ducks
05-11-2005, 06:52 PM
Indiana at Detroit
Preview - Box Score - Recap
Game Info: 8:00 pm EDT Wed May 11, 2005
TV: TNT Add to Calendar
Buy Tickets
PLAYOFF SERIES: Eastern Conference semifinals; Pistons lead 1-0.
The Indiana Pacers lost the opening game of their first-round series on the road and still advanced to the conference semifinals. Following that same route against the defending champion Detroit Pistons promises to be much more difficult.
After a listless performance in a series-opening loss, Indiana hopes to be better in several areas when it faces the Pistons in Game 2 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
While Detroit had nearly a full week off following its first-round victory over Philadelphia, Indiana had only one day of rest since ending an emotional, seven-game series against Boston. That difference was obvious in the Pistons' 96-81 victory in Game 1 on Monday.
The final score doesn't indicate how easy a win it was for Detroit, which built a 52-38 lead at halftime and led 72-57 entering the fourth quarter.
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``Fatigue is part of the game,'' Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. ``When you get to a Game 7 and have the good fortune to win, and then only have one day off, that's one of the consequences. We're going to have to circle the wagons and see what we can do better.''
Richard Hamilton scored 28 points and Ben Wallace had 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Pistons, who improved to 4-0 at home this postseason with an average margin of victory of 15.2 points.
``No excuses,'' Indiana's Stephen Jackson said. ``Detroit just played like world champions. They wanted to come out and make a statement and they made it. We'll be all right. We haven't lost confidence at all. We've been here.''
One of the game's best rebounders and winner of three of the last four Defensive Player of the Year awards, Wallace's development into a solid offensive player has given the balanced Pistons another option.
Wallace averaged 9.5 points in 2003-04, then a career high, and improved to 9.7 this season. He scored a career-high 29 points in Game 3 in the first round against Philadelphia and averaged 12.8 points during the series.
``In the past they hadn't really guarded me, so I just wanted to stay aggressive,'' Wallace said. ``I don't want to be a distraction to the team. I'm out there just trying to help the team win. I know I can score the basketball, so it doesn't surprise me.''
Besides getting strong offensive performances from Hamilton and Wallace, Detroit, the NBA's second-best defensive team in the regular season, played its trademark suffocating defense, limiting the Pacers to 39.5 percent shooting and just 11 assists.
Jermaine O'Neal led Indiana with 22 points, but managed only 10 on 3-of-14 shooting after the first quarter. Hamilton helped limit Reggie Miller to six points -- nearly 10 below his playoff average -- and Jamaal Tinsley had two points and no assists in the first half.
``I don't think Indiana gave us their best shot,'' Pistons coach Larry Brown said. ``You have to expect that after an emotional Game 7, but I think this is still going to be a series. There's no one in our locker room that thinks the Pacers are done.''
Since joining the NBA, the Pacers had lost all 13 playoff series after losing Game 1 before beating the Celtics in the first round this season. Indiana lost Game 1 at Boston, then went on win the series with three straight road victories, including Game 7.
The Pistons, meanwhile, have won 20 of their last 22 series when winning Game 1. They have won eight straight postseason home games dating to last season.
Besides Detroit's superior play, Game 1 was uneventful, which was certainly good news for everyone involved.
The last two games between the teams at The Palace had been marred by the infamous brawl on Nov. 19 that started on the court and spilled into the stands and went back on the court. In Indiana's most recent visit to Detroit before Monday on March 26, the game was delayed 1 hour, 25 minutes because of a telephoned threat that there was a bomb in the Pacers' locker room.
``It was good to see the focus on basketball,'' Wallace said. ``We sort of left the past in the past and that's a good thing for both teams, and the league.''
The series shifts to Conseco Fieldhouse for Game 3 on Friday.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Pacers - 6th seed; beat Boston Celtics 4-3, first round. Pistons - 2nd seed; beat Philadelphia 76ers 4-1, first round.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Pacers - F Jackson, F O'Neal, C Dale Davis, G Miller, G Tinsley. Pistons - F Tayshaun Prince, F Rasheed Wallace, C Ben Wallace, G Hamilton, G Chauncey Billups.
PLAYOFF TEAM LEADERS: Pacers - Jackson, 18.4 ppg; O'Neal, 7.6 rpg; Anthony Johnson, 5.1 apg. Pistons - Hamilton, 22.5 ppg; Ben Wallace, 12.7 rpg; Billups, 6.8 apg.
