http://wtfdetroit.com/ogt/countdown_8.gif

Eastern Conference Finals

Heat lead 1-0

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nba/teams/1/80x60/det_3.gifhttp://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nba/players/2005/3174.jpghttp://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nba/players/2005/3330.jpghttp://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nba/players/2005/3621.jpghttp://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nba/players/2005/3006.jpghttp://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nba/players/2005/3149.jpg
VS
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nba/teams/1/80x60/mia.gifhttp://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nba/players/2005/3250.jpghttp://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nba/players/2005/3708.jpghttp://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nba/players/2005/3112.jpghttp://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nba/players/2005/3765.jpghttp://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nba/players/2005/847.jpg



Wallace reported that his ankle is "75 to 80%." Asked if the Pistons can win with Wallace in that state, Saunders responded with praise for reserve forward Antonio McDyess.

"The one guy that played pretty well (Tuesday) was McDyess," Saunders said. "We're going to probably start trying to ride him a little more, and use 'Sheed in certain situations."
What was that? An adjustment? A move that could upset one of his players? A move that takes backbone? I bet he doesn't follow through on this one. It would be out of character for him to risk upsetting Rasheed and making him not want to have play dates with Flip anymore.

http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/fabf3a3d-126c-4b2a-80c2-7a6f00d82672.jpg

Isn't that Zo's left arm shoving Lindsey while he's driving? No call, huh? I wonder if Dice did that to Payton.

http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/d9129de7-42c9-4824-8c98-c59b272583c4.jpg
Does anyone else here wonder why Zo and Dice had similar careers, similar career threatening injuries (although Zo's was more life threatening), similar comebacks, and yet Zo, who is not considered such a nice guy league wide, can literally punch you in the face without getting called for it, while Dice has had a foul called on him every time he's breathed near anyone ever since he came back from injury. Am I the only one who thinks these two are officiated TOTALLY differently? I have no clue how Zo doesn't foul out of every game.

http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/8c9cb72d-1aa0-4a32-b9a6-47a468559730.jpg

YES!! I got away with another one! FLEX!!!



Game 1 Statistical Leaders


Points:
Richard Hamilton 22
Dwyane Wade 25

Rebounds:
Ben Wallace 14
Udonis Haslem 9

Assists:
Chauncey Billups 7
Dwyane Wade 5

Steals:
Ben Wallace 3
Dwyane Wade 2

Blocks:
Richard Hamilton 1
Flexo Mourning 2

Bench Points:
Pistons: 16
Heat: 25

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Round 3 Schedule



Game 1: Heat win 91-86 (http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5947)
Game 2: at DET Thu, May 25 - 8:00 pm EDT TV: ESPN
Game 3: at MIA Sat, May 27 - 8:00 pm EDT TV: ESPN
Game 4: at MIA Mon, May 29 - 8:00 pm EDT TV: ABC
*Game 5: at DET Wed, May 31 - 8:00 pm EDT TV: ESPN
*Game 6: at MIA Fri, Jun 2 - 8:00 pm EDT TV: ESPN
*Game 7: at DET Sun, Jun 4 - 8:00 pm EDT TV: ABC

* - If necessary

damn you, i was making the thread, ready to post and you beat me to it. my work shall not go to waste!

edit: merged our OGT's to form a super-voltron-like-OGT

We have to get back to having more fun on the basketball floor," he said after the Pistons' short film session Wednesday. "A lot of times when we're great on that floor, we're out there smiling and we're out there laughing and we are all out there having a good time."Right now, it's not like that. It's like, 'Aw man, we're fighting for everything.' "

maybe it's that simple. let's see the guys play loose and move the ball on the offensive end. our defense has been adequate and we all know our offense is putrid.

