Finals is a defensive clinic

If you're looking for offensive explosions, you might have to wait until November. The 2005 NBA Finals have been all about defense in the first two games. Neither team has reached 100 points yet – in fact, Detroit hasn't even reached 80.

This shouldn't surprise anybody who followed the two clubs when they routinely suffocated opponents' attacks during the regular season. The Spurs ranked No. 1 in defensive efficiency (my measure of points allowed per 100 possessions) at 95.8, while the Pistons weren't too shabby themselves, finishing third at 97.9.

They're not exactly Johnny-come-latelies, either. A year ago, the Spurs were first and the Pistons a close second, and of course it was Detroit's dominating defense that put the kibosh on the Lakers' dynasty in the 2004 Finals.

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