http://wtfdetroit.com/ogt/countdown_7.gif



Eastern Conference Finals
Game 3

Series tied 1-1

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

Last Game:

Pistons win 92-88 (http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5959)



Statistical Leaders



Points:
Tayshaun Prince 24
Dwyane Wade 32

Rebounds:
Ben Wallace 12
Shaquille O'Neal 12

Assists:
Chauncey Billups 8
Dwyane Wade, Gary Payton 5

Steals:
Richard Hamilton 4
Gary Payton 3

Blocks:
Ben Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Antonio McDyess 1
Shaquille O'Neal 4

Bench Points:
Pistons: 3
Heat: 15



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Round 3 Schedule


Game 1: Heat win 91-86 (http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5947)
Game 2: Pistons win 92-88 (http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5959)
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

Win this and win the series.

a few things i was thinking about:

1. Riley's going to double Tayshaun. i can really see Riley doubling Tayshaun when he gets the ball in the post. tay owned the offensive boards and got lay ups all game long (24 pts 11 reb) i'd like to see Tay kick the ball out quick and we find the open man.

2. Push the ball. pushing the ball on most plays provided dividends, as Miami's defense didn't get time to set. run the ball and Shrek will be out of gas quickly.

3. Chauncey and Sheed. can someone wake him up. bad turnovers. ball hogging at times. this wasn't the chauncey that picked his spots during the game and nailed the timely three ball. Sheed finally came alive, going at Flexo. he even hit his dagger three pointers. i hope that carries over.

4. Ben early again? ben got involved in the offense early and he looked active all game long. i'd love to see Ben get more easy layups to start game 3. ideally, chauncey drives, Shrek steps up, and ben's open.

5. Bench early again? we were flippin' out (pun intended) when Delfino made an early appearance. bring in the bench early and let the starters have fresh legs to run at the end of the game. Delfino, Dice and Dale were good out there. not big numbers, but they were playing tough and made plays. Davis made good use of all his fouls, lol. i'd like to see some Delk scoring next game too.

http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/9003/methodmanbringthep101b7mu.jpg

I think we might insert something into their poopshoot.

We need a split, might as well take game 3.

If we can win this, it'll be key to winning the series.

Hopefully Ben can get active early, seems as though when he does, the teams does well...

We've gotta find a way to keep Tayshaun involved. When he was involved last night, he was dominating.

Set up screens for Rip, let him shoot some more. He hasn't been getting those types of looks early in the series.

Get Chauncey and Sheed involved.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/GlennDanzig/snaqattack.jpg

Anthony, your avatar is the shit.

Thanks. I think Denny found that and posted it on here. I thought it was some funny shit.

Anthony, your avatar is the shit.
his name is prince, and he is funky!

Anthony, your avatar is the shit.
his name is prince, and he is funky!

:D

I can't even sit still before these games.

I can't even sit still before these games.


masturbate

I can't even sit still before these games.


masturbate

Word.

I'm saving my masturbation for marriage.

Are you a chick?

No, just a wussy name.

Oh, I thought you were a chick.

*takes engagement ring back to the pawn shop*

Oh, I thought you were a chick.

*takes engagement ring back to the pawn shop*

We'll always have Paris.

http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/11.13.97/gifs/bogart1-9746.jpg

Key is Sheed...we are something like 20-0 when he gets 20 pts in the playoffs. Cannot remember the EXACT stat but I heard it last night on ESPN and it is clear that he is the guy that needs to get going. It would be nice to see CBill go for 10+ assists and Sheed hit for 20-25 pts.

And if Sheed wouldnt shoot oever 7 3's and make only 2 of them

man./..fuck this team

Fuck a layup.

At this point, even on the TINY chance the Pistons win the championship: they're a bunch of bitches.

We went to fucking Hack-a-shaq.

I now know everything I need to about the way Flip runs his team.

Down the stretch at the end of both halves, we got fucked big-time by the refs.

On the positive side, Chauncey seems to be out of his funk.

Clearly Flip has ZERO concept of team defense, but where exactly is his "brilliant" offense he was supposed to use to make our team invincible?





What exactly is this retard getting paid for again...?

I dont even want to hear shit about the refs. We had way to many chances.

The refs did fuck us, though... totally killed momentum twice with obviously bad calls and no-calls. Even if Ben and Tay brought it tonight, we'd still have lost in an 8 on 5 game.

I dont even want to hear shit about the refs. We had way to many chances.

And our best chance was taken away by????? The refs.

Thanks.

Also Imagine for a moment of Rasheed had done to Wade, what Shaq did to Rip.
He would be preparign for a suspension, and he's half the size of Shaq.