If Walker and PAyton both score over 10 points, Im going to go nuts and then kick Flip in the nuts

kick Flip
Gnarly!

http://www.twj.to/gif_animation/skate/kickflip-tailmanual-animation.gif

can we just whoop their asses tonight? i'm so tired of hearing the media blast the Pistons as saying they're done. if this team starts hitting their shots and finally playing like the Pistons we saw for 82 games, i really don't see much of a problem w/ Miami.

let's steamroll these punks and send Wade home crying.

can we just whoop their asses tonight? i'm so tired of hearing the media blast the Pistons as saying they're done. if this team starts hitting their shots and finally playing like the Pistons we saw for 82 games, i really don't see much of a problem w/ Miami.

let's steamroll these punks and send Wade home crying.

I demand this happen. I'm tired of watching the ups and downs. And I also want to see somebody step up physically and respond to the hard fouls and Mourning's flexing.

we're gonna fuck these bitches in the ass. fuck th heat. this is our game.

Please Flip... go inside early. If Sheed's got his panties in a bunch, then give the ball to Tayshaun in the post. They've just got to try to get something easy to start the game. I hate how they seem to love to start games with 20 footers everytime. This method never works.

i really hope Tayshaun continues to attack the basket. draw fouls on Shrek. also, if everyone will just pump fake once when driving the lane vs. Flexo. he falls for that everytime.

i think tonight's the night we break out of our offensive slump.

Does anyone else here wonder why Zo and Dice had similar careers, similar career threatening injuries (although Zo's was more life threatening), similar comebacks, and yet Zo, who is not considered such a nice guy league wide, can literally punch you in the face without getting called for it, while Dice has had a foul called on him every time he's breathed near anyone ever since he came back from injury. Am I the only one who thinks these two are officiated TOTALLY differently? I have no clue how Zo doesn't foul out of every game.

strictly reputation. It's for the same reason ben Wallace is allowed to hold and grab while others are not. It's the typical NBA earned reward system.

I will add too that Zo and Miami cannot be allowed to bully the Pistons around and the Pistons just stand there and not do anything about it.

It's so damn obvious that Pat Riley has instituted the Old Knick/Piston bad boy thugery mental game. Expect the Heat to try to intimidate the Pistons some more with their play. I respect Zo quite a bit for the way he plays the game. He's a Bill Laimbeer type I would want on my team.

No excuses tonight Pistons. Punch them in the mouth if you have to!

I agree with the last statement Gecko. I love hard physicall play. I just hate when the refs let one team play and not the other. If the officals could ever call a 85% consistent game, we'd be good.

I respect Zo quite a bit for the way he plays the game. He's a Bill Laimbeer type I would want on my team.
More like Rick Mahorn... I get a good laugh when I think about Laimbeer blocking a shot the way Zo would. :)

i'm pumped for the game. i fully expect the pistons to come out loose and the offensive to look smooth again. we'll build a lead early and our bench will come in and produce, reminding Flip that we HAVE a capable bench. good feelings and good vibes will continue through the rest of the series.

I'm off to my annual birthday game this year, and we will win or else I am rushing the court to beat Flips ass.

105-87?

Dont put a ? at the end! Fuck all that hate!

Say it loud and proud:


We're gonna beat these fools ass
105-87

-HV4yVKSTx0

THATS WHAT THE FUK I'M TALKING ABOUT!

[smilie=djparty.gif]

let's gooooooo!!!!!!!!

I Believe.


P.S. beautiful glenn

-HV4yVKSTx0

LOL I'm so gonna learn how to play it :D

Just pretend like it's another regular season game baby:
-Tony Delk heating up it up off the bench
-Dyess owning Zo
-Delfino some burn on Wade (I hope)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d178/ojay_/nba/switch.jpg

Whoop these amateurs asses. We leave Detroit 1-1, split in Miami and come back home and win g5 for a 3-2 lead. My crystal ball only goes 4 games out.

