2004 ECF: The Best Defensive Playoff Series of the 21st Century | Full Def Highlights
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#pistons #pacers #2004
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2004 NBA Playoffs
Eastern Conference Finals
Indiana Pacers vs Detroit Pistons
Full Series Defensive Highlights
Baskets included in this video are ones in which the defensive play led directly to the transition/fast-break score.
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The 2004 Eastern Conference Finals featured 2 mid-2000’s heavyweights whose styles of play exemplified the opposite of what today’s NBA advertises. It’s not a coincidence that the series included the current (at time) and previous season’s Defensive Player of the Year Award winners. The 03-04 campaign saw both Rick Carlisle’s league best 61-win Indiana Pacers and Larry Brown’s 54-win Detroit Pistons finish top 3 in defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions). Both squads also placed amidst the bottom 10 in pace (estimate number of possessions per 48 minutes). These metrics went hand in hand. Energy expended by prioritizing defense meant conservative slower paced efforts offensively.
For the Pacers and Pistons, wasted offensive possessions were not the resultant of an aggressive, physical, no easy baskets, rebound treasuring approach. Detroit ranked 12th in turnovers per game, close to league average. Indiana placed 21st, quite impressive. The Pistons’ valuing of possessions is best reflected in their three-point attempts. Brown’s team finished the regular season 26th in that department, a tad under 12 per game. They had capable shooters, but were deliberate in not falling into that trap. Manufacturing quality opportunities inside the arc was more their nature. Utilized heavily was Rip’s midrange lethality, Chauncey’s ability to create downhill or size up smaller point guards, and the Wallace Bros’ bucket finishing aptitude down low.
Designed to limit opponents offensively, both clubs were successful during the regular season. When challenged with the task of facing each other, one of the grimiest, most unattractive and deemed by many “hard to watch” playoff matchups in league history ensued. The highest point total in this series was 85. At least 1 of the team’s scored under 70 in 4 of the 6 games. And besides Rip’s 33 point outburst in game 5, not 1 player scored over 24. Statistically speaking, its peak level of defensive excellence came in game 2 when a combined 26 shot attempts were blocked, the most ever by two teams in a playoff game. Doc said it best mid-way through, “The guys are getting to the bucket, they’re making great plays, but the defense right now is better than the offense.” The series concluding game 6 totaled 134 points (69-65), the 2nd lowest combined playoff score since 1954.
For the series, Detroit managed only 75.2 PPG while shooting an abysmal 37.3% from the field. Using basketballreference.com, I determined that both averages are the lowest among all winning teams of a 21st century playoff series (300 total series have been played since the 2000-01 season). Boston’s 83.0 PPG in their 2002 Semi-Final win against Detroit and Toronto’s 39.3% FG in their 2016 first round victory over Indiana rank 2nd in those respective statistical categories. The following list displays the 10 lowest FG% shot by the winning team of any 21st century playoff series:
1 - 37.3% (75.2p) - Pistons, 2004 ECF (6g)
2 - 39.3% (92.3p) - Raptors, 2016 R1 (7g)
3 - 39.5% (88.3p) - Pacers, 2005 R1 (7g)
4 - 39.6% (86.7p) - Pistons, 2004 R2 (7g)
5 - 39.9% (89.0p) - Kings, 2002 R1 (4g)
6 - 40.1% (90.1p) - 76ers, 2001 ECF (7g)
7 - 40.2% (98.0p) - Kings, 2001 R1 (4g)
8 - 40.3% (90.5p) - Spurs, 2003 R1 (6g)
9 - 40.5% (93.6p) - Grizzlies, 2013 R2 (5g)
10 - 40.7% (86.0p) - 76ers, 2012 R1 (6g)
The 03-04 Pistons set and challenged all-time records during the regular season as well. They tied for the 3rd lowest opponent average since 1954, allowing just 84.26 PPG. Complimenting this was their stretch of 36 consecutive games in which they held opponents under 100 points, a record that is currently still unmatched.
