By Ric Bucher
ESPN the Magazine

The good people of Portland don't deserve the double-whammy of watching ex-Blazers Bonzi Wells and Rasheed Wallace celebrate triumphant returns to the Rose Garden on back-to-back nights.




If it's any consolation, they shouldn't have to worry about 'Sheed being fitted for a championship ring anytime soon.


The Detroit Pistons have the goods to make it to this year's Finals and, depending upon who they meet there, a chance to win it all. Granted, I'd put the Pacers, Nets, Kings, Lakers, Spurs and Timberwolves in that same category, but Detroit is the hot flavor because no one put them in that category before the Pistons acquired Rasheed in a three-way trade with Atlanta and Boston two weeks ago. That gave the Pistons the one piece they were missing -- a bona fide low-post presence at both ends of the floor. Wallace can defend far better than Mehmet Okur and draw double-teams that no right-thinking coach would send at Ben Wallace.


Key word in the preceding paragraph: goods. As in a package you might find in a store that doesn't really have any value until you take it down off the shelf and unwrap it. Which, based on preliminary reports out of Detroit, Rasheed doesn't plan to do with his marvelous low-post game.


I'll be honest -- I haven't seen a lot of the Pistons since they acquired 'Sheed. I figured I'd give them a little bit of time to gel before dissecting the success of general manager Joe Dumars' latest gambit. But having been asked to write about them to preview Sheed's first appearance in Portland as a visitor since being shipped out Feb. 9, I've done what I can to assess if switching from two teams headed for the lottery to one looking to go deep in the playoffs has had an impact on Wallace's predilection with launching jumpers, a task far less taxing than grinding for points around the basket.


Conclusion: Coach Larry Brown has indeed coaxed Wallace into spending more time around the rim, in part by making him the starting center. 'Sheed, so far, is getting to the free-throw line more and blocking a few more shots. Yeah, he's still the only center outside of Dallas who would hoist 11 3-pointers in the span of two games on back-to-back nights, but 'Sheed is not the type you want going cold turkey with anything.


Let me say I never had a problem with 'Sheed working from the perimeter for the Blazers when they had Arvydas Sabonis and Dale Davis and Shawn Kemp. While 'Sheed was better down low than all three as a scorer, Sabonis is a far better passer on the block, Kemp left no room for anyone else on the block and I watched Davis lose a 15-foot jump shot contest to coach Maurice Cheeks just the other day.


But in Detroit, Wallace's low-post ability is exactly what would put the Pistons over the top and it appears all that time jacking it from outside has taken its toll. Wallace struggled to get shots off inside against both Andrei Kirilenko and Elton Brand, which presumably prompted the drift beyond the arc.


Over the top, subsequently, has turned into Brown going over the edge. Aside from openly mocking No. 2 pick Darko Milicic all season, he's also picked fights with Chauncey Billups, Okur and now Tayshaun Prince. I'm not saying it's some sort of misdirected anger fueled by Wallace denying him the sugar; I'm just saying Brown has been a season-long grouch and it'll be a miracle if he doesn't add Rasheed to his list before it's all over.


Or maybe I'm the knucklehead for even thinking 'Sheed could shift gears at this point of the season. Dominating the paint requires time in the weight room and unbridled hunger and 'Sheed hasn't expended either in a while. After all, word remains that he's bound via free agency for the Knicks next season. So why should he get in shape or do the dirty work for a franchise that isn't in his long-term plans? I guess maybe I thought that rousing welcome the Motor City fans gave him might change all that, igniting a desire to repay such unconditional love.


Then again, he got that for quite some time in Portland, and Blazers fans are sure to let the world -- and 'Sheed -- know how they feel about what they got in return.

Ric Bucher covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine. Also, click here to send Ric a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.

Detroit looks great on paper but I don't know if their backcourt of Billups & Hamilton can win a championhip unless they had Duncan/Shaq/KG on the front court. Ben & Sheed are good but neither is as good as J'neal.

