That’s not McDyess.

Not this McDyess, anyway – the bold and demonstrative team leader that carried Detroit to a Game 4 victory in the Eastern Conference finals, first spiritually then with a season-high 21 points and 16 rebounds.

No, that was a man who played like he has everything to lose. And the way he sees it, he does.

As a professional athlete, to know your last best chance to win a championship is slipping away can be a powerful realization. And in these 2008 playoffs, the usually calm, composed McDyess has spoken out. His message?

No excuses. He’s “fed up with excuses.”

“Since I’ve been here we kind of have had excuses why we haven’t won another championship since I’ve been here, and I feel that, you know, if I don’t say nothing vocally that we would have an excuse this year,” he said. “I don’t want us to have no excuse.”

For the third time in as many playoff rounds, McDyess has prevented the Pistons from suffering a potentially playoff-derailing loss.

Having already dropped the playoff opener to Philadelphia, McDyess shot 8-for-14 from the floor for 16 points in Game 2. The Pistons get the split at home and win the series in six.

Faced with the possibility of a Game 6 in Orlando, McDyess scores 11 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter of Game 5. The Pistons clinch the series at home.

To avoid their deepest hole yet – 3-1 – against the East’s No. 1 seed, McDyess took command of the Pistons offense out of the gate in Game 4. On three jumpers and a tip-in, McDyess scored eight of Detroit’s first 10 points. Boston had yet to score.

“We definitely came out and started the game better than we did last game,” he said. “I felt with me trying to get open shots, knocking down shots and getting that energy going, the team will feed off it.”

McDyess finished with 14 shot attempts, making eight. The only other times he has had at least 14 shots were Game 2 against Philly and Game 5 against Orlando. The Pistons won all three. Curiously, the Pistons’ most impressive wins seem to come when the last scoring option in the starting lineup takes a significant number of shots.

“That means we’re moving the ball and finding him,” Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. “Our offense is playing strong side to weak side. His guy might be leaving to help out a lot. If his guy leaves to help out, he’s open and our guys are making the extra pass. So when he’s getting a lot of shots and he’s scoring, that means as an offense … we’re in a pretty good rhythm.”

Had the Pistons lost Game 4 and fallen into a 3-1 hole going back to Boston, McDyess’ chances of winning his first NBA championship essentially would have been over.

But no Piston has faced “over” like McDyess, who contemplated retirement five years ago, overwhelmed at the idea of not only returning from a third traumatic knee injury but redefining his style of play.

“I don’t think no one can sit here and understand where I’m coming from when I felt how I felt at that part of my career, when I felt like it was over,” he said. “I was laying in the bed thinking, ‘Hey, this is going to be it.’ And now I’ve just reinvented myself, coming to this team.

Joe (Dumars) gave me an opportunity and I feel I’ve been blessed, and the opportunity has just been great for me. I just try to take full advantage of every second.”

That attitude manifested itself late in the third quarter. When he tipped a long Tayshaun Prince miss toward Chauncey Billups, he clapped his hands and barked for the ball back. Billups obeyed, and McDyess drained a 20-footer for an 11-point lead.

The Celtics missed their next two shots, and he rebounded them both. When he nearly turned it over at the other end, he scrapped to retain possession, drawing a jump ball against 6-foot-11 Kevin Garnett.

McDyess, 6-foot-9, won it.

He seemed to touch ball every time it went airborne – securing seven rebounds but tapping the ball to teammates for countless more. None were more critical than when he knocked a Rajon Rondo missed layup to Rasheed Wallace with less than four minutes left. Detroit was ahead by only five. The Celtics would never be that close again, as Wallace made two free throws on the ensuing possession to go ahead 80-73.

“He’s been the X factor for them in a lot of ways,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “He’s made a lot of big shots for them. He’s very comfortable right now and we’ve got to get him out of his comfort zone.”

That might not be possible anymore. For a man who has grown accustomed to pulling his team back from the brink, it’s hard to say where McDyess can’t find the right touch. Though he rarely insists upon making his voice heard, McDyess addressed teammates at Sunday’s film session with his “no excuses” mission statement .

“I’ve never seen him with the emotion he has. He’s making shots and pump fisting. It’s like he’s got a new personality,” Saunders said. “He’s definitely hungry, I know that. He has just been huge for us and basically carrying us.”

He carried the Pistons in Game 4, and delivered a Memorial Day performance to be remembered.