Post by ball4life on Dec 29, 2005 17:53:21 GMT -5
Ten seasons ago, Michael Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to a 23-3 start, the same record the Pistons enjoy entering tonight's game against the Miami Heat.
But for as well as the Pistons have played to this point, it's hard to imagine them matching the Bulls' torrid pace in that 1995-96 season.
After losing their third game of the season, those Bulls rattled off 18 straight victories to improve to 41-3, the best start by an NBA team. The Bulls finished 72-10, the best record by an NBA team.
"That's crazy, man," point guard Chauncey Billups said. "I can't even fathom that. That's crazy."
Chicago won from Dec. 29, 1995, until Feb. 4, 1996, when the Denver Nuggets ended the streak. The Bulls also set an NBA record with 44 consecutive victories at home spanning two seasons.
If the Pistons were to copy that 41-3 achievement, they would need to win through Feb. 1, when they play Minnesota at the Palace. That stretch would include seven road games and four back-to-backs.
But, of course, none of the Pistons are concerned with matching any historical record, nor with finishing with more than 70 victories.
"That's phenomenal," coach Flip Saunders said. "That's why they ended up the way they were. I think their approach is a very similar approach that we've kind of taken, just take one game at a time and see what happens."
SHAQ ATTACK: After starting the season 11-10, Miami coach Stan Van Gundy stepped down Dec. 12, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family.
Since then, the Heat has gone 6-2. But new coach Pat Riley can't get all the credit for that, not knowing that Shaquille O'Neal, who had been out five weeks with an ankle injury, returned just in time for the coaching switch.
The Pistons have five big men to potentially rotate on O'Neal, including newcomer Dale Davis, who has played little this season. That could change tonight, when Saunders said using a variety of defenders was the key to dealing with the game's biggest specimen.
Saunders said he might use Davis, Antonio McDyess and even Darko Milicic off the bench, depending on how O'Neal was playing.
"You have to try to change up how you defend him," Saunders said. "You can't play the same way."
As for the Heat's other superstar in guard Dwyane Wade, that will likely be Richard Hamilton's defensive responsibility, at least to open the game. Small forward Tayshaun Prince also figures to get some chances to try to keep Wade out of the lane.
"You've got to mix it up," Hamilton said. "He comes at you on every possession so you just have to mix it up on him."