All I have to say about Sheed since coming over to the Pistons is the amount of shots he blocks. Just look up the box scores, he goes block for block with Wallace. That is pretty damn amazing. As for posting up, its hard to do with no shooters around you, teams will just collapse. The only guy close to a shooter on the Pistons is Billups, and he is shooting under 40% if I'm not mistaken, which makes more of a chucker rather then a shooter.

Okay, I watched the game last night. Here's my take on Sheed. This guy has unbelievable basketball talent. He's probably the most athletic player in the Eastern Conference (maybe tied with T-mac).

He blocks shots really well. He has a great shot.

He seems (a little) soft. He's missing the intensity. He doesnt seem to like to bang down low, but finesse's it up. He got scored on a bit by Randolph who is shorter and has less lift than Sheed.

I dont know about this post game that every says sheed has. He really plays often facing the basket, even in the post.

But low post scoring is good no matter what. How many times do our low post guys shoot 15 footers? How about all the time... Sheed can play around the basket, which is good.

I think Detroit can win the Championship. Why not?

Their starting backcourt is solid, but not deep. Billups and Hamilton? Real Solid. Billups is tough and Hamilton knows how to shoot and win big games. Remember UConn Championship? He won that pretty much alone. On jumpshots. Tayshaun Prince is decent, but they are deep at SF. Corliss. Sheed can play three. They are loaded there. Wallace can score a bit and has intensity you want to put in against the other team's best low post player (Shaq, Webber, Tim D). Memo O and Elden are underrated at Center.

Furthermore, I think that Sheed is better than Jermaine O'neal, at least talentwise. Watch Sheed play and watch JO. JO cant drill treys, block shots and move like Sheed.

Next year, if Sheed came to NYK, and Marbury could get Sheed to play with more fire and focus, we'd be the best team in the EC. That's a lot of ifs though.

I watched Rasheed play in the game against the nets on
"YES NETWORK", dude had a nice back to the basket post up game. Turn around jumper was sweet like J. MASHBURNS. nOBODY ON newjersey could stop it.

All I have to say about Sheed since coming over to the Pistons is the amount of shots he blocks. Just look up the box scores, he goes block for block with Wallace.

Okay, I watched the game last night. Here's my take on Sheed. This guy has unbelievable basketball talent. He's probably the most athletic player in the Eastern Conference (maybe tied with T-mac).

I watched Rasheed play in the game against the nets on
"YES NETWORK", dude had a nice back to the basket post up game. Turn around jumper was sweet like J. MASHBURNS. nOBODY ON newjersey could stop it.

So who didn't want Rasheed to come to NY before? I just remember his earlier days in Portland, dude is amazing and worth it EVEN for a headcase. And no J. O'Neal is not better then Sheed, maybe in about 4 years he might be. Rasheed is one of the few elite players that can score AT WILL when he wants to. With him on the Knicks a CHAMPIONSHIP is VERY possible and that's why I been hoping and praying for him to land here.

Shareef is all stats unlike Sheed and J'neal.

Under first-year coach Larry Brown, the Detroit Pistons are playing record-setting defense.

Rasheed Wallace scored 18 points and the Pistons became the first team since the shot clock was implemented in 1954-55 to hold three consecutive opponents under 70 points with an 86-65 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics on Sunday night.

The Sonics' 65 points tied the franchise low set in a 78-65 loss to the Clippers in Los Angeles on Nov. 18, 1990. The Sonics also tied a franchise record by attempting just 59 field goals.

``This is mind boggling,'' Brown said. ``The idea coming out here (to the West) late in the season with everybody that we're playing is fighting for the playoffs. It was good, real good.''

The Pistons completely frustrated the Sonics, coach Nate McMillan said.

``That's a good defensive team,'' McMillan said. ``They know how they can disrupt you and take you completely out of your offense. They got up on us from the start.''

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Ben Wallace had 12 points and 13 rebounds as the Pistons won for the seventh time in eight games. They're 7-3 since acquiring Rasheed Wallace in a trade with Atlanta.