Um... yeah... although I can do this... I won't be playing tonight.

http://media.phillyburbs.com/2005/12/30/HEAT_PISTONS_BASKETB1.jpg

Let's swarm them like a bunch of wild dogs.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/heat/content/sports/photos/popups/heat/05playoffs/heat_pistons_game1/images/088.jpg

Let's tie them up and make them cross-eyed.

http://www.rp-online.de/layout/fotos/180x143/031018_HEAT_PISTONS_BASKETBALL_DTP10143b50cec07f6. jpg

They can't flex and pound their chests in our building!

http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2006/05/22/PH2006052201539.jpg

If they do it to you, do it back to them!

http://images.usatoday.com/sports/nba/_photos/2006-03-22-in-pistons.jpg

Swarm them like a pack of wild dogs! (oh, wait. I used that cliche already)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2005/05/24/PH2005052400062.jpg

Make them see stars!

http://www.24-ore.com/newsfoto/piston_heat.jpg

Shhhh. Don't cry. Sleep, dear sweet Miami Heat. Sleep.

http://www.resnet.trinity.edu/srivet/Pictures/pistons.jpg

uhm......an early Delfino sighting!??!?!?!

pistons start off the 1st quarter FINALLY looking like the regular season pistons. let's keep it up.

so far so good


Lets take it to these bitches in the 2nd half


Fuck the heat!

I think it's pretty clear who Dick Bavetta wanted to win.

Yeah. Almost cost us a game because he's to old to hear. Cmon now.

Pistons need to complain about the officiating loudly in the postgame press conference, and they need to send a tape to the league. That was ridiculously one-sided. Shaq had to have about 10 fouls, and Posey was just mauling Billups at the end.

Also, the analysts need to stop talking about Sheed's ankle injury. I don't think I've read one post on any Piston board using that as an excuse.

Got the win. They showed flashes of their regular season selves. Need to try and recapture some of that in Miami.

FUCK BAVETTA!

God, how I wish we had local coverage of these games. I cant stand the voice of Hubbie and MIke. Why cant they give us Bill Walton and Snapper with Mike Terico?

F. U. refs.

that garbage at the end was un-freaking-believeable.

F. U. Wade.

for crying about Lindsey's clean strip after the blowjob the refs were giving you.

I think the Pistons (Billups in particular) would have a case for molestation if they filed suit.

F. U. refs.

that garbage at the end was un-freaking-believeable.

F. U. Wade.

for crying about Lindsey's clean strip after the blowjob the refs were giving you.

Can you blame him? In this NBA your name is what draws fouls, not your play

F. U. refs.

that garbage at the end was un-freaking-believeable.

F. U. Wade.

for crying about Lindsey's clean strip after the blowjob the refs were giving you.
seconded. you hear Tay saying how bavetta said some out of the way shit to him? didnt wanna elaborate, but all i got to say is the refs are outta control.

I never imagined that I could be so upset after a playoff game victory. That last minute of the game was sickening. Even watching the game with no audio provided little solace.

i just HATE how everyone's going to say that Miami was still within striking distance to win. the game was decided by a mini-run at the end.

then chauncey gets a questionable call. FTs. Sheed fouls out on a clean block. FTs. Chauncey gets pushed out of bounds and Tayshaun's timeout is unheard, RIGHT IN FRONT OF BAVETTA. turnover. complete, utter, stinky, bullshit.

That was no shocker to me. They don't call him the Dick "The Fix" Bavetta because he's unbiased.

yes annoying it was. Damn near made me wanna take up weed.
http://www.strangepersons.com/images/content/16512.JPG

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/4313/zebra3ir.jpg

^^LOL!!

btw, considering the refs basically assisting on Miami's final buckets.....Lindsey's strip was INCREDIBLY risky. that could have easily been a whistle and 3 FTs. i don't even want to think about that right now.

I know. And wade had the balls to bitch and moan about that afterwerds like the refs didnt almost hand him the game.

I know. And wade had the balls to bitch and moan about that afterwerds like the refs didnt almost hand him the game.

did i mention.......

F.U. Wade.

If you did, its worth a second mention. Fuckin a man

he's still bitching in the postgame about not getting respect for winning game one.

Fuck him. Like anyone but Stern and a bunch of Cubans down in Miami cares what he has to say?

