NSL Playoff Reviews: 2/08/2021

Detroit V Chicago

Out East, Conference Finals style, we saw the top seeded Detroit Pistons claim their rightful spot in the Conference Finals via a brutal demolition of the Indiana Pacers in the 2^nd round to the tune of 4-0 and some massive blow out wins. Their opponents quite fittingly were last years Eastern Conference Champs, the Chicago Bulls after they stuttered out of the gates 0-2 against the 76ers, before the matrix was opened up and Merencio stormed though on the back of 4 straight wins to claim their spot here again.

Game 1 and the Bulls went away from their 76er killing line up, back to where they were having success in the lead up to the playoffs and played AD at the 2 to combat Kyrie who was expected to line up at the 2�but Sheed was ready for this, and Kyrie was at SF with Melo at SG. The Bulls went big, too. Line ups: Whiteside/McGee/Beal/Davis/Wall V Gobert/Bam/Kyrie/Melo/Lowry.
The Pistons saw instant results, jumping out to a 9 point lead at � time, extending to 12 at the half, out to 17 by � time ans the gap was too large by then as they won by 15. Beal continued his devastating form for the Bulls with a game high 35 but only Davis and Wall score in the teens otherwise, and Davis looked mighty subdued at the SG spot, despite hold Melo to a 5-19 shooting night. The Pistons saw 4 starters in double figures, led by Kyrie at 32 points, and Lowry had a 17/6/10 double double as they put on the clinic with 15 steals to 2 being the difference, allowing for a lot more offensive options. 1-0 to the Pistons.

Game 2 and the Bulls went back to a version of the line up which got them to the Conference Finals, shifting Davis back to PF and starting Galloway, but rolling with Wall ahead of Mills in the 7 man rotation. Sheed produced a near 7 man rotation of his own swapping Kyrie and Lowry however, so that Irving was at PG and Lowry at SF. Line ups: Whiteside/Davis/Beal/Galloway/Wall V Gobert/Bam/Lowry/Melo/Kyrie.
The Pistons counter to the likely expected Bulls flip drew the same start as game 1 as they bounced out to a 9 point lead. It dropped to 7 at the half, but the 3rd quarter saw it hit 17 again going into the final quarter and again it proved far too tough as the Bulls fell by 16. Kyrie was EVERYWHERE with 46 points, 6 rebounds and 18 assists, with 4 steals to top it off. Lowry hit 35 at SF too, with 3 others in double figures including 2 bench guys. Beal again shot the lights out with 37 and Davis returned to being a 20/10 guy with 24 and 10 but to no avail. 2-0 to the Pistons.

Game 3 saw the Bulls line up the 7 man again at home, but going big again with McGee back at the 4 and shifting Davis down to the SF spot to stop this running the small man through the 3. Sheed however again anticipated this and shifted to the traditional 2 guard line up and Melo starting at the 3. This saw an 8 man rotation too. Line ups: Whiteside/McGee/Davis/Beal/Wall V Gobert/Bam/Melo/Kyrie/Lowry.
Like the two previous games, the Pistons came out hot again and were up 9 at � time. This was even more-so though with 38 1^st quarter points. They continued on with 36 in the 2^nd and again it was 15 at the half like Game 1. The Bulls had their best 3^rd quarter of the series however, closing to 10 at � time but again it was too much as the Pistons stormed home to win by 20. The Bulls had their most complete effort thus far with 6 double figure scorers of the 7 in the rotation, with Beal going for 32 and Davis awakening fully for 28 as they shot it over 50% combined. The steals were again the major factor, 14 to 3, as the Pistons had Kyrie go off for 51 and Lowry 28, as the starters racked up 4, 3, 1, 3 and 4 steals respectively down the line up. The Bulls are now on the ropes as Sheed has anticipated every move. 3-0 to the Pistons.

Game 4 and with the series now on the brink, the Bulls went back to a 9 man rotation and flipped Beal down to the PG spot with Wall at SG and keeping the big line up. The Pistons ran it back again, pretty much, only swapping the twin guards again, Lowry to SG, Kyrie to PG, and shortening the rotation to very near 7 man. Line ups: Whiteside/McGee/Davis/Wall/Beal V Gobert/Bam/Melo/Lowry/Kyrie.
The Pistons with blood in the water did what they have done all series, bounced out of the blocks quick and it was a 10 point lead by � time, the most of the series. They built on that into the half to be up 13 and then extended that by � time to 18 and it was all but done as the Bulls won the 4^th as they did in game 1 and 2, but only by a bucket and the series was over in a 16 point defeat. Anthony Davis led the Bulls scoring in this one with 29, Beal had 28 at PG and Wall had 19 with 15 assists but they had only one other scorer reach 10 points, and they had only 1 steal to 7 in the game. Kyrie went for 43 to pace the scorers as Lowry had 35 and 12 assists from SG. Gobert asserted himself in this one with 21 rebounds, more than Whiteside/McGee/Davis combined! 4-0 and on to the Finals for the Pistons.

Congratulations to the Detroit Pistons on sweeping their way to the NSL Finals and it was a much deserved result with the Pistons having been the team to beat in the East all year. Kyrie Irving was the MVP of the series with averages of 43 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists and 3.5 steals per game and he�s going to be the major force in the Pistons stating their case for the title. Commiserations to Merencio and Bulls, but they made it all the way here from the 6^th seed after finishing the season strong and Merencio doing Merencio things to get them this far. They will again be competing for the East title next year you�d imagine, so don�t fret!

Good luck Detroit in the NSL Finals!

- NSL Insider News.