[DTigre]

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald...s/13504939.htm

LACK OF CREATIVITY

Outside of O'Neal and Wade, the team had no one else capable of consistently creating a play when the team needed it most. That's why players such as Jason Williams and Antoine Walker were added. And the matchup at point guard was problematic because Billups could take over a game seemingly at will, and he also took the Heat's starting point guard, Damon Jones, out of the game by simply sticking by his side at all times.

That's why Gary Payton's addition could prove beneficial, to help contain Billups while also varying the Heat's offensive options at the position.

Riley said his offseason moves weren't specifically designed to defeat the Pistons. But he does see more evenly matched teams.

''If I did it perfectly, I probably would have gotten a couple of other guys,'' Riley said. ``I'm happy with what we did. You can't specifically look at a team and go, `OK, I'm going to do this, and he's going to match up with this guy and he's going to match up with this guy.'

``I do believe at the end of the summer, we got very fortunate to get Gary, because I think Gary will have the moxie to play against Billups and maybe Rip [Hamilton], and the experience. And I think maybe in a big-game situation defensively, he can shut people down. When we get to that time when we're going to need that kind of defense, then I think we have enough. And if we don't, then I'm going to keep looking for it.''

I don't understand this. Doesn't Riley remeber what Billups did to Payton during their Finals matchup?

[IbizaXL]

Originally Posted by DTigre

I don't understand this. Doesn't Riley remeber what Billups did to Payton during their Finals matchup?

Heat rather have GP than Damon Jones when it comes to matching up with billups. Not necessarily mean Payton is going to dominate Billups, but Payton is 10 times the player damon jones will ever be.
Also, Paytons trash talking is legendary compared to Jones lol

[Austin Kent]

After starting the season 11-10, Miami coach Stan Van Gundy stepped down Dec. 12, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family.

Since then, the Heat has gone 6-2. But new coach Pat Riley can't get all the credit for that, not knowing that Shaquille O'Neal, who had been out five weeks with an ankle injury, returned just in time for the coaching switch.

The Pistons have five big men to potentially rotate on O'Neal, including newcomer Dale Davis, who has played little this season. That could change tonight, when Saunders said using a variety of defenders was the key to dealing with the game's biggest specimen.

Saunders said he might use Davis, Antonio McDyess and even Darko Milicic off the bench, depending on how O'Neal was playing.

"You have to try to change up how you defend him," Saunders said. "You can't play the same way."

As for the Heat's other superstar in guard Dwyane Wade, that will likely be Richard Hamilton's defensive responsibility, at least to open the game. Small forward Tayshaun Prince also figures to get some chances to try to keep Wade out of the lane.

"You've got to mix it up," Hamilton said. "He comes at you on every possession so you just have to mix it up on him."

Free Press

[Austin Kent]

Asked Wednesday whether he and his teammates noticed as national sports pundits nearly unanimously picked the Miami Heat to finish in front of the Pistons before this season, Chauncey Billups stuck out his chin and nodded slowly.

Asked whether that would be in the back of his mind tonight, when the Pistons and Heat meet for the first time since the Eastern Conference finals last season, the Pistons point guard quickly switched gears and shook his head no.

"Does this game matter coming up?" Mourning told reporters in south Florida. "You're damn right it does. It does matter. It matters a lot to us, but we have to continue to focus on getting better."

"I don't think there's any other reason for them to change," Billups said. "They won (59) games and the only team they struggled with was us, so I figured they were trying to make changes to get past us."

Free Press

[IbizaXL]

Riley, who orchestrated the changes, denied that in a sense this week. He also said he would add some finishing touches to his makeover if he could.

"If I did it perfectly, I probably would have gotten a couple of other guys," Riley told reporters in south Florida. "I'm happy with what we did. You can't specifically look at a team and go, 'OK, I'm going to do this, and he's going to match up with this guy and he's going to match up with this guy.' "

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...512290515/1051

[Heated]

Good luck tonight Pistons, should be a good one. Could be a small preview of the ECF this year.

[DQ for 3]

Hey Flip!



End of 1st

Heat 26
Pistons 27

[El Pistón]

A bad overall game by Chauncey (other than his 3's) this first half, but at least a good one by Arroyo off the bench.

[TM]

Wade looks horrible tonight. How many more times is he gonna jump up in the air with no where to go?

[TM]

anyone see those sumo pictures with Barkley's head? boy did i have a good laugh.

[Lynx]

Originally Posted by TM

anyone see those sumo pictures with Barkley's head? boy did i have a good laugh.

Yeah, I needed that too.

[TM]

i really really need that video they were showing

and did you see rick mahorn!?!?! Yikes!

[DQ for 3]

Originally Posted by TM

Wade looks horrible tonight. How many more times is he gonna jump up in the air with no where to go?

He looks fine outside of the last 3-4 mins where he kept leaving his feet looking to pass....you teach that to 6th graders, he's gotta look for his shoot first if he's going up....

he'll be alright though, good game so far...