Playoff Consolation Winners

Before we delve any further into the Celtics-Lakers bonanza, it is only fitting to spend some time exploring the two teams who nearly made it: the defending Champion San Antonio Spurs and the Eastern Conference Finals mainstay Detroit Pistons.

Like the Celtics and the Lakers, both the Pistons and Spurs planned on winning this year. As great as 50+ wins and a birth in the conference finals are, these teams play for the championship each year. They have the talent and experience. They have done it before and fully expect to do it again.

So obviously, their losses tainted their seasons. Whereas the Hornets and Magic can look back and say "we really achieved our goals this year...we won a playoff series," the Spurs and Pistons cannot.

Now more interestingly, no other teams have remained elite over the last decade like the Spurs and Pistons. The other teams that were elite in 2000's--the Kings, the Pacers, the Knicks, the Mavs, the Heat, and the Lakers--have all encountered nasty lottery lashings. The nouvel elite--the Celtics, the Lakers, the Hornets, the Jazz--were irrelevant for long stretches. Amid the the turn-over, Detroit and San Antonio have kept winning.

Detroit

With a quick glance at the Detroit roster, they appear old. The core is aging: Antonio McDyess (33), Rasheed Wallace (33), Chauncey Billups (31), and Richard Hamilton (30). As a group, they have 1-2 more peak years before the drop-off.

But the Pistons rely on so many others these days. Namely young'uns like Tayshaun Prince (28), Jason Maxiell (25), and Rodney Stuckey (22). What's more, Amir Johnson (21) has developed better than most expected. At 6'9"-210 and around vets like Wallace and McDyess, he projects very well in the next 3-4 years. Of those 8 players, only McDyess is a free-agent.

So while the Pistons may look old on the surface, they have a stable of young and ready replacements. Their 2009 squad should be just as competitive as the 08, 07, and 06 editions.

San Antonio

The Spurs cannot claim the same balance between youth and seniority. During the Lakers series, commentators often pointed out that Lakers had just one regular over 30 (Kobe Bryant), and the Spurs had just one regular under 30 (Tony Parker). That difference was glaring as the Lakers' fresher legs defeated the Spurs.

Spurs regulars Bruce Bowen (36), Michael Finley (35), Brent Barry (36), Robert Horry (37), and Kurt Thomas (35) are rapidly approaching the drop-off. Of that group, only Barry and Bowen are under contract beyond 08--but do they need them? Do either of them have anything left?

But despite these obvious short-comings, the Spurs still have their own formidable Big 3, which the Pistons cannot rival. Tim Duncan (32), Manu Ginobili (30), and Tony Parker (26) still have plenty left. Of the major trio's in the NBA, who is better? Allen-Pierce-Garnett have major flaws. Bryant-Odom-Gasol lack a PG. No other team has a more complete core: an elite PG, an elite Wing, and an elite Big. As long as they have these three, the Spurs will contend for 50 games and the Conference Finals. To make the leap (like they have nearly every-other-year), one of their foreign exchange players, like Tiago Splitter (23, at left) or Ian Mahinmi (21), need to step up. A tall order, but not improbable.

The other role players, Fabricio Oberto (33) and Ime Udoka (30) are nearing their end/peak years, but are still very serviceable. Udoka, in particular, was a pleasant surprise during stretches of the Playoffs. But again, after them, who else is there?

Either way you cut it though, the Pistons and Spurs project very similarly. What the Spurs lack in the depth, they make up in their star power. And in turn, what the Pistons lack in star power, they make up with balance and depth.

There is also the Spurs "every-other-year" pattern. Champs in 03, 05, 07, why not 09?

And of course, one final caveat. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, critical contributors, will both play big minutes for their native countries in the Olympics this summer--Parker for the qualifier-hopeful French and Ginobili for the potential favorite Argentina. Those minutes, like those in the Playoffs, add up. Their style of play--aggressive!--doesn't lend itself to prolonged iron man stretches either. And as of today, none of the Pistons are locks for Team USA--especially after Billups and Prince's up-and-down play at the Tournament of the Americas.

The real winner in all of this? It's the NBA. They now have the adorable, young teams (New Orleans, LA Lakers, Hawks, Cavs, Magic, Jazz, Blazers, Sonics) and a core of veteran ones (San Antonio, Detroit, Boston, Phoenix). Hooray parity.