microcap

OK, I won't bore you with my usual comprehensive coverage and entertaining insight.

Death by a thousand cuts

From the lost opening tip leading to a Vince Carter triple, this game had Texas chainsaw, steel cage death match road loss written all over it.

But we got a ray of hope when Jason Maxiell entered the game, followed shortly after by Will Blalock in his NBA debut.

The Nets led 49-44 at the half but surprisingly points in the paint were 16-16 and the Pistons had attempted only 4 three pointers to New Jersey's 12.

Who let the dogs out?

From the moment Dale Davis hit the court, he brought a lot of toughness that Antonio McDyess and Nazr Mohammed sorely lack. Tangling with European star Nenad Krstic, Davis got the better of the Serbian center and as the game wore on, started to get inside his head.

Jason Maxiell was also a force, throughout the fourth quarter, consistently going up for blocks, and contesting everything that was shot over Davis.

I had a nice chuckle when Richard Jefferson, who was having trouble getting shots off over Maxiell, drove into the paint and lofted a moonball towards the backboard, obviously conscious of the Brahma's ability to swat balls away.

Flip Saunders Kidnapped by Aliens

Something is wrong with Flip. He's coaching like a real NBA coach. He used his bench, he rode the hot hand, and he resisted the urge to put his starters in early.

He seemed to punish Flip Murray, Antonio McDyess and Nazr Mohammed for less than efforts and rewarded the younger fellas who were wise to make Flip look very smart by playing well tonight.

The question is, will Flip be able to keep this up? Is it a mirage or charade? Is Joe Dumars meddling in the bench rotation strategy?

Flip played the bench (Delf, Davis, Max, Blalock) for the first 7 minutes of the 4th giving the starters enough rest to close out the game in the final two minutes with 8 straight points.

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to

I would be totally remiss if I didn't mention that Jason Maxiell and Mikki Moore were going at each other during the late stages of the game. Maxiell had the upper hand, outplaying not only Moore, but his own teammate Antonio McDyess.

Dale Davis should be starting at center for this team. He was an absolute enforcer in the paint, and seemed to shed 10 years off his age after throwing Nenad Krstic to the floor in retaliation for receiving an elbow to the head. After he roughly tossed the larger Krstic to the ground, Dale seemed to have an extra two or three inches of lift elevating for blocks and rebounds.

Great Pistons victory, this was old school, grind it out, kick their asses, rip their hearts out in their building, humiliate their coach, play the bench, Detroit down and dirty attitude.

My good guys: Jason Maxiell, Will Blalock, Carlos Delfino, Rip Hamilton, Chauncey Billups, Dale Davis.

My bad guys: Flip Murray, Antonio McDyess, Nazr Mohammed, Tayshaun Prince.

My player of the game: Dale Davis.

Best quote: George Blaha on the New Jersey Nets - "This may be a funky building, but this is not a funky team".