Preview - Box Score - Recap
Game Info: 8:00 pm EDT Wed May 11, 2005
TV: TNT Add to Calendar
Buy Tickets
PLAYOFF SERIES: Eastern Conference semifinals; Pistons lead 1-0.
The Indiana Pacers lost the opening game of their first-round series on the road and still advanced to the conference semifinals. Following that same route against the defending champion Detroit Pistons promises to be much more difficult.
After a listless performance in a series-opening loss, Indiana hopes to be better in several areas when it faces the Pistons in Game 2 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
While Detroit had nearly a full week off following its first-round victory over Philadelphia, Indiana had only one day of rest since ending an emotional, seven-game series against Boston. That difference was obvious in the Pistons' 96-81 victory in Game 1 on Monday.
The final score doesn't indicate how easy a win it was for Detroit, which built a 52-38 lead at halftime and led 72-57 entering the fourth quarter.
ADVERTISEMENT
``Fatigue is part of the game,'' Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. ``When you get to a Game 7 and have the good fortune to win, and then only have one day off, that's one of the consequences. We're going to have to circle the wagons and see what we can do better.''
Richard Hamilton scored 28 points and Ben Wallace had 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Pistons, who improved to 4-0 at home this postseason with an average margin of victory of 15.2 points.
``No excuses,'' Indiana's Stephen Jackson said. ``Detroit just played like world champions. They wanted to come out and make a statement and they made it. We'll be all right. We haven't lost confidence at all. We've been here.''
One of the game's best rebounders and winner of three of the last four Defensive Player of the Year awards, Wallace's development into a solid offensive player has given the balanced Pistons another option.
Wallace averaged 9.5 points in 2003-04, then a career high, and improved to 9.7 this season. He scored a career-high 29 points in Game 3 in the first round against Philadelphia and averaged 12.8 points during the series.
``In the past they hadn't really guarded me, so I just wanted to stay aggressive,'' Wallace said. ``I don't want to be a distraction to the team. I'm out there just trying to help the team win. I know I can score the basketball, so it doesn't surprise me.''
Besides getting strong offensive performances from Hamilton and Wallace, Detroit, the NBA's second-best defensive team in the regular season, played its trademark suffocating defense, limiting the Pacers to 39.5 percent shooting and just 11 assists.
Jermaine O'Neal led Indiana with 22 points, but managed only 10 on 3-of-14 shooting after the first quarter. Hamilton helped limit Reggie Miller to six points -- nearly 10 below his playoff average -- and Jamaal Tinsley had two points and no assists in the first half.
``I don't think Indiana gave us their best shot,'' Pistons coach Larry Brown said. ``You have to expect that after an emotional Game 7, but I think this is still going to be a series. There's no one in our locker room that thinks the Pacers are done.''
Since joining the NBA, the Pacers had lost all 13 playoff series after losing Game 1 before beating the Celtics in the first round this season. Indiana lost Game 1 at Boston, then went on win the series with three straight road victories, including Game 7.
The Pistons, meanwhile, have won 20 of their last 22 series when winning Game 1. They have won eight straight postseason home games dating to last season.
Besides Detroit's superior play, Game 1 was uneventful, which was certainly good news for everyone involved.
The last two games between the teams at The Palace had been marred by the infamous brawl on Nov. 19 that started on the court and spilled into the stands and went back on the court. In Indiana's most recent visit to Detroit before Monday on March 26, the game was delayed 1 hour, 25 minutes because of a telephoned threat that there was a bomb in the Pacers' locker room.
``It was good to see the focus on basketball,'' Wallace said. ``We sort of left the past in the past and that's a good thing for both teams, and the league.''
The series shifts to Conseco Fieldhouse for Game 3 on Friday.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Pacers - 6th seed; beat Boston Celtics 4-3, first round. Pistons - 2nd seed; beat Philadelphia 76ers 4-1, first round.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Pacers - F Jackson, F O'Neal, C Dale Davis, G Miller, G Tinsley. Pistons - F Tayshaun Prince, F Rasheed Wallace, C Ben Wallace, G Hamilton, G Chauncey Billups.
PLAYOFF TEAM LEADERS: Pacers - Jackson, 18.4 ppg; O'Neal, 7.6 rpg; Anthony Johnson, 5.1 apg. Pistons - Hamilton, 22.5 ppg; Ben Wallace, 12.7 rpg; Billups, 6.8 apg.