Funny how the last two years we were able to play though that.

Funny how the last two years we were able to play though that.
yeah, last year we never let the horrible lopsided star bailing out refs effect the outcome of games.

: /

Still they hard their chances and some how they always turned the ball over. I dont know how many times Dyess had a fucking dunk and for some reason passed it out, resulting in a turn over.

The refs did fuck us, though... totally killed momentum twice with obviously bad calls and no-calls. Even if Ben and Tay brought it tonight, we'd still have lost in an 8 on 5 game.
this was forseen in the starshttp://www.nba.com/media/jrnba/danny2.jpg.


Larry Brown raised the point after game 2 vs the Spurs that the Pistons were 1-7 when Danny Crawford or Ron Garretson officiated their playoff games. Of course we all know that it’s just happenstance that its turned out that way. If the Pistons just happen to play poorly when one of those two officials were on the court, that’s just the way it goes…..

Heat take 2-1 lead over Pistons

Pistons’ late rally is wasted in Miami

May 27, 2006
BY JON PAUL MOROSI

FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER


Miami's Dwyane Wade drives to the basket against Detroit's Ben Wallace in Saturday night's Game 3 in Miami. (KIRTHMON F. DOZIER/DFP)

MIAMI -- The Pistons trail 2-1, in the Eastern Conference finals. And that is the least of their worries.

What happened here Saturday night -- the Miami Heat's 98-83 deconstruction of the once-fearsome Pistons -- was more than a loss. It was a showcase of the many reasons why this team may fall fantastically short of the championship expectations that have followed them into arenas for three years.

The Pistons are not playing their trademark defense. They are not scoring in the paint -- to the tune of a 50-16 disadvantage there Saturday.

And there may already be some signs that their model collectivism has cracked -- along the walking fault line that is the talented, hard-to-figure Rasheed Wallace.

In what may either be a telling display of discord, or a simple act of frustration, Wallace brushed past Pistons coach Flip Saunders on his way to the bench after leaving the game in the first half. Saunders extended his hand. Wallace did not shake it.

Later, after the Heat took an 11-point lead into the second half, Wallace found his stroke. He hit a three-point play to start the half. Then he nailed a 12-foot fadeaway. Then he buried a three-pointer. Suddenly, after hobbling on his ankle for over a week, he seemed himself again. And then he disappeared.

He fouled Shaquille O'Neal and missed his next three-pointer. Soon, he was on the bench. He scored only two points thereafter, finished with 11, and did not speak to reporters afterward.

"We need to let Rasheed go to work," said Antonio McDyess, who, somewhat ironically, was the one who replaced Wallace in the lineup. "He was dominating down there. Then we went away from that.

"We started calling plays that weren't working."

Asked if Wallace's reduced touches were the result of play-calling or the players' decisions, McDyess said, "It doesn’t matter if it was play calling. We should've recognized it. You don't go away from a guy who has the hot hand, like Rasheed."

"At that point, I would think you should've gotten Rasheed the ball, play-calling or not," McDyess continued. "He should've gotten the ball. Point blank. He was going. He was feeling good about himself. He missed one shot, and came to the bench frustrated because he missed the shot. Still, that’s not a reason to go away from him."

In his news conference, Saunders explained that Wallace had been removed because of foul trouble -- he had five -- but that the Pistons had made a "conscious effort to get him the ball in the third quarter when he got going a little bit."

Wallace was back on the floor, late in the fourth quarter, when Saunders initiated a tactic that would have been foreign to the title-winning 2004 team. With 4:28 left and the Pistons trailing by eight, 83-75, Saunders got Ben Wallace's attention, made a bear-hug motion, and pointed toward O'Neal. Once the ball was passed inbounds, Ben Wallace bear hugged O'Neal for a foul. O'Neal went to the line. He missed both.

Hack-a-Shaq worked. And then it didn't. O'Neal grabbed the rebound. Richard Hamilton fouled him. Naturally, O'Neal hit the next two free throws to restore a 10-point lead.

Earlier, the Pistons staged a furious comeback, led by Billups and Rasheed Wallace, who buried a jumper early in the third quarter for his 10th point of the second half. It cut the deficit to 74-67. At that point, Miami had not scored in the fourth quarter. And the next points -- the next six, in fact -- belonged to Billups. He was knocked back as he hit the last one, to pull the Pistons within one. Pat Riley called timeout.

But the Pistons never got closer than that. McDyess missed a difficult lay-up that would have given them the lead, before fouling Dwyane Wade on the other end for a three-point play. Wade glared into the crowd. He seemed sure the game was over. And it was.

