Déjà vu all over again in the NBA Finals between Golden State and Toronto?

Déjà vu all over again in the NBA Finals?

by rick olivares photo from sky sports

The ongoing NBA Finals between the Toronto Raptors and the Golden State Warriors – as early as Game Three -- eerily reminds me of the title series of 2004 between the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers.

I know. I know the series isn’t over between G-State and Toronto as it stands at 3-1 in favor of the latter, but even so… the similarities are uncanny.

In 2003-04, the Lakers returned to the finals after momentarily surrendering the title to San Antonio in 2003. They made some off season changes then bringing in Karl Malone and Gary Payton as bargain prices to backstop Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

This 2018-19 season, the Warriors returned to the championship round for the fifth straight year. This campaign, they brought in All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins who now gave Golden State five All-Stars in addition to having Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green. 

In 2003-04, Joe Dumars brought to Detroit the mercurial Washington center Rasheed Wallace.

In 2018-19, the Raptors brought in Memphis center Mark Gasol. 

In 2003-04, the Lakers were feuding. It was Kobe versus Shaq. Kobe versus everyone else. In fact, head coach Phil Jackson wrote a book about that turbulent season titled, The Last Season: A Team in Search of its Soul.

As for the 2018-19 Warriors, anyone remember the dust-up between Green and Durant early in the season? And there is speculation about how this team’s All-Stars will go their separate ways due to free agency or whatnot. 

In 2003-04, Detroit defeated an exciting Milwaukee Bucks team in the play-offs (the first round) that had Michael Redd.

In 2018-19, Toronto defeat an even more exciting Milwaukee Bucks team in the Eastern Finals that has Giannis Antentokounmpo.

In 2003-04, the Detroit Pistons fired head coach Rick Carlisle who guided them to back-to-back Central Division titles. They brought in Larry Brown.

In 2018-19, the Raptors fired Dwayne Casey who was the 2018 NBA Coach of the Year in favor of assistant, Nick Nurse. 

In 2003-04, the losing coach was Phil Jackson. 

In 2019, Steve Kerr, who is a disciple of Jackson (and also Gregg Popovich), is on the ropes.

Like Jackson, Kerr won in his first time to make the NBA Finals. 

In 2004, the Pistons closed out the Lakers in five. Will the Raptors accomplish the same against the Warriors?

It may all be coincidence, but even so, you have to admit it is fascinating. Everyone and their mother is interested to see how this pans out.