After the Pistons' win here, Chauncey Billups said he hoped the Celtics wouldn't lose another game until the next Boston-Detroit meeting, the easier for the Pistons to fly under the radar, which is their preferred altitude. But it's impossible to ignore Detroit anymore, not that you ever could. The Pistons have won 26 games - only two fewer than the Celtics - and they are 13-2 at The Palace, where their average victory margin exceeds 15 points.
"I've always said that when we sit and talk about teams that are going to challenge us, and are going to be challenging, I feel that Detroit is one of those teams," Kevin Garnett said after last night's game. "I feel if we're going to be of any substance, we're going to have to beat teams like this. It's a measuring stick for our team."
That's pretty much the same line of thinking offered by that well-known philosopher Rasheed Wallace. Earlier in the week, the Pistons forward said, "For them, it's a big game to try and test their team." Last night, after the Pistons' win, he added, "It's going to be the same game it was last time. It's two good teams that know each other pretty well. It ain't like either of us is going to break anything new."
In that both teams played last night and had to travel, neither has the advantage. In December, each team had two days off prior to the game. In all likelihood, another 87-85 game is probably in the offing, given that the Celtics (1) and Pistons (2) stand at the top of the list for best defensive units in the league.
The game is a hot sell in Auburn Hills, even though the Pistons routinely sell out The Palace. (Their last non-sellout was in 2003-04; they've banged out the joint 200 straight times.) On Stubhub.com, the ticket buying website, a seat in a lower-level suite was going for $3,530. (Let's hope the food and beverages are good.) The most expensive lower-bowl seat was being sold for $589 and a seat in the nosebleed section was being offered for a comparatively reasonable $115.
