Lose this one and the forum panic will step up another notch.


Detroit (0-1) at Boston (0-1)

By MIKE VOTTA, STATS Senior Writer

The Detroit Pistons sure looked like they could have used Ben Wallace in their first game of the season.

The Pistons continue adjusting to life without the defensive star when they visit the Boston Celtics on Friday night.

Wallace spent the last six seasons with the Pistons, leading them to the Eastern Conference finals in each of the last four and the NBA title in 2004. The Pistons won a league-high and franchise-record 64 games last season with the four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, who signed a four-year, $60 million contract with Chicago in the offseason.

Wallace's departure looked very costly, at least for one game, as the Pistons gave up 70 points in the paint in a 105-97 loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday. The Bucks started attacking the inside early, with Andrew Bogut scoring the opening basket after the Bucks grabbed rebounds off three missed shots.

"Ben's been the defensive player of the year for what, four years? That says it better than anything else," Milwaukee's Charlie Villanueva said. "They are a different team without him."

The Pistons, however, didn't want to discuss their former teammate.

"I'm so tired of you all talking about Ben," normally unflappable power forward Antonio McDyess said. "He's gone, we're not going to get him back. It's about us trying to come together as a team to find our identity now that he's gone."

Center Nazr Mohammed, signed by Detroit a day after Wallace left in July, had eight points, 12 rebounds and a blocked shot before fouling out in his Pistons debut.

"My days of worrying about numbers are long gone," he said.

All-Star Rasheed Wallace discovered Wednesday that he may have to adjust to more this season than just Ben Wallace's absence. The volatile forward, who went scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting, was ejected in the third quarter after picking up two technical fouls for bickering with officials. NBA commissioner David Stern is trying to eliminate complaining and other reactions from players following calls.

Wallace earned 16 technicals last season and broke his own league record with 41 during the 2000-01 season while playing for Portland. He once threatened an official after a game and was suspended for seven games.

The Celtics are also looking to rebound after an emotional 91-87 season-opening loss to New Orleans on Wednesday. Before the game, the Celtics honored former coach and front office executive Red Auerbach, who died of a heart attack Saturday near his Washington home at the age of 89.

The Celtics wore black, shamrock-shaped patches on their uniforms and said they will dedicate the season to Auerbach, who won nine titles as a coach and seven more in the front office. Pierce, who had 29 points and 19 rebounds, wore a white headband with the number 2 on it, symbolizing the number the Celtics had retired in Auerbach's honor.

"We wanted to win so bad," Pierce said. "We wanted to win for the fans. It was definitely emotional in my play."

Pierce, who led the Celtics with a career-best 26.8 points and 6.7 rebounds last season, missed eight of 15 free throws, including four in the fourth quarter. Wally Szczerbiak added 21 points and Al Jefferson had 13.

"I thought we relied so heavily on Paul and guys stopped moving the ball," coach Doc Rivers said. "And we just can't do that."

The Pistons have dominated the Celtics recently, winning nine of the last 10 meetings, including all three last season.

let's get er done.

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I love that. Reminds me why I hate Paul Pierce with a passion. You think they just won the title or something.

That was the highlight of the year IMO.

Rip really killed a good chance to bitch about refs not making that CLEAR double dribble call on Blount.

Also, I had the Celtic home call of this clip on my comp (this one doesn't sound like the same guys). It contains a great replay with the color guy saying "their pressure tested" and the crowd dies much more than this one I believe.

The guards play very good D on that clip btw.

Rip really killed a good chance to bitch about refs not making that CLEAR double dribble call on Blount.

Also, I had the Celtic home call of this clip on my comp (this one doesn't sound like the same guys). It contains a great replay with the color guy saying "their pressure tested" and the crowd dies much more than this one I believe.

The guards play very good D on that clip btw.
WTFD.com delivers. [smilie=greenapple.:

the close up of ricky davis throwing his headband was worth the price of admission. "they're pressure tested."

2bbQUGogxus

Rasheed better have a killer game. He's coming of a joke of a season debute (even before being tossed) and theres nobody on the Celtics who ought to be able to guard him effectively.

Thanks Matt (I probably got the vid from your old site). Thanks for the grammar check on the downlow too.

lol, i didn't even notice the grammar mistake. i just loved the sullen, "they're pressure tested" the announcer had to give up.

lol, sheed must still be ailing from that ankle injury he got in the playoffs (believe it was dontgiveafuckitis)... oops, speak of the devil. only took sheed 5 1/2 quarters to get his first bucket.

interesting trade idea i read on... the... uh, other board.

sheed to chicago for pj brown and NYK's pick (protection?).

i dont think this would happen reguardless... something about not wanting to watch the wallaces win a ring for chicago, but this would give detroit so many more options, and we could rebuild uber quick.

Much better effort tonight...and outcome. Not sure if the Celts should be the measuring stick, but it's a fucking win.

Woohoo

Yessir!

bulls would NEVER do that deal. why should they? they've already got the makings of a future contender, possibly as soon as this year.

plus they can hit gold with that pick, considering how deep this draft is looking to be.

i'd do that deal in a heartbeat, since i don't see us winning a title like this and i seem to think sheed has lost his edge since we won a title. but i can't imagine the bulls doing it.

not to mention, joe would probably have a hard time trading away a top player which would amount to a 'rebuild'. while i believe it might be necessary for the longterm health of this team, joe seems committed to riding it out and letting this team see what they can do.

i think it's going to have to take a lot more than us looking horrible in a semi-finals series win and conference finals series loss, before we make any drastic moves. which, IMO, might turn out to be a huge mistake...

If the Pistons don't make at least the Conference Finals this year, then some drastic decisions probably need to be made. However, if they can get to the Finals again, we can try to build around what we have one more time. As for now...

To the fuckin 'ship!

sounds about right. i'll go along with that.

it could also depend how we make out in the draft- there is likely to be a TON of talent and it is very possible we could get 1 impact player (possibly with the magic's pick, even if it's in the teens) and another serviceable kid with our own pick.

or we could use them in a trade.

but THE biggest determining factor in what we do in the next year will be whether or not we can re-sign billups.

i read a rumour that the bucks (who will have max cap space) want very badly to sign him and that he is very interested in their up and coming team.

i don't know that means anything as a lot of talk is nonsense. but i'm just saying, if we do lose him then the whole team should basically be reshaped.

Do you honestly think that trade would hurt us NOW? McDyess is at least capable of doing exactly what Sheed does...Maxiell off the bench could be the 6th man type that Dyess has been, and DD could be a serviceable 4th big guy. I would do that in a heartbeat...