There's nothing that brings Michiganians together like Detroit Pistons basketball. In the hot, sticky nights of the postseason, casual fans join the base of hard-core super fans at The Palace of Auburn Hills or on couches and bar stools around the state. The atmosphere becomes electric. Sure, the economy is going down the tubes, but the Pistons give us something to be proud of.
They aren't superstars, just a group of talented, hard workers who know how to play as a team. That's why it's so easy to look up to them. There's no Kobe Bryant, no Dwyane Wade, no Allen Iverson, no Shaquille O'Neal or anybody else who racks up 30 points a game. Everybody shares the effort.
Chauncey Billups hits crazy 3-pointers from downtown, penetrates into the paint but spreads the offense out. Rasheed Wallace can shoot just as well as he can block and is one of the best trash talkers in the league. Ben Wallace is a fro-wearing, rebounding machine. Tayshaun Prince makes amazing blocks and is good all around. Rip Hamilton runs marathons on the court and drains mid-range shots like Drano. And that's just the start - the players on the bench are talented as well. The Pistons are a model for teamwork.
Still, nobody ever said they're polite. Even before winning the championship last year, there was talk of the 2004 Pistons being the new Bad Boys, harkening back to the days of the original Bad Boys, who won championships in 1989 and 1990. If the Pistons win this year, their status as the baddest, loudest team in the NBA will be official.
The Pistons defense says it all. During the NBA Finals last year, they shut down Shaq, the biggest man in the NBA. In Game 7 of the 2005 Pistons-Heat series, Ben Wallace did it again. The Bad Boys play a hard-nosed style of basketball in which shots don't come easy for the opponent.
Plus, the Pistons put their money where their mouth is - and they talk a lot.
Rasheed Wallace once said of the referees, "A lot of them cats are felonious, man." In another game, Rip Hamilton slapped the ball away just to shout in the referee's face.
Moreover, the Pistons are good for Detroit. Regardless of the melee last winter at The Palace between Ron Artest and various fans, the Pistons give Michiganians something to be proud of. True, The Palace isn't in Detroit, but the Pistons remain there in spirit. When the team wins championships, the parade goes through downtown, giving a bit of hope to a beleaguered city.
Here in East Lansing, it's good to be able to watch basketball without worrying about how to get home without being teargassed. We look forward to the Finals - Tony Parker and Tim Duncan don't have anything on our boys. Go Pistons!
