A Detroit Pistons fan guide to the NBA semi-finals
The Detroit Pistons are once again at home watching the NBA playoffs, something they hope to change soon.
The first round already produced some exciting moments and the semi-final matchups are great in both the East and Western Conference.
The Milwaukee Bucks will take on the Boston Celtics, along with the Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers in the East. The West will see the Memphis Grizzlies square off against the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns play the Dallas Mavericks.
There are plenty of interesting narratives in all four series, but as a fan of the Detroit Pistons, I am always looking at everything through a Pistons’ lens.
I like to choose a team in the playoffs once mine is eliminated, usually basing it on which teams I hate (Pistons rivals), size of the market (I go for the smaller ones), connections to the Pistons (not many this year) and teams with players I want the Pistons to go after.
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So here is my guide for the NBA semi-finals and who I want to win the title. Let’s start with the hated three.
Detroit Pistons fan guide to the NBA semi-finals
The Hated Three
Boston Celtics: Other than the Los Angeles Lakers, there is no team I hate more than the Boston Celtics, so I’ll be cheering for them to lose no matter who they are playing. If you have to ask why, then you didn’t grow up in the same era that I did. Your homework is to watch this game in its entirety, then get back to me. Or just look up “Larry Bird fights Pistons” and you’ll get the basic idea.
They also beat that 2007-8 Pistons team that I loved (RIP Flip Saunders) if you need a more recent example of why we should never cheer for the Celtics.
Philadelphia 76ers: Another Eastern Conference rival that the Pistons used to regularly fight back in the day. It sucks that Joel Embiid is injured, as the series would be better with him, but he’s a guy who has given the Detroit Pistons grief over the years, especially back when he was punking Andre Drummond. I’ll not be cheering for the 76ers either.
Miami Heat: I hold grudges and am still salty that the Detroit Pistons didn’t get another title out of all of those conference Finals with the Goin’ to Work squad. Part of the reason they didn’t is because of Miami, who beat the Pistons in 2006 with that Dwyane Wade/Shaq team that eventually won the title behind Wade’s brilliance and some helpful refereeing. They always seem to be good and have an easy time drawing players, so are easy to hate.