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 In the end, Duncan and the Spurs were left standing. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE) |
For old school coaches like the Pistons' Larry Brown and his disciple, the Spurs' Gregg Popovich, the three-pointer has been a necessary evil. For them, the closer you can get the ball to the hoop the better.
So, it's ironic in a Finals series featuring these two long-distance averse coaches that one of them would serve up a title on a trey.
Bouyed by 7 of 11 shooting from three-point range, the Spurs won their third NBA title in seven seasons with an 81-74 win in Game 7 over the 2004 NBA champion Detroit Pistons.
Yet, the Spurs' scintillating shooting from deep started where it always starts for the Spurs: in the paint.
After four lackluster games in a row, Finals MVP Tim Duncan had his best game of the series. And it wasn't so much that Duncan overpowered the Pistons. Not even Shaquille O'Neal could do that. But Duncan was like water torture and before you knew it, the rock solid Pistons cracked in the fourth quarter.
Start it with a bank shot here.
Drip.
Then, grab an offensive board and a putback there.
Drip.
Finish it up by drawing three guys to you and find Manu Ginobili wide open, reading the latest Sports Illustrated behind the three-point line.
Swish.
Drip.
He may have only been 10 for 27 from the field, but tonight, the Spurs title hopes began and ended with Duncan, who joined Michael Jordan (6), Shaquille O'Neal (3) and Magic Johnson (3) as the fourth player to win three Finals MVPs.
If it wasn't scoring 12 points in the third quarter, Duncan got his teammates involved by starting the ball movement. Brent Barry found himself open on his only three-pointer because Duncan found Parker open in the right corner. Parker then found an open Barry, who calmly nailed the open look.
With a 6 for 10 start from the field, it looked as if the Pistons would run the Spurs out of their own building. But the Pistons shot .391 the rest of the way, and it wasn't nearly enough to lift them past the Spurs.
Nothing epitomized the night more than a play with the Spurs up five and 55 seconds left in the game.
Detroit's MVP, Chauncey Billups pulled up for a three that would have pulled the Pistons within two. But Bruce Bowen rose and met Billups, blocking the shot, shutting the door on Detroit's quest to win back-to-back titles.
Instead of writing history by becoming the first team to win Games 6 and 7 on the road, the Pistons have become history themselves. They're the first team since the 1989 Lakers to not defend their NBA title.
Many will say the Pistons have no reason to hang their heads. After all, they showed resiliency, toughness and grit throughout the season and throughout the playoffs.
They rallied from a 2-1 series deficit in the East Semis against the Pacers. After being down 3-2 to Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals, they won Game 6 at The Palace and Game 7 in Miami.
Then, when everyone, including the Spurs, left the Pistons for dead after their heart-breaking Game 5 OT loss in Auburn Hills, the Pistons broke Spurs' fans hearts and postponed parade plans by winning Game 6 in San Antonio.
Yet, kind words offer no consolation to the Pistons. You can't carry them in a parade. You can't slip them onto your ring finger.
Antonio McDyess and Rasheed Wallace understandably were mum after the game. Richard Hamilton held his head in his hands.
On the other side of the building, the Spurs strode to the podium, soaked in Champagne and steeped in smiles. There was Brent Barry and his dad, Rick, who had won a title 30 years earlier with the Golden State Warriors. They're just the second father-son combo to win a title as players.
There's Tony Massenberg, who has played for 12 NBA teams in 13 years, finally getting some permanence in his career. Will he stick in San Antonio? Who knows. But one thing won't change. He'll now always be known as an NBA champion.
Then, there's the Spurs' Glenn Robinson, a former No. 1 overall pick, finally getting his first ring. Yet, it's a bittersweet victory for him. He celebrates his greatest professional triumph a mere month after his mother died of cancer.
There's Robert Horry, becoming the 13th player in NBA history to win his sixth NBA title. There's Popovich becoming the fifth coach to lead three title squads. There's Ginobili joining the select company of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen as the only players to win Olympic gold and hug the Larry in the same year.
There are so many stories, and so little room in this blog.
But you should know this about the rings the Spurs won tonight. When they first put those diamond encrusted, golden baubles on their hands, those rings will be slipped on over scarred knuckles and gnarled fingers. Those rings were earned. The final three games of this series may have been some of the grittiest, and sometimes the best, basketball The Finals had ever seen.
Save for the millions of Spurs fans in San Antonio and around the world, no one would have begrudged the Pistons another title. They had what it took to get within four points with one minute to go in the game. They had what it took to push this series to the brink.
But they didn't have Tim Duncan.
And that was the difference.
Thanks for following the blog throughout The Finals. It was our privilege to bring it to you. We'll be live from the 2005 NBA Draft in New York's Madison Square Garden on June 28. Read all about it on Tuesday.
 Get your championship merchandise now at NBAStore.com. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE) |
Just after the final buzzer, the Spurs started their celebration by donning championship caps and tees. Log on to NBAStore.com now and get the same cap and tee worn by Duncan, Ginobili, Horry, Parker, Bowen and the other Spurs. Other great championship gear, like the Spurs championship basketball and DVD are available as well. Check it all out now at NBAStore.com.
As for the Larry O'Brien Trophy and the Finals MVP trophy, no amount of money can buy them.
You need to earn those.
Confetti litters the floor of the SBC Center, 18,000 pairs of raw hands continue to clap and the Spurs have slipped on their 2005 NBA Champions hats.
After seven games, the San Antonio Spurs, thanks to an 81-74 win, are the 2005 NBA Champions.
Well earned. Well deserved.
We'll be back in a moment.
The SBC Center crowd can taste their team's third title in seven years. They've broken out Queen's time-tested arena hit, "We Will Rock You."
They haven't used their seats for the last 15 minutes.
Ginobil made it to the rack with ease on that last layup. How?
The Spurs have the ball and a six-point lead, 72-66, with 1:31 to go.
The Pistons need some tough D and a couple quick ... wait, a steal.
Forget this post.
Manu's three was cold-blooded. And it was wide open. I'm trying not to repeat myself, so just read the post below as to why Ginobili could have baked a souffle on that play and still had time to get off the shot.
The Spurs are up seven with 2:46 to go. They're right on the average for the winning margin in Finals Game 7s -- 7.3.
As much as the Spurs needed Tim Duncan to assert himself on offense in order to put points on the board, another corrolary of him getting his groove on in the post is that it gives his teammates open looks.
While he only has one assist (Bruce Bowen's most recent three), he has been the catalyst for good ball movement whenever the Pistons have double-teamed him.
The Pistons only have six turnovers. They're sure to set the seven-game mark for fewest turnovers. The old record was 87. They have 66 in this series.
Oh my. Robert Horry again? For the Spurs, he's like that cool uncle who brings you lots of toys and gives you a wad of cash for your birthday.
