<div align="center"><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>MIAMI (Ticker) -- The Detroit Pistons continue their pursuit of the league's best record Thursday when they visit the Miami Heat in what could again be the matchup in the Eastern Conference finals.The Pistons have already clinched the top spot in the East, but are still in a race with San Antonio (58-16) for the league's best record and homecourt advantage through the NBA Finals. Detroit recorded its fifth straight victory Tuesday, posting a 101-93 triumph over New Orleans. Antonio McDyess stepped in for the suspended Rasheed Wallace and collected a season-high 26 points along with 14 rebounds. Miami ended a two-game skid Tuesday by rolling past Milwaukee, 115-89. Shaquille O'Neal led the charge by collecting 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat, who had all five starters in double figures. Dwyane Wade, Antoine Walker and reserve Derek Anderson each tallied 14 points for Miami, which leads New Jersey by 3 1/2 games for the second seed in the East.</div> Pistons Record: 60 - 14 (.811) Standings: First, Central At Home: 34 - 3 At Road: 26 - 11 Streak: W 5 PPG: 97.1 Opp PPG: 90.0 FG%: .454 Opp FG%: .452 RPG: 40.5 Opp RPG: 40.8 <span style="color:#FF0000">Heat</span>Record: 49 - 25 (.662) Standings: First, Southeast At Home: 29 - 7 At Road: 20 - 18 Streak: W 1 <span style="color:#FF0000">Heat</span> PPG: 100.6 Opp PPG: 96.1 FG%: .480 Opp FG%: .439 RPG: 43.3 Opp RPG: 38.9 </div>
I think we win, considering Miami's numerous injuries. The glove will have a hard time stopping Billups, and Sheed is back this game. So I think we have the win.
Game in 20 minutes, I'm stoked for this one.Shaqs gonna go all off again. Ben Wallace got nothing on him. The player that concern me are Chauncy Billups and Rahseed. Rasheeds shot from the arc gives us a lot of trouble as does Chauncy's shot and ball distribution.Perimeter Defense!!!
Ben Wallace has strength and that is the key to facing Shaq. Shaq though should try to shoot over Ben Wallace instead of charging into Ben Wallace and get traveling calls and charges.
Good game. Tony Delk came up big for us off the bench. Detroit gave it to them at the end, Miami couldn't answer. And Dwayne Wade is such a punk, he gets away with so much.
How about the Pistons? Great win on the road in a playoff atmosphere. Shaq and Wade weren't enough for the Heat. Sheed was big in the 2nd half, and Chauncey Billups hit big threes for the Pistons. Miami better keep their eyes on New Jersey, they could catch up to the Heat.
Miami was without Posey, Williams, and Alonzo so I wouldn't be talking too much about this game. Miami won't have a chance in the playoffs though if they don't get healthy quick.
Im really sick of these excuses - How about the Piston's injuries - they do exist, they just dont choose to complain and <Censored> about their injuries. Rip - Hip flexorBen - Hand / wristMcdyess - Elbow, hand/wristand im sure there are many small injuries that arent publicaly announced - all players at this point of the season have injuries - that should not be a teams excuse every time.
Yeah but you didn't really expect Miami to win this game with those injuries. Detroit probably is still the better team though even when Miami is healthy.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ReppinTheD @ Apr 6 2006, 11:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Im really sick of these excuses - How about the Piston's injuries - they do exist, they just dont choose to complain and <Censored> about their injuries. Rip - Hip flexorBen - Hand / wristMcdyess - Elbow, hand/wristand im sure there are many small injuries that arent publicaly announced - all players at this point of the season have injuries - that should not be a teams excuse every time.</div>All of those guys played. Miami was without their 3rd and 4th best player. They got NOTHING form both of them combined. Shaq and Wade alone isn't enough to beat a top team like the Pistons. Shaq was finally getting the calls he deserves tonight. The game was closer than the actual box score because Detroit was stat badding. Seeing how Miami was without 40% of their starting line-up and without their best bench player I'd say we did a decent job.
Aside from the Heat's injury troubles this year, I really think Pat Riley made a huge mistake trading away last year's players for the current ones. I don't understand why you would make any changes to a team that came only minutes away from winning the ECF. Although the team is getting to know each other, it definetly stunted them. Also, I really don't like a lot of the new players - especially Antoine Walker, and Gary Payton - biggest playoff chokers. I honestly don't see the Heat as a big threat in the east, I see the Nets as more of a threat actually.
I dont understand the Pistons defensive philosophy. Did they not see how effective it was to deny and full court trap Wade in the last game?
Check out this box numbers for the Heat: D. Wade 29 PTS, 9 REBS, 6 ASSTS, 11-22 FROM THE FIELDS. O'Neal 28 PTS, 7 REBS, 12-18 FROM THE FIELD-----------------------------------------------------------------A. Walker 6 PTS, 4 REBS, 3-11 FROM THE FIELDM. Doleac 6 PTS, 1 REB, 2-3 FROM THE FIELDG. Payton 4 PTS, 4 REBS, 3 ASSTS, 2-10 FROM THE FIELDThat could be a huge problem coming into the playoffs. As you can see, they obviously dont have the same balance without Williams, Mourning, and Posey.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Zards @ Apr 7 2006, 01:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Check out this box numbers for the Heat: D. Wade 29 PTS, 9 REBS, 6 ASSTS, 11-22 FROM THE FIELDS. O'Neal 28 PTS, 7 REBS, 12-18 FROM THE FIELD-----------------------------------------------------------------A. Walker 6 PTS, 4 REBS, 3-11 FROM THE FIELDM. Doleac 6 PTS, 1 REB, 2-3 FROM THE FIELDG. Payton 4 PTS, 4 REBS, 3 ASSTS, 2-10 FROM THE FIELDThat could be a huge problem coming into the playoffs. As you can see, they obviously dont have the same balance without Williams, Mourning, and Posey.</div>Im not sold on it yet, like everyon else. Walker and Payton had tons and tons of open looks, they just didnt make it. It just becomes more of an issue when they do it on national tv.Posey is about to comeback, and Jason Williams could play right now if he had the choice, but its the Heat who is being cautions and shutting him down for the year. And Zo is supposedly coming back for game 1 of round 1, but im not sure of his current status.
This scoring scenario looks familar..... ahh yes. When the Pistons and Lakers played in the finals we let Kobe and Shaq score freely while shutting everyone else down. Now we can do the same thing. Wade and Shaq will score their points, but we can shut everyone else down, and that usually works for us.