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All footage is property of the National Basketball Association (NBA). No copyright infringement is intended.
Пікірлер: 112
Bless you and the time it took you to compile these clips and provide us with the A1 research in your caption. The defense back in this time really made the buckets seem more significant when they would go through.
No wonder Billups was so fundamentally sound and didn’t make mistakes when he was older. These were the types of games he was playing constantly
I can't find the proper words to describe how much I miss this kind of basketball
Of all the series I've watched (starting in the 70s) this was the greatest match up I think I have ever seen. This was two evenly matched teams with defensive mindsets who wanted to be be the team to stop the other. This series was so good I literally stopped watching the NBA in 2006 because no one played defense like this anymore.. And any time I watch the NBA highlights from today I want to vomit seeing everyone stand around the 3 point line jacking threes and only driving to dunk in a open lane. This took us back to the dogged fights in the 80s and 90s this series was so good.. Great series and great video! 👍
@dougclendening5896
3 ай бұрын
I had to check if I wrote this. I stopped watching the NBA for the same reason. It was so interesting watching Billups and the pistons play. It's like your mind was in the game with them.
These Pacers vs Pistons games are still among the best games I ever saw. So glad I was alive to see 2004 given the current state of the pistons...
This was some of the greatest defense played by 2 equally matched teams.Incredible!!
Props to anyone watching this all the way through! Nearly 30 minutes of blocks, steals, strips, deflections, charges drawn, miscellaneous turnovers forced, etc. Check out the description for more.
@erebor4nierdzewny970
Жыл бұрын
@Dom Carter... I have 2004 vs LAL I have 2004 vs Pacers I have 2005 finals vs Spurs I have allot of series from D Pistons team... That TEAM was SPECIAL
@CYCJTELEVISION08
10 ай бұрын
Classic series
That Tayshaun Prince block! 🤧😳
@templetonbob
Жыл бұрын
What a block!
@chardeemacdennis3852
Жыл бұрын
Doc rivers blew up in his pants and he should've tbh
Real hoops heads love this series.
@dcshow
3 жыл бұрын
No doubt.
@blackreign3138
2 жыл бұрын
Exactly, scoring shouldn’t be easy.
@chitownkidd33
2 жыл бұрын
@@blackreign3138 it’s easy because we’re spoiled now.
@mjcaoagas68
2 жыл бұрын
Scoring is fun, but the real fun is putting pride on the line and stopping someone from scoring.
@whatISlife007
2 жыл бұрын
No blood no foul. The good old days
This is a hell of hilarious sequence I can't stop laughing 😂😂😂 I just miss this era
Pacers Pistons was a WAR in the mid 2000s! Last of a dying breed of defensive series!! GRIT!! 🔥🔥
The best defense in NBA history
Dom you are a legend. Defensive highlights (especially the ones that are not blocks or steals aka the stats highlights but just lockdown gritty clamp downs) are so lacking online (and in today's game too) so really hope you can put out more in the future! Thanks
@dcshow
3 жыл бұрын
I appreciate that 🙏 glad to have made this vid, and no doubt
We're a few days away from the 20th anniversary of game 2. One of the few games where I remember a good amount of moments and plays of the game (as a 13 year old). The hedging and blitzing on pick and rolls, the primary blocks, the help defender blocks, the 1v1 defense, chasing around floppy actions/flares, the charges taken. The game back then already didn't have much spacing, so this really felt like an NHL playoff game with absolutely zero space and the smallest space advantage needing to be exploited. The 04 ECF and the 05 Finals were truly the last great playoff defensive matchups
Both these teams were so good. This was simply just a great series. Great video
@DSrDavis-tq9qp
2 жыл бұрын
I totally agree
@chrisuncleahmad
9 ай бұрын
Great series? If you like brickfests
Give me this over anything in the modern NBA
This series was before my time, so I really appreciate you putting together these defensive highlights I’ve heard so much about from these teams.