"Big turnaround," McDyess said. "Foul, who knows? Dwyane Wade, Antonio McDyess -- OK, Dwyane Wade gets that call every time. Then he comes down and get a three-point play.

"I thought Shaq pulled me down, and they called it one me. They're at home. They get the calls."

Billups, the easiest name to blame after a sluggish Game 1, was not the problem on this night. He distributed the ball well. His teammates, though, did not take enough of the open shots Billups and his fellow guards had created.

They cringed through a 2-for-10 performance from the foul line by Ben Wallace. They witnessed a comedown from Tayshaun Prince, who had three points after being an offensive star two nights before.

"Ain't the Detroit Pistons I know," McDyess said. "We normally shut people down. We get stops. This is how we win.

"It's like a broken record now. We keep saying, 'Defense, defense.' But nothing changes."
we dissed the shit out of the clips for hack a ben. then we use that garbage hack a shaq bs. i've never been more annoyed with my team. not even in the teal days. in the teal days i could accept we just werent good enough. but we are by far better than this bs i'm seeing from these guys.

The game's recorded on the DVR.

Don't feel like watching it though.

Tay: 3 points? 50 to 16 points in the paint?

Hack-a-fucking-Shaq? Where's the defense?

This team has turned into garbage.

I'm taking a break from this fucking shit.

I'm sick of the Pistons.

I'm sick of all the talk. (This team is nowhere near as good as they think they are)
I'm sick of all the whining.
I'm sick of the stagnant offense.
I'm sick of the isolation on offense.
I'm sick of playing 4 on 5 on offense.
I'm sick of no points in the paint and contested jump shots.
I'm sick of missing makeable jumpshots.
I'm sick of the lazy defense.
I'm sick of the unjust arrogance.
I'm sick of lacksadaisacal play.
I'm sick of 'Sheed disappearing.
I'm sick of Ben shooting 20% from the foul line.
I'm sick of Flip and his non-adjustments.
I'm sick of thinking how much better we would be if that #2 pick 3 years ago wasn't Darko.

This team isn't even going to smell The Finals. Stick a fork in the Pistons, they're done. Heat in 6. Book it.

Call me bandwagon, but I speak the truth. Things need to change in the D. If the Pistons do manage to come back and win the series, I'm not allowed to get back on. I'll rock a clown av and sig for an entire calendar year, stating the reason why.

You all sound like a bunch of bitches. Waiting til' Monday.

See you all then.

Well said, M1.

You all sound like a bunch of bitches. Waiting til' Monday.

See you all then.
Even if with a win monday, we still some pussies for breaking out the hack a shaq. some of this is ranting of course. And in fact i figured we'd lose the saturday game with danny crawford reffing it(only one playoff win with him at the helm is just bad omen). Of course I hope the pistons feel pissed off and focused. That would be great.

Either way nothing like turmoil and a must win game with adversity. the heat think that they ruffled our feathers, but we've ruffled our own. hopefully we do what we're supposed to and serve the proper beverage monday.
http://www.got-one.com/zzz/fake/asscan.jpg

Yeah, that hack a shaq was nothing but a bitchmade move by Flip. I really dont like this guy as our head coach.

Wow, the guys really did not like hack a shaq


Pistons notebook: Team doesn't like Hack-a-Shaq strategy
Rasheed Wallace doesn't seem to be happy
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News



http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3&Date=20060528&Category=SPORTS0102&ArtNo=605280352&Ref=H3&Profile=1127Q=100&MaxW=250

