Rip Hamilton helped hand Indiana their first defeat at Consececo Fieldhouse, scoring a career playoff high on 12-of-22 shooting, including one three-pointer.
"Tonight we just wanted to come out and hit first," Hamilton said. "We wanted to come out and not get down and get on top early. I think it was all mental from the last game. We had an opportunity to make some ground up last game and we came out relaxed and we ended up playing a way that we're not used to play. Tonight we said we'd play together at both ends of the floor. Move the ball side-to-side and make plays. Both teams are great defensive teams and do a great job of zoning up. When I was in Washington coach Doug Collins said, 'If you keep moving nobody can guard that.' "
If the Pistons win Game 6 on Tuesday in Detroit, they will advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since the 1989-90 season when they won their second championship.
Via Detroit Free Press
Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers
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The head coaches of each of the Eastern Conference finals teams are taking some verbal shots and the exchange is getting a bit sharper.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle told his team before Game 4 that all the pressure was on the Pistons in the series because they had made it to the Eastern Conference finals last season and that their season could only be a success by advancing to the NBA Finals.
Pistons coach Larry Brown didn’t like the comments and responded this way: “I would hope that both teams are looking to go to the Finals. That team is pretty good. They had the best record in the league. So you mean with the best record in the league, you're supposed to lose?”
“Now we're playing the team with the best record in the league and we're supposed to win?” Brown continued. “Maybe that's the way he feels. Maybe he doesn't expect them to win.”
In response to these statements, Carlisle said: “Right now, I don't feel like the pressure is on us at all. I think most of the national media has written us off in this series.”
Via Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons
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If the Orlando Magic do not improve - and quickly - look for McGrady to be requesting a transfer out West by mid-July.
While this doesn't leave the Magic with much time, the pressure on the team has intesified with their star forward voicing concerns that their recently acquired first overall pick cannot land a player good enough to improve the team dramatically and that he'd prefer the team trade the pick.
"I don't want to be here rebuilding," McGrady said.
Contrary to reports of McGrady jumping ship to either San Antonio or the Lakers he lists the Houston Rockets as the front runners to acquire his services should he leave, with Indiana and Detroit both possibilities in the East.
"I don't want to go there," McGrady said of the Spurs and Lakers. "I don't want to go somewhere where everything's already in place. That would be too easy. I want a challenge."
Via Orlando Sentinel
Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons
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Pistons May 2004 Archive
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ESPN | May 29, 2004
Larry Brown was outcoached and Austin Croshere made the Pistons pay.
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The Detroit News | May 28, 2004
It would be difficult to imagine the Pacers getting back up from the mat to win three straight games, so the Pistons must knocking their opponent down with a Game 4 win tonight at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
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The Detroit News | May 28, 2004
Despite trailing 2-1 and having history against them, the Pacers expressed calm and resolve on Thursday after practice.
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The Detroit News | May 28, 2004
Rasheed Wallace will be one of the top free agents after the season ends and Thursday he indicated that he may be leaning toward remaining a Piston.
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New York Times | May 28, 2004
The Los Angeles Lakers moved to the brink of returning to the NBA Finals with a 92-85 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the teams’ best-of-seven Western Conference Finals series.
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The Detroit News | May 28, 2004
The Pacers guards will have to do something to neutralize Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton, whose play has been the motor that makes the Pistons go in the Eastern Conference Finals.
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Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel | May 27, 2004
Milwaukee Bucks' star guard Michael Redd may be considered for a spot with Team USA basketball.
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New York Times | May 27, 2004
In another game of poor shooting, the Detroit Pistons beat the Indiana Pacers Wednesday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills, 85-78, to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals.
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Indianapolis Star | May 26, 2004
Ron Artest was fined $10,000 by the NBA league office for an obscene gesture he made during Monday's playoff loss to Detroit.
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New York Daily News | May 26, 2004
Robert Parish is not impressed with Rasheed's Wallace bravado, nor the quality of his play for that matter.
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New York Post | May 25, 2004
Mehmet Okur wants to remain in Detroit but the 7-foot restricted free agent had a lot of good things to say about New York.
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Detroit Free Press | May 25, 2004
Rasheed Wallace never guaranteed that he’d be the best player on the court in the Pistons’ Game 2 victory.
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NBA.com | May 25, 2004
In one of the best defensive efforts in the history of NBA playoff basketball, the Detroit Pistons beat the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, 72-67.
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Detroit Free Press | May 24, 2004
Rasheed Wallace was mobbed by reporters who wanted to hear more from the star power forward.
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New York Times | May 23, 2004
Each time the Pistons win a big game and Rasheed Wallace walks to the sidelines with a grin on his face, the Knicks’ chances of signing the premier free-agent big man in the off-season diminish a little bit more.
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Detroit Free Press | May 23, 2004
Perry A.
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Detroit Free Press | May 22, 2004
The Pacers have nothing but love for their coach Rick Carlisle and are dumbfounded to the reasons why he was fired from Detroit.
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NY Post | May 21, 2004
Marc Berman reports that while Detroit GM Joe Dumars has been emphatic about re-signing Rasheed Wallace, Mehmet Okur's status is unclear.
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Larry Lage of the Associated Press | May 20, 2004
Detroit's rout ended New Jersey's reign in the Eastern Conference.
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The Detroit News | May 20, 2004
Richard Jefferson said it was “overrated” that the Nets have never played in a Game 7 before as a unit.