Dom I will never understand how you only have 2K subscribers. The amount of content and quality is unmatched man. You always got a supporter in me, never stop. Nothing sexy about this ECF, real raw defense was played. Love to see it highlighted🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
@chrisuncleahmad
9 ай бұрын
That wasn’t “real raw defense It was offensive garbage
@baileyphillips1490
9 ай бұрын
@@chrisuncleahmad true, a lot of iso ball and no spacing but it’s not like they had an abundance tall perimeter players with enough talent to stretch the floor back in the day. But you can’t deny the J O’Neals, Wallaces, Hamiltons, Artests and Princes were solid defenders
I miss shutdown defense. Now it’s run and shoot 3s. Shutting down a team with defense I absolutely love and miss.
@sabishiihito
2 жыл бұрын
High % outside shooting would beat this kind of defense though
@TheODLawson23
Жыл бұрын
100% agree with you.
@drechillin2154
Жыл бұрын
@@sabishiihito Stan Van Gundy thought that already and they died by the 3
@deanthonywatson919
Жыл бұрын
The only real shooter is Reggie Miller sad In they was one layup from winning
@LeA-gp3mj
5 ай бұрын
Not true they let you play d back the. Today you can put a hand on a guy @sabishiihito
Man I want reggie and barkley in 2k reggie and the pacers was 🔥
This is a very good video. Quality content. Unseen in KZread 👌👌👌
@dcshow
3 жыл бұрын
🙏
You coulda just posted the whole game the defense in this series was just crazy
This was Epic !!! 🙌🏾
Your so right.very good games.
Your content is such a joy bro I love watching old Legends and players hoop and I'm so excited finding your channel these types of channels needs to exist for the youngest that think basketball started when they first started watching
@dcshow
2 жыл бұрын
I appreciate that, glad to hear and yeah younger people otta know what came before them
My favorite series ever!
Classic series
Doesnt matter how many views or likes this gets, your a legend for this video
@dcshow
3 жыл бұрын
🙏
It's a crime that you have only 2 k subscribers
13:20 "Still no points in the 2nd quarter"... with 5:14 on the clock!
This may be the best defensive series ever in basketball, and it's probably going to stay that way with how the game is being watered down.
@10:45 to @10:56 I mean can't really say offense was so bad when this defense was capable from both squads.
I know we all give the Pistons their flowers for that ring, but can we just for a moment marvel in awe of how the Pacers protected that paint 😵you couldn't even set foot in that, they were closing it up like madmen
@chrisuncleahmad
13 күн бұрын
Pacers played TallBall: pack the paint in a time when nobody bothered shooting 3’s
Heck of a Series
10:56 THE chase down block before Lebron
@irmarkable
11 ай бұрын
Much better than the Lebron one
@HugoSanchez-eb2pz
6 ай бұрын
@@irmarkable fr, and other than this, there’s much better blocks than lebron’s
@chrisuncleahmad
13 күн бұрын
Prince got away with goaltending
Tayshaun had Reggie's number
I thought the first minute was clips from the entire game, and then I looked down at the score...
Could you please upload YaoMing in rockets！Thanks😍😍😍
I wonder where people rank this Indiana defense all time ?
Nothing but Turnover Battle!
Who was the better defensive team though ?
Back then, you could knock someone’s head clean right off and the Ref wouldn’t bat an eye 😂 The nastiest game I’ve ever watched was the Malice at the Palace. You could just sense sh*t was about to go down during that game…the Refs just them play 😂😂
Tayshaun Prince chasing Reggie Miller down is still one of the greatest individual plays in Pistons history
@chrisuncleahmad
13 күн бұрын
Got away with goaltending
@antoniotrivelloni8191
13 күн бұрын
@@chrisuncleahmad So apparently you don’t know what goaltending is
The real basket, not the shit nba you see today, only three point and no difense.
