Are we in any team's head more than the Pistons'?

[fairweatherfan]

Watching last night's game I couldn't help but notice something very striking about the two teams - while we played aggressive, confident ball pretty much throughout the game, Detroit looked tentative, passive, and often listless.  Some of this is due to a tough game against Cleveland on Wednesday night, but it really seems like Detroit doesn't believe they can beat us right now.
 
So, my question is first, are we in the Pistons' heads right now - have we hurt their confidence (and helped ours) to the point that we have a major psychological edge every time we play them?  If so, is there any team in the league that we own more thoroughly right now? 

The only other candidate I could think of would be the Lakers, but while I wouldn't say they're confident about us, I don't think they're especially afraid either.  Detroit really seems to roll over every time we start to get a lead, and it's become a pattern.

[adam8]

I think that you can get into the Pistons heads a lot easier in the regular season than the post season because they are so confident with themselves.

I am assuming when you ask if we are in anyones head more than the Pistons that you are talking about a decent team because a lot of the bad teams will just roll over when we get a decent sized lead. There is no decent team that we are in the head more right now but I fully expect that the Pistons will be as confident as ever when we meet them in the playoffs.

[davemonsterband]

I think after we hand it to the Lakers and bring them down to earth like top tier defensive teams are going to do to them all season (being there's so few that's still a lot of wins) they'll be shaken as well. Finals are going to be funny once again.

[fairweatherfan]

I am assuming when you ask if we are in anyones head more than the Pistons that you are talking about a decent team because a lot of the bad teams will just roll over when we get a decent sized lead. There is no decent team that we are in the head more right now but I fully expect that the Pistons will be as confident as ever when we meet them in the playoffs.

We do roll over quite a few teams, but no team so dramatically drops off in effort and will, relative to how they normally play, than the Pistons.  Detroit is not a bad team by any stretch, but it seems like every time we play them, their body language goes to hell by the 2nd quarter and they turn into a bad team very quickly. 

[JAM]

No question that we are in the Lakers head the most right now.  Everything they do is geared toward trying to beat the Celtics, and to recover some of their manhood that the C's stripped away during the Finals. 

I saw Kobe interviewed about a week ago, and he couldn't even say, "Celtics".  He kept referring to the C's as "That team".  As in: "When that team beat us last year, they were tougher and stronger.  That team took it from us."

The Lakers coaching staff added time in the weight room for the entire Laker team this season because of what the Celtics did to them.

[greg683x]

Define Irony.

If I told you at the beginning of the year that after the first 13 games, we only would have two blowout victories, who would have guessed that both, or even just one, would have been against the Pistons.

[Redz]

Define Irony.

If I told you at the beginning of the year that after the first 13 games, we only would have two blowout victories, who would have guessed that both, or even just one, would have been against the Pistons.

We blew out Chicago pretty bad too, but your point is still valid.

[greg683x]

Define Irony.

If I told you at the beginning of the year that after the first 13 games, we only would have two blowout victories, who would have guessed that both, or even just one, would have been against the Pistons.

We blew out Chicago pretty bad too, but your point is still valid.

touche` .....completely forgot about that game.

[fairweatherfan]

Define Irony.

If I told you at the beginning of the year that after the first 13 games, we only would have two blowout victories, who would have guessed that both, or even just one, would have been against the Pistons.

I know - what inspired me to post the thread was sitting around yesterday afternoon and realizing I was looking forward to the game, not because I thought it would be a well-played, competitive game, but because I thought "Oh good, we're playing the Pistons, that'll get us playing well."  Last year anticipating a Pistons game was tense and exciting, this year it feels like an easy W, and it's not because they've gotten much worse.  Saw some of it at the end of the ECF last year too - psychologically they don't feel like they can beat us, and it shows in how they deal with adversity in our games.  Pretty crazy to see what difference a year and several decisive Ws can make. 

And I am VERY curious to see how the Lakers deal with us this year - they're pummeling just about everyone, but if they get cowed or roll over on XMas it'll speak very well to our chances to repeat.

PS The grammar nazi in me forces me to point out that that's not irony, it's just unexpected.  Sorry 

[KCattheStripe]

Define Irony.

It's... It's like Rain on a wedding day. It's like a free ride... when you've already paid.

What?

What do you mean that's not "Ironic"?

[greg683x]

Define Irony.

It's... It's like Rain on a wedding day. It's like a free ride... when you've already paid.

What?

What do you mean that's not "Ironic"?

uhh I meant it in the sense that something happened that you wouldnt have expected.  It's a figure of speech, dont know if youre serious or if its a bad attempt at a joke.

[ManUp]

The Lakers, I think Kobe still wakes up in cold sweats after nightmares about  game 6 of the finals, and the "your not Jordan" chants. 

I honestly feel there isn't a team in the league that could take us when we're playing like we're capable of. We're not in the Pistons head we're just better than them, and we actually get up to play them, instead of coasting. Think about it we have the advantage at almost every position of strength for them. The world class defense that we have and that they lost a long time ago doesn't help them either.

[fairweatherfan]

Define Irony.

It's... It's like Rain on a wedding day. It's like a free ride... when you've already paid.

What?

What do you mean that's not "Ironic"?

See, my theory on that song is that Alanis figured, "What could possibly be more ironic than writing a song called "Ironic" with no actual examples of irony in it?"  So what's really ironic is the title...Alanis is very meta like that. Ok threadjack over.

[greg683x]

yeah WHOOOSHHH!  something just went flying right over my head.

Didnt pick up on the whole Alanis quote.  Def had me scratching my head on that one.

[Bankshot]

I don't think the Celtics are in the Pistons' heads, the Celtics are just a better team.