77 4/6 16/25 11 43 31 13 10 14 13 102
   
* - denotes game starter
Player of the Game
Scottie Pippen (Ultimate Bulls)



Game 2: Pistons 125 - Bulls 105


Ultimate Pistons
PLAYER MIN FGM/FGA 3PM/3PA FTM/FTA OREB REB AST BLK STL TO PF TP
1984-85  Isiah Thomas* 35 6/10 0/0 8/10 1 6 14 0 3 3 1 20
1983-84  Bill Laimbeer* 30 5/9 0/0 0/0 1 7 2 0 1 1 1 10
2001-02  Ben Wallace* 27 0/1 0/0 1/2 2 10 1 4 1 2 1 1
2005-06  Chauncey Billups* 26 8/15 5/8 1/1 0 1 5 0 1 1 4 22
1992-93  Joe Dumars* 24 3/5 1/1 0/1 0 1 2 0 1 0 2 7
1996-97  Grant Hill 20 9/15 0/0 6/8 1 4 5 0 0 0 0 24
2005-06  Richard Hamilton 18 4/9 0/1 0/0 0 0 4 0 1 1 1 8
1973-74  Bob Lanier 17 8/11 0/0 5/5 4 6 1 1 1 2 1 21
1953-54  Larry Foust 15 3/6 0/0 0/0 5 8 1 0 0 0 4 6
1970-71  Dave Bing 14 1/7 0/2 0/0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 2
1957-58  George Yardley 9 1/4 0/0 0/0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 2
1959-60  Gene Shue 3 0/0 0/0 2/2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
TOTALS   48/92 6/12 23/29 14 45 38 5 9 11 16 125
   
Ultimate Bulls
PLAYER MIN FGM/FGA 3PM/3PA FTM/FTA OREB REB AST BLK STL TO PF TP
1994-95  Scottie Pippen* 35 5/14 0/3 4/5 1 5 2 1 4 5 4 14
1970-71  Chet Walker* 35 7/11 1/2 0/0 0 3 1 0 0 4 5 15
1988-89  Michael Jordan* 34 7/13 0/0 7/9 1 8 7 1 3 2 4 21
1991-92  Horace Grant* 33 4/6 0/0 2/2 2 4 1 5 0 2 1 10
1970-71  Bob Love* 24 7/12 0/0 0/0 3 5 0 0 0 4 1 14
1998-99  Toni Kukoc 20 6/10 1/2 2/3 0 5 3 0 0 1 0 15
1978-79  Artis Gilmore 16 2/2 0/0 3/4 0 3 3 0 0 2 1 7
1970-71  Jerry Sloan 13 0/2 0/0 0/0 0 6 4 2 0 0 0 0
1976-77  Norm Van Lier 12 1/1 0/0 0/0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 2
1994-95  B.J. Armstrong 7 1/2 1/1 0/0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 3
1986-87  John Paxson 6 2/4 0/1 0/0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 4
1997-98  Ron Harper 6 0/1 0/1 0/0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
TOTALS   42/78 3/10 18/23 7 41 26 9 8 20 18 105
   
* - denotes game starter
Player of the Game
Isiah Thomas (Ultimate Pistons)



Game 3: Bulls 108 - Pistons 102


Ultimate Bulls
PLAYER MIN FGM/FGA 3PM/3PA FTM/FTA OREB REB AST BLK STL TO PF TP
1994-95  Scottie Pippen* 43 8/19 3/6 1/2 1 8 6 3 4 3 4 20
1988-89  Michael Jordan* 43 10/19 0/1 3/3 3 13 12 1 5 4 3 23
1991-92  Horace Grant* 38 6/9 0/0 4/4 8 11 1 0 1 2 3 16
1970-71  Chet Walker* 31 6/13 0/0 2/4 0 2 2 0 2 0 2 14
1970-71  Bob Love* 28 4/7 0/0 3/4 2 2 1 0 1 0 1 11
1998-99  Toni Kukoc 21 6/16 0/2 1/2 0 2 6 0 2 1 1 13
1978-79  Artis Gilmore 16 2/5 0/0 1/2 2 7 0 1 0 1 4 5
1997-98  Ron Harper 12 2/4 0/0 0/0 1 2 1 0 1 0 2 4
1976-77  Norm Van Lier 5 0/1 0/1 0/0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
1970-71  Jerry Sloan 4 1/1 0/0 0/0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 2
TOTALS   45/94 3/10 15/21 18 48 31 5 16 12 20 108
   