2004 Pistons best defensive team of 21st century
@Kevin-fj1iu
9 ай бұрын
You don’t know ball
@haissem8
5 ай бұрын
Of ALL TIME in playoff history. They only allowed 80.7 points in the 2004 playoffs.
Tayshaun Prince should have been called for goaltending Yeah I said it
They are rivals. Oneal vs wallaces
Maybe ever
In todays time , defense based basketball is sadly not a thing. It’s mostly offense today.
@Kevin73John
13 күн бұрын
@@chrisuncleahmadthis pistons team beat Shaq and kobes Lakers in in the finals and this video was nothing but blocks and steals so how is it a "brickfests"
Seeing this after this week of basketball this week is needed. 7 50pt games this month and back2back 60pt games. It's so cookie cutter and boring.
@toddpacker1015
2 жыл бұрын
Every team plays the same: Have 1 dude iso surrounded by 4 shooters and there is no physicality or strength involved. Boring as fuck
@RobinXlone
2 жыл бұрын
@@toddpacker1015 tf u think the 2000s was? iverson n kobe was scoring every point for they teams
@toddpacker1015
2 жыл бұрын
@@RobinXlone 1. You didn't address there is no physicality or strength involved 2. 2000's was dominated by physical team basketball: Spurs, Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics... also the dominant duo of Shaq/Kobe... then the slightly less dominant Kobe/Pau
@RobinXlone
2 жыл бұрын
@@toddpacker1015 didnt the spurs play in 2014? other than them every other team had 1 scorer doing everything usually a big man or a guard. u clearly dont watch thenba because everybody does everything right now. idk if u watch the 22 playoffs if ur saying there's no physciality. even if there isnt u shouldnt need to grab onto and hold a defender to have good D
@chrisuncleahmad
9 ай бұрын
Because teams barely scoring 80 wasn’t “cookie cutter and boring!”
Remember when bigs were just expected to get down low, even if they had no post skills??! lol Ben couldn't palm the ball and 40% of Sheeds post offense was back into them and then flop like you're in the Premier League... saying that as a Pistons fan from way back
Stephen curry should watch
This makes me miss REAL basketball. Not the boring zero defense allowed/shoot around that the nba presents today.
what contrast to today's game....today the nba is basically a three point contest with minimal defense. These two teams are well coached, where the coach is like a general and the players follow the game plan....today the nba, its like the coaches are more like consultants and its up to each teams superstars to take the consultant advice or not.
Best of the 20th century? My vote ? Rockets vs Knicks 1994 NBA Finals
@alecsanderhamilton9224
Жыл бұрын
F y'all
An alternate subtitle of this video could be 'The Worst Offensive Playoff Series'
@Kevin73John
13 күн бұрын
Bro liked his own comment and this video was nothing but blocks and steals stop being mad because they not shooting nonstop 3s
That wasn’t great defense. It was terrible offense.
@Kevin73John
13 күн бұрын
Nope
Bad offense not good defense the 04 really said they would shut the warriors down
@chardeemacdennis3852
Жыл бұрын
That bad offense destroyed the kobe, shaq, Payton, Malone dynasty Lakers team.. and so would have the pacers
@jojocapone4861
9 ай бұрын
You're crazy if you're saying that wasn't great defense on both sides. Bad offense my ass!!
why did the pacers lose by larger margins in the 04 conference finals vs the pistons than they did in the 99 conference finals vs the knicks and this isn't the best defensive series ever by no means AT ALL because in the 60's playoffs when the sixers and warriors faced the celtics a massive number of blocks were totaled by the prime and VERY best versions of the goats wilt chamberlain and bill russell
Low scoring games lol
This is before idiots started just jacking up 3s. The commisioner screwed up holecleagur by making defense illigal cause they didnt eant pistons to win again. Destroyed the hole game. Its unwatchable now. Its also another reaon i have for not giving lebron much credit. His wins come all come after
Pistons so dumb should have pick Carmelo anthony and probably they wil win atleast 2 more championship