The Pistons beat the Bucks 92 – 74 in game one of their 2006 playoff run. The most shocking thing in the Pistons win against the Bucks was that Chauncey Billups missed four free throws. The Pistons were expected to dominate and they did.

The Pistons defense was on point, when their shots weren’t falling the defense kept them in the game. Rip and Tayshaun’s D held Michael Redd to just 11 points, his lowest point total this season. Ben was a monster on the boards ripping down 17 and adding two steals.

Rasheed was the leading scorer with 22 in short minutes because of foul trouble. Rip added 21, but when he turned his ankle, my heart just dropped. X-ray’s were negative and when asked if he would be playing it was an emphatic YES SIRRRR! Dyess played well in Sheed’s place with 9 points 10 rebounds 1 swipe and an assist. Tayshaun seems to have his playoff swagger already in place, he played well on both ends of the floor.

Rasheed got called for his first tech of the playoffs after he got for two quick fouls early in the third quarter. About three minutes after Sheed got his tech, T.J. Ford and Bogut also got called for techs and as the crowd went wild I noticed something that really surprised me. I was lucky enough to be pretty close to the Pistons bench, so I looked over at Sheed when the Bucks got their techs, thinking he would be happy and vindicated, but I was wrong. Sheed even thought their techs were bull, he shrugged them off, said a few choice words and waved his hand in disgust just like if he had been called for one himself. I don’t know what to think of that, I always thought with Sheed it was always about the call against him, but maybe he just hates techs in general.

The atmosphere in the Palace was great, you could tell that we have all been waiting for these playoffs to get started. You would have thought that the Pistons were playing Miami in the eastern conference finals by the enthusiasm of the fans. The crowd was rocking and the Pistons handled their business, 1 down 15 to go.