Pistons 92, Men in Tights 74

This might be the haze from sitting in front of a computer for a few hours (I think Eno predicted this would happen), but when Drew Sharp writes that Richard Hamilton was the best player on the floor last night, I have to agree with the man. (It wasn't easy to type that.) Not only was Rip the Pistons' second-leading scorer with 21 points, but he was fierce on defense, making Michael Redd's night miserable.

As the Freep's Krista Latham points out in her game recap, Redd's only baskets (four of them) were scored on drives to the basket. Hamilton didn't give him any room to breathe on the perimeter. His growth as a player, both offensively (with his three-point shooting) and defensively, has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of the Pistons season.

Redd might have a breakout game in him, which could give the Bucks one win in the series. But if not for that, I don't see how Milwaukee can give Detroit much to worry about. The Pistons started out the game too hyped-up, which resulted in poor shooting and kept the game tight. But once those nerves were calmed down, the men in tights didn't have a chance.

And that leads me to my biggest question from last night's game: What the #@$% was with those tights? I mean, Pistons fans accused Joe Smith of wearing tights while he played here, but I always thought that was a figurative criticism for being such a pansy in the frontcourt.

Ah, okay - apparently, they've been rockin' out the Lycra all season long. No wonder David Stern wants to ban those things next season. If one player wears them for "medical reasons," that's one thing. But when almost the entire team breaks out the leggings, it looks, well, kind of silly.

I do see one benefit, however: If Andrew Bogut insists on looking like he's auditioning for Fame, then 'Sheed simply has to knock him around in the post. You can't get outscored or rebounded by someone dressed as a member of the Joffrey Ballet (and, at times, plays like it, too). What do you say to Ben Wallace when you go back to the bench or stand in the huddle?

But anything that keeps 'Sheed in the paint, working the ball near the basket with strong moves and short jumpers, is a good thing. Bogut, like his teammates, was completely overmatched last night.

Oh, and a note to Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (who very smartly doesn't go by "Mike"): It's not boring when you win the game. You need new material, buddy.

(Photo by Clarence Tabb, Jr./ Detroit News)