"It's gonna be bananas, yo"

It had been a long time since I watched a game so intently. Pistons - Cavs game 6 was mentally exhausting for everyone, even the fans. But that was only the precursor for today.

Like everyone else in SE Michigan, save for those lucky souls who'll be at the Palace, I'll be glued to my TV this afternoon. We have a Pistons - Cavs game 7.

When this series started, (Seems like a month ago, doesn't it?) I first thought there was no way the Pistons would be stretched to the limit. It was a physical impossibility for the Cavs, a speedbump on the fasttrack to the confrence finals. Then, after 3 games of sheer torture for the Pistons and their fans, I was hoping against hope that we would have a game 7 today. Thanks to (Seemingly) 50 offesnsive rebounds in the last minute, some uncharacteristically iffy (I'm being generous) foul shooting, a tap that didn't bounce in, and a little help fropm the hoop Gods, we do.

We didn't expect them to need it so soon, but this is why the Pistons wanted the best overall regular season record and secure home court advantage. I know we all thought that home court wouldn't be an issue till the confrence finals, at the earliest, but it sure comes in handy today.

Still, the pressure is on. We've all know, according to the MSM, that the legacy of the Pistons is at stake. That LeBron James is desperate to shorten his Jordan-esque learning curve. That the Mistake on the Lake has latched on to the Cavs as a Titanic survivor would grab life preserver. Clevanders are longing to forget the Drive, the Fumble, and the Shot, and believe LeBron is their Moses, and will lead them to the promised land of the Eastern Confrence Finals.

As a shout out to the conspiracy theorist in all of us, Nike, the NBA, David Stern, ESPN, ABC, TNT, most of national media, and pretty much anyone who is not a Piston fan, looked to have jumped on the "I am a Witness" bandwagon headfirst.

So when you look at it that way, the Pistons may have the Cavs right where they want them. In their mind, everyone wants to hop on the Cavs' shoulders, and all desire a series that the NBA scrpit writers and star pimpers can get behind, LeBron James vs. Shaq and Wade. That large chip on the Pistons disrespected shoulder will reappear.

No predictions from this fan. I'm confident that the Pistons won't be cocky and underestimate the Cavs. Again... As I've said in the past, the Pistons have earned the benefit of the doubt. But today's battle is far from a gimme, not with Michael Jordan's true heir (Sorry, Kobe) leading the oppositiion.

All I'm hoping for is that I'll be able to make "Witless" jokes after the game.