By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist

Somewhere in Larry Brown's rearview mirror Allen Iverson and Philadelphia must seem like a distant pothole on the road of life about now.

Can it really have been just 14 months ago that Brown was beseeching and cajoling Iverson just to show up for practice?

Now, here is Brown, one victory away from an NBA championship in Detroit. As close as a few hours, perhaps, from his first professional title with a team that has taken on his mantra as a far cry from the one he left behind.

Brown's professional basketball résumé reads a lot like a Federal Express system map: Carolina, Denver, New Jersey, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Indiana, Philadelphia and Detroit. Are we leaving anybody out? This nomadic existence — and let's not forget college stops at UCLA and Kansas — has brought Brown much-second guessing, made him the butt of a lot of jokes and — in Philadelphia in particular — a whole lot worse.

But the move to Detroit is giving him the last laugh. A huge belly laugh by the day from the looks of it after a three-games-to-one lead.

Not only is there no petulant superstar inspiring migraines in Detroit, where even Rasheed Wallace is on his best behavior, here is a team that practices with a passion the brand of basketball that Brown has long preached. It is hustle, play defense, rebound and hustle some more. Here is a team that has taken to heart the message Brown has sold and thrived because of what he does best: teach.

This championship series was supposed to have marked the coronation of the Lakers' Phil Jackson in a lot of eyes. It was billed as the occasion when the Zen master would supplant the grand master, Red Auerbach, for the leading number of NBA championships, 10-9.

Of that there seemed little doubt a few weeks ago. Brown and the Pistons? They were consigned to being the Red Klotz and Washington Generals, the token opposition, in this little drama. Few but the most diehard of Pistons fans thought this would be anything put a Laker triumph. And even the most certifiable of Piston followers or Laker-haters could not have imagined Detroit would be in position to do it in five games.

Except for the gaffe of not fouling Shaquille O'Neal the other day, Brown has more than been up to the task. Witness the way he not only kept the Pistons from a let-down after Game 2 got away from them but brought them out with an 8-0 ferocity in Game 3 that has defined the standing to this point.

This could be Brown's finest hour, which is saying something for a 63-year-old veteran of 22 pro seasons whose trophy case includes an NCAA Championship, an Olympic gold medal and a place in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

In the remarkable run that has pushed the Lakers to the brink of elimination, the Pistons have not lacked for people who have shown up big in prime time. Their coach included.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.