Really, the refs fucking handed you the game and you still couldnt beat us, and you want us to respect your bitch ass? Fuck outa here with that lame shit.

he's still bitching in the postgame about not getting respect for winning game one.


Yeah.

I just saw that. He mentioned that Lindsey bumped him and shit.

I can't believe that fucker had a balls to bitch about the calls after the refs basically handed his team the game in the closing minutes.

Its amazing. Thing is, if the pistons say one word about the officals, I guarentee you the NBA will come down on them. Wade wont even get a phone call asking him to tone it down.

BTW, i'm too pissed to watch a post game, did any pistons say anything. I'm hoping for sheed to step up and rip the officals a new asshole.

I loved seeing sheed own Zo. Zo is is the biggest prick in this side of the atlantic with richard jefferson right behind him..

oh Tayshaun is http://www.ginnyburdick.com/display/blossoms.jpg

BTW, i'm too pissed to watch a post game, did any pistons say anything. I'm hoping for sheed to step up and rip the officals a new asshole.
Tayshaun spoke on bavetta saying something out of the way to him. but not much else. the heat made excuses(including riley). Bill Walton Talking about sheed laughing at Zo trying to cover him.

Just got home some thoughts.

Crowd was really into the game. First game this playoff season that it actually felt like a playoff.

Ben was a beast.

What got into Flip and his rotation? it's like he was driving around listening to sports radio for the past 2 days and said "yeah Jimmy from Canton's right, I need to get them involved". Kudos to Flip I guess.

Nice strategy letting Ben handle the ball at the top of the key taking Shaq away from the rim

Rip did one hell of a job on Wade the entire game.

I have a hard time deciding if I should give the Pistons an A or a C for the game. They played like the Pistons of old but whaz up with the 4th qtr?

Too many mental breakdowns still by the team and especially Chauncey. They need to tighten that shit up a little more. That was a loss in Miami and it's unbelievable I can even say that since it should if been a 15 pt coaster in the 4th.

Great effort, we got the win but lets tighten it up.

Have a good weekend.

Dude, I wish Walton was calling the games. Fuck Hubbie

Just got home some thoughts.

Crowd was really into the game. First game this playoff season that it actually felt like a playoff.

Ben was a beast.

What got into Flip and his rotation? it's like he was driving around listening to sports radio for the past 2 days and said "yeah Jimmy from Canton's right, I need to get them involved". Kudos to Flip I guess.

Nice strategy letting Ben handle the ball at the top of the key taking Shaq away from the rim

Rip did one hell of a job on Wade the entire game.

I have a hard time deciding if I should give the Pistons an A or a C for the game. They played like the Pistons of old but whaz up with the 4th qtr?

Too many mental breakdowns still by the team and especially Chauncey. They need to tighten that shit up a little more. That was a loss in Miami and it's unbelievable I can even say that since it should if been a 15 pt coaster in the 4th.

Great effort, we got the win but lets tighten it up.

Have a good weekend.

They put it on CC in the 4th, and the refs had more to do with the heat getting back in than the pistons did. The heat looked dead.

Well I was right about Delfino in my predictions. He got some burn, but again no love from the refs :(. Good to see him and Davis shake some rust off, but our offense was just terrible with them in.

Fuck a Wade, and fuck Dick Bavetta. Deaf ass motherfucker.


Dude, I wish Walton was calling the games. Fuck Hubbie
God save us from Walton. Just a few minutes ago on ESPNEWS:

Bill, better team, Pistons or Heat?
-Pistons.
So Pistons will win?
-That depends on Shaquille O'Neal
(everyone on the set laughs)

Bottom line though:

A win's a win and we pulled that shit out.

Just got home some thoughts.

Crowd was really into the game. First game this playoff season that it actually felt like a playoff.

Ben was a beast.

What got into Flip and his rotation? it's like he was driving around listening to sports radio for the past 2 days and said "yeah Jimmy from Canton's right, I need to get them involved". Kudos to Flip I guess.

