Lindsey (and apparently Rip Hamilton) are saying what many fans have been saying about all the “love” between Rasheed Wallace and Kevin Garnett during these Eastern Conference Finals. We love Sheed, but there’s a time and place for that stuff.
The Pistons looked like they were going to blow the game open in the second quarter but they weren’t able to keep Boston off the boards or the whistles off their back dropping game 5 102-106. [Box Score]
This series continues to go back and forth with no team able to win consecutive games. You got the feeling early that it’d be the Pistons who’d finally do it by stifling defense. But, the Pistons couldn’t keep Boston off the glass. It doesn’t matter how good defensively you play, you get out rebounded 42-25 you’re going to lose more often than not. Credit Kendrick Perkins (16 rbs) for really hurting the Pistons on the glass despite how much of a doofis he may look like.
Another troubling thing is that the Pistons good agressive defense was rewarded with a lot ticky-tack fouls. A lot of guys had to play with foul trouble which also helped Boston back into the game. Boston attempted 25 of it’s 30 free throws in the second half. Rasheed Wallace, who is one technical away from suspension after picking up his 6th last night, had some strong words on how the game was called:
“All that bull (bleep) calls they had out there, with Mike (Callahan) and Kenny (Mauer) — you’ve all seen that (bleep),” Wallace spewed afterwards. A lot of them phantom calls, cats are flopping and falling all over the floor and they’re calling that (bleep). That (bleep) ain’t basketball out there. It’s all (bleeping) entertainment. You all should know that (bleep). It’s all that (bleeping) entertainment.” - ESPN
(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
The Pistons and Celtics resume their best of seven Eastern Conference Finals tonight back at Boston’s TD Banknorth Garden with the series tied at 2 game a piece. The game tips at 8:30 EST and will be a nationally televised ESPN game.
Eighty-three percent. That’s how often the winner of game five goes on to win a series after being tied at two games a piece.
With the way the first four games of the series have gone who knows how the Pistons will come out? I would like to see the Pistons treat it like an elimination game, that’s how Paul Pierce and the Celtics are approaching it. You can expect that Boston’s big 3 are going to look to redeem themselves after all the heat they took for being canceled out by Detroit’s defense, especially Kevin Garnett.
Quite simply the Pistons need to play Detroit Basketball for 48 minutes. They need to defend like a mother. They need motion in the offense. They need solid contributions from bench guys like Maxiell, Stuckey, Hunter, & Ratliff. Flip needs to make substitutions that make sense. Pull out all the stops. Hell, get Gisele Bundchen court-side front and center. And if they do need any more motivation than magnitude of the game this might help.
Dice played with so much heart and purpose on Monday. Hopefully it’s contagious. Sheed is due for a big game, why not tonight? Chauncey doesn’t need to be spectacular, just steady. Same goes for Tayshaun, he needs to stay at home at Pierce and pick his spots on the other end. As for Rip just keep taking it to my new favorite Piston.
GO PISTONS!
(Photo by Allen Einstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
It would seem that the OH-BEAST, Jason Maxiell (6′7″), is determined to deny Kevin Garnett (6′11″) Free Chili every chance possible. Here’s three great baby munching blocks for Pistons fans to enjoy!
Introducing the Pistons new secret weapon…Walter Ray Allen. He’s been a savior for the Pistons in this series.
It’s kind of ironic how I’m hoping one of the best pure shooters in the game shoots it every time he touches the rock. Most times he’s not even close. My only fear is that the Pistons have good box outs. Allen is averaging 14.8 ppg in these ECF, and that’s in large part to a 25 point outing in Boston’s game 2 loss. Allen is a .45% shooter from the floor for his career and .40% from beyond the arc over his 11 years in the L. In this series he’s at .38% from the floor (19/50) and .21% from beyond the arc (3/14), and that’s actually an improvement from his second round numbers.
It’s not just on offense either. Ray Ray is a dual-threat liability getting abused by whom ever he’s checking while averaging 3.3 fouls through four games.
I don’t care what he’s accomplished up to this point, he’s awful. I’m thrilled that Boston keeps sticking with him whether it be for lack of a better option or in hopes he’ll break out of his funk. What ever the case keep it up Doc!
(ps- He Got Game sucked!)
(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Pistons led wire to wire in the 4th game of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals winnning 75-94 to tie the series at two games a piece. [Box Score]
Why bittersweet you ask? (caution, rant ahead) It was a great win for our guys but it really smarts to realize we could just as easily be up 3-1 in this series. There’s nothing the Pistons did last night that couldn’t have been done on Saturday. The fans that attended game 3 got ripped. I have to go on record with respectfully disagreeing with a far more popular Pistons blog that decreed those who booed the home team that night were not true fans. A couple playoff tickets, gas prices north of $4, parking, and concessions can easily have you in the $400 neighborhood. For a team to not even show up is a slap in the face. It was not a mid-January game against Memphis, it was an Eastern Conference Finals game against a storied rival AT HOME. Those things alone should have brought out the best in our guys, but it didn’t. Just because this team has given us so much over the years doesn’t take away a paying fans right to voice their frustration. It’s not like fans were booing the team’s total body of work. The boos were for the total lack of effort that night. [/rant]
Like I predicted in the game 3 recap the Pistons came out blazing to the tune of a 10-0 start (8 of them by McDyess). What changed? Well the defense was intense, and the Pistons actually looked to take the ball to the cup instead of settling for the jumpers. The Pistons also got much better ball movement which is so key to this team oriented offense.