For the Pistons, he's a recurring nightmare. Either that, or a bad meal. Whatever metaphor you want to use, he's bad news for the Pistons.
Wow! That's Manu's second monster dunk of the game. On this one, he started left, darted right, held the ball in both hands and then flushed with his right. Yikes.
And then, there's Ben Wallace, skyscraping for a board to keep a Pistons possession alive? Are you kidding me? The second half has been full of great individual plays and effort.
Talked to "Family Matters" star and NBA Blog Squad member Jaleel White about the game at halftime. He noted that if both Wallace's were on the floor in crunch time for the Pistons, that he would have to go with the Pistons to win.
We'll have more in a moment.
With 12 minutes (I have a sneaking suspicion that may not be enough) left in the season, we're back where we were when we started the season: all even. No one has an advantage. It's 57-57.
Like we mentioned earlier in the blog, this has turned into the best three-game series in NBA history.
Duncan went for 12 in the third. A monster performance.
With that sweet, sweet kiss off the glass, Duncan has 10 points in the third quarter.
It seems everytime down the court, the Spurs have found No. 21.
Millions around the globe are glued to their TVs, tellys, whatever you want to call them and can't peel themselves away. For example:
Fadi in Beirut, Lebanon wrote in the Global Fan Forum: "I've been up since 4:00 p.m. and my final exams are in a couple of hours, but for now Game 7 and the Spurs are on my mind. "
Good luck on the exams, Fadi. As for your Spurs right now, down six.
It's so loud in the SBC Center, you can't hear the refs blow the whistles.
Just as I mentioned that Tim Duncan needs to be more aggressive and lo and behold, he grabs an offensive board, scores on the putback and gets and one.
Then, he cans his free throw, and I don't know if you saw it, but he clapped his hands in relief after it bounced around the rim and through the hoop.
The Spurs have scored seven straight points and are now down two, 48-46.
He had three fouls in the first half, and within minutes of the start of the third quarter, Rasheed Wallace picked up his fourth foul.
Still, the Pistons lead by five.
With a 39-38 lead, the Pistons go into the last 24 minutes of the season with a one-point lead.
The Pistons have had the largest lead at six points. The Spurs have led by as many as four.
Neither team is giving an inch. Not one inch.
Should be a good second half.
Back in a bit.
We've had a strange ebb and flow to this game. First, it seemed as if everything would be tough.
Now, the Pistons and Spurs are attack the paint and scoring easily. Parker, Ben Wallace, everyone's getting a good look at the hoop.
Detroit's frontcourt foul trouble has forced them to use Elden Campbell tonight. He already has made his presence felt. He has an assist.
He's 3 for 4 with six rebounds so far. As another NBA.com reporter said:
"He wants that ring real bad, doesn't he?"
On Brent Barry's three-pointer, the Pistons' Lindsey Hunter left Tony Parker to double-team Tim Duncan, who passed to Parker, who found Barry wide open on the right wing.
Will the Pistons try that again? At their peril.
Nothing's coming easy for either team. Not open looks, not rebounds, not even picks. Rasheed Wallace just got an inadvertent knee in the shin from Manu Ginobili.
And if the Pistons like dealing from a position of adversity, well, they've a chance to do so again tonight. The Pistons frontcourt -- Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess -- each have two fouls as does last year's Finals MVP, Chauncey Billups.
Larry Brown usually sits guys with two fouls. Not tonight, he can't do that.
Everytime it seems a team will go on a little run after a nice play (like Rip Hamlton ducking under Robert Horry for two), the other team answers.
Right now, it doesn't look as if anyone will run away with this game.
After one quarter, it's Spurs 18, Pistons 16.
You didn't expect 39-38 after one in a Game 7 between these two teams, did you?
With the score at 18-14 Spurs, Robert Horry has scored the team's last six points.
You know, Horry has played in six Game 7s in his career and is 5-1, don't you?
Now, Chauncey Billups has two fouls.
Which team will feel the effects more right now with a key player out for each?
Mark it down. When Manu and Billups went out, the score was 12-12.
Meanwhile, during the timeout, the Spurs' Coyote rapelled down from the ceiling. As soon as he reached the court, he opened his jacket to reveal a T-shirt that said:
"Let Your Voices Ring"
Clever.
Manu just picked up his second foul, but the Spurs have tied it at 12-12.
The energy's back in the building.
Detroit has hit six of its first 10 shots. Can they keep up that pace? Meanwhile the Spurs are 3 for 9. That, and they've committed two turnovers already.
All the SBC Center's nervous energy is now more nervous and there's less energy.
With two Pistons players left to introduce, the Spurs fans started the chant that's seen from chalked on to the side of taxis, in store front windows and painted on cheeks:
"Go Spurs Go!"
The chant drowned out the rest of the intros.
"We've been at this for seven games," they seemed to say. "We know who's who and what's what. No need for introductions."
Let's go.
While we can only suppose what's going through the players' minds, we talked to one Hall of Famer and found him with butterflies in his stomach.
Rick Barry, who won a title in 1975 with the Golden State Warriors, said he wasn't nervous before the two Game 7s in his career (1975 West Finals against the Bulls, the Warriors won and in 1976, lost 4-3 in West Finals to Phoenix).
"I'd try to get to the arena as late as I could," Barry said, moments after discussing the finer points of shooting with NBA Superfan James Goldstein. "I knew if I got there hours early, I'd just waste my energy. These guys," he said pointing to the court, "getting here early to shoot... I just wanted to go to the arena, get taped, get dress and, let's play ball."
As for watching his son Brent, a Spurs forward, playing in a Game 7, Rick was as nervous as a dad could be in this situtation.
"It's worse when you're on the sidelines watching. You live and die with every play," Barry said. "You want everything to go perfectly for him. You want every shot to go down.
"You also want to go out there and play. It kills you to sit and watch."
Spoken like a guy who averaged 40.6 points per game in six 1967 Finals games.
With not everyone in their seats yet, the Spurs took the floor to a roar that made it sound like there were 28,000 in the SBC Center instead of the 18,878 it seats. That was 10 minutes ago. The noise has not stopped.
While no one here in the SBC Center will be in their seats for most of the night, moments after finishing his shootaround, Beno Udrih and a Spurs assistant coach sat with their legs out in front of them just at the end of the Spurs logo at the middle of the court. The assistant coach grabbed a ball and flung it toward the hoop.
Swish.
Beno was next.
Doink.
The assistant flung again.
Swish.
Beno tried it once more.
Swish.
No word as to whether it was a game of H-O-R-S-E or not.
 With a Game 7 tonight, the spotlight is on The Finals. (Chris Birck/NBAE) |
We're back at the SBC Center for the sweetest words any NBA fan watching The Finals wants to hear: Game 7.
You know what it means. You know what's at stake. You know the gravity of one game -- 48 minutes (or more?) -- to decide the world's champion.