Nice strategy letting Ben handle the ball at the top of the key taking Shaq away from the rim

Rip did one hell of a job on Wade the entire game.

I have a hard time deciding if I should give the Pistons an A or a C for the game. They played like the Pistons of old but whaz up with the 4th qtr?

Too many mental breakdowns still by the team and especially Chauncey. They need to tighten that shit up a little more. That was a loss in Miami and it's unbelievable I can even say that since it should if been a 15 pt coaster in the 4th.

Great effort, we got the win but lets tighten it up.

Have a good weekend.

They put it on CC in the 4th, and the refs had more to do with the heat getting back in than the pistons did. The heat looked dead.

Maybe but I saw balls being dribbled off feet, a few offensive charges an 8 second call, trouble in bounding the ball and general mental mistakes like that. Clean that shit up and the refs won't play a part in it.

Bevetta must be blind and deaf because he looked right at Tay when he called timeout.

he also claimed he couldn't hear Tay's timeout. bullshit.....more than half the crowd had left at the end of the game.

Just got home some thoughts.

Crowd was really into the game. First game this playoff season that it actually felt like a playoff.

Ben was a beast.

What got into Flip and his rotation? it's like he was driving around listening to sports radio for the past 2 days and said "yeah Jimmy from Canton's right, I need to get them involved". Kudos to Flip I guess.

Nice strategy letting Ben handle the ball at the top of the key taking Shaq away from the rim

Rip did one hell of a job on Wade the entire game.

I have a hard time deciding if I should give the Pistons an A or a C for the game. They played like the Pistons of old but whaz up with the 4th qtr?

Too many mental breakdowns still by the team and especially Chauncey. They need to tighten that shit up a little more. That was a loss in Miami and it's unbelievable I can even say that since it should if been a 15 pt coaster in the 4th.

Great effort, we got the win but lets tighten it up.

Have a good weekend.

They put it on CC in the 4th, and the refs had more to do with the heat getting back in than the pistons did. The heat looked dead.

Maybe but I saw balls being dribbled off feet, a few offensive charges an 8 second call, trouble in bounding the ball and general mental mistakes like that. Clean that shit up and the refs won't play a part in it.

To the heats credit, they did a great job of denying Billups the ball on the 8 second violation.

Bavetta just flat out blew that call.

When you are the ref on the baseline on an inbound, your only responsibility is to do the 5 second countdown and look for the man to call timeout, especially when you get close to a violation.

The fact that he had his head on a swivel when he had two other guys out there watching the same thing is unforgivable. He had a simple, but important task, and he flat out blew it.

I wonder if we'll see him "retire" after the playoffs?

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006605260485


MITCH ALBOM: Whew! Ben's offense lends needed assist

BY MITCH ALBOM
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

May 26, 2006

The reason you want to move the ball around in basketball -- what the Pistons desperately wanted to do Thursday -- is that most of the time, it ends up in the right hands.

Even if it's not the hands you think.

Ben Wallace has been chided for his hands in the past -- too small, they say, for a guy his size -- but his hands were hot for most of Game 2. And we're not just talking blocks and rebounds, his normal specialties.

We're talking lay-ups. We're talking finger rolls. We're talking bounce passes.

Bounce passes?

That's right. Like the one he made to Rip Hamilton for an easy lay-up. Or the whip pass he made to Antonio McDyess for a slam.

Ben Wallace, point guard?

Why not? He was pretty much everything else early on Thursday, as the Pistons rode his energy to a big lead, then hung on -- at times, it seemed, by their fingertips -- to even this Eastern Conference finals series, one game apiece.

What can Wallace do for you?

Well, Ben was the center, soaring for rebounds, grabbing some, keeping the others alive.

Ben was the free safety, intercepting a Dwyane Wade alley-oop pass to prevent a score.

Ben was the sacrificial lamb -- even taking elbows to his face from Shaquille O'Neal -- but drawing offensive fouls.

Ben was the hustler chasing down a loose ball in the lane to save a possession.