Tayshaun Prince scored 14 points for the defensive-minded Pistons, who won 97-66 at Denver and 83-68 in Portland in their two previous games.

Lindsey Hunter had six steals for the Pistons and the Sonics committed 20 turnovers. They're 0-5 in games in which they've committed 20 or more turnovers this season.

``Defensively, we really got after it,'' Hunter said. ``Defensively, I don't remember being this good down a stretch in a long time.''

The Sonics fell to 0-4 in March and 2-9 since the All-Star break to drop nine games under .500. Rashard Lewis, who had 33 points in Seattle's victory at Detroit in December, led the Sonics with 16.

``You guys all saw it,'' Lewis said. ``I'm trying to figure it out myself.''

The Sonics played without Ray Allen, who was sent home with the flu. They missed the four-time All-Star, shooting just 39 percent (23-for-59).


AP - Mar 7, 11:51 pm EST
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Hunter insisted Wallace has been the key for the Pistons' success.

``I think the biggest part of it is we're playing together through Rasheed,'' he said. ``We're trying to let the ball go inside-out and as you know that makes a big difference.''

Ben Wallace added: ``Rasheed is helping everybody out. He's doing so many things on both ends of the floor. I really didn't realize until he got here how talented he is.''

Brown felt so confident about the outcome that he put little-used rookie Darko Milicic in with 3:49 left and the Pistons in front 81-59.

The Pistons put the Sonics away early in the third quarter by making the first three baskets, including a 3-pointer by Chauncey Billups. Rasheed Wallace wowed the fans with a one-handed dunk to give Detroit a 58-33 lead 3:09 into the second half.

Seattle scored just two baskets in the final 7:49 of the first half as the Pistons outscored the Sonics 16-4, including nine unanswered points to end the second quarter, for a 51-33 halftime lead.

The crowd showed its displeasure by booing loudly when a pass from Ansu Sesay sailed high over Ronald Murray's head and out of bounds with 53.8 seconds left.

On consecutive plays in the second period, Lindsey Hunter stole the ball from Murray, who started in place of Allen.

In the first quarter, the Pistons limited the Sonics to 13 points on5-for-13 shooting.

People say he wouldn't have made more of an impact if he was a knick than Marbury, I beg to differ. This guy does it all! Pistons are 7-3 with him. There aren't 5 players in the league who does what he does. reb, blks ,pts, 3pt shooting ,defense(ask tim duncan) this is why if they go to finals he won't be coming to NY. Marbury would have still been in phoenix at trading deadline. Neva, I say Neva, pass over a shot blocking, rim wrecking 3pt shooting, defensive stopping big man from North Carolina name Rasheed Wallace for an allstar lil man pg. Half court game(Wallace-Marbury) in Playoffs will tell it all. My opinion don't pee ya pants.

The Piston would not be a threat to win the east or NBA finals without sheed cmon man. Last yr they couldn't score in the post now they can, half court game and defense wins in playoffs. sHEED BRINGS ALL THAT TO THE PISTONS , B. Wallace wasn't a threat in post on offense drawing double teams.

Posted by Andrew:

Posted by playa2:

The Piston would not be a threat to win the east or NBA finals without sheed cmon man. Last yr they couldn't score in the post now they can, half court game and defense wins in playoffs. sHEED BRINGS ALL THAT TO THE PISTONS , B. Wallace wasn't a threat in post on offense drawing double teams.

Why couldn't the Piston's win the East without Sheed? If your theory holds true (half court and defense is ONLY what gets it done in the playoffs) then the Nets had no business being in the finals the past 2 years. I agree that a low post threat makes them better but you can't say they wouldn't have been successfull in the playoffs, or had the possibility to win the East.

#1 Andrew, Pistons could always play a lil defense but they couldn't outscore the better teams in playoffs because of their one dimesion perimitter half court offense. The NJ nets won because they could just out run teams in the east(with kidd) because of the lack of talented big men they would oppose on other teams. The other teams were to young to compete under pressure(Indiana under Zeke)) Orlando(lack of talent).

Since when did Sheed become a real low post presence?