The only silver lining I see is that even with the Heat shooting 56% from the floor and their role players stepping up big--their leads kept going UP whenever Shaq and Wade went out--the Pistons STILL would have won if their shooting percentage had even gotten into the low 40s. If the series more or less follows the pattern established tonight, then the winner will simply be decided by how well the Pistons shoot. If they can score some points, they'll win. If not, they won't. Simple as that.

I have to say this loss was totaly on Flip. If your starters can't make a shot you have to play the bench, but of course he hasn't played them enough this season to have any faith in their ability or to let them get any rhythm. As for Ben, the guy should't be playing in the 4th until he can make at least some of his free throws. If he is going to whine about it tell him he has to earn the time by making some free throws.

The pattern with Miami continues... Shaq goes nuts in the first quarter and then tires out and doesn't do anything the rest of the game.

So, we should start Davis and hack the crap out of him in the first quarter. By the time Shaq starts to slow down, then you can insert Ben and he can play full bore. Isn't that why DD is on the team? Why did we keep Cato on the roster instead of Amir Johnson?

I do not feel bad about this loss. Pistons took 18 more shots, had 9 offensive boards and only missed 4 FT's. Forced a lot of tunovers. Tired teams caugh up a lot of TO's and miss boards. Not the case tonight.

Pistons just could not make shots. Had good looks, had plenty of 2nd chances. Just could not make them.

If we had won the 1st 2 here then you know the team would have let up and lost 2 in Miami. This way they know they have to get 1 in Miami

This team is REALLY struggling on offense. Cavs were a 1 punch. Heat are a 1-2 punch. The defense won't be able to cover the offense's tracks for any length of time. Gotta hit shots. Hubie mentioned Detroit having a tough time getting to the rim. Gee, wonder why? They haven't been doing it all season. They don't have much practice doing it. Now, all of a sudden, the offense has to completely change. Actually, yes.

I hate to say it, but don't think the Pistons should win this series. They don't deserve it.

And before everyone goes bashing me, saying "its only one game", "have faith", etc. I've been thinking this for a few weeks now.

Obviously I still WANT them to win, but I have my doubts that they a) will win, or B) deserve to win. The team has become too complacent and has been either unable or unwilling to put forth the effort required to win ballgames, instead relying on their reputation and comfort level to get them through.

The Cavs series should have been a wake up call for this team, but it obviously wasn't. The thing I'm most mad about, is that I'm not even mad that they lost. Its just prolonging the inevitable.

Ok, bash away....

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We couldn't compete tonight--it was probably more mental than physical but the league puts teams in a position where they cannot afford to play long in a series (Cleveland). Can't draw much from this game except we gave them one as we gave SA one last year. And we went on to lose to SA--not a comforting thought.

Ben was the only starter with energy. His defense was phenomenal and our biggest plus is that he handled Shaq pretty well. I can't blame the offense on Ben.

Rip, Tay and Sheed didn't do much tonight. Chauncey is a bigger concern as he has shot reluctantly for awhile.

To beat the Heat we need to play a frenetic style like Dallas or Phoenix which will take Shaq and some of their slow players out of their rythym and on their heels. Did anyone in the organization scout how Chicago scored on them, how Phoenix ran on them during the season? If we run this team, and take it too them, they will fold up. If we don't, they can play half-court with us.

We need to get the ball moving around the horn for the open J. We need to find the seam of the defense as they come out on the shooters with only slow Shaq behind. Chauncey and Rip need to pull up for the short jumpers rather than take it in to Mourning. Sheed will come out next game and abuse Haslem.

No bashing from me. I was saying the same thing to Micro in a P. M. this morning. This performance didn't surprise me in the least.

Bro, you are rite. He's definitely drunk.

We understand that the starters were tired but Ben was the only guy who still has the energy and was playing good D the entire game. This game was lost cuz we could not make shots and that's the bottom line. The defense was good and even the officials had a good game.

Flip should use the time outs wisely so that the starters can have a breather in between. During these time outs, Flip should draw a play and get them more focus instead running up and down and turning the ball over. Lindsey played great D on Wade but on the defensive end, disaster esp in the 2nd half. We should go back to half court offense instead of forcing the issue.

Sheed need to be more aggressive on offense. We need to make the extra passes on offense. Look at the positive, we were shooting this bad and the Heat still have to play till the very end for that win. Looking forward for some minor adjustments esp. on offense on Thursday nite.

DETROIT BASKETBALL!!!

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DETROIT BASKETBALL

I see four problems tonight
Not attempting to feed Sheed down low
slow response on their guard penetration
Poor shooting
Fatigue

Some credit has to go to Miami for their excellent shooting...

As ugly as that was and as good as Miami played you'd think they would win by more than 5...
Most of this is correctable.