To be honest, I’m actually more optimistic about Game 6 than I was when I penned my vomit post — the stakes are high for Cleveland, very high. And with any luck, there’s a chance they’ll start to believe the hype surrounding them and ease up. But in any case, I’m still not too happy to read things like this:
There were signs all game that the Pistons were battling themselves.
Webber, after firing up a bad shot and picking up his fourth foul, in the third quarter, yelled to the bench, apparently at assistant coach Ron Harper, “Just let me play my game. Let me play my game.”
Later, Billups and Hamilton appeared to have a brief discussion over who would shoot a technical foul free throw. Hamilton had made five straight at that point, Billups had missed two. Billups kept the ball and missed the free throw. Then, to compound the problem, he fired up a rushed 3-pointer.
Wallace was angry, apparently at coach Flip Saunders, for his decision to go small for a stretch against the Cavaliers. Saunders did that because Antonio McDyess had been ejected.
Between the third and fourth quarters, Wallace and assistant Dave Cowens engaged in a fairly animated discussion. Mostly Cowens was listening to Wallace’s complaints about the strategy.
Wallace later got peeved with Billups for a couple of his decisions.
Team harmony, this was not.
That was from Chris McCosky in the Detroit News, someone who has often tried to downplay any signs of locker room discord in the past. Incidentally, this report comes one game after this blog post by Cavs beat writer Brian Windhorst of the Akron Beacon-Journal:
Before I write this I’m telling you I don’t know if it is true, it is complete hearsay. That’s why it’s in a blog and not a story. But some PWK (people with knowledge) whispered to me tonight the Pistons are having some chemistry problems in the locker room right now. Again, I don’t know the team and I don’t know the locker room. I am just passing it on because it’s from a reliable source. It is interesting, though, that Wallace got a technical foul for yelling at his own teammate tonight.
Windhorst wrote that following Game 4, and although I saw it, I ignored it since it was completely unsubstantiated. Now, in the face of McCosky’s suggestions, it seems relevant.
HOWEVA, wanting to win is a common ground that everyone wearing a Pistons jersey stands on. As much as I hate how they’ve tortured their fans the last several years, these Pistons tend to find a way to bounce back when their backs are against the wall.
I refuse to believe that LeBron will torch Detroit for another 40-plus points, because I refuse to believe we’ll see a combination of Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Jason Maxiell — basically, anyone and everyone except Tayshaun Prince, guarding LBJ when the game is on the line. Even if you think Flip Saunders is an idiot, you have to figure even he can watch the tape and figure that out.
I actually think that Tayshaun, one on one, isn’t the best answer for LeBron, especially in game-ending scenarios. Here’s video of two times that LBJ blew by Tayshaun with the game on the line, and we all saw him do it again last night.
http://theassociation.blogs.com/the_association/2007/05/detroit_needs_t.html
Rip did a pretty damn good job staying in front of LeBron at the end of Game 2, why not try it again? Oh, not to mention, WHERE WAS THE DOUBLE TEAM? After LBJ scored I don’t know, 10 or 12 straight, how about seeing if Boobie has the stones to beat you on the next 6 or 7 possessions? Just a hunch, but I’m guessing he wouldn’t have.
Joe Dumars is all about players with good character? That seems a little thick right now. Between Webber’s deadpan halftime reports and his oft-surprised looks that eerily match Nazr Mohammed’s, and Rasheed’s temper inspiring him to not a whole hell of a lot, I think that can be re-qualified to denote that Dumars is all about players with colorful character. Not one of those guys, even deadpan Webber, inspires anyone to do anything but either love or hate.
Also, for all the horrible articles Chris Sheridan writes on ESPN, his chat transcripts are actually lacking bias. ESPN must be pushing op-ed pieces as a NY Post-style of publication in order to compete on some level with Deadspin.
Boys, SHUP UP AND BALL! Thats it! Play Pistons D and make sure you get a good shot off everytime down the court. No rushed shots, no ill advised 3’s. When we have a small 3 or 4 point lead go for the kill and get easy baskets. It seems everytime the Pistons start to take charge, they try bad threes and let them back into the game! It happened like 3 times in game 5. Feed Sheed in the post and block and keep Rips screens going and we will win!
Pistons…have fun and play the game your way. Forget about convincing the refs that you’re the victims, instead, focus on convincing us that you still care enough to play for the Championship.
Remember how energized you were in ‘06 after losing the title to San Antonio in game 7? Duncan and crew are waiting for us now and a rematch would be such redemption for last year’s disappointing playoff run.
If you’re in it to win it, show us and we’ll hoist you on to the throne that you’ve so deserved for the past 5 years. Yes, the same one that King James has prematurely claimed for himself.
Five years ago Le Bron was 17 and more concerned about what he was going to wear to the prom than how to wear the down the Pistons’ defense.
He’ll have his time, but this is still ours. So go ahead, prove it. You’re the underdogs once more. And there couldn’t be a more perfect ending to this whole saga…It’s you against the World, hell, us against the World again. And that’s exactly how we like it in the ‘D’.
Im glad they arent a bunch of happy losers. That would worry me.
shocker, people want to focus on the locker room problems after a few losses. Chris Sheridan pulled the same crap earlier in the season, and while I believe a Detroit writer more, who actually cares? All 12 guys want to win the series, and that’s all that should matter to us, as fans.
Besides, even if Detroit loses tonight, at least we can watch the women’s college world series. (hopefully anyone not named Matt Gibson or Ian Cameron understands I was being sarcastic with that…)
^I’m not sure if that was a jibe at me or not
Anyways, time for your daily delfino update. First, Delfino has been added to the argentina roster for fiba. Hes going to be the only nba argentian there, so it’ll be interesting to see what will happen when hes probably a starter.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=txdelfinoargentina&prov=st&type=lgns
Second, I nice little comparison video of Delfino and Rudy Fernandez. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvj_EgdVmeI Fernandez is one of the players I’ve been thinking the pistons might want to draft.
Hate to admit it, but I’m not watching Game Six. I have little faith in this team and while my friends all call me a fair-weather fan, I just don’t want to be a “Witness” if LeBron takes his putrid team to the NBA Finals. I’ll witness some of that women’s college softball instead. That’s good stuff.
Some really good points guys…. I would agree with Lucas if they were ok with losing then I would be more worried about tonights game. For the first time I really saw something that Flip did that I really did not understand. We were up by maybe 6 or 8 and he had Davis and Mad Max in the game. I know Dice was out but 3 or 4 times down the floor we did not get good looks. Sheed should have been in the game. Anyway! We were in the same spot last year but it feels a little different this year. I don’t know what it it is but it seems like Flip and Webber are bad luck. I would love to see Webber get a ring and for Flip to quit his critics but I really don’t think that is going to happen. What about Sheed? I really think people give him a bad name but he is the real leader of this team. For him to tell everyone on that team what he feels and ask the staff to leave shows me that he has a level of respect from the team. We need to come out and just play hard and smart. I know Matt hates Flip but I understand why. My question is who will be are next coach? I hope the team that showed up in game 6 in Chicago shows up! Lets go Detroit! I am hoping James has no legs remaing after that 48pt 50 min game but we will see.
Bulls fan here. I haven’t been watching the series that closely, but I am shocked that this is a series, let alone that the Pistons are down. Is the Cavs defense that great? I mean, Lebron will be Lebron, but there is no one else on that team. What happened to the Pistons team that utterly destroyed my Bulls in game 1 and 2. That offensive output was impressive, so impressive that I started thinking the Pistons might have a shot against the then unknown Western rep in the finals.