Ultimate Pistons
PLAYER MIN FGM/FGA 3PM/3PA FTM/FTA OREB REB AST BLK STL TO PF TP
1984-85  Isiah Thomas* 35 7/15 0/2 6/6 2 6 6 0 1 3 2 20
2005-06  Chauncey Billups* 34 4/10 2/5 0/0 0 0 11 0 1 2 3 10
1983-84  Bill Laimbeer* 34 4/5 0/0 4/4 2 10 1 3 1 3 2 12
2001-02  Ben Wallace* 30 5/8 0/0 3/7 3 14 3 3 1 1 0 13
1992-93  Joe Dumars* 25 5/12 0/3 1/2 1 1 2 0 0 3 2 11
1996-97  Grant Hill 21 5/10 0/0 0/0 1 6 4 0 0 3 2 10
1973-74  Bob Lanier 17 3/4 0/0 1/2 2 7 5 4 0 1 1 7
2005-06  Richard Hamilton 15 1/2 0/0 0/0 0 0 1 0 0 4 0 2
1970-71  Dave Bing 13 2/4 0/0 0/0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 4
1953-54  Larry Foust 10 3/6 0/0 0/0 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 6
1957-58  George Yardley 7 2/5 0/0 3/3 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 7
TOTALS   41/81 2/10 18/24 14 47 37 10 4 20 15 102
   
* - denotes game starter
Player of the Game
Michael Jordan (Ultimate Bulls)



Game 4: Bulls 107 - Pistons 88


Ultimate Bulls
PLAYER MIN FGM/FGA 3PM/3PA FTM/FTA OREB REB AST BLK STL TO PF TP
1994-95  Scottie Pippen* 44 9/18 2/4 6/6 6 10 2 1 6 1 2 26
1988-89  Michael Jordan* 44 9/18 2/2 1/2 2 11 8 1 4 2 1 21
1991-92  Horace Grant* 37 3/8 0/0 2/2 6 12 6 1 3 2 2 8
1970-71  Bob Love* 26 5/13 0/2 3/5 1 3 2 2 0 1 3 13
1970-71  Chet Walker* 26 4/12 0/0 4/4 0 5 0 0 0 2 1 12
1998-99  Toni Kukoc 21 5/10 1/2 4/4 0 2 3 0 0 1 0 15
1978-79  Artis Gilmore 19 4/5 0/0 0/2 0 5 1 3 0 1 0 8
1970-71  Jerry Sloan 8 1/3 0/0 0/0 2 3 1 0 0 0 1 2
1997-98  Ron Harper 7 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 1 1 1 0 1 3 0
1986-87  John Paxson 4 0/1 0/0 0/0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
1976-77  Norm Van Lier 3 1/1 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
1994-95  B.J. Armstrong 2 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS   41/89 5/10 20/25 17 53 25 9 13 11 13 107
   
Ultimate Pistons
PLAYER MIN FGM/FGA 3PM/3PA FTM/FTA OREB REB AST BLK STL TO PF TP
1984-85  Isiah Thomas* 33 4/13 0/0 1/1 2 2 7 2 1 4 2 9
2001-02  Ben Wallace* 31 3/6 0/0 0/1 3 8 0 3 1 2 2 6
2005-06  Chauncey Billups* 28 4/12 1/3 1/1 0 3 1 0 0 5 0 10
1996-97  Grant Hill 26 3/6 0/0 0/0 0 9 3 1 1 3 1 6
1992-93  Joe Dumars* 23 3/9 0/1 2/2 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 8
1983-84  Bill Laimbeer* 21 6/9 0/0 0/0 3 7 1 0 1 2 5 12
1953-54  Larry Foust 17 4/8 0/0 0/0 0 4 3 2 0 0 2 8
2005-06  Richard Hamilton 17 2/6 0/1 5/6 2 2 2 0 0 1 0 9
1973-74  Bob Lanier 16 2/5 0/0 2/2 1 9 2 1 0 0 1 6
1957-58  George Yardley 10 1/3 1/1 3/4 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 6
1970-71  Dave Bing 9 1/1 1/1 0/0 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 3
1959-60  Gene Shue 8 2/2 1/1 0/0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5
TOTALS   35/80 4/8 14/17 11 44 23 9 4 19 16 88
   
