<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MIAMI -- Really, as it comes down to yet another "Biggest Game of the Season," it comes down to two questions. Are some doubts lifted from the Pistons? Are some doubts planted with the Heat? Some, yes, absolutely. Enough? Not so sure. The Pistons left plenty on The Palace floor Wednesday, dodging elimination with a 91-78 victory over the Heat. They better not have left it all. Tonight's Game 6 in a rollicking road venue will define the season, and, as much as the Pistons showed in Game 5, they will have to show much more. They will need more than Tayshaun Prince having a superstar-like performance. They will need more sticky defense on Dwyane Wade, who acted wholly unconcerned after Miami's loss. The Pistons shooed some of their internal doubts, and surprised a few external doubters, but they didn't get rid of them all. There's a chance they at least staggered the Heat, who have been so good at home, I can understand why they wouldn't be shaken. The numbers say whatever you want them to say. Miami hasn't lost at home since Game 1 against New Jersey more than three weeks ago. Wade is shooting 75 percent at home against the Pistons. Pat Riley is 11-0 in career playoff series after taking a 3-1 lead. The Pistons are 2-5 on the road in these playoffs. But what about these numbers? The Pistons are 8-1 when facing elimination since the 2004 playoffs. During that span, they're 8-0 in Game 6s, including 6-0 on the road. Hmm. Any doubt transferring from Detroit, creeping into Miami? Any pressure going with it? Wade certain: No pressure I bet there is. The Pistons trail 3-2 and still lug a huge chunk of pressure, but you can believe, among South Florida's Beautiful People, there will be a few quivering intestinal tracts tonight. Forget what Wade and Shaquille O'Neal are saying. If there's one team in basketball you don't want to see whistling its way out of the graveyard, it's the Pistons. "There's no pressure on us at all," Wade said, not completely convincing. "We've got a golden opportunity to win Game 6 at home. These are the conference champions. There's no pressure on us." He actually used the "no pressure on us" line four times in a 20-second answer. Makes you wonder. After all, the Pistons supposedly were finished beyond repair, or revival. They're not finished, although we can't declare the revival official unless they win this one. The Pistons did play looser in Game 5, although their shooting woes didn't disappear. They shot 42.9 percent, despite Prince's 11-for-17 effort and career-playoff-high 29 points. The Pistons still need Chauncey Billups or Rasheed Wallace to regain their touches, although Billups managed the floor better, with 10 assists and one turnover. We won't make excuses for Wallace, who hasn't been good enough, but it's apparent his injured right ankle is a problem. Nobody wants to hear it now. In fact, nobody wants to hear any empty explanations.</div> Source