And I think he was selling popcorn at halftime.

A great stats line
"We came out right tonight, our heads were in the game," said Wallace, who finished with nine points (on perfect field-goal shooting), 12 rebounds, three assists and one block. "I would like to see us finish the game the way we started it."

Yes, it's true, the Pistons nearly blew it at the end. They fell asleep on things like crossing the halfcourt line and bringing the ball inbounds. That's unforgivable.

But they wouldn't have been in the situation had the scoring not bogged down in the fourth quarter. And if you look at the tape, you'll see why.

After the Game 1 loss, the Pistons talked about their standing around, playing one on one basketball, getting away from the joie de vivre of fast passes and easy baskets.

But after three decent quarters of avoiding that, they seemed to fall back into that habit again. At times in that fourth quarter, they looked like the French Foreign Legion dragging through the Sahara.

How do you avoid that? Well, one of the ways is to get the ball into Ben's hands. Not necessarily as the final stop. But let him touch it, make the defenders have to at least get in the same zip code as him.

"It weighs on their defense," Ben said. "We've got everybody involved. Now you've got to play honest and" not play "four against five. When I get involved in the offense, it forces the other team to keep a guy on me and not allow him to roam around. It opens up things for my teammates."

It's five for one
So, OK, now it's a series. We can put away the sweep talk. We can put away Game 1 as a prototype. Thursday was a much different affair, with the Shaq-Wade combination doing what it does, but the rest of the Heat playing like, well, the rest of the Heat.

Now, it's not an accident that this game got close when the Pistons got away from the good ball movement of the first half. I'm not sure why this happens. Some of it is Miami's defense. But some of it is just a bad new habit that the Pistons have picked up this postseason. They need to lose it.

Look, this isn't rocket science. Four against five is never as good as five against five. And it seems to me when Ben is happy, the team is happy. So let him play hustler, free safety, point guard, shot blocker. Heck, if he wants to turn off the lights and lock the door on his way out, let him. The Pistons' heart beats louder when the Fro is fearsome, and the more he touches the ball, the more fearsome he becomes.

Remember, as they say, idle hands are the devil's tools.

And why help those Heat players?

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060526/SPORTS03/605260480&template=printart


DREW SHARP: Ben's Pistons smack 'em back

Game 2 energy, even some offense, comes from Wallace

BY DREW SHARP
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

May 26, 2006

If there ever was a doubt regarding the true identity of the Pistons' soul, it was the guy constantly rubbing his jaw, massaging away the pain from the tattoos of Shaquille O'Neal's elbow on his face.

Spiritually, this remains Ben Wallace's team and this was its biggest testament. The choice was simple for the Pistons in Game 2 against Miami on Thursday night.

When you get popped in the mouth, you either smack 'em back or get smacked down for the count.

This was Ben's time to chime. And it was never more important than with the Pistons staring at a potential 0-2 series deficit with consecutive Palace setbacks.

He was everywhere, including this peculiar place -- the Pistons' half-court offense. When Shaq bumped him, he bumped him back and when they left him alone offensively, his teammates finally rewarded him with a few opportunities to flex his limited offensive muscle.

And that's all he's ever asked. Don't ignore him.

That was impossible as the Pistons drew even in the Eastern Conference finals with a 92-88 victory.

When Ben steps on the gas, this team accelerates. Never was that more evident than during one sequence when he grabbed two offensive rebounds, found Antonio McDyess for a dunk and raced down the court, stood his ground and drew a charging foul on Dwyane Wade.

The fatigue argument was a lame justification for the Pistons' Game 1 difficulties. It's not like a year ago in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, when just 72 hours earlier they were in Miami for Game 7 and had a three-hour flight back home before quickly turning around and heading for San Antonio.

They didn't have to leave home between Game 7 against Cleveland and the beginning of this series.

What? Were they too exhausted to read the scouting reports on Shaq's inability to come out and defend the pick-and-roll? Were they too weepy-eyed to see defensive matador Jason Williams defending Chauncey Billups? Were they too sleep-deprived to recognize that defensive energy improves the offensive flow?