* - denotes game starter
Player of the Game
Scottie Pippen (Ultimate Bulls)



Game 5: Pistons 98 - Bulls 103


Ultimate Pistons
PLAYER MIN FGM/FGA 3PM/3PA FTM/FTA OREB REB AST BLK STL TO PF TP
1983-84  Bill Laimbeer* 37 9/16 0/0 7/9 3 17 2 1 1 0 4 25
1984-85  Isiah Thomas* 35 5/8 1/2 0/0 1 4 7 0 3 8 3 11
2005-06  Chauncey Billups* 30 3/6 0/2 3/3 0 3 8 0 0 2 3 9
2001-02  Ben Wallace* 29 3/10 0/0 1/2 4 8 1 7 1 1 0 7
1992-93  Joe Dumars* 25 5/13 1/2 1/4 0 1 1 0 2 1 2 12
1996-97  Grant Hill 20 1/3 0/0 2/3 1 3 3 3 1 4 0 4
1973-74  Bob Lanier 17 3/9 0/0 2/2 1 5 2 2 1 1 1 8
2005-06  Richard Hamilton 16 3/5 0/0 1/2 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 7
1970-71  Dave Bing 15 3/7 0/0 5/6 0 1 3 0 0 0 1 11
1953-54  Larry Foust 11 0/1 0/0 0/0 1 5 1 0 1 0 1 0
1957-58  George Yardley 6 2/3 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 4
TOTALS   37/81 2/6 22/31 11 47 30 13 11 19 16 98
   
Ultimate Bulls
PLAYER MIN FGM/FGA 3PM/3PA FTM/FTA OREB REB AST BLK STL TO PF TP
1988-89  Michael Jordan* 48 13/24 0/0 6/7 2 11 9 1 4 3 3 32
1994-95  Scottie Pippen* 45 9/21 0/1 1/2 1 6 7 3 6 4 2 19
1991-92  Horace Grant* 40 6/13 0/0 1/2 3 8 3 2 1 2 5 13
1970-71  Chet Walker* 33 8/13 0/0 7/7 1 4 3 1 2 3 1 23
1970-71  Bob Love* 28 2/5 1/1 0/0 2 5 4 0 1 3 4 5
1998-99  Toni Kukoc 18 2/6 0/0 0/0 2 4 3 0 1 1 3 4
1978-79  Artis Gilmore 17 3/5 0/0 1/2 1 6 2 1 0 1 3 7
1997-98  Ron Harper 5 0/2 0/2 0/0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
1970-71  Jerry Sloan 3 0/1 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
1976-77  Norm Van Lier 3 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
TOTALS   43/90 1/4 16/20 12 44 34 8 16 17 21 103
   
* - denotes game starter
Player of the Game
Michael Jordan (Ultimate Bulls)



A couple weird things to look at here: Game 1 - Scottie Pippen played 48 minutes to Jordan's 39, and Pippen had a triple double. No idea why Jordan only played 39, but he still put up a 30/9/7. Game 2 - Four Pistons scored 20+, Six Bulls scored 10+, and the Pistons won by 20. And again, Jordan didn't play the full game. (I specifically told the simulator he should play the full game, by the way.) Game 4 - Every Piston, and all 12 played, scored at least 3, nobody scored more than 12... Never a good strategy. Game 5 - Again, WhatIfSports doesn't know this is a series, but Jordan closes it out with a 32/11/9, 1 block and 4 steals while playing 48 minutes. And as a reader pointed out in an earlier Bulls series, this is exactly what would have happened in a close out game. Perfect.
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