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)

After going ahead by 8 in the first half the Pistons found themselves down by as many as 17 in the third quarter. They battled back and cut the lead to 1 in the closing minutes of the game but Boston hit some clutch shots to stave off a miraculous Piston comeback.

The Pistons reacquired 3 pt shooting (11/21) helped keep them chipping away at the Boston lead. Sheed particularly had the range hitting 6/9 from downtown after being cold from there for quite some time. If only we’d been able to keep Boston out of the paint it’d probably been us looking to close out the series in 6.

Boston got big contributions for Rondo, Perkins, Garnett, and Ray Allen. All of which hurt the Pistons in different ways.

Now it’s literally a must win game to avoid another ECF ouster. The odds are historically not in our favor, but the Palace crowd will be on Friday. I definitely think the Pistons take game 6. They’ll just have to dig deep and gut out a game 7 victory back in Boston.