LiNK<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Column:A Prince of a playoff performerTuesday, May 23, 2006By A. Sherrod BlakelyAUBURN HILLS -- Some players just don't follow the script. After a couple of mid-playoff series wins by Cleveland, the Detroit-Cavaliers matchup was supposed to be all about King LeBron James' coronation into that exclusive, V.I.P. club of one-name wonders like Michael and Magic and Larry, who used the playoffs as a launching pad to eternal NBA stardom. And now, with the Pistons returning to the Eastern Conference finals again to face the Miami Heat, this series is going to be billed as Pat Riley's payback, or the revenge of Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade, who lost to the Pistons in the conference finals last year. But there's another story line that is developing. It may not have the kind of prime-time appeal as the Miami triumvirate of Pat, Shaq and Dwyane, but it's worthy of some attention. It's the steady, unassuming but impressive postseason legacy that Tayshaun Prince is developing. On a team with so many proven veteran all-stars, it is the 26-year-old Prince who seems to be the one Piston who is appreciably better during the playoffs than during the regular season. Prince has repeatedly made his mark in the playoffs every year (four) he's been in the league. That helps justify the Pistons paying nearly $50 million over five years to someone who's probably never going to average more than 16 or 17 points per game. In the biggest game of the Pistons' season, on Sunday against Cleveland, the pre-game talk centered on how the Pistons had to keep James from dominating, and how Detroit needed Chauncey Billups to finally step up offensively. However, just minutes into the first quarter, it was obvious who the star of the game was going to be. Detroit jumped on the Cavs early, as Prince scored seven of the Pistons' first nine points. He finished with a team-high 20 points in the 79-61 win, in addition to helping hold James to one field goal in the second half.</div>he was the most consistant and he played all but 0:58 seconds in the last couple of games. he really has proven that he should be an all star in this league. i'm glad he's here to stay after the deal he signed before this season. :happy0144:
