Sheed Shines As Pistons Grind Spurs 90-80

As we watched the Detroit Pistons fade into the sunset last NBA Post Season losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals one image obscured all the others. That was Rasheed Wallace melting down in game six the game that Detroit was eliminated in. Immediately the talk from NBA observers was that Wallace was gone, there was no way that Pistons President Joe Dumars, or Detroit head coach Flip Saunders could excuse his implosion. Wallace caused himself to be ejected from the game costing Detroit any slim hope they had to extend the series to seven games. But Saunders and Wallace had a sit down during the off-season, and Saunders told Wallace what was expected of him from the team. So far this season Wallace has been the good soldier causing no controversy, Thursday night he was also the Detroit star of the game. Sheed had a double-double as he scored 23 points and grabbed 15 rebounds leading Detroit to a win over the San Antonio Spurs 90-80. The win snapped a two game losing streak for the Pistons, they lost to Boston, and then a hangover loss to Dallas Wednesday.

Detroit came out sizzling in the first quarter as the Spurs looked rather dazed and confused. The Pistons led 30-15 at the end of the first quarter and maintained the margin at the half as they led 54-39. San Antonio was able to cut the lead to single digits by the end of the third, but Detroit was able to hold on in the final quarter for the win.

Wallace shot 9-15 from the floor including 1 trey, 4-4 at the line for his 23 points, along with his 15 rebounds, he had 3 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks. Richard Hamilton had 18 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, Tayshaun Prince had 17 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal. Chauncey Billups had 13 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, and a game high 4 steals.

Tim Duncan also had a double-double for San Antonio, shooting 8-16 from the floor 8-9 from the line for a game high 24 points, 15 boards, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block. Tony Parker scored 12 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, Jacque Vaughn was the only other Spurs player in double figures, coming off the bench scoring 10 points, 3 assists. Detroit is now 27-9, San Antonio drops to 23-11.