The NBA FINALS!!!

The NBA finals keep getting hotter by the day...Now that Miami has a 2-1 home court advantage against the Pistons, and Avery Johnson's Mavericks claw back the home court advantage, courtesy a 95-88 win over the Phoenix Suns and are up 2-1..

, Suns have played the running game, winning so many fast break hustle points.. Raja Bell coming off last year's trade with Utah and coming hot with 14 pts per game and a 3 point shooting of 44%, was injured and didnt play the last match.. Bell's three shooters were a critical reason for Suns' success so far in the playoffs.. That burden was shared by Nash and Thomas last night..Leandrinho Barbosa, coming in for the injured Bell was not very effective with 10 points. But what is suprising for the Suns is that, Boris Diaw has come out hot for them this series, with 79 points in 3 matches, including a 34 point effort in the second match.Diaw has been hot all season in the absense of Amare "Stat" Stoudamire.. Shawn Marion had a lacklustre performance with only 10 points, but was hot off the glass with 18 rebounds, 6 of them in the offensive glass..

But what seperated Dallas from Suns last game was two things.. <<<<<----- This man on my left with the 41 jersey and their defensive intensity.. Nowitzky was hot for the Mavs with 28 points and 17 rebounds, 6 off the 0ffensive glass, and five assists and 2 rejected shots.. About the defense...Lets compare the stats that matter of thegame
Mavericks Suns

48 Rebounds 45
19 Offensive Rebounds 12
29 Defensive Rebounds 33
5 Turnovers 12
8 Steals 0
16 Assists 13

That the Mavs defense has done a good job containing the Suns offense is there to see, effecting 8 steals and forcing 12 turnovers, while giving away only 5 turnovers.. Mavs also out-assisted Suns by 3..Steve Nash with only 7 assists!!! Thats where the game was lost by the Suns.. Its common knowledge that Suns lose low scoring games and win high scoring ones..

Going to the land of the automobiles, Detroit Pistons are down 1-2 against the Miami Heat.. With the home court advantage with the Heat, they should look to go 3-1 up tomorrow morning(I am in India,+12 hours)..

The dependence on Ben Wallace for the rebounds is there to see.. Ben Wallace was made to SHut UP by the great Shaq.. Look at Wallace's stats...2 points, 6 rebounds, 2 of 10 from the line, 0 blocked shots.. He was matched up with O'Neal with 27 points, 12 rebounds 11-15 from the field.. Wade was hot for the Heat as was Billups for the Pistons, both of them with 30 + points.. Rip Hamilton scored 21 points for the Pistons..Rasheed Wallace was not the hot head with only 11 points..

The worrying factor for Detroit is that no one other than Billups, Rip and R.Wallace was in double digits in the points category.. Ben Wallace did not shoot a basket from the field.. Tayshaun Prince had a 14% shooting from the field.. Moreover, Ben Wallace is not raking in the rebounds..

Lets see where the series goes from here..