and rebounding (Miami: 43/5 off.; Detroit: 33/9 off.)

I'd almost bet that we will have another sluggish start -- maybe not in Game 2, but somewhere else down the line.

I didn't figure it before the playoffs started, but since they have, I expected the PIstons, somewhere during this series, to give away a game at the Palace. I also expected them to take (at least) that game back from Miami in Miami. Home court advantage matters a lot -- but it's in Game 7 that it matters.

You spot them 11 or whatever in the first 3:14 of the game, and then win by 6 for the remaining 44:46 -- and all while shooting almost 20 % less from the floor than the heat (not to mention allowing Payton, Walker, and Williams too many open shots and, in general, relaxing on defense when Wade and Shaq went to the pine).

To me, that's encouraging. There were a few poorly executed plays and a few poor shot choices, but for the most part the players were moving and paassing the ball and getting open looks (unlike in the Cleveland series) -- the shots just didn't fall. Agreed, they didn't go into Tay or Sheed (or Dyess) on the block enough once the mid-range j's weren't falling. But in my opinion, if our winnning this series depends on the post play of these fellows, then we're a longer shot. I'll still put my money on Detroit, playing just the way they did over the last 45 minutes. And I'll say that they could win easily if they play just the way they did: make 5 % more of their mid-range jumpers and cut down the points of the Heat supporting cast by about 10 %.

Consider: over the last 45 minutes we outscored Miami 86-80. In that stretch, we shot 31-76 (40.7 %), Wade and Shaq combined for 28 points, Williams, Walker, and Payton combined for 41 points on 17 of 27 shooting (and it was Williams, Walker and Posey who keyed the 11-1 Miami run during the last 4 minutes of the 3rd quarter).

So now increase Detroit's fga to 45.7: that's 34.7 makes. Let's call it 34. Six more points. Now we've outscored them 92-80. Now take away just 10% of the supporting trio's 41 points and we've outscored them 92-76 over the remaining 45 minutes. Even while still spotting them an 11 point lead, we win by 5.

I know these are all hypothetical scenarios: but I saw nothing last night (or in the past of these pistons) to make me think that we won't improve both our mid-range fg % and our defense on the supporting cast. We played far better for far more of the game last night than during the debacles in the Cleveland series, and against a better opponent.

Of course, the game was super frustrating to lose, but for me at least it was frustrating because we could so easily have won -- and therefore, for me, it wasn't discouraging in the slightest.

Game Analysis: No Emotional Energy. We were flat from the beginning, lacking quickness, lift and passion. We have seen the same thing in other teams throughout the playoffs. IMO the NBA does itself a disservice, reducing the quality of play, by scheduling short turn-arounds after series having run 7 games. Maybe we didn’t want to believe ourselves susceptible to such a letdown but in retrospect it is understandable.

Flip on the other hand failed to perform exploratory surgery. It didn’t take long to realize our starters needed scoring help from the bench. Putting a sub out there is one thing, calling a play for them is something else entirely. Delk in, no play run for him. Mo in, no play run for him. I credit Lindsey for trying to generate scoring himself, ugly as was, but he needs to do a better job of getting Dice started. Forget the Heats post game bravado, all we needed was one guy to get hot and Miami was toast.

Note to the fans, er pretty people: Sit the !@#$ down. What is with all of the strolling back and forth from endline to endline. Freakin peacocks. The claim that many playoff fans don’t know diddly about the game ain’t too far from the truth.

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Bye Ben...................sigh ................HELLO MAX !!!!!

Don't you guys understand the strategy here?

If the starters play hard in the playoffs, they won't be rested for the regular season next year. We need home court advantage throughout the playoffs so we can...uhmmm...I'll get back to you later.

Pistons worked themselves into a corner for Game 2. Lose that and the series is pretty much over.

you guys are right we don't need offense from ben. we do need it from somewhere though. it's not that i don't like ben's defense it's that i like mcdyess offense way way better. yeah ben draws some charges but he gives us nothing on offense. shaq is helping out and clogging the paint. if anybody saw what happened when shaq checked mcdyess we ran a pick and pop and mcdyess was wide open he missed one badly but the shot was there and shaq had a very hard time trying to defend it. so basically i'm not saying that ben needs to get into the offense i'm saying we need a center in there that shaq can't rest on defense with.

i do watch the games and i watch ben on offense and shaq just rests and lays back and clogs the paint. if your jumpshots aren't falling you have to go to the hole. the problem is when you go to the hole ben's man is right there with either help d or the block. ben makes noone pay for not defending him. the key isn't to get him the ball more the key is to get someone in the game that will do something with the ball when they get it.

yes. if we had hit our jumpshots it would have covered up for ben's lack of offensive talent.

The way this team is built there is no go to guy pick up the offensive slack. Right now 4 other starters can't hit the broad side of a barn. Ben's lack of offensive game becomes a problem which gets hugely magnified. It is hard seeing him clank FT 's. Every point in the playoffs is invaluable and may be the difference maker.

Sheed for all his talent disappears completely from game to game.

Joe will need to address this and other issues in the off-season. I hesitate to sign CB and Ben to max/close to max deals as they are not max players IMO. A max player has to be a consistent difference maker on mutiple levels i.e. defense, offense, assists etc. Unpopular decisions may need to be made.

A closer look at the statistics shows that the Heat's 56.2 percent field-goal percentage was probably even better than it appeared. Haslem dragged it down with his 0-7 performance. Everyone else on the Heat shot really great, including all the offseason acquisitions. Also, Wade was 9 of 11. Didn't matter if he was in foul trouble, he lit it up when he was in there.

The scarier part was that Shaq and Wade played limited minutes due to foul trouble. Otherwise Wade would have lit them up for 40 pts.

I couldn`t join chat during the game because I am switching my ISP and I will be without for a few days.

I agree with most comments I have read this morning. There is no excuse for this loss or at least not being a bit more competitive. With Wade and Shaq not having their typical dominating games we let the unimaginable happen - allowing Miami`s bench to get off!

CB is playing like Sh.. I don`t know what`s up with him, but this so called freedom he has is now becoming a crime. The ill-advised 3`s are starting to really bother me. They are not in the rythym of the offense and you can tell, they clank off the rim or glass like a concrete slab!

I still think we can get by Miaimi, however a loss on Thursday would dash my confidence. Even if we do get by the Heat, I am starting to believe Dallas will embarrass us in the Finals.

The body language, sense of urgency, and bench contribution is troubling. Something is not right and if it`s not corrected in the next couple games that "What happens if the Pistons don`t win the Title" thread will be jumping.

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"I`m shocked" The Low, on the Pistons game 2 win in the ECF at Boston.

Interesting stat:

"The Pistons backcourt had a poor shooting night in Tuesday's 91-86 loss to the Heat. Richard Hamilton shot 9-for-22 from the floor, and Chauncey Billups shot 6-for-19. It was the first time in 27 years that both starting guards on one team missed at least 13 field-goal attempts in a conference final or NBA final game. The last time was in 1979, when the Sonics lost to the Suns, 103-97, with Gus Williams shooting 4-for-22 and Dennis Johnson shooting 3-for-17."

When it rains, it pours. Looks like there is more than Flip to blame.