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The Detroit News | May 20, 2004
Chris McCosky gives his four keys to the Pistons pulling out the Game 7 win over the Nets and advancing to the Eastern Conference finals:
1) Contain Richard Jefferson.
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Perry A. Farrell of the Detroit Free Press | May 20, 2004
Larry Brown would love to have Rasheed Wallace back next season.
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Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press | May 20, 2004
Today, on one of the biggest days of his professional life, Pistons president Joe Dumars will get a haircut.
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East Valley Tribune | May 19, 2004
Bill Duffy, the agent for free-agent Steve Nash, said that his client would consider signing with the Suns, which drafted him in 1996.
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New York Daily News | May 19, 2004
Ohm Youngmisuk says that Jason Kidd, though perhaps worn out and suffering from soreness and fatigue, will be the key to the Nets’ chances of going into the road team’s building and doing something that historically has proven very difficult: Winning Game 7 away.
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Journal News | May 18, 2004
An enthusiastic Knicks fan with nothing better to do stretched and strained to get in Rasheed Wallace's ear.
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NY Daily News | May 18, 2004
After six games, including one that went to three overtimes, the Nets and Pistons need three days off so they can be at their best for Game 7, NBA commissioner David Stern said yesterday.
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The Detroit News | May 18, 2004
In the history of NBA Game 7’s, the home team has won 71 of 86 games.
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New York Daily News | May 18, 2004
People talk about the Nets missing a great big man or a steady shooter, but for now, all they need is a good backup point guard who can relieve Jason Kidd and take some pressure off the tiring superstar.
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The Detroit News | May 18, 2004
Pistons rookie Darko Milicic is trying to learn and to get better so he can play next year.
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The Detroit News | May 18, 2004
Rasheed Wallace is finally winning praise for his courage and his grit.
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New York Post | May 18, 2004
On Thursday night, the Nets will have their franchise’s first-ever Game 7 in the NBA playoffs.
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Detroit Free Press | May 18, 2004
Richard "Rip" Hamilton is getting better and his all-around game has improved considerably.
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NBA.com | May 17, 2004
The Detroit Pistons went into the Meadowlands and pulled out the victory with their backs against the wall.
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The Detroit News | May 16, 2004
Rasheed Wallace is limping and Chauncey Billups is uncertain.
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New York Times | May 13, 2004
The Nets tied their best-of-seven series with the Pistons in Game 4 and they did it with chaos.
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Detroit Free Press | May 13, 2004
Kenyon Martin is the latest NBA star who will not participate in the Olympic games this summer.
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ESPN | May 13, 2004
The league fined Detroit Pistons coach Larry Brown $7,500 Wednesday for criticizing the officials after Monday’s Game 3 loss in New Jersey.
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Newsday | May 12, 2004
Rasheed Wallace hasn’t been ejected from a game since becoming a Piston.
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New York Daily News | May 11, 2004
Martin and the Nets look to even the series tonight.
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Chris McCosky of the Detroit News | May 11, 2004
Rasheed Wallace can’t win.
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Chris McCosky of the Detroit News | May 11, 2004
It’s not that Tayshaun Prince is suddenly invisible.
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Rob Parker of the Detroit News | May 11, 2004
The moment of truth has arrived for the Pistons.
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New York Post | May 10, 2004
Tensions between Pistons head coach Larry Brown and Nets president Rod Thorn were on display last night.
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Detroit News | May 10, 2004
With Jason Kidd struggling and Kenyon Martin limited by foul trouble, the New Jersey Nets needed a huge effort from Richard Jefferson to be a chance in Game 3 against the Pistons, and he didn't disappoint.
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Detroit News | May 10, 2004
The Detroit Pistons thrive on being a physical, defensive oriented team yet in Game 3 against the New Jersey Nets they were not allowed to play their style according to point guard Chaucey Billups.
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Chris McCosky of the Detroit News reports | May 10, 2004
Pistons Coach Larry Brown, despite the impression the New York Daily News gave readers Sunday, isn't leaving Detroit for a job with the Knicks.
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Chris McCosky of the Detroit News reports: | May 10, 2004
The Pistons came into Continental Airlines Arena on Sunday looking to deliver a knockout blow to the staggering Nets, but ended up taking one on the chin themselves.
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Doug Smith of the Toronto Star | May 7, 2004
It appears the Toronto Raptors are no closer to naming a general manager then they were back on April 1 when they fired Glen Grunwald.
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Detroit News | May 5, 2004
Every team in the NBA would love to have Carmelo Anthony on their roster if they had the opportunity, right? It seems logical after seeing what he was able to accomplish with the Denver Nuggets in his debut season, going head to head with the already well-publicised Lebron James all season which for Carmelo extended into the playoffs, rare territory for the Nuggets in recent times.
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New York Post | May 4, 2004
If the masterful defensive display shown by Detroit was any indication of the remaining games of the series, the New Jersey Nets have a painful ride ahead.
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New York Post | May 3, 2004
Hurt in last years playoffs, Pistons guard Chauncey Billups is taking his rematch opportunity with Nets guard Jason Kidd seriously.
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New York Times | May 2, 2004
The Pistons-Nets series figures to be one of the most intriguing of these playoffs, facing off the NBA's best defense against arguably the NBA's best playmaker.
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New York Times | May 1, 2004
Portland Trail Blazers GM John Nash perhaps knows forwards Kenyon Martin and Rasheed Wallace better than most.
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