Clarence Tabb Jr./The Detroit News




MIAMI -- There was more grumbling in the Pistons locker room than usual following the Game 3 loss Saturday.
The Pistons clearly didn’t like coach Flip Saunders' strategy to foul Shaquille O’Neal intentionally late in the game. With 4:28 left and the Pistons down by eight, Saunders ordered Ben Wallace to foul O’Neal.
Rasheed Wallace was visibly upset, yelling, “Why?”
O’Neal missed the two free throws, but neither Wallace nor Prince could grab the rebound. O’Neal got it, was fouled and made both free throws.
Heat coach Pat Riley returned the favor, fouling Ben Wallace twice. Wallace made one of four free throws.
“To be real honest with you, I wish they would do away with it,” Riley said of the intentional fouling. “But it’s part of the game. Flip is going to use it and I am going to use it.”
To contrast the Pistons' mood to the Heat, O’Neal was benched for the final 4:25 of the game to avoid the Hack-a-Shaq, and he didn’t utter a peep.
“Both coaches were playing numbers, playing percentages,” he said. “That was fine with me as long as we win and as long as it was done right. I don’t run away from that.”
Rasheed Wallace, on the other hand, seemed frustrated the entire game. He was certainly unhappy about having to come out of the game when he picked up his second foul in the first quarter. He told Saunders that he knows how to play with two fouls.
He was also upset that the offense went away from him after he has scored 11 points in the first 15 minutes of the second half.
“We have to get Rasheed the ball,” Antonio McDyess said. “Whether we are calling plays for him or not, we should recognize it. He missed one shot and came to the bench frustrated. But that wasn’t any reason to go away from him. When he’s going, our offense flows a lot better.”
Rip vs. Wade
Dwyane Wade spoke out after Game 2, complaining about one of Richard Hamilton’s defensive tactics. Hamilton gets up into Wade full court, often jostling him before he even reaches half court.
Before Game 3, Heat coach Pat Riley defended Wade.
“What (Wade) said is fact,” Riley said. “When he runs up the court, Rip just puts his body in front of him. It’s one of those annoying things.”
Riley didn’t exactly condone the practice.
“(Hamilton) is a competitive guy and he’s got a lot of class,” Riley said. “I don’t know why he does that. It’s OK at the half court to put a body on somebody, but when the guy is running down the court and you just step in front of him, and then you step in front of him again -- Dwyane will handle it.”
Hamilton just shrugged off the complaints, saying he was just trying to play aggressive defense.
No worries on Billups
Saunders was asked before the game if he had to pick, would he prefer Billups be a distributor or a scorer?
“I don’t have to pick one,” Saunders said, laughing. “I can tell him when I want him to do what. He just has to be aggressive.
“I believe this - I believe that when Chauncey is scoring and he’s aggressive offensively, he’s a better distributor. If he gets into pre-determining -- I am going to score now, I am going to distribute now -- he doesn’t have as much flow offensively. He just has to be aggressive.”
Saunders also waved off the notion of Billups losing confidence.
“No, I mean, at halftime (of Game 2) I told Chauncey, ‘don’t quit shooting,’ and the whole locker room laughed,” Saunders said. “He’s not going to quit shooting.”
Billups’ 31 points backed that up.
Taking Ben to the max
Ben Wallace will be a free agent this summer and there has been a lot of speculation that a couple of teams (Atlanta, Chicago, Charlotte and Toronto) might be in a position to offer him a maximum contract. If so, they would have to pony up more than $100 million over six years.
The Pistons, were they to give Wallace a full maximum, could pay him as much as $132.5 million over six years. That would represent a starting salary of about $17.5 million (based on 35 percent of the league’s current salary cap of $50 million).
The most any other team could pay him over six years (assuming the salary cap stays the same) would be roughly $126 million.
It needs to be stressed, though, that Wallace will turn 32 in September and it is highly unlikely that a team would sign him to a six-year deal.
In all probability, Wallace’s agent, Arn Tellem, will be negotiating for a four-year deal.

I haven't read the rest of this thread... but my thoughts:

1. Hack a Shaq by Flip was a good move. What? Riley's a genius for doing it, but Flip's a classless fool of a loser? OK?!!?! Would people be singing a different tune if we'd have grabbed a rebound? In fact, how many were upset with hack a shaq before they read in the paper that the players didn't like it?

2. Flip's REAL mistake was knowing for TWO DAYS that Miami was going to focus on Tayshaun, and doing absolutely NO "coaching" to adjust to it.

3. I'm really starting to get sick of Rasheed Wallace's mental condition. The guy is such a headcase. He only shows up 25% of the time, but thinks he has a right to yell at the coach for making sound coaching decisions like taking him out with 2 fouls early and 5 fouls late, and people think he's a "great teammate"? What kind of "great teammate" mopes around leaves his teammates out there to do his job for him SEVENTY FIVE PERCENT of the time, yells at the coach for pulling him, and only actually shows up and tries to help his teammates when he's angry at his coach? Oh, I get it "he needs motivation." Being in game 3 of the ECF in Miami and playing against Shaq just wasn't enough. He had to disrespect his coach in order to get "fired up"? What kind of "great teammate" has the skills to take pressure off his teammates by staying in the post and averaging 20/10, but just doesn't care enough about them to contribute and make their jobs easier?

EDIT: One more thing: I'm changing my sig. Its bad enough we don't get anything in the post on offense, but it is inexcusable that there is absolutely, positively, ZERO effort to guard the lane, prevent any layups, to "make Wade (or anyone else) cry" (or even to guard them), to put anyone on the floor, make them pay for driving, or even to PRETEND to block ANY Heat player's path to the basket. The Pistons should change their name to "soft as ice cream, with holes like swiss".