The game remained close through out despite the final score. Foul troubles really kept the Celtics from being blown out. The Celtics converted on 82% of their 39 free throws. The Pistons ended up attempting 13 less freethrows.
Antonio McDyess came and played like a man on a mission notching game highs in scoring (21) and rebounding (16). Dice has been the most consistent Pistons in this third round averaging a double-double (14.5pts, 10.8 rbs). I guess he’s tired of waiting for his teammates to win him a ring and has decided to go out and get it himself.
“You only have so many opportunities, and they’re limited, especially for me,” he said. “I’m at the end of my career, and I just feel like leaving everything out on the floor.” - NBA.com
Chauncey (10pts, 7asts) was more assertive like everyone said he needed to be. With Mr. Big Shot running the show the Pistons moved the ball so much better. They ended up racking up 27 assists. Again, you can see he’s not 100%, but he doesn’t really have to be in order to be effective.
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The only thing you can say is that the Pistons did not show up, and that’s pretty inexcusable for an Eastern Conference Finals game IN YOUR OWN GYM. The Celtics weren’t dominant, this was a very winnable game. The Pistons got down 11-0 to start the game and made a nice run in the first quarter to briefly get the lead. From that point unfortunately they played the rest of the game uphill being down as many as 24 and in the end losing 94-80. [Box score]
We got next to nothing from 3/5 of our starting line up. Dice (8 pts, 8 rbs) and Rip (26 pt) were the only ones who looked interested. I have to think there’s more to Chauncey’s injury than we’ve been led to believe because it seemed as he tried to run the offense from beyond the 3pt arc. He didn’t look to cut or force the defense’s hand, he was seemed very tentative out there.
A hat tip to Rodney Stuckey (17 tps, 4 asts) last night. He was the most aggressive player on the court, the only one looking to take the ball straight into the teeth of the Boston defense. I think the vets owed a little more to Stuck then what they gave last night. Stuckey’s a rookie, and it shouldn’t be up to him to try to keep us in the game while the others watch.
So, here we are again. Down in a series with our backs against the wall. I have no doubt the Pistons will come out blazing and take game 4, it’s just frustrating that that’s the way it STILL is with this team.
Elie Seckbach is at it again. This time he’s throwing Rasheed’s name into race for the White House. It plays to mixed results in the Pistons locker room including Lindsey Hunter’s standard “are you crazy” look he’s given Elie a time or two.
The Pistons and Celtics resume their best of seven Eastern Conference Finals tonight at the Palace of Auburn Hills with the series tied at a game a piece. The game tips at 8:30 EST and will be a nationally televised ABC game.
If the Celtics want to prove they’re legit they going to have win a game on the road, now literally after dropping game two in Boston to the Pistons. Boston will attempt to do that tonight in very hostile “white out” conditions at the Palace against a reinvigorated Pistons team.
Chauncey Billups was a little sore after tweaking his hammy in game 2 but is expected to soldier on tonight. Chauncey not being 100% isn’t as problematic if we can get near the same contribution from Rodney Stuckey as we did in game two.
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The Pistons played A LOT better last night, but I would definitely not go as far as to say that they played at their highest level as they handed the Celtics their first home playoff loss 103-97. [Box Score]
Like a veteran team that they are the Pistons took advantage of Boston’s miscues, especially when Boston found themselves over the foul limit.
And like they talked about before the game the defense had to be better, which it was. The rotations were quicker and they were able to crowd the Celtics all night. The Pistons forced 12 turnovers, 9 of them off steals.
Chauncey too was better, but still not as good as he can be. Even though Mr. Big Shot scored 19 and dished out 7 assists you can tell there’s still some residual rust he needs to work out. Enter the rookie from Eastern Washington. Rodney Stuckey introduced himself to basketball fans last night scoring 13 points in 17 minutes off the bench. Rodney’s timely buckets and acrobatic drives had the ESPN crew singing his praises, and rightly so. Rodney single handedly outscored Boston’s reserves 13-8.
The Pistons balanced attack was paced by Rip who scored a team high 25 and was one of six Pistons in double figures. The Celtics on the other hand got 75 from their big 3, which if you do the math doesn’t leave much for the rest of their green and white coiffed chums.
Now the Pistons are the ones with the home court advantage. This definitely put us in the drivers seat but we can’t just say we’ve got this wrapped up because the Celtics can’t win on the road. I don’t know why the Celtics couldn’t win any games in Cleveland, let alone in Atlanta. They’re better than that, so the Pistons need to stay focused.