More than 4,000 days have passed since we've seen a Game 7 in The Finals.
Tonight, we'll find out if it has been worth the wait.
 The Pistons following instructions in Game 6. (Chris Birck/NBAE) |
On Thursday, NBA fans will get lucky: A lucky seven.
Why lucky? Because we're getting a Game 7, our first since 1994 when the Houston Rockets topped the New York Knicks 90-84 to win their first NBA title.
This is what fans wait for in every series. A winner-takes all single-elimination game. Everyone goes home after a Game 7, except that one team carries away the Larry, the rings and gets to wear snappy new champions caps. The other gets to wake up every day until the beginning of next season, look in the mirror and wonder:
What if?
What if we had done that differently? What if we had done this differently? What if we had made all our free throws? What if we had made that shot? What if that rebound hadn't slipped out of our hands? People will tell you that you played well, gave a valiant effort and have nothing to be ashamed of.
And none of it will matter. You'll go over every play in crystal clear HD in your head. You'll need to chew on this for a while, and it will be tough to swallow because you know that you were close enough to taste a title. You know that you were close to grasping greatness. You know, now, that not only do you see a different person in that mirror every morning, but history also will look at you differently.
Just ask Jerry West what it was like to lose four Finals Game 7. He'd tell you it ripped his insides to shreds. He played like a champ, he just didn't have the hardware to prove it.
Win that Game 7, though, and you will be remembered for greatness. Just ask Bill Russell, owner of 11 NBA championship rings. Russell played in five Finals Game 7s. His record? Perfection. That's why he needs a sixth finger on one of his hands to wear every ring.
Game 7. You can achieve greatness, or you won't be able to wash the bitter taste out of your mouth with a gallon of mouthwash.
And will us NBA fans be lucky enough to have a magnificent seventh game? If history holds, we just might.
The 15 previous Game 7s in NBA history have been decided by an average of 7.3 points.
To wit:
1951 -- Rochester 79, New York 75
1952 -- Minneapolis 82, New York 65
1954 -- Minneapolis 87, Syracuse 80
1955 -- Syracuse 92, Fort Wayne 91
1957 -- Boston 125, St. Louis 123**
1960 -- Boston 122, St. Louis 103
1962 -- Boston 110, Los Angeles 107*
1966 -- Boston 95, Los Angeles 93
1969 -- Boston 108, Los Angeles 106 in Los Angeles
1970 -- New York 113, Los Angeles 99
1974 -- Boston 102, Milwaukee 87 in Milwaukee
1978 -- Washington 105, Seattle 99 in Seattle
1984 -- Boston 111, Los Angeles 102
1988 -- L.A. Lakers 108, Detroit 105
1994 -- Houston 90, New York 84
* Denotes overtime period
We have had some classic Game 7s. Just look at the double OT thriller in 1957. The Hawks had a chance to send it to a third OT, but Bob Pettit's last-second shot rolled off the rim. The Pistons franchise has played in two Game 7s in their history, one in Ft. Wayne and one in Detroit. They've lost those games by a total of four points.
Speaking of the Pistons, they made history this evening. The last time they won in San Antonio, the Spurs played in the Alamodome and Carl Hererra started at forward, played 41 minutes and led the Spurs with 22 points. Lindsey Hunter started for the Pistons in that game on April 2, 1997. Michael Curry came off the bench.
Hunter and Curry were in the house on Tuesday. Hunter's still playing and playing well. His two buckets in the middle of the fourth helped keep the Spurs at arm's length and gave the Pistons' Finals MVP, Chauncey Billups, a little more rest. Meanwhile, Curry's helping keep labor peace.
Detroit also became the first team in Finals history to win a Game 6 on the road to force a Game 7. They followed up the Spurs' gritty, gutty Game 5 win, with a gritty, gutty win of their own. Uneasy lies the head who tries to take the Pistons' crown.
What can we expect from Game 7 on Thursday? After all, both teams have won two big games on the road. We could be looking at the three best closing games in Finals history.
Are we lucky? Definitely.
Will it be magnifcent? We can only hope.
 No, you can't get 'Dyess' mouth guard at the NBAStore.com. (Brian Bahr/Getty Images/NBAE) |
This is the free blog entry I've promised if I don't give you a movie title in the headline. Here's a message from the folks at NBAStore.com:
The jerseys, the game program, the ball, even the towel they're using on the bench.
Did you know you can get it all at NBAStore.com?
Get all the latest Finals gear now. Be a part of the action even if you are miles away from San Antonio. Shop now at NBAStore.com.
And now, back to our regularly scheduled Finals blog.
Every shot the Spurs take, this place is ready to explode.
Yet, like water on a fuse, the Pistons defense has dampened every Spurs charge.
But right now, even the Spurs' Coyote is on his knees praying for a different outcome.
And it's not going to happen, Detroit wins Game 6, 95-86. What a gutty performance by the Pistons. We get the first seven-game Finals series since 1994.
We'll be back in a bit.
Despite the first four games being decided by an average of 21 points, the last two games have revealed the truth about these two teams: They're as closely matched as you can get.
Manu Ginobili's three-pointer set this place on its ear. With the score 84-82, it's as close as it's been all quarter.
Then, Sheed hits a three to give the Pistons a bit of breathing room.
The action's so fast I can't keep up.
Amazing.
The Big Shot is a movie starring one of the biggest movie stars of all time: Humphrey Bogart. Tonight's game has featured two of the biggest Finals stars in recent memory.
First, you have Mr. Big Shot, Chauncey Billups, who leads all scorers with 21 points. Then you have Big Shot Rob, who can miss a three-pointer by a foot, and then step up and sink one without blinking.
So far, there have been 23 lead changes in this game. That's 23, people.
Another classic?
WIth Brent Barry's basket, the SBC Center had reason to explode, as the Spurs took a 66-64 lead.
But, the Pistons guards have been too good tonight to let something like that pass. Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton have found their groove tonight. Combined, they're 14-29 tonight, which is astounding for guards, especially in a series as tightly guarded as this one.
Right now, the Pistons are up four points, 71-67. (That's for you, mom.)
Wow. The Spurs had four offensive rebounds in the first half. They had three through the first five minutes of the third quarter. If the Pistons expect to pull this one out, they're going to need to hit the boards and pronto.
That being said, what a three by Chauncey Billups. Right in Tim Duncan's face. That takes guts. Billups has plenty of those.
(And yes, Second Chances is the name of a movie.)
You know that coaches shorten their rotations in the postseason.
In Game 6, the magic number is seven. Gregg Popovich and Larry Brown shortened their benches in the first half and have given the starters long minutes. Each team has used eight players so far, but the Pistons' Carlos Arroyo and the Spurs' Beno Udrih only received a minute of burn.
