Darren Misener

Tennis Anyone?
And we're back on serve in Game 5.

After the Pistons broke through and handed the Celtics their first home loss in game 2, the Celtics turned around and got their first road win in Game 3. But it was Game 4 Monday night that put us right back on track for a long, hard-fought series. Detroit, down 2-1 going into Monday's contest, turned to Antonio McDyess to even the series with a 94-75 win.

McDyess posted a season-high 21 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as he put this Pistons team on his back for a game. McDyess knows there's no time for reflection or excuses, the way he sees it, this might be one of his last chances for a title.

“We kind of have had excuses why we haven’t won another championship since I’ve been here, and I feel that, you know, if I don’t say nothing vocally that we would have an excuse this year,” he said. “I don’t want us to have no excuse.”

Excuses gave way to effort as McDyess took over for a stretch in the third quarter. At one point, he tipped a long Tayshaun Prince miss toward Chauncey Billups, clapping his hands and barked for the ball back. Billups obeyed, and McDyess drained a 20-footer for an 11-point Detroit lead. The Celtics missed their next two shots, and McDyess was there to rebound them both. Then, after drawing a jump ball against 6-foot-11 Kevin Garnett, McDyess, 6-foot-9, won it.

“I’ve never seen him with the emotion he has. He’s making shots and pump fisting. It’s like he’s got a new personality,” coach Flip Saunders said. “He’s definitely hungry, I know that. He has just been huge for us and basically carrying us.”

If the Pistons get this kind of emotion and play out of McDyess in the next two contests, it could be Game, Set and Match in favor of Detroit.

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Injury Updates
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Three's a Charm
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Jackpot
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On Point
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You're History
Earlier this season I blogged about Earl Monroe's number going up into the rafters at the Verizon Center, now Wizards.com rolls out a history section with more information about every jersey up there.