This isn't brain surgery.

If one attacks, the other must react.

One of the more telling observations from Game 1 was how the Pistons abandoned running Rip Hamilton through those catch-and-shoot curls inside the lane. But the Heat took it away with O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning cheating defensively on Wallace, laying back, daring the Pistons to employ him as something other than corn-rowed mannequin in their half-court offensive sets.

Wallace's improved offensive aggressiveness warranted enough defensive attention that it provided Hamilton a touch more breathing room. And sometimes, that's all you need to get out of a shooting funk.

Panic isn't a word within the Pistons' vocabulary, but frustration certainly is.

The ease with which they jumped to a lead against the Heat on Thursday suggests the Pistons have a pretty good grip on their "if it isn't rough, it isn't right" battle cry. But the continued lapses only serve as an indictment against this team's desire to distinguish themselves as the defining team of this era.

They're good, but they clearly aren't as good as they think they are. They want to win, but they're not sure what they want to be.

What's the mystery? They must take their cue from Big Ben and work through his offensive liabilities as they did in Game 2.

It's much easier scoring when your transition game comes to life, but that requires making defensive stops and feeding off that energy. That's Ben's forte.

Mourning delivered an elbow under Ben's chin that readjusted a few teeth, but there was no retaliation. Tayshaun Prince tossed a little colorful language in Mourning's direction, but Mourning laughed it off, suggesting he doesn't fear any physical payback.

It had to have turned former Bad Boy Rick Mahorn's stomach, watching from his sideline seat on the Pistons' radio broadcast.

This was the challenge to the Pistons in Game 2.

Smack 'em back or get smacked down.

The NBA has zero tolerance for dark alley muggings masquerading as basketball, but the heart of playoff basketball remains the hard foul. Why wasn't someone (hello, Flip, maybe Dale Davis?) depositing Wade on his back pocket during one of strong runs at the rack?

So what if it results in a flagrant foul? So what if it results in a little lighter wallet, courtesy of the NBA brutality cops?

The Pistons took a punch in the series' first game, but they took a stand Thursday with the threat of the wall against their backs crumbling from the weight of excessive overuse.

That end of the game stretch wasn't cool but I wasn't worried about the Heat actually winning. The Pistons were at fault for letting a lot of it happen and that 5 second call was crap but the Pistons don't lose games like that. Even playing as bad as they did in that stretch they weren't about to lose it. They've got too many guys with too much will to let that happen.

My thoughts:

For the 1st 3 3/4 quarters, the only poor officiating was centered around Dwyane Wade.

It is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 1,000,000% obvious that the NBA reminded the refs before the game that superstar Wade got into real BIG early foul trouble in game 1, and they better NOT let it happen again, or they'd no longer be NBA officials.

I think Shaq was officiated fairly, Walker, Posey, Mourning - all of them - except Wade - until the 4th quarter.

He could do ANYTHING he wanted on either end of the floor, and no matter how hard he HIT you or KNOCKED YOU DOWN, or SHOVED you, there would be no foul. And if you BREATHED on him, he'd go to the line.

In fact, he went to the line more than anyone on either team, had no fouls all game, and still found time to bitch about the officiating after the game (talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth. If I were Bavetta, I'd demand a bigger payoff).

I've never seen officials try so hard to have a guy finish a game without committing a SINGLE foul. I've heard of makeup calls - but makeup GAMES?!?!?!? And exactly what did he deserve a makeup for? He was guilty of ALL the charges he was called for in game 1!

Of course, by the end of the game, the officials went all "lets see if we can win the game for the Heat since they clearly can't come CLOSE to doing it by themselves" - as per usual when we play a team with a superstar (or two) that the NBA really, really, really, really, really, really wants to advance to the next round.

But until that point near the end of the game, the only blatant cheating and conspiratorial conduct by the officials was centered on Wade. They deserve a reward, they did exactly what the NBA told them to do - keep Wade out of foul trouble so he can help them sell jerseys, Sprite, and gym shoes.

