Flippin Flip played the starters the entire 3rd qtr??? CB came out with less than minute left, but that is only because he was hurting. Once again our guys looked winded near the end of the 3rd and once their bench came in we could not match theirs for intensity.

Wonder why Flip can't mix and match. It was obvious that Sheed was winded as he couldn't stop Aldridge one on one and no one could stop Chauncey's clone Jarret Jack. Message to Flip, bring a couple of those guys in at the 5 minute mark of the 3rd and stop riding the starters to the end. Tay and Sheed over 41 mins on the first night of a back to back?? Rip 40 mins. Afflow 4 mins, Amir -0- mins. Nate had 3 of his bench guys over 22 mins. If Flip can't use the bench, then either he or some of them need to go...

Rip missed 15 shots and it seem like the tide turned in the second qtr when the Pistons were up 38-32 and Rip received a wide open pass to the hoop and missed an ez-lay up by 3 feet.!!!! He could have practiced his dunking skills there he was so open... The Blazers grabbed the the rebound and ran off 10 straight and started to believe they could win...

Remember how hot Sheed was?? 13 pts in the 1st qtr and 2 after that. Jarvis Hayes played as if he was still on Wizards, playing little D and throwing away the ball in crunch time..