jochhejaam
12-29-2005, 05:33 PM
Big game for the Heat and Pistons tonight with the Heat still stinging from last years ousting by the Pistons in the ECF Finals.
Pistons' rivals are still heated
Pistons are 'measuring stick' for Miami, which remembers sting of being booted from '05 playoffs.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News
AUBURN HILLS-- It's not just another regular-season game; not when it's Miami, and Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade and now Pat Riley on the bench.
It's never going to be just another game again, not after last season's knock-down, drag-out, seven-game Eastern finals.
"It's always good when the top teams play," Chauncey Billups said of tonight's game at The Palace. "You always look forward to that. Obviously, we have some history with that team being in that tough, grind-it-out series last year. It's going to be fun."
Fun? When you are 23-3, maybe a game like this can be viewed as fun. It might have a little bit more juice from the Heat's standpoint.
Riley called it as big a regular-season game as you could want.
"I look at it as that," he told reporters in Miami on Tuesday night. "I don't want to make it any bigger than you're going make it. But we do circle the calendar, maybe 10 or 15 games a year that are significant. The (Pistons) were in the Finals two years. They knocked this team out last year, us. It's a formidable challenge. They've leveled the playing field this year, even San Antonio.
"We have to play our best game and deal with their talent, their depth, and I think our guys will rise to the occasion."
O'Neal, who has averaged 18.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 28 minutes in the nine games he has played since coming back from an ankle injury, called the game a measuring stick.
"They are the best team in the league right now," he said. "This is a game where we have to do everything right. I still think it's a measuring stick for us because if we want to go to where we're trying to go, we know we have to get past them."
Alonzo Mourning sees it differently.
"It's too early," he said. "Detroit's a veteran ballclub, we're a veteran ballclub. The only difference between Detroit and us is they won a championship and they've been together longer than we have, which gives them somewhat of an edge."
The Pistons agree that you don't send messages in December.
"There ain't no pressure games or big games for us," Rasheed Wallace said. "We just play basketball. They are a good ballclub, but we're just looking to play good Pistons basketball like we've been doing all season."
The Pistons are aware, though, that the Heat will bring some additional motivational baggage tonight to The Palace. They are still dealing with the sting of watching the Pistons celebrate the Eastern Conference championship on their floor last season.
"I will never forget that Game 7 as long as I play the game of basketball," Udonis Haslem said.
Said Wade: "We had chances to win it and we didn't. One game away from the Finals. So of course it's going to stick with you."
The Heat also clamor for a chance to besmirch the Pistons' 23-3 record.
The Pistons have won eight straight, and are 11-1 at home. Miami has won seven of its last 10, but is 6-8 on the road.
"You are what you are, you know," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "They're always tough because Shaq is dominant and Wade is so dynamic. Anytime you have a combination like that it makes it extremely tough to play against."
"It's not just those two, either. Mourning has played well and they got James Posey now. They're tough, that's why people picked them and Indiana ahead of us (in the preseason)."
Billups got a chuckle over that.
"I am sure everybody's changed that up by now," he said of the preseason prognosticators.
And lest you think the Pistons haven't put their 23-3 start into perspective, Billups was told that the 1995-96 Bulls team, which won a record 72 games, started 23-3, then proceeded to win 18 straight. They didn't lose their fourth game until Feb. 2.
"That's just crazy," Billups said. "I can't even fathom that. Wow."
Pistons' rivals are still heated
Pistons are 'measuring stick' for Miami, which remembers sting of being booted from '05 playoffs.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News
AUBURN HILLS-- It's not just another regular-season game; not when it's Miami, and Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade and now Pat Riley on the bench.
It's never going to be just another game again, not after last season's knock-down, drag-out, seven-game Eastern finals.
"It's always good when the top teams play," Chauncey Billups said of tonight's game at The Palace. "You always look forward to that. Obviously, we have some history with that team being in that tough, grind-it-out series last year. It's going to be fun."
Fun? When you are 23-3, maybe a game like this can be viewed as fun. It might have a little bit more juice from the Heat's standpoint.
Riley called it as big a regular-season game as you could want.
"I look at it as that," he told reporters in Miami on Tuesday night. "I don't want to make it any bigger than you're going make it. But we do circle the calendar, maybe 10 or 15 games a year that are significant. The (Pistons) were in the Finals two years. They knocked this team out last year, us. It's a formidable challenge. They've leveled the playing field this year, even San Antonio.
"We have to play our best game and deal with their talent, their depth, and I think our guys will rise to the occasion."
O'Neal, who has averaged 18.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 28 minutes in the nine games he has played since coming back from an ankle injury, called the game a measuring stick.
"They are the best team in the league right now," he said. "This is a game where we have to do everything right. I still think it's a measuring stick for us because if we want to go to where we're trying to go, we know we have to get past them."
Alonzo Mourning sees it differently.
"It's too early," he said. "Detroit's a veteran ballclub, we're a veteran ballclub. The only difference between Detroit and us is they won a championship and they've been together longer than we have, which gives them somewhat of an edge."
The Pistons agree that you don't send messages in December.
"There ain't no pressure games or big games for us," Rasheed Wallace said. "We just play basketball. They are a good ballclub, but we're just looking to play good Pistons basketball like we've been doing all season."
The Pistons are aware, though, that the Heat will bring some additional motivational baggage tonight to The Palace. They are still dealing with the sting of watching the Pistons celebrate the Eastern Conference championship on their floor last season.
"I will never forget that Game 7 as long as I play the game of basketball," Udonis Haslem said.
Said Wade: "We had chances to win it and we didn't. One game away from the Finals. So of course it's going to stick with you."
The Heat also clamor for a chance to besmirch the Pistons' 23-3 record.
The Pistons have won eight straight, and are 11-1 at home. Miami has won seven of its last 10, but is 6-8 on the road.
"You are what you are, you know," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "They're always tough because Shaq is dominant and Wade is so dynamic. Anytime you have a combination like that it makes it extremely tough to play against."
"It's not just those two, either. Mourning has played well and they got James Posey now. They're tough, that's why people picked them and Indiana ahead of us (in the preseason)."
Billups got a chuckle over that.
"I am sure everybody's changed that up by now," he said of the preseason prognosticators.
And lest you think the Pistons haven't put their 23-3 start into perspective, Billups was told that the 1995-96 Bulls team, which won a record 72 games, started 23-3, then proceeded to win 18 straight. They didn't lose their fourth game until Feb. 2.
"That's just crazy," Billups said. "I can't even fathom that. Wow."