The Detroit Pistons beat the San Antonio Spurs last night, 96-79, in Game 3 of the 2005 NBA Finals, and no one could be happier than the sportswriters and broadcasters of America, who finally get to talk about the Pistons with a straight face. Did you know that if you sneak up on Rip Hamilton when he’s not wearing that mask and give him a firm tap on the nose, his face will disintegrate into a pile of rubble? more ›

About six minutes into the first game of the 2005 NBA Finals, the Detroit Pistons had the Spurs looking like a bunch of clowns--unfunny clowns, at that. How the Pistons managed to go from trouncing (at that point, they led 17-4) to being trounced (the Spurs won, 84-69) is an unsolved mystery, although it might have something to do with Manu Ginobili, who went from a dismal opening (four points by halftime) to a magisterial fourth quarter, finishing up with 26 points, more than anyone else last night. After the game, we heard a TV commentator say that Manu "can be motivated by anger." We don't know whether that's true, but if so: hot. more ›

It is often said that defending a championship is one of the hardest things to do in professional sports. Therefore, we give proper kudos to the Detroit Pistons for returning to the NBA Finals, after a gutsy run through the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Pistons had to slug thru several difficult series under constant media speculation about the fate of their wanderlust-suffering coach. They are professionals (except when Rasheed Wallace loses his mind, God bless him) and, in the words of their coach, “they play the game the right way.” With that said, we think the Spurs will beat the Pistons in five games, rolling to their third championship in the past seven years. more ›