One thing's for sure, the Pistons need more than 12 minutes of court time from Rasheed Wallace to win Game 6. He needs to be on that floor.
So, it looks like it'll will take the seven guys on each side to bring this game home. Seven Samurai recruited to guard the village. Seven Samurai to make sure the village elder (the coaches) feel safe.
Seven. We'll see if that's the number tonight.
 "So, um, Bobby, I hate to ask this, but did you vote for me?" (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images) |
Fans, you can now help make NBA history by voting in our Finals MVP poll.
Your vote helps in the process of determining who'll earn the award, so choose wisely.
Detroit has picked up two technicals tonight already. Luckily for the Pistons, the Spurs have only converted one of them.
In a series this close, you don't want that one point to come back to haunt you.
Looks like everyone is dialing long distance tonight, the Pistons -- gasp! -- more so than the Spurs.
Detroit is 4 for 7 from three-point range, while the Spurs are 3 for 7.
I wonder if the Pistons hope the long-range marksmanship will open up the paint?
 Sean Marks' son gets his fro on. (Layne Murdoch/NBAE/Getty Images) |
A little photo blogging for you.
Sean Marks, who is not on the Spurs' playoff roster, held his son during early shootaround. The young Marks' shirt reads: Fear This Fro.
Very cute.
With every trip down the floor, it seems like the lead changes.
(And with every post, I'll try to use a movie reference in the headline. If I don't, you get a free blog post.)
What hasn't changed, though, for the second straight game, is that Spurs coach Gregg Popovich bringing in Brent Barry and Robert Horry, who received a standing ovation at the mention of his name, early. As a matter of fact, we just saw Tony Parker head to the locker room. We'll see if we can find out why.
The Spurs just ran a short film akin to Lord of the Rings stating that the journey for the ring ends tonight.
We'll see.
Let's get it started.
Walked around the floor of the SBC Center for a bit to soak up the atmosphere. Spurs assistant Don Newman was feeding Nazr Mohammed passes. Manu Ginobili drained jumpers. And then Robert Horry walked out to thunderous cheers. He walked over to NBPA president Billy Hunter and NBA superfan Jimmy Goldstein and started to chat.
One thing I noticed when the players shot around before the game was the music level. I heard Amerie's "1 Thing" in the background, but it played at level akin to someone playing their radio at work.
Of course, that changed when the teams took the court and the music was turned up and it's blasting now.
Speaking of blasting, the Spurs basketball operations crew ran a nice montage on the board just before the Spurs took to the floor. To the tune of Finger Eleven's "One Thing" (yep, there's another song with the same title), action shots of the Spurs flashed across the video board. Why is this unusual? Well, the Spurs included every player, including their guys not on the playoff roster in the montage. A nice gesture. It also says that every guy on the squad is important.
With that, if the Spurs win tonight, you know they'll hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy in triumph. Someone -- whomever is Finals MVP -- will hoist a MVP trophy with a new design. As soon as we have a picture, we'll get one up for you to see.
 Michael Curry, Commissioner Stern and Billy Hunter have reason to smile. (Chris Covatta/NBAE/Getty Images) |
We're back in San Antonio at the SBC Center for Game 6 and we're ready for whatever may come tonight, be it a Spurs title or a Pistons win. If Detroit manages to shake off memories of a Game 5 they had in hand and the nightmares of Robert Horry's three-pointer cascading through the sky and out the bottom of the net, we could be looking at the first Game 7 in a Finals since 1994.
We have had a few interesting moments since we've arrived at the arena in time for the NBA and the NBPA to announce that there would be no lockout.
To which we have a one-word response: Yee-haw! (And then, like a scene from the movie "Red River," we waved our cowboy hats in the air. We are in Texas after all.)
Why was it interesting you ask? Well, as we were watching Commissioner David Stern and NBPA Executive Director Billy Hunter announce and take questions about the new six-year labor deal, singer Frankie J warmed up on the court for tonight's performance of his hit "Obsession (No Es Amor)". So, sometimes we'd get this.
"This new agreement creates a strong partnership with our players..."
"Amor, no es amor (if this aint love)/Then what am I feeling (what am I doing wrong)"
"... the NBA and its players will be able to focus on the enormous opportunities we have together ..."
"Amor, no es amor (if this aint love)/Is this an illusion that I have in my heart?"
No, we have no illusions. After all, we amor this game.
Then again, we're here for a game; and we ask: Whither the Pistons? Tonight's the night we find out what kind of heart the Bad Boys, Part II have. They haven't won here since April of 1997 which is when the internet was about to boom and Tim Duncan was fighting off senioritis down in Winston-Salem, N.C. To put that in perspective, any child born on that day would more than likely be in the third grade right now.
Also, can the Spurs close out the Pistons? WIth the exception of Robert Horry, the lot of them looked shaky in Game 5's fourth quarter and overtime. The SBC crowd should give their guys in black and silver a lift.
If talking to the general populace today in downtown San Antonio is any indication, this town is ready for a celebration. Two salespersons at a local department store could talk about nothing else beside the game tonight. The counterperson at a McDonald's had Duncan's, Tony Parker's and Many Ginobili's numbers written on her cheek. Many joked (we think) about free tickets to the game tonight.
Will they be watching tonight?
"Of courrrrrrrse," said our McDonald's gal. "We can't wait."
Neither can we.
Back in a bit.
 For Robert Horry, it was just another night at the office. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images) |
Sangfroid? What's that mean?
What it means is Robert Horry is a bad man. Bad for opponents in the playoffs and Finals, anyway. But if you want to get techincal, we'll let Pablo from Argentina, who chimed in during NBA.com's Global Fan Forum, explain it:
"Mr 'Big Shot' Horry, 21 points. What else can I say? He's the most cold-blooded being I have seen ever."
Cold-blooded or ... sangfroid. Old School rappers call it chillin'. The Fonz called it "cool." The dictionary says: "Composure in the face of difficulty or danger."
Whatever you call it, Big Shot Rob -- not Bob, thankyouverymuch -- has more of it than most of us have ever had, and he was definitely the coolest cat on the court in Game 5. And with the exception of those players in the playoff pantheon: MJ, Magic, Bird, Kareem, Russell and Miller, there may be no player in postseason history whose sang has more froid than Horry.
From the moment he hit a three to close the third quarter to the "Where-the-heck-did-that-come-from?" lefty slam in OT to the final three-pointer he hit in overtime, Horry was 7 for 8 from the field, including 5 for 6 from long range. Whenever he touched the ball late, the air left The Palace. As soon as he lined up his final dagger -- a wide-open look, mind you -- The Palace faithful emitted a sound I had never heard before at a sporting event. It was a combination scream-groan-exclamation. Almost a, "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh-ooooooooooooooh-nooooooooooooo!"
