Did the Lakers suck horrifically in their other playoff series that year?
No Tim, not horrific.
2004 Playoff League AvG was 88.0 PPG on 42.1%
2004 Laker Playoff Avg against Opp (sans Detroit) was 90.0 PPG on 45.2%
2004 Laker Finals AvG against Detroit was 81.8 PPG on 41.6%
2004 Pistons defended other teams better than they defended the 2004 Lakers: DET's OP (sans LA) PPGA - 80.39 on 38.5%
So as good as the Pistons defended the Lakers in the Finals, the Pistons were better at defending their other playoff opponents.
Based on the 2004 Playoff standard conventional statistics to rank the best to worst offenses performances against the Pistons: 1.) Bucks 85.6 PPG on 41.6%, 2.) NJ Nets 83.3 PPG on 39.3%, 3.) Lakers 81.8 PPG on 41.6%, 4.) Pacers 72.7 PPG on 34.9%
From additional statistics:
1.) Lakers 96.1 OFF RTG on 44.5% eFG%
2.) Bucks 95.8 OFF RTG on 44.7% eFG%
3.) Nets 93.5 on 42.5%
4.) Pacers 87.8 on 38.3%
A case could be made that the Lakers were the best offensive team performed against the Pistons in the 2004 Playoffs.
Likewise, a case could be made that all the other teams the Pistons faced in those 2004 Playoffs just stunk up the joint more than the Lakers did.
A fine point to be made is the Pistons played like the exemplified team. While the Lakers played like the antithesis team.
This aspect of the 2004 Pistons does not garner the respect it deserves. But from some perspectives, the 2004 Pistons were "under rated", "they won the title with no superstar" or whatever schitck they could muster. That Pistons team won the title within a season where there was significant mid season trade. Bringing in Sheed greatly benefited Detroit, but it didn't happen by default. The rest of the Piston players with the guidance of coach Brown made that team work.
The 2004 Lakers' behind the scenes "drama" received too much attention or credence than it should have. But that doesn't mean it should be ignored. This team wasn't able to make it work like the Pistons were able to make it work. The responsibilities rest heavily on the two superstars of Shaq & Kobe, and of course coach Phil too needs to shoulder some blame. The average NBA fan would have believed that those Lakers should have won it all by default, after all they had the supposed best one-two punch (Shaq's voice), the supposed best head coach in Phil Jackson, then they added perernial all-stars Karl Malone and Gary Payton, why wouldn't the Lakers win it all, especially after they beat the Spurs (that D.Fisher shot!) & they beat MVP KG's T-Wolves.
But unlike the Pistons, the Lakers couldn't make it all work in the end. No doubt the Pistons had a hand in hindering the Lakers' efforts, but the Lakers did a disservice to themselves too.