“They’re winning, yet this series nonetheless feels like it’s slipping away”. Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press Writes.
The Pistons still might lose this series. Despite the 2-0 lead on the Cavaliers, the Pistons and their fans feel they got very lucky.
“They’re 2-0 in this Eastern Conference final – quite possibly the luckiest 2-0 you’ve ever seen from a team with home court — but you couldn’t help but come way from another 79-76 heart-thumper believing that if the Pistons don’t squeeze Cleveland’s throat in Game 3 they still might lose this series.
They need Chauncey Billups. They need Chris Webber.
The benefit of a team sharing the load is that you get nights like this where Rasheed Wallace had one of those I-can-be-the-superstar-when-I-want fourth quarters or Jason Maxiell can emerge from the obscurity of the bench and provide the necessary push.
But Billups is the engine, and he’s sputtering still. If Webber’s going to take 13 shots — 12 from near the basket — he had better make far more than the four he did Thursday night.
“We’re fortunate,” coach Flip Saunders said.
They are fortunate. They’re fortunate they’re not down 0-2 heading for Cleveland with Billups sporting more turnovers (12) than assists (11) and taking only 13 shots total in the two games. They’re fortunate when you consider they’re getting nothing out of Tayshaun Prince offensively (1-of-19 field goal shooting). They’re fortunate when you consider that Webber was supposed to make them a five-on-five team offensively rather than the four-on-five edition that previously featured Ben Wallace, but he’s morphed into a frightening offensive clone of Big Ben — reliable only when he’s getting the ball right underneath the basket and unable to convert on at least half of his free throws.”
Source: Detroit Free Press