It didn't really get a lot of press because I don't think many people really knew what to make of it, but Rasheed Wallace didn't stick around very long after Saturday's loss to the Celtics -- he didn't even shower and apparently left the arena still wearing his sweats. He was at Monday's practice but (not surprisingly) decided against clarifying to the media what was going through his mind.
Chris McCosky spoke to Flip Saunders, though, and doesn't think there's really anything to read into:
But, as Saunders said, [Wallace] was mostly upset at the way the Pistons faltered in the final four minutes of that game. He was mad that he didn't take advantage of his offensive mismatch with Glen Davis. He was mad that Chauncey and Rip Hamilton were firing up so many quick shots, not allowing him time or opportunity to get into scoring or rebounding position. He was mad that the perimeter defenders couldn't stop Paul Pierce from penetrating, which made him and McDyess look bad when they had to come up to help, leaving Davis alone for lay-ups. He hates to lose, especially a game like that where he felt the Pistons beat themselves.
But please, don't read any more into it than that. I have already gotten letters from people assuming Wallace is mad at Flip again, or that he has abandoned his teammates. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was one loss in an 82-game schedule. Nothing more, nothing less.
A lot of people still think that Wallace is some kind of ticking time bomb, but that's really overblown. Maybe I'll get worried if he stops dancing, but otherwise he's probably one of the biggest reasons why the Pistons are so loose in the first place. And seriously, dodging the media after a game is one of the least disruptive ways possible a player can vent his frustration.