The Pistons new ad campaign for defense:

People from all around the country come for the clear path through the lane - - - but end up staying for the easy dunks and layups. And great news - now with less effort!!!!

The Pistons new ad campaign for offense:

Tired of those pesky dunks, layups, hooks and fadeaways? Wish you could stop worrying about the bumps and bruises associated with bodying for position in the post? Then you'll FLIP for Coach Flip's Jumpshooting Juggernauts!

I haven't read the rest of this thread... but my thoughts:

1. Hack a Shaq by Flip was a good move. What? Riley's a genius for doing it, but Flip's a classless fool of a loser? OK?!!?! Would people be singing a different tune if we'd have grabbed a rebound? In fact, how many were upset with hack a shaq before they read in the paper that the players didn't like it?
Wait what complete bafoon said Riley was smart for the hack a ben? sorry but that angle aint flying with me. its dumb. And i'd rather lose str8 up than look silly watching intentional fouls go back and forth. Many people here look down and pity teams that actually "need" those tactics. We arent one of those teams. theres nothing smart about doing something you don't have to do. its almost like conceding to the other team in retarded acts of desperate that fall out of our characteristics. All we did was give the heat something to laugh at(and they laughed hard, really fucking hard) and some extra confidence. Riley is a classless douche and so is Flip. Now who here told you otherwise?

Listen, we beat Shaq two years in a row, and never have we once Hacked a shaq. Thats a bitch made move. I wish the NBA would outlaw that shit. Its a discrase to the game. I've always hated that. I was hoping for shaq to make those free throws.

Hack a shaq tells me that Flip dosnt think his team can win. Fuck him and that grab ass style of basketball.

All we did was give the heat something to laugh at(and they laughed hard, really fucking hard) and some extra confidence.

Then they're hypocrites. Were they hacking Ben WHILE they laughed, or after?

Riley is smart. It aint about class. It aint about proving something. It aint about being tough. Its about winning. He said it best - he hates doing it but won't hesitate if he thinks it will help his team. Don't get me wrong. I'd much rather Rasheed show up to play, stop stealing paychecks and cheating his teammates (although I concede he's injured), put the Pistons up early, and they wouldn't have to hack shaq. I'd also much rather Flip did some coaching in the off-days, and prepared for Miami to swarm Tay. But since they didn't, if it comes down to even just a CHANCE it will help them win, then you're a bad coach if you don't do it and put your team in the best position you can.

Listen, we beat Shaq two years in a row, and never have we once Hacked a shaq. Thats a bitch made move. I wish the NBA would outlaw that shit. Its a discrase to the game. I've always hated that. I was hoping for shaq to make those free throws.

Hack a shaq tells me that Flip dosnt think his team can win. Fuck him and that grab ass style of basketball.

Honestly, I have no interest in debating hack a shaq all day.

Its like Fox News talking about Natallee Holloway instead of the Iraq War.
Its not why we lost.

If anyone wants to debate whether Rasheed is worth it or should be traded, whether Flip failed to make adjustments in between games, whether the right or wrong bench players were used, whether there's anything that can be done to make the Pistons guard the Heat when they drive the lane instead of literally parting like the red sea and giving an all access pass for a dunk or layup, I'm game.

Those would be interesting topics for debate.

Hack a shaq is a ruse put forth by republicans like Gecko (j/k) to take the focus off the Pistons allowing 60 or so points in the paint and scoring only like 17.

All we did was give the heat something to laugh at(and they laughed hard, really fucking hard) and some extra confidence.

Then they're hypocrites. Were they hacking Ben WHILE they laughed, or after?

Riley is smart. It aint about class. It aint about proving something. It aint about being tough. Its about winning. He said it best - he hates doing it but won't hesitate if he thinks it will help his team. Don't get me wrong. I'd much rather Rasheed show up to play, stop stealing paychecks and cheating his teammates (although I concede he's injured), put the Pistons up early, and they wouldn't have to hack shaq. I'd also much rather Flip did some coaching in the off-days, and prepared for Miami to swarm Tay. But since they didn't, if it comes down to even just a CHANCE it will help them win, then you're a bad coach if you don't do it and put your team in the best position you can.
Riley is smart? whatever. maybe for his team he is. but for ours its dumb as nails. you dont waste time with hack a shaq. no matter what the other team does. A real coach woulda had his assistants work with ben on getting to atleast 40-50 percent shooting and played str8 up. our assistants are making free money. Us worrying about doing hack a shaqs is just like us worrying about the refs. If we play like we're supposed to, both arent even relevent. And if we're losing its a waste of time to cling on either of them. Its a shitty weak pussy move for this team. Maybe its terrific for the heat though.