And then the silence. Oh, we could hear grumbling and the disbelief, but more than that we could feel the disappointment; the disappointment of a blown defensive assignment; the disappointment of having a game in your grasp only to see it bounce into Horry's capable mitts and then see it swish through the bottom of the net; the disappointment of being down one with 5.9 seconds to go after being up four with 1:43 left in overtime; and most disappointing was the realization that their beloved Pistons, who had poleaxed the Spurs in Games 3 and 4, need to go to San Antonio and win two consecutive games.
You could even say we felt a chill in the air.
Considering that the Spurs were a league-best 38-3 at home this season and haven't lost consecutive home games since April of 2003, Pistons fans have a good reason for their deep sense of disappointment.
But the Pistons are a team that thrives on adversity. They like to say they're at their best when their backs against the wall. This time they will need to be their best because their backs couldn't be more firmly pressed to the brick.
On Tuesday, there is no wiggle room.
Shades of John Paxson in Game 6 of the 1993 Finals, Robert Horry hits a wide-open three to help the Spurs win 96-95 in Game 5 of the 2005 Finals.
If the Spurs win the title, and they have two chances at home, Robert Horry will never need to pick up a check again in San Antonio.
Back with more in a bit.
If the Spurs win this, do they retire Robert Horry's number?
For the Spurs, can you let Tim Duncan, who's 4 of 11 from the free throw line, touch the ball in this situation?
For the Pistons, do you, one, foul Duncan if he gets it?
One thing you don't do is leave anyone outside of the three-point line.
That's the sound The Palace makes when Robert Horry has the ball behind the three-point line.
With Tayshaun Prince's bucket to give the Pistons a 91-89 lead, every player on the floor as of 2:52 (to go?) in overtime is in double figures.
I guess that final 59 seconds wasn't long enough to settle Game 5. We asked for more, we got it. I'm just glad I have a good ticker.
This is the first overtime game in The Finals since Game 2 last year when the Lakers topped the Pistons 99-91 in OT.
Here we go... OT
OK, I lied. We're back. Never, ever have I heard The Palace as loud as when Tim Duncan shot those two free throws. And, if possible, when he missed the first, it got LOUDER.
Insane, absolutely insane. Sheed hits a crazy turnaround. Horry follows up with a putback. Billups hits a turnaround. Horry hits a THREE. Pistons fans are beside themselves.
And then after a Hamilton miss, Duncan's fouled and amid the din caused by hands, larynxes and thunder sticks, misses two free throws.
Spurs lead 88-87 with 59 seconds (to go?) in the fourth. We may not blog again until the end of the game.
While they have been playing lights out, Duncan and Billups each have had guys to help them.
For the Spurs, it's been Robert Horry, who just hit a three to tie the game at 79-79. I don't know how many Pistons fans threw their hands up in disgust at The Palace, but for a second it looked as if everyone was being held up.
Then, for the Pistons, there's Tayshaun Prince grabbing every loose ball and offensive rebound to be had.
Yes, people, this is what we've been waiting for: A classic. More please.
Did you see Duncan work for that rebound and putback? Did you see when he pumped his fist after getting the bucket and then the foul? (Also, did you see him miss his fourth free throw tonight?)
He knows what's at stake tonight.
Meanwhile, the MVP chant has started for Chauncey Billups, who just hit two freebies to put the Pistons up three.
As fans know, this Finals is a meeting between the last two Finals champs. That also means the last two Finals MVPs, San Antonio's Tim Duncan in 2003 and Detroit's Chauncey Billups in 2004, are here.
Tonight, they're playing like MVPs. Duncan has 23 points and 13 boards with 6:15 left in the fourth, while Billups has 22 points on 8 for 16 shooting and four assists.
What more could NBA fans want?
 Kid Rock moves the crowd. (Allen Einstein/NBAE/Getty Images) |
We've wandered around The Palace and caught sight of some celebrities. As you can see above, Kid Rock is here.
We saw Eva Longoria here, albeit with her cap pulled down tight so no one will recognize her. Filmmaker Michael Moore got stuck in traffic, but made it. And then, in the concourse, we saw the "comic" Gallagher. He's more of a watermelon smasher, though. And just as we passed him, someone said: "Did he just throw something on me?"
Old habits are hard to break.
What hustle by Antonio McDyess! The work whistle is blowing and everyone is standing.
There's that man again, hitting another three to open the fourth.
What did I say about the stars taking this one home? Uh...
For 35 minutes of the game, Robert Horry can seemingly have no effect whatsoever on the ebb and flow of the game. And then, he finds himself alone, on the wing, behind the arc, with the clock ticking down and he will calmly stroke a three. Like Santa Clause to Christmas and the Easter Bunny is to, well, Easter, clutch situations are Robert Horry time. His three to give the Spurs a one-point lead heading into the fourth quarter was huge.
Chauncey Billups' bucket and one to tie the game at 61-61 was like an electric jolt delivered to all 22,000 seats in The Palace. No Piston fan here was sitting after that play.
 Rip has had his eyes on Bowen all night. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images) |
Watch if you will the battle between Rip Hamilton and Bruce Bowen. It's an incredible contest for position on the court and for psychological advatange.
Interesting early stat of the third quarter: Bench points.
The Spurs have five points off their bench, the Pistons four. It's clear the stars will carry the load tonight.
Nice exchange between the two teams to open the half.
Speaking of the half, I noticed the Extreme Team halftime entertainment squad was feriociously dunking on the Spurs' bucket. Not that it's hindered the Spurs at the start of the half. They've scored eight points and The Palace crowd has been quiet ... with the exception of that Rasheed and Ben Wallace tag-team block that just happened.
Well, folks? Is this the one we've been waiting for? We're 2-2 in the series and 42-42 after two quarters here at The Palace.
After the first four games were decided by an average of 21 points, we're finally looking at a game that's as even as the series.
Back in a moment.
The Pistons and Spurs are each 16 for 37 from the field and 6 for 8 from the free throw line at that last 20-second time out.
The only difference between the two teams is that the Spurs have one more three-pointer than the Pistons.
It's always interesting to see which celeb in the crowd will get the biggest reaction from the fans.
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo received a warm welcome, as did Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns. Kid Rock received big cheers. And it looked like he had-- gasp! -- a soft drink?
Then, they showed Barry Sanders on the board. And the crowd went bonkers. They started chanting his name and the crowd seemed to carry that buzz into the next play.
Just peeked into the Global Fan Forum and noticed this, from Ali in Turkey: "I think the Spurs'll be champion. I drank all the coffee I have. It is now 0502 in Turkey."
If I know anything about how strong Turkish coffee is, Ali will be able to stay up until Game 6 on Tuesday night.
Ali, thanks for caffeinating and waking up to watch the game.
With the Spurs nursing a nine-point lead, The Palace crowd has quieted a bit. Scratch that. Make that The Palace crowd has shushed a lot.
