THEY’RE BAD : Pistons and Lakers Show That Same Word Can Have Two Totally Different Meanings

Game 1 of the NBA Finals proved to be a contrast of similarities, which wasn’t good for the Lakers. It was the Bad Boys of Detroit against a team that often was just bad.

It’s not that the Pistons were feeling sorry for the Lakers, who played without injured guard Byron Scott. The Eastern Conference champions have earned two straight trips to the title round and waged a megabuck merchandising campaign off their reputations as guys who stare down attack dogs. So, why change now?

The Piston guards were especially bad--that’s bad as in good. Got it?

There was Joe Dumars, his reputation as a defensive force well established, hitting 11 of 16 shots for 22 points. And there was Isiah Thomas making nine of 16 attempts for a game-high 24 points. Finally, don’t forget Vinnie Johnson, who came off the bench to go nine of 14 from the field for 19 points.

That’s 65 points and a 63% success rate in the Pistons’ 109-97 victory over the Lakers Tuesday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

“The shots were open and we were taking the shots,” Thomas said. “It’s that simple. It wasn’t a three-for-18 night, that’s for sure.”

The Lakers found it Michigan Impossible, never stopping the Piston shooters, at the start, the middle or the end.

Thomas, the Palace guard, scored 16 of his points in the first half, when Detroit started to pull away.

Dumars, who along with teammate Dennis Rodman was named to the NBA’s five-man all-defensive team made a combined eight of 10 shots in the third and fourth quarters. He also had seven assists.

Johnson, who played 21 minutes off the bench, took advantage of a poor trapping defense to score 14 points in the fourth quarter. By that time, the Lakers were looking real bad, and that’s not good.

“Isiah got a great start, Joe got a good start, and I came in and hit a couple of baskets,” said Johnson, who averaged 13.8 points a game during the regular season. “In the second half, that confidence carried over.”

The 6-foot-3 Dumars broke the 20-point barrier in scoring for the fifth time in the playoffs while shadowing 6-9 guard Magic Johnson. He held Johnson to a six-of-12 night and 17 points. Other times, he took on 6-9 forward Orlando Woolridge.

Dumars warmed up for this by plastering himself to someone all of 6-6 in the Pistons’ last series. His assignment was Michael Jordan.

“I got a lot of bigger people this time, and with it they have agility,” said Dumars, who averaged 17.2 points during the regular season while also earning the all-defensive honors. “Also, Michael was the only guy I guarded that series (the Eastern Conference finals), and the plays aren’t all called for Magic. Ninety-nine percent of Chicago’s plays are called for Michael.”

So, in one series--one game, actually--he went from the NBA’s most valuable player runner-up to the winner. And lived to tell about it.

“He (Johnson) is not looking to score like Michael,” Dumars said. “He’s not going for the shot almost every time down.”

Is the preference to get physical with the bigger player or try to match quickness?

“It’s tough either way,” he said, smiling. “What are you going to take?”

The Pistons will take Dumars, a fourth-year player from McNeese State who doesn’t get the publicity of Thomas but in many ways is just as important.

“Joe likes to be the silent killer,” teammate John Salley said. “He just does his job.”

On offense and defense against the Lakers. On Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson in the playoffs.

“I was tired the next day,” Dumars said of his post-Jordan fatigue. “I took Saturday off, and by Monday morning I was OK.”

By Tuesday night, he was bad.

You know, good.

HOT AT THE RIGHT TIME A look at the shooting of Detroit Pistons guards Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars and Vinnie Johnson in Game 1 of the NBA championship series and their previous 13 playoff games.

GAME 1, CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

PLAYER FGM-FGA PCT. FTM-FTA PCT. PPG Thomas 9-16 .562 5-6 .833 24.0 Dumars 11-16 .687 0-0 .000 22.0 Johnson 9-14 .642 1-1 1.000 19.0 Totals 29-46 .630 6-7 .857 65.0

PREVIOUS 13 PLAYOFF GAMES

PLAYER FGM-FGA PCT. FTM-FTA PCT. PPG Thomas 82-213 .390 52-71 .732 17.2 Dumars 68-167 .407 54-63 .857 14.7 Johnson 61-150 .407 40-51 .784 13.2 Totals 211-530 .399 146-185 .788 45.1

NOTE: Thomas, Dumars and Johnson combined to score 59.6% of the Piston points in Game 1 of the championship series. They combined to score 45.9% of the Piston points in previous 13 playoff games.