Say what you want about honor and about wanting to prove yourself against the best. If the "flu-like symptoms" experienced today by Dwyane Wade prevent or inhibit his playing tonight, you won't find me disappointed. The Boys in Blue are travelling to a hostile environment (albeit slightly less intimidating, with the whole "white t-shirt" thing) with hopes of winning their first road game of the series. And they'll need all the help they can get. Pat Riley, on Wade's chances of playing tonight:
"If the guy misses, you're not going to replace him," Riley said. "But the point is, he's going to be there tonight."
Wha ha? Did you understand that? I think Pat's been in the sun a bit too long.
Elsewhere, Chris Sheridan, who has divided his time equally between the Heat and Piston bandwagons this series, is kind enough to remind Heat fans that their beloved have been in pressure situations like tonight's Game 6 before...and have lost every time. Heat fans can enjoy reading snippets like:
Five times since 1998, the Heat have watched an opponent celebrate after bringing an end to Miami's season, each devastating loss adding a chapter to the franchise's brief and brutal postseason history.
Or reminiscing about the good 'ol days:
May 16, 1999: Allan Houston drained the biggest shot of his career, a 14-footer that kissed off the rim and fell through with 0.8 seconds left as the eighth-seeded Knicks defeated the top-seeded Heat in the deciding Game 5 of the first round. New York won 78-77.
No word yet on whether Chris plans on verbally abusing Heat fans' grandmothers, just to round out the day. But you wouldn't be surprised if he did after that brutal trip down Miami memory lane.
Tony Mejia -- consistent in his Piston-hate since the beginning of the playoffs -- makes a valid point in taking the Pistons to task for their on/off play in the Heat series.
What are you smiling about, Detroit? The pressure is on you, too. The way the two-time defending conference champs opened this series was disgraceful.
Aren't you the best team in the league? Are you really supposed to find yourselves in this situation time after time?
Congratulations, you've entered a situation where the price for failure is extinction, and the obstacle just happens to be the toughest you've faced since last season's Finals. You lost that one, in case you forgot.
Detroit is going to be prepared to play this game. It has too much experience and pride not to. Unfortunately, it has too large a death wish, as well. The Pistons messed around, and against the two greatest talents the league has seen in the past 20 years.
You hate to hear it, Blue fans, especially from a Piston-hater. But that doesn't make way he says untrue.
Finally, a novel idea that I had never considered (but after reading makes perfect sense):
Could Lindsey Hunter follow Avery Johnson's lead and eventually become head coach of the Pistons?
That is the question almost lost amidst a frustrated fellow Piston fan's post-Game 3 rant. The similarities between the two players are striking. I'd be curious as to what you all think about that possibility. Personally, I'd be all for it so long as somone other than Lindsey is responsible for teaching concepts like "error-free dribbling," "layups," or "passing during a fast break."
Wade misses practice with flu-like symptoms [ESPN]
Heat know a thing or five about playoff meltdowns [ESPN]
Daily Essentials: Both teams plagued by the P-word [CBS Sportsline]
Pistons-Heat Game 3 [The Passion of the Ben]