It almost doesn't seem fair. That being the Detroit Pistons travelling to Miami to play the Heat tonight.
After all, Miami's current win streak is well known. In fact, they haven't lost a game since Feb. 1. To put that in perspective, it was two days before the Super Bowl -- and how long ago does that seem?
On the other hand, the Pistons have lost 12 of their last 13, their only win being a one point squeaker over the even more hapless Washington Wizards, are 0 for March, and currently riding a nine game losing streak. And now "ice cold" has to go to "red hot" Miami to take on the defending world champs in their own back yard? It would appear to be a beatdown waiting to happen. Sheep being led to the slaughter.
Actually, Miami should have gotten beat a couple days ago. They were in Cleveland, original Lebron territory, where many fans still harbor resentment over his "taking his talents to South Beach" a few years back. They would have liked nothing better than to see their Cavs knock off the Heat. And they had them down by a whopping 27 points well into the 3rd quarter. Nobody can come back from that sort of deficit -- right? But Miami did. Not long before that, much the same thing happened in Boston. The Celtics dominated most of the game, had the Heat right where they wanted them, and then oops -- another late flurry and Miami left Beantown with yet another win. It's almost like the Heat have a warp drive they can shift into when they really need it, while burning just enough fuel to get the job done. Scary thought.
In the meantime, Pistons' head coach Lawrence Frank had taken a personal leave from the team to be with his seriously ill wife. To his credit, Frank managed to return to the bench, only to watch his Pistons get obliterated at home by the Brooklyn Nets. However you want to slice it or dice it -- getting beat by 37 points at home is as about as ugly as it gets. Media reports said Frank went back to be with his wife after the game -- and might not be available for the trip to Miami. I don't blame him -- in more ways than one. Draw your own conclusions.
Sure, the Pistons are banged-up with injuries to a few guys, but that's life in the big leagues. It is what it is. If they just got blistered by 37 at home by Brooklyn -- what might the margin be in Miami? 50? 70? Whatever the Heat feels like?
Yet it's quite likely, and totally understandable, that the Heat will "overlook" the Pistons. They probably figure it's a gimme they can cruise through to chalk up another easy W. No afterburners or warp drive will be necessary.
And wouldn't it be something if the lowly Pistons, injuries, maybe without their head coach, losing streak and all -- were to go into Miami and knock off the Heat? Talk about media buzz. Wow. That might rank right up there with other classic upsets like the "Miracle Mets", the "Miracle on Ice", Spinks defeating Ali, David slaying Goliath, or maybe even John Daly winning a couple of majors.
Even so, I'm telling you -- the Pistons could actually pull this off. It could HAPPEN.
But would I bet on it?
HELL no. I'm not as dumb as my picture makes me look, or, a few hundred articles notwithstanding, what has been written in this blog.
I think. I hope.
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