Its like Fox News talking about Natallee Holloway instead of the Iraq War.
Its not why we lost.
you're right it isnt. Of course that doesnt make it ok. Doesnt make it respectable. And it surely doesnt make it a smart move. no one wanted to argue with you about it honestly. but acting like we give Riley credit for pulling that card was way off base. And the whole team outside of Flip was against it. If your team is willing to go at it str8 up. then why rob them of their pride in that. And yes miami will be laughing it up good. Miami never claimed to be good enough defensively to play str8 up. we did.

BTW: Despite my bitterness (see my av and sig), I expected the Pistons to lose last night, and win on Monday. Miami was returning home for their crowd's first game of the 2006 ECF. They had all the momentum, the crowd behind them, and the homecourt calls. I expect that to lessen a bit in game 4, and the Pistons to pull out a close victory.

Its just the way they're losing that kills me. If they show effort in the post and simply lose, that's one thing. But to lose the game by not playing defense on one end and jacking up garbage on the other end is inexcusable. I thought the refs would have more to do with us losing game 3 than they did. It wasn't the refs or the crowd or the Heat, it was the Pistons (sorry, DwYAne).

The refs did fuck us, though... totally killed momentum twice with obviously bad calls and no-calls. Even if Ben and Tay brought it tonight, we'd still have lost in an 8 on 5 game.
this was forseen in the starshttp://www.nba.com/media/jrnba/danny2.jpg.


Larry Brown raised the point after game 2 vs the Spurs that the Pistons were 1-7 when Danny Crawford or Ron Garretson officiated their playoff games. Of course we all know that it’s just happenstance that its turned out that way. If the Pistons just happen to play poorly when one of those two officials were on the court, that’s just the way it goes…..
as you can see i felt we'd lose too. hmmm where that danny crawford cast you to oblivion avatar?

LOL at anyone who has a problem with hack-a-Shaq. You call people who favor it bitch-made, but bitch-made is when you care more about style than substance. The substance was that Shaq wasn't hitting his free throws, we couldn't get a stop, and time was running out.

Shaq misses those freethrows, we get the rebound and go on to win the game--would you still be bitchin about it, would you still be whining that the Heat players would think less of us? WHO GIVES A FUCK WHAT THE HEAT THINK? Talk about bitch-made.

Well, we should have tried to get a stop.

Maybe, but we weren't getting stops. Wade was abusing us. We were trading baskets. Time was running out. We were going to lose. You complain about the lack of adjustments, but hack-a-Shaq was an adjustment.

People used to complain the the physical defense the Bad Boys played wasn't real basketball. What if our guys had said, "Oh, I don't like when people call our style 'bitchmade'. I'm gonna play the way other teams do."? We might not have those banners.

Shit, the Pistons have a history of using unusual tactics. The Fort Wayne Pistons used to freeze the balll against dominant offensive teams. They did what they had to do to beat a superior opponent. Probably some of you would call that bitchmade, but it worked. And the NBA (whatever it was then called) changed the rules to prevent it. It changed the rules after the Bad Boys, and it changed the rules again after we beat the Lakers.

Bitch-made? Maybe some of you would be better off as Suns fans.

LOL at anyone who has a problem with hack-a-Shaq. You call people who favor it bitch-made, but bitch-made is when you care more about style than substance. The substance was that Shaq wasn't hitting his free throws, we couldn't get a stop, and time was running out.
LOL@anyone who thinks we "need" to hack a shaq. because obviously they think we are the suns. [smilie=zzz.gif] we arent the heat, suns, or dallas. none of those teams are anything like us. we were built on getting stops. not begging for shaq to go cold from the line. the idea that calling the fouling of shaq a strategy is a joke within itself. Since we are applying whats good for the heat to us. lets start flexing after every free throw and crying about shaq fouling us with that "bumping stuff".:rolleyes:

Also calling good defense "style over substance" is pretty far of a stretch. its about getting stops. hack a shaq is not a defensive stop, its "depend on Shaq" gamble and lacks any real substance of good defense. which is what we really need. I rather we control our own destiny and get our heads out of our asses. Instead of asking shaq not to make his free throws on a 50/50 gamble.