Earlier in the series, we blogged about the celebrity look alike feature they run on the video board during timeouts.
Tonight, in honor of Father's Day, they ran photos of famous TV dads: Ward Cleaver, Mike Brady and Cliff Huxtable. They found a couple guys in the stands who were close to Ward and Cliff, but the most impressive thing was that they found a guy who looked like Mike Brady, complete with perm and everything.
That's quality crowd scoping right there.
Remember what I said earlier in the blog about Duncan not looking sharp in the warmups? Uh, forget that, please. He already has nine points and six boards in 10 minutes.
Serves me right for noticing.
After one quarter, we have a Pistons two-point lead despite the Spurs shooting .400 from the field. Maybe the seven offensive boards have something to do with the Spurs' resilience.
That, and Popovich has tried a multitude of combinations in the first quarter. It seems to be doing the trick so far.
Again tonight, we're inviting fans from around the world to read the blog and visit the Global Fan Forum. Here's a question you can respond to in the Forum:
Matthew Modine, a huge NBA fan who is here in The Palace tonight, and star of "Full Metal Jacket" and "Any Given Sunday," said his favorite playoff moment was the Knicks' Larry Johnson's four-point play against the Pacers in the 1999 Eastern Conference Finals.
What's your favorite Finals or playoffs moment of all time?
Go, and post your thoughts in the Global Fan Forum.
One of the many reasons San Antonio needs to play well tonight is that they need to regain their confidence after being drubbed in Games 3 and 4.
But another reason, and it could be bigger than the Spurs confidence is that San Antonio desperately needs to take The Palace crowd out of the game. They've been screaming since the opening tip and have not, saved for a couple of Duncan buckets, stopped. Every loose ball, every board, every bucket, they're on their feet. The Pistons themselves have said they feed off the crowd, and with an early 13-6 lead, they're feasting.
The Spurs must do something pronto.
Gregg Popovich decided to do something: Put Robert Horry and Brent Barry in early in the first. WIll it work? We'll see.
Who's going to be a hero tonight?
No matter what you think of him, Kid Rock gave an excellent rendition of "America the Beautiful." Good choice of material too, considering that "The Star Spangled Banner" would be out of Kid's range.
It begins with the raspberries.
For about six minutes The Palace of Auburn Hills becomes a din. First, the opponent, in this case the San Antonio Spurs, takes the floor to a throaty chorus of boos.
Then N.E.R.D. arrives as the intro the group's "Rock Star" plays on a loop. Then, on the video screen above, the Pistons hit the hallway outside of the locker room and start to jump around. The Palace sound man cranks up Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" never fails to get the Palace crowd a little more hyped and it never fails to remind me of "Miami Vice."
Then they cut to the Pistons' chanting in the hallway. As the Pistons make their way to the court, a huge bass drum pounds as a countdown is conducted on the video board. Finall, when the countdown reaches zero, the work whistle blows and the now world famous Mason bellows out, "Welcome! Your! Woooooooooooorrrrrrrld Champion! Dee-troit! Pistons!"
"Whhhhhhhoooooooooooooooooooooo!" blows the whistle again.
And Ben Wallace, with 'fro flowin', leads the Pistons to the Palace floor.
While Tim Duncan is the unquestioned leader of the Spurs, the unquestioned target of Pistons' fans focus has been Manu Ginobili.
Ginobili, who torched the Pistons in Games 1 and 2, received the loudest boos during Game 3 intros here at the Palace. Pistons fans also showered him with boos at the Game 4 introductions (other Spurs received a drizzle).
And then, walking around the arena tonight, two signs about Manu caught my eye.
First, a Palace employee spray painted his hair blue, as they are wont to do, and had "Don't Cry 4 Me Argentina" stenciled in the back. What was impressive was the word "Argentina" fit. Yet, he had a normal sized cranium.
Then, just across the way, a man held a sign, possibly in honor of the day, that said "Like Father, Like Son."
On one side of the sign was a picture of actor Bronson Pinchot, who played the character Balki Bartokomous in the '80s sitcom "Perfect Strangers."
On the sign's other side, was Manu.
I don't know what this means, if it means anything at all, but watching Tim Duncan warmup just now could provide something revealing about tonight's Game 5.
Working with Spurs assistant coach Don Newman, Duncan worked through his spots on the floor, moving from block to block, wing to wing and so forth. Nothing fell for him. Everything was short: stepbacks, jumpers, bank shots. After missing five shots in a row, he put his hands on his hips as if to say: "What's going on here?" After missing his next shot, his bread-and-butter bank shot, his shoulders slumped.
Maybe it's from the weight that he's carrying on them.
 Jordan, Magic, Worthy, Bird ... Game 5 heroes all. (Hayt/Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images) |
Just how important is winning Game 5 of The Finals?
Very!
Of the 23 Finals series that have been 2-2, the team that takes Game 5 has gone on to win the series 17 times. Impressive and important. In 2003, San Antonio won Game 5 in New Jersey and clinched the title in San Antonio in Game 6. The last team to win a Game 5 with the series tied 2-2 and not come away with the LO'B Trophy were the Knicks in 1994.
So, yes, if you win Game 5, you're in the driver's seat. And often, those who shine in Game 5, the performances are legendary.
And as I say that, Kid Rock warms up for his performance of "America the Beautiful" wearing a t-shirt ... with sleeves! His trademark black fedora is perched on a microphone stand behind him.
Be there at 9 p.m. when the Kid performs.
 After the Game 4 loss, Popovich needed his space. (Chris Ivey/NBAE/Getty Images) |
OK, class. Take out your No. 2 pencils, pop Finals quiz.
What Finals record did the Pistons set tonight?
A) 4 -- Fewest turnovers in a Finals game
B) 31 --- Largest margin of victory in a Finals Game 4
C) 23 -- Most assists in a game
D) All of the above
E) None of the above
What's your answer? If you chose A) 4 -- Fewest turnovers in a Finals game, you were correct. For those of you who picked B, you were close, but that honor belongs to the Blazers, who shellacked Dr. J's 76ers by 32 in Game 4 of the 1977 Finals.
All of which leads us to another "unofficial" record for this series: margin of victory. Of the 22 Finals series (including this one) that have been tied at 2-2, the 2005 Finals has the largest average margin of victory at 21.0 points per game. In Finals history, only six Finals series tied at 2-2 (1960, 1974, 1977, 1984, 1988, 1992) have had a double-digit margin of victory through four games.
Of those six, three series (1960, 1974, 1988) reached a Game 7 and this Finals series, following the 1960 and 1988 series, is only the third in history where the margin of victory in each game has been in double digits.
All of which means ... what?
For the coaches, it means joy for one, pain for other. For example, check out how loose Larry Brown was after the game.
Q. Coach, after all of those years in basketball, all your years, how can you explain such a drastic shift in two teams within just two or three days?
