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Pistons look to slow down Nets' guard play
Both New Jersey and Detroit have relied on their point guard and small forward for success in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
When the next two games of the best-of-seven series moved to New Jersey, Kidd and Jefferson outscored Billups and Prince 76-20, had 20 more assists and 19 more rebounds.
"We don't look at it that way," Billups said Thursday, the day before Game 5 at The Palace. "It's not a one-on-one thing. Myself and Tayshaun do need to be more aggressive, but not with the mind-set that I need to outplay so and so."
Nets coach Lawrence Frank has been praised for having shooting guard Kerry Kittles, instead of Kidd, defend Billups in the last two games. Billups scored just eight points in those games after scoring 34 in Games 1 and 2.
"I think it's very overblown," Billups said. "Game 3, we were out of reach in the first quarter. The other game, I hurt my back in the first quarter.
"I honestly think Kidd is a better defender than Kerry Kittles is anyway."
New Jersey's potent fast break was a bigger factor in Games 3 and 4, thanks in large part to Kidd and Jefferson. The Nets outscored Detroit by 31 on the fast break in their two wins, after having a 15-point advantage in their two losses.
"It's hard to slow down any of those guys when they fast break, and Kidd is really distributing the ball," Prince said. "If we keep letting them get easy baskets, it's going to be tough to stop any of them."
And if Rasheed Wallace and Billups are not healthy, Detroit will have a tough time getting past the two-time Eastern Conference champion Nets.
Wallace re-injured his left foot (plantar fascia) in Game 4, and Billups strained his back. Both said they're sore, but expect to play in Friday's pivotal game.
Wallace said if Detroit wins an NBA championship ring, it will make playing through the injury worth it.
"When you're sitting back on your deck doing some barbecue and you look at that ring, you can say to yourself, 'All the pain and sweat and blood that I went through is in that ring,'" Wallace said.
He said his foot is 60 percent healthy, down from 80-85 percent.
"If you go put a rock in your shoe and take a couple steps, or try to run, and you feel that sharp pain under your foot, that's what plantar feels like," Wallace said. "I wish I could just grab that knot out of my muscle and throw it in the trash."
Jefferson didn't want to hear about the hobbled Pistons.
"This is about our 100th game of the year. Everybody wakes up and sometimes things don't feel good," Jefferson said. "I don't doubt those guys are hurt, but everybody is beat up. J Kidd, they were talking he would need season-ending surgery (on his knee) a month ago. I think those guys are very tough and they are going to come back and give it their all."
The Pistons won Games 1 and 2 by 22 and 15 points. The Nets won the next two by 18 and 15. This is just the third best-of-seven series in NBA history to have the first four games decided by 15 points or more. Game 6 is Sunday in New Jersey, and if necessary, Game 7 will be Thursday back in suburban Detroit. "I think there's more pressure on us," Jefferson said. "We have to win a game on the road. They still have Game 7 to fall back on. "We know what we have to do. There's no meditation, no prayer services. It's just a matter of going out and playing with the confidence that has been built up over the last three years."
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