Just about to write this and low and behold I see a Foster article writing on the same thing. My take on what's wrong is fairly simple and goes like this.... The team has lost respect for Flip and can be traced back to Ben's refusal to go into the game. You have now heard from one local writer and one national media type that there is some issues brewing in the Pistons locker room. I think this may not have a good ending here fellas.

http://sportsinferno.com/viewheadline.php?Headline=213

By Terry Foster
The Sports Inferno
MIAMI – We’ve seen the Pistons rally before. Orlando, New Jersey, Indiana and even the Miami Heat are teams the Pistons got themselves in trouble against before rallying and ending their seasons.

But now the Pistons must do it this season with a new skeleton. There seems to be a few cracks in team harmony as they prepare for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals Tuesday night at American Airlines Arena. The Pistons trail the series 2-1 and Chauncey Billups said outside of a Game 7 this is the Pistons biggest playoff game he’s been a part of.
The Pistons are fighting more than the Heat. There might be some inside fires they need to put out.

We saw Rasheed Wallace kick over a chair and refuse to shake his coach’s hand Saturday night. Players complained the day after about focusing too much on offense and not enough on defense. That is an indirect criticism of coach Flip Saunders who took a lot of the heat even though his name was not mentioned.

“I ain’t going to mention what was frustrating me,” Wallace said.
Later the question was asked again and he scolded: “Why are you trying to stir up some bleep?”

Someone asked Rasheed Wallace if he preferred the defensive style implemented by former coach Larry Brown or the offense first style of Saunders and he mentioned being an old school type of guy who is defense first
.
He did not directly blast Saunders but you got the message.
Ben Wallace was not in the mood to talk about the chair or Saunders coaching philosophy.

He fumed while sitting near center court prior to practice Sunday. He did not like the Rasheed question.

“Well you need to talk to Sheed about that,” Wallace said. “You’re going to ask me about it? Don’t ask me. That’s Sheed’s frustration.”

Even more telling was when he was asked about the difference between Saunders in the regular season and the post season.

“Ask him,” Ben barked. “Don’t be asking me these Rasheed Wallace and Flip Saunders questions man. Y’all want to talk to me, talk to me.”

You can see the anger in his eyes. Once again Wallace is not happy with teammates and he is not thrilled with his coach. He won’t come out and say it but you sense it reading between the lines and reading his body language.

I have been on a personal campaign for the Pistons to double Shaquille O’Neal in the post. It appears as if Wallace cannot handle him one on one. O’Neal blitzed Ben for 27 points in Game 3 as the Heat outscored the Pistons 50-16 in the paint.

The Heat is shooting 51.7 percent from the field in this series and 57 percent in their two victories. The one-two punch of Dwyane Wade and O’Neal is devastating for every team. But the Pistons have been their personal play things. They’ve combined for 51 points a game and shot 65 percent from the field.

“We don’t need no double team,” Wallace said. “We need to stop getting our defense broke down. That is how. Any time we allow guys to get to the middle and get in the paint then anybody can catch the ball where ever they want because the defense is broken down.”

And Ben did not like my follow up when I asked if he thought his perimeter defense was letting him down.
“Next question man,” he said.

The Pistons talked a lot about being in a hole before. On the surface this seems like the same old Pistons. Remember, they trailed the Heat 3-2 a year ago and won the last two games. But it is running much deeper this year. There is a divide between player and coach. It was a tiny crack after the Cleveland series but it is beginning to splinter.

Pistons President Joe Dumars made a wise decision in not showing up for practice Sunday. He would have been blind-sided by Saunders questions he might not have been prepared for.

The Pistons are angry and frustrated. We’ve seen the anger before. We just have not seen them angry with each other before.

Terry Seems to be enjoying this. he's been begging for pistons drama and a detroit apocolypse for years. Either way this is kinda a result of Flip not taking on the responsibility for things not working. no i'm not saying its all his fault. but taking the in some of the pressure would be helpful. his job security is pretty tight and he gets paid regardless. but i think he can't handle the pressure. and nervousness like that becomes contagious. this team will take on some elements of Flip. and he's not great under pressure. he gets so nervous he forgets to take ben out after to a silly ass hack a shaq.

As far as the article goes. terry's adding his own shitbag element to it. but what i get from it is that the players fustrated. they are expected to dominate this year more than ever. the burden of the best record. unchartered burden for them. reading it for next year is a little premature. but i am curious as to how we rebound monday.

As far as the article goes. terry's adding his own shitbag element to it. but what i get from it is that the players fustrated.
There appears to possibly be one misquote in there.

Wallace replied, "Next question, man" to

You weren't frustrated at all last night?

Terry also needs to learn how to write (or proof).


The Heat is shooting 51.7 percent from the field

hmmm, let's assume "The Heat" refers to a group....


The Heat are shooting 51.7 percent from the field

The best lines were from Tayshaun


It didn't really seem like they were trying to get you the ball much in the post-ups?