Brown: Good coaching.
There was much laughter after that answer. No one was giggling during Popovich's press conference, though.
Q. Is the frustration level high or could it get even higher than what you're feeling right now?
Popovich: "I don't feel frustrated at all. There would be some other words that would be a lot more accurate, but there's no time for frustration."
You can only imagine which words. But as we said earlier, it's a three-game series now. First team to win two games are the champs. Winning two hasn't been a problem for either team. Keeping the opponent close has.
It's a three-game series now, people with San Antonio holding the home-court advantage.
More from The Finals Blog later.
Trivia question: Which player scored the bucket to give the Pistons 100, the first time a team hung a C-note on the Spurs in The Finals?
Darko Milicic. The Palace fans asked and they received.
No, not the great, creepy movie starring Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish, but Lindsey Hunter. The veteran guard set the place on its ear with a dunk off a fast break. Lindsey can dunk?
Whatever it was Lindsey had for dinner, I want some. Hunter scored 17, dished five assists and was 7 for 9 from the field. A good night indeed.
The Palace fanatics are clamoring for Darko Milicic. And there's 3:51 left in the fourth quarter. They may get him in a bit. The Pistons are up by 23, no, 24 after that Ben Wallace free throw.
And after 13 Finals games of not allowing an opponent to score 90 or more points, the Spurs have given up 90-plus in back-to-back games ... to the Pistons.
Interesting and weird at the same time.
The global television broadcast showed the international play-by-play guys and gals boogie-ing to the timeless classic (yes, I said timeless) "YMCA" during that last long time out. NBA Blog Squad member George Eddy seemed to especially enjoy the tune. Get on with your bad self, George.
Otis Day and the Knights ("Otis, my man!") are imploring The Palace crowd to "Get a little bit louder now" from the song "Shout." I don't see how they can with the factory whistle blowing, the thunder sticks and the PA system blaring. We have a good din going on. And even Stevie Wonder, who's here again tonight, is shouting.
Now, it's Kid Rock's turn with "Bawitdaba." Oh, they love their musical heroes here in Detroit, which casting aside New York and L.A., probably has one of the richest musical histories of any city. From Motown to MC5 to Bob Seger to Em and Kid, that's quite a popular list. You can put it up against anyone.
The largest third-quarter deficit ever overcome to win a game was 21 when the Celtics trailed the Nets 74-53 on May 25, 2002. The Cs went on to win 94-90.
Considering that the Spurs deficit was 17, 74-57 and that the third quarter was the Spurs highest scoring with 21, it may not be in the cards tonight.
The raucous Palace crowd just gave Lindsey Hunter a standing ovation when he was taken out of the game. And why not? He's 6 for 7 from the field tonight.
The Palace fans are really into it. Lindsey Hunger had the ball on the right wing and he had four or five Pistons fans screaming in his ear to pull up from three in Parker's grille.
That, and they just showed a picture of Tim Duncan on TV. He had that far away look about him.
For the Global Fan Forum folks: Is Tim Duncan trying to do too much? I know the Spurs need him to be great to be successful, but it seems as if he's going against three guys every time he touches the ball. What do you think?
For a team whose success is often predicated on defense, the Pistons have shown they can run. They have 18 fastbreak points, often meeting little resistance in the paint when they reach it on the run. Haven't seen anything like it from them in The Finals up until now.
And at the last timeout, the Pistons dance team, Automotion danced to "Who Let the Dogs Out?" Did someone flip the calendar back to 2000?
In an interview with ABC just before the second half, Popovich said: "This is the worst performance he's ever seen from a Playoff team." Yikes.
The Pistons have a house band. They're pretty good. Two of them are wearing Darko Milicic jerseys: the keyboardist and the sax player.
Make of that what you will. I got nothing.
Want to know why the Pistons have a 51-36 lead at halftime?
With 16 assists and one turnover, they're taking care of the ball. You won't lose when you have that kind of assists to turnover ratio.
 Two Ben Wallace fans. (Martin Sumners/NBAE Images) |
Two cherubic fans, Charlie and Mindy from nearby Toledo, Michigan, don the fro. However, I don't think they have the same intimidating effect as Big Ben.
 The Defenders. (Martin Sumners/NBAE Images) |
As one would expect, there is plenty of Pistons paraphernalia at the Palace. Say that fast five times. The menacing faces of the Pistons' starting five on a black background can be intimidating. I think that's the point.
On the video board during time outs, the Pistons video crew show a celebrity, split the screen and then try to find someone in the crowd who likes like the celeb.
Tonight, they put Eva Longoria's picture on the board. There were plenty of boos. They found a couple fans who looked like Eva ... then, they found Eva. She was laughing. Good sport.
I know most people, when watching a basketball game, follow the ball. That's instinct. But take a moment if you will, to watch the fencing going on between guards Richard Hamilton and Bruce Bowen, on both ends of the floor. They are really going at it.
Bowen has no points and Hamiton has two at 5:57 in the second quarter.
The Bus, Jerome Bettis, is parked inside The Palace. So is Cavs guard LeBron James. And once again, Oscar-winner (yes Oscar-winner) Eminem is in the house, taunting the Spurs to call timeouts. Em has a red bandana. He looks like an extra from a kung fu movie.
Spurs fans, yikes! A 10-point Pistons lead already? Popovich is quick on the timeout trigger. The crowd's into it, the Spurs not so much. That's eight turnovers through 13 minutes of play. That's eight extra possessions for the Pistons. As we saw in Game 3, where the Spurs had 18 turnovers to Detroit's 11, you can't win like that.
By the way, Antonio McDyess. A difference maker? Who knew?
Here's one entry for the folks from NBA.com's Global Fan Forum who are visiting tonight. We should start calling the Spurs' "The Security Council" after the United Nations body of the same name, which also has five members. At the end of the first quarter, they had Tim Duncan (Virgin Islands), Beno Udrih (Slovenia), Manu Ginobili (Argentina) and Robert Horry and Nazr Mohammed from the U.S.
That's quite the international crew right there.
During that last timeout, they introduced the legends who are in the house. And it would have made an incredible starting five.
At point guard, Magic Johnson.
At shooting guard, Clyde Drexler.
At small forward, Dominique ('Nique, ''Nique, 'Nique) Wilkins.
At power forward, Bill Russell. Yeah, I know he played center, but this team has a center.
And at center, Bob "The Dobber" Lanier.
Yep, that's a good five right there.
Throw your thunder stix in the air and wave them around like you just don't ...
Anyway, The Palace is one of the few arenas where, when a player shoots a free throw, they see seats instead of corridor to the locker room. For Duncan's last free throw, the Thunder Stix were in full effect, though, I don't think that has much of an effect on Duncan, who's a barely above average free throw shooter anyway.
