Detroit Pistons: 7 unforgettable moments of the Goin’ To Work Pistons

The GuaranSheed

“Front page, back page, middle of the page…” became defining words for the Pistons 2004 championship run.

After Detroit lost the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals, they desperately needed a win over the top-seeded Indiana Pacers to build momentum before heading home.

The Pistons looked destined to be good but not great. The previous season ended in a sweep at the hands of the Nets and the Pacers appeared to be the new obstacle.

Indiana played a similar, defensive-minded style to Detroit but they did it more efficiently thanks to some additional offensive weapons. Their defensive prowess was evident in the initial game of the series when they held the Pistons to just 74 points.

Rasheed Wallace had performed poorly in Game 1, shooting just 1-for-7 from the field including two misses from deep in the waning moments.

Wallace had been a revelation for the underdog Pistons following his trade deadline acquisition. He provided an additional paint presence alongside Ben Wallace and stretched the floor for a scuffling offense.

More than anything, he brought tons of emotion on and off the floor. Sometimes that emotion got in the way. Technical fouls were a commonplace. Full games saw feelings overtake productivity.

But when Detroit’s backs were against the wall, Rasheed always seemed to find a way to motivate.

So, needing some inspiration, Detroit’s emotional leader brought it in a major way.