Friday, May 25, 2007

"Groundhog Day"? Naah -- Just An Alternate Ending

Pistons coach Flip Saunders called it "Groundhog Day," referring to the movie where Bill Murray relives the same day over and over again. Saunders thought the comparison apt as he described the eery similarities of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, which his team won, 79-76 -- and Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, which his team won, 79-76.

Nice try, Flip -- but I prefer to think of the two games as being similar to a movie's DVD that has special features, including an alternate ending.

You didn't like the ending of Game 1, when Cleveland's LeBron James passed the ball to Donyell Marshall for a potential game-winning three-pointer? Well, check out last night's alternate ending -- the one where James keeps the ball (Marshall was still lurking in the corner, a la Game 1) instead of kicking it out.

Happily for the Pistons, both endings resulted in them riding off into the sunset.

Now as for Cavaliers' coach Mike Brown blowing out an aorta after the no-call on James during his final move to the basket: chill -- there was no foul. I'm serious. I tried to find one, believe me. But the contact that occurred was nothing more than the usual incidental stuff that happens in an NBA playoff game in the paint. Now having said that, it might have been a foul in Cleveland -- but it would have been the wrong call. Brown's real outrage should be at Larry Hughes, who found a gift laid at his feet when Rasheed Wallace couldn't corral the rebound of James's shot, leaving Hughes with a wide-open 12-footer. His shot wasn't even close to going in.

Now a word about Wallace. It was so cathartic to hear what he said about Cleveland's Anderson Varejao's flopping. The most egregious of these unwarranted collapses onto the floor came late, when Wallace grabbed a pass and made a rather wild, turnaround jumper that put the Pistons up, 77-76. As Wallace took the pass, Varejao flew to the floor as if he'd stepped on a land mine.

After the game, Wallace bristled when it was suggested that he was having "battles" with Varejao up and down the court.

"That kid is too young to be having battles," Sheed said. "That flopping isn't playing defense. The league should make that flopping a technical foul next season. They've done a lot to give me technical fouls. I'm just glad we had veteran officials who could [recognize the flopping.]"

Hear, hear!

Of course, Brown had a hissy fit over that Wallace play/shot, and it happened right in front of him. So if he got that one wrong -- which he did -- then no wonder he was wrong about the LeBron no-call, which was some 70 feet away from him.

There has been the usual hand-wringing about the Pistons after these first two games against Cleveland. But unlike so many other occasions, this time the hand-wringing might be warranted. You could even say the Pistons hold a 2-0 lead yet trail the series.

"First one to 80 is going to win, it looks like," Saunders said.

Let's hope the Pistons don't find another alternate ending on that DVD. Time to rent another movie.

May I suggest "Waiting to Exhale"?

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