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Stephanie McCombs, Columnist

Real Talk
By Stephanie McCombs
[email protected]
Columnist


Pistons got game this year

They are known for their stylish offense, incredible defense and the ability to play as one. Who am I referring to? None other than the Detroit Pistons.

I�ve never been a Pistons fan, but as the years have passed, I�ve noticed they are different from any other team. They don�t have just one player that they turn to, nor do they lack confidence in each other. The Pistons play together, and that�s why they are considered if not the best team in the NBA, one of the best.

Ben �Big Ben� Wallace and Rasheed Wallace are down low, while long arm Tayshaun Prince, Chauncey Billups and Richard �Rip� Hamilton are up top. These guys set the tone for the team, and they do a great job. I love watching them play. They�re very unselfish with the ball, unlike Kobe Bryant. And they know how to set up plays for one another.

Having a starting five like this squad has, has to be a dream come true.

Then they have people like Lindsey Hunter, Antonio McDyess, Dale Davis, Kelvin Cato and Tony Delk that come in off the bench and pick up where they left off. The Pistons have a great team, and they know how to use their talent. You can�t handpick their main go-to guy because there really isn�t one. They have confidence in one another.

My brother said, �Oh yea, they do have a go-to guy, Billups. He�s their clutch shooter in the heat of the game.� I disagree, but he would know best because he�s a Pistons fan.

As the regular season draws near, many feel as though the Pistons will be the 2005-2006 NBA Champs.

I don�t know about that, maybe the Eastern Conference Champs, but I doubt they�ll be NBA Champs. I think the San Antonio Spurs have a chance for a repeat. The Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks also look like they have a chance to win it this year.

Hamilton leads the team in scoring, averaging 20.5 points a game, Wallace averages 11.6 rebounds a night for the team and Billups leads the team in assists with 8.7 a night.

Their record as of March 3 is 59-14. They were trying to tie the Chicago Bulls record 72-10, but that didn�t happen this year.

Although I�m a Shaquille O�Neal fan, I doubt the Miami Heat will win a title this year. They may get to the Eastern Conference finals. But they�ll more than likely come up shorthanded to the Pistons. Those guys, the Pistons, have earned their mark in history to be known as the NBA�s �Bad Boys.