Popovich was anything but ramrod straight on that technical foul. He practically ran out to the paint.
Want to know what goes on in a two-time Finals MVP's head after a loss in The Finals? Let's take a look with our tour guide, Gregg Popovich.
Popovich: "I wish there was a machine that you could look into his head, and it would print out what's going through there. He just beats himself up. He blames himself. He gets disappointed in himself, and as the next game comes, his cup fills again and he comes with a renewed focus. I said nothing to him well, I did. I sat next to him and said, 'Do I need to say anything or do you already know what I'm going to say?'"
And he, (Duncan nodding). I said, 'It's been great talking to you.' And I went the other way. And that was our meeting."
Will flattery get you everywhere? Walking around The Palace, we witnessed the most craven attempt to get on camera in sometime.
A gentleman held a sign: "Cameramen are underpaid! Go Pistons!"
We'll see if that makes air.
I never noticed this before, because during the national anthem, which was handled ably tonight by "American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood, they often show players from the neck up. But Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who was an officer in the U.S. Air Force, stands ramrod straight. Doesn't move a muscle, like an officer would.
So, what do NBA champions eat before a big game. Well, if you're Rasheed Wallace, a plate of hot wings. If you're Darko Milicic, chicken nuggets. Careful, gents. You don't want barbecue sauce on the home whites.
NBA.com met with legendary Hall of Fame point guard Magic Johnson shortly before appearing on "Live at the Finals with Ahmad Rashad", filmed live on the baseline as the Spurs were in their layup lines.
You could say Magic knows a thing or two about The Finals; as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers he won five of them. Here's what he had to say about the big show:
Q: What do you think of the series thus far?
Johnson: "The series has been great. I think you've got two teams that enjoy and thrive on playing good defense. When they play good defense they usually get out on the break and run. They really utilize the fast break to their advantage. And then they also take advantage of turnovers. The team that has turned over the ball most has lost and the team that has taken advantage of those turnovers has won."
Q: How do you think Game 4 will unfold?
Johnson: "Tonight, you have to look at who gets to play their game first, who is the aggressor, who is the team that makes the other team turn the ball over. That's the team that usually wins."
Q: What's it like in the locker room after winning an NBA Championship?
Johnson: "Oh man, that's the greatest feeling in the world. You never want that feeling to stop because you know how great that is."
Q: Do you still remember the first time you won a title?
Johnson: "Oh yeah, you never forget that against Philadelphia. It was the greatest moment of my life, to win that game (series-clinching Game 6), especially without Kareem, was truly an amazing feat for us. To beat Philadelphia, Dr. J -- my hero -- was a great situation. We didn't know how to celebrate, with the champagne…
"That was my first NBA title. It was great. I really had a lot of fun."
 The Drummer Boys in their pre-game warmups. (Martin Sumners/NBAE Images) |
Man, these Detroit Drummer Boys are good. They're jamming along the baseline where the Pistons sit, and they already have people in the crowd screaming "Yeahhhhhhhh" and "Woooo!"
As for star power, we've seen a few celebrities roaming around The Palace tonight. NASCAR driver Dale Jarrett, and four of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players: Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, Clyde Drexler and David Robinson. We'll have a short Q&A with Magic in just a bit, so hang on for that.
Throughout Game 4, The Finals Blog will be making brief appearances in NBA.com's Global Fan Forum, where NBA fans from around the world can post their comments on tonight's game.
So, feel free to join in and comment about the blog. We'll try to post some of the best here in the blog during the game.
We're back from our little sojourn around The Palace to get a feel for what's going on here. When we were here before Tuesday's Game 3, one could sense the hesitancy of the Palace faithful. They still believed in their team, but being in a 2-0 hole didn't help the mood much.
But there's a different feel tonight, especially after the 15-point shellacking the Pistons provided Tuesday. It seems there's a greater sense of optimism and energy among the Pistons fans.
Speaking of energy, an 18-man drummer corps -- all wearing Ben Wallace No. 3 jerseys -- provided plenty of it as it roamed the councourse. (Decibel reading: More than likely through the roof.) With snares, bass and every other drum a marching band has, the Detroit Drummer Boys pounded their way around the Palace before parking themselves in the food court and giving the crowd a little boost. This was their third appearance at the Palace during the Pistons playoff run.
Also, much to the author's delight, he was able to snag a bratwurst (It's pronounced "braht-wurst, as in "Ah, that was good wurst.") for dinner. For this native Midwesterner who now lives on the East Coast, it was nice treat. Now, all we need is some frozen custard and we're set.
And finally, a good string of music here at the Palace: "Rapper's Delight," by the Sugar Hill Gang, "Get Down On It," by Kool and the Gang and then "Hollaback Girl," by Gwen Stefani.
 The 'Fro has his eyes on the blog. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images) |
We're back at The Palace of Auburn Hills for Game 4 of The Finals. Three hours before game time and there is a hum of activity, and that hum isn't just coming from the arc lights that ring the stadium and illuminate the 94x50 feet of hardwood.
The Pistons basketball operations crew tested the flamethrowers used during introductions. (They worked. The plume of smoke rises to the rafters on both ends of the floor and the retired number and division championship banners billow from the gust.)
In the center of the floor, a pair of acrobats climb around on a set of risers. I have no idea what they're doing, but it looks as if the gentleman want to make sure the risers are stable. Don't want to fall three feet onto the court (or nine if you're the woman who stood on his shoulders. Yikes!)
And finally, a lot of Detroit and San Antonio newscasters are doing their reports from the Palace floor.
But what about the .com crew? They're out and about collecting the sound bites and sights of The Finals here at the Palace. We'll have some reports for you in a bit.
 Woohoo! A win! (Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty Images) |
Before Game 1, we noted that the Pistons will go as far as their guards can take them. In Games 1 and 2, it wasn't very far.
But in Game 3, Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups finally had a combined effort that the Pistons and their fans expected from them. Detroit's backcourt combined for 44 points, 26 in the second half, to power the Pistons to a 17-point win in Game 3.
And despite our descriptive title, we can't discount the vital contribution from the Pistons front court. Ben Wallace got the Pistons party started, and he got it started quickly with a steal, a dunk and a free throw to complete the three-point play. Then, it was -- What? Who? -- Antonio McDyess who finished it off. It was a performance the Pistons expected from themselves and they were thrilled not only to get a win, but to do so in front of the Palace faithful.
"We needed to do something. We had a sellout crowd here waiting to cheer for something," Wallace said. "We knew we had to come out early and give them something to cheer for and get them excited, and also get everybody else motivated and ready to play.
"Once we got the crowd into it, we were able to play off of them." And compared to the SBC Center crowd, The Palace fans held their own. While no measurement on our decibel meter reached the unofficial Finals record of 114 dB at SBC in Game 2 for Tim Duncan's introduction, the Palace did reach 110 dB on more