TAYSHAUN PRINCE: I caught one or two, and then the thing that we talked about before the game was we was going to really try and get the pick-and-rolls, me and Ben and Rasheed and things like that, but we never even came close to doing it.

If Wade keeps going off the way he's going off, would you say, hey, I'll take another shot at him?

TAYSHAUN PRINCE: I mean, we're going to have to try different things. We're going to have to try different looks. I was pretty disappointed we didn't give Lindsey Hunter any action in the second half. Obviously he's our best suit for Dwyane as far as putting pressure on him. I know Dwyane can shoot off him, but at least he has the pressure and the quickness to be where he's at at all times. We didn't give him the opportunity the second half.

Whoa, it's themicrowave.

What's new guys, honestly? Flip is garbage, his word can never be trusted and his in-game adjustments seem like they are nonexistant.

As much as I despise Terry Foster it's just true that the players aren't happy with Flip and as team that should never happen.

And don't get me started on Hack-a-Shaq. It's fucking garbage and you all know it.

Whoa, it's themicrowave.

What's new guys, honestly? Flip is garbage, his word can never be trusted and his in-game adjustments seem like they are nonexistant..
i honestly think he gets so nervous he forgets. that twitching aint an act son!

http://www.2pass.co.uk/nervous.gif

Terry Seems to be enjoying this. he's been begging for pistons drama and a detroit apocolypse for years.

I have read and listened to Terry for years and personally have never picked up on this, and can't ever recall a previous made up drama. Maybe you're thinking of Sharp.

SAS and Greg Anthony also reporting shitbag drama going on with the Pistons.

The only thing to debate is how much or little of a part of thier putrid play it has a part of.

Terry Seems to be enjoying this. he's been begging for pistons drama and a detroit apocolypse for years.

I have read and listened to Terry for years and personally have never picked up on this, and can't ever recall a previous made up drama. Maybe you're thinking of Sharp.

SAS and Greg Anthony also reporting shitbag drama going on with the Pistons.

The only thing to debate is how much or little of a part of thier putrid play it has a part of.
ummm nope, i'm on them both. Foster is only slightly less negative than sharp. and he's even less responsible(the tyson chandler for ben wallace fabricated trade story he bit some serious bait on was probally his lowest point).

And yes greg anthony and SAS along with any other reporter likes the idea of drama in detroit. nevertheless terry foster has his own shitbag element. if you're into his material i doubt you'd agree. that wouldn't make a lick of sense:) ... either way, the pistons just sound fustrated. they have every reason to be.

but honestly i think its an improvement. they were pretty "ho hum" losing 3 str8 to cleveland. And this game 3 was a game most people had marked down as a loss. i take their anger as sign of life and urgency. Not to mention that Flip only seems to respond to post game criticism from his players(i.e. ben wallace indirectly calling him out during the season on the lack of defense and the immediate improvement aftwards). So tonight we get a really good idea of where this team stands and whether they are so good, that it doesnt matter whose the coach. :o

Terry Seems to be enjoying this. he's been begging for pistons drama and a detroit apocolypse for years.

I have read and listened to Terry for years and personally have never picked up on this, and can't ever recall a previous made up drama. Maybe you're thinking of Sharp.

SAS and Greg Anthony also reporting shitbag drama going on with the Pistons.

The only thing to debate is how much or little of a part of thier putrid play it has a part of.
ummm nope, i'm on them both. Foster is only slightly less negative than sharp. and he's even less responsible(the tyson chandler for ben wallace fabricated trade story he bit some serious bait on was probally his lowest point).

And yes greg anthony and SAS along with any other reporter likes the idea of drama in detroit. nevertheless terry foster has his own shitbag element. if you're into his material i doubt you'd agree. that wouldn't make a lick of sense:) ... either way, the pistons just sound fustrated. they have every reason to be.

but honestly i think its an improvement. they were pretty "ho hum" losing 3 str8 to cleveland. And this game 3 was a game most people had marked down as a loss. i take their anger as sign of life and urgency. Not to mention that Flip only seems to respond to post game criticism from his players(i.e. ben wallace indirectly calling him out during the season on the lack of defense and the immediate improvement aftwards). So tonight we get a really good idea of where this team stands and whether they are so good, that it doesnt matter whose the coach. :o

I stand corrected, as usual you're correct.

I stand corrected, as usual you're correct.
i wasnt picking a fight man. fuck terry foster honestly he's irrelevent. only thing that matters is kicking ass tonight. agreed there?:)

i was gone for the weekend, so i missed the game.......maybe that was a good thing.