PS: That game was a BLOWOUT - yes, a 4 point BLOWOUT, kinda like a 5 game sweep against the Lakers.

I don't care about the final score.

If I were a player, I'd take from that game that in game 1, they were EXHAUSTED and still hung with Miami and had a chance.

In game 2, all things were equal for both teams (although Detroit is far more injured), and Detroit SMOKED them from START to (pretty much) FINISH.

That was a 12 point win, IMO, if you overlook the garbage officiating at the end and the Pistons' sloppy play for a couple MEASLY possessions when the game was already OVER. Yes. The game was never in doubt. Ask my friend. I sat there for the last 15 minutes of the officials cheating to get the Heat back into the game, and every time my friend said "uh, oh", I said "the game's over, forget it. We won." He'd say "its a two point game", and I'd say "the Pistons already won. Its over. Its a formality. They're just making a blowout look interesting".

I was right.

Everyone here should stop bitching and be happy that our team DESTROYED the Heat last night. Embarrassed them. Humiliated them. Blew them out. But officially only won by 4. So, what. We killed the fuckers - and they HAVE to know it.

Game 1: We're DEAD tired, you're totally rested, but you barely beat us in anybody's game? You want a cookie?

Game 2: We're equal in terms of energy, and we're more injured than you are, yet we build as much as a 12-14 point lead, hold it ALL GAME, DESTROY YOU (but only win by 4).

I know which team should be confident right now and which shouldn't.

Hint: The team that should not be confident has a guy that got BETTER THAN LeBron treatment last night.

I've missed you.

That was Zeebneebesque.

Also, it's good to know Taymelo has a friend, but I'm not sure how we would go about asking him anything for verification purposes.

That was Zeebneebesque.

Also, it's good to know Taymelo has a friend, but I'm not sure how we would go about asking him anything for verification purposes.

Oh, I've got a friend.

Whether he's imaginary or not is of no consequence.

The important thing is he's my friend.

My man Taymelo speaks the truth!

Game 1: We're DEAD tired, you're totally rested, but you barely beat us in anybody's game? You want a cookie?

Game 2: We're equal in terms of energy, and we're more injured than you are, yet we build as much as a 12-14 point lead, hold it ALL GAME, DESTROY YOU (but only win by 4). I don't think Miami was equal in terms of energy. To me, Miami looked exactly like a team that knew it had reclaimed home court--they were lazy, complacent, and they settled for jumpshots. They were satisfied.

Game 3 will be the test. In Miami they'll turn up the energy--they have to--and we'll see who emerges the victor. Then we'll have answers.

Game 1: We're DEAD tired, you're totally rested, but you barely beat us in anybody's game? You want a cookie?

Game 2: We're equal in terms of energy, and we're more injured than you are, yet we build as much as a 12-14 point lead, hold it ALL GAME, DESTROY YOU (but only win by 4). [b]I don't think Miami was equal in terms of energy. To me, Miami looked exactly like a team that knew it had reclaimed home court--they were lazy, complacent, and they settled for jumpshots. They were satisfied.[b]

Game 3 will be the test. In Miami they'll turn up the energy--they have to--and we'll see who emerges the victor. Then we'll have answers.

I didn't say energized.

I said rested.

I actually agree with everything you posted, and everything I posted.

They didn't have energy, but it wasn't because of fatigue, like it was for the Pistons in game 1. It was because of complacency (and frustration b/c the Pistons stole their hearts early in the game).

What I'm saying is that you can't mentally fight fatigue. If you are tired, your jump shot will be short. So, the Pistons have a legitimate excuse for losing game 1. The Heat, on the other hand, don't have a legitimate excuse that they couldn't have avoided with the right attitude.

The one thing that bugs me about the fatigue diagnosis is that it usually results in more missed FTs, but that wasn't the case in Game 1.

Oh well, we're 1-1 after two -- time to take a couple in Miami...