OST: Round 2 - Die You dirty old cavaliers, Pistons win 4-3

[Uncle Mxy]

I didn't know Donkey Jones was an extra in Coming To America.

[Matt]

that is easily one of my favorite movies of all time, haha. McDowells

[Glenn]

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...605160416/1122

DREW SHARP: Where's the killer instinct?

Pistons let Cavs get back into the fight

BY DREW SHARP
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

May 16, 2006

CLEVELAND -- This is what happens when you screw around -- a series emerges.

Never one to mince emotions, Ben Wallace broke it down quite succinctly after the Pistons' 74-72 loss.

"We played like (expletive)," he expounded.

No arguments here.

The Pistons were understandably ticked off with their charitable impulses Monday night. The series is now tied at 2 because the Pistons assumed Cleveland's frustration at the end of the third quarter in Game 4 signaled a young team crumbling from the weight of a great opportunity missed.

Why knock them to the floor, the Pistons thought, when they looked ready to drop on their own?

The Pistons committed the cardinal sin according to their code. They were arrogant.

And now they find themselves in a battle they didn't expect and certainly one they did not need.

"This was the kind of game that we usually find a way to pull out at the end," Lindsey Hunter said. "But we couldn't get the shots to fall like they normally do. Give them credit. It was a combination of them doing what they needed to do and us not executing the way we wanted. But it's just Game 4. It wasn't Game 7."

It's this team's frustrating passive nature when the opponent's jugular is in sight that still might not cost them a title, but will deny them the opportunity at the NBA playoff immortality that supposedly was a motivating force.

The pressure is solely on the Pistons now. This series should have been a cakewalk, but it's Rasheed Wallace wearing the egg on his face this time -- guaran-Sheed.

The pressure is on Flip Saunders now. He has an overmatched foe now imbued with confidence, feeling as though they have nothing to lose the remainder of this series. And they're right.

It's still hard envisioning the Pistons losing this series, but their lollygagging might cost them in the next round, especially if Miami finishes off New Jersey tonight in five games and gets close to a week to rest and heal before the Eastern Conference finals.

"We're in a dogfight right now," Saunders said, "and everybody needs to understand that."

This is what happens when boredom overtakes concentration. The league's best defensive team couldn't hold on to late 10- and seven-point leads in the last two games.

It is criminal when the Pistons get outhustled. That's their M.O. But it was Anderson Varejao, quickly becoming an X factor in this series, countering Piston conceit with unbridled energy, coming up with a clutch rebound or snaring an errant pass. And it was Donyell Marshall standing all alone beyond the three-point arc, lobbing a couple of daggers in the fourth quarter.

"I think that we've played more not to lose than we played to win," Saunders said. "We haven't shown, haven't been as aggressive. We just haven't been as sharp in some things we're doing. Hopefully, getting back home in front of our home crowd will give us the same energy that it gave the Cavs in these two games."

The Pistons still believe they don't get the respect they deserve after a world championship, two straight trips to the NBA Finals and wire-to-wire dominance during the regular season.

Slapping the Eastern Conference silly on their way back to the Finals would have delivered a statement that perhaps this was one of the game's more special teams.

Give Rasheed credit. He didn't skulk and hide afterward with an entire city ready to shove his promise of a quick end to this series down his throat.

"We ain't worried," proclaimed the Great Prognosticator. "They're playing some good D. But we just missed some easy shots. I know I missed. Lord knows how many post shots I missed tonight. I am not worried about these cats, man. There is no look of concern on my face. None of that."

If there remains a concern with this team, it's the bench.

If there remains a question regarding Saunders, it's his lack of trust in his bench.

It was never a concern before because the starters were always there, but Rasheed's ankle injury -- he rolled it in the first half, getting out of the way of a LeBron James bull-rush -- and Cleveland coach Mike Brown's decision to go small in the fourth quarter forced Saunders to use Maurice Evans for an extended period. And that had to give the coach an uneasy feeling.

Familiarity has become the blanket that the Pistons have comfortably wrapped themselves with all season long.

Now they find themselves in the strangest position of all -- needing to regain their emotional edge.

Contact DREW SHARP at 313-223-4055 or dsharp@freepress.com.

[Glenn]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...605170385/1127

Rasheed says he'll play

Injured ankle won't keep Wallace out of pivotal Game 5.

Chris McCosky and Angelique S. Chengelis / The Detroit News

Rasheed Wallace admitted he looked at the replay from Game 4 when he rolled his right ankle.

"Yeah, I seen it," he said. "It was horrible. I could only watch it once."

Wallace spent most of Tuesday morning taking treatment from Pistons strength and conditioning coach Arnie Kander . He did some light jogging and was moving around pretty well.

"I know I won't be 100 percent," he said. "But I will be good enough to run up and down that court. I've had worse than this. I'll be ready."

The Pistons believe Wallace's sprain is similar to the one Richard Hamilton suffered against Milwaukee in the first round. Hamilton, although hobbling for a couple of games, played without causing further damage.

Benching is no bother
Pistons coach Flip Saunders took a pretty good beating on the local airwaves Tuesday for his decision to keep Wallace on the bench for the final 4:23 of Game 4. Never mind that Wallace was struggling, and the small lineup -- keyed by reserve Maurice Evans -- had the Pistons in position to win.

"Everyone wants to be in there at the crucial part of the game," Wallace said, "But I ain't crying over spilled milk. It's cool. I'm not doubting or going against what (Saunders) is saying or doing. He's the coach. I am still rolling with it."

Wallace played 34 minutes, but in the fourth quarter, the ankle seemed to lock up, limiting his mobility.

"It's part of the game," Wallace said. "I know I'm not going to be in there every minute."

He has heard worse
Rasheed Wallace heard all the boos that came crashing down on him throughout Game 4. He also heard the wild cheers when he suffered his ankle injury. He appreciates both.

"Oh, yeah," he said. "That just fuels my fire. That's something I've enjoyed since I was in high school, going into somebody else's gym and beating them.

"Shoot, I heard a lot more derogatory stuff than that. It was much worse at Cameron."

Wallace, who played for North Carolina, was referring to Cameron Indoor Stadium, the home court of rival Duke.

[Matt]

uhm, yeah.

i think we could use a win on Friday.

[Darth Thanatos]

I had a suit similiar to that a couple years ago. DJ has great fashion.

[MOLA1]

UNITY SIG BITCHES!!!!!!

[Cross]

Ben is 8-32 from the free throw line so far this postseason...

[MOLA1]

[Uncle Mxy]

8 down, 8 to go...