<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">PORTLAND, Ore. -- Pistons coach Flip Saunders recognized the land mine hours before his team nearly walked right over it. "They're young," Saunders said of the Trail Blazers. "Sometimes young guys don't know any better." That wasn't the only potential problem. The Pistons were on the second night of a back-to-back and at the end of a West Coast trip, two factors that often result in long nights. "Guys are thinking of what their bed feels like back home," Saunders said. Throw in a little national recognition for the best start in the NBA -- a great reason for any opponent to get up and steal the show. "They're coming in thinking they can make their mark in one night," Saunders said. They almost did. The Blazers fought hard but the Pistons won, 84-81, at the Rose Garden, and extended their best start since 1988-89 to 6-0. The Blazers cut Detroit's lead to three with a fast-break bucket from Sebastian Telfair with 19.6 seconds left. Then, after Richard Hamilton missed a jumper, he fouled Blazers guard Juan Dixon as he went up for a long jumper. Dixon hit both shots with 17.3 left to make it 82-81. Chauncey Billups made two free throws with 9.3 seconds left, after missing one freebie after the official called a foul on Portland before Detroit inbounded the ball. Zach Randolph then got a good look at an open three-pointer to tie the game, but he hesitated and then missed it. All five Detroit starters scored in double-digits, led by Billups with 21 points and 10 assists. Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince each scored 14, and Ben Wallace added 12. Detroit was outrebounded, 43-30. Rasheed Wallace scored 13 points. Darius Miles scored 23 points and Randolph 21 to lead Portland. Wallace played against his former team and received a fairly warm welcome from the Portland fans. But foul trouble limited him to 24 minutes.</div> Source
