Last night the world saw the Los Angeles Lakers get crowned the 2008 Western Conference Champions. Who is going to take charge in this series, and flex their championship muscles? It would be quite a statement if the Celtics could come out tonight, and establish themselves as the new Eastern Conference champions. It would also be good if Rasheed Wallace could play a game with his mouth shut… now that would be something. Sportsbetting.com has the home team, the Detroit Pistons a -5½ betting odds favorite against the visiting (+5½) Boston Celtics.

The Boston Celtics have taken a 3-2 series lead in this best-of-seven Eastern Conference series with the Detroit Pistons. The green team has certainly chosen a good time to get over their playoffs road slide, considering that, if they move on to the NBA Finals, LA is sure to take at least one from them on their home court. But they still have to go out and beat a proven championship caliber team in a new rendition of the “Bad Boys Detroit Pistons”.

If this Detroit Pistons team is a new version of the Bad Boys (of the 80s), then that would make Rasheed Wallace the ultimate Bad Boy. The NBA hit Rasheed Wallace with a $25,000 fine, after his post-game 5 comments.

Sheed very eloquently expressed his displeasure, with the officiating: "All that (expletive) calls they had out there, with Mike (Callahan) and Kenny (Mauer) - you've all seen that (expletive). A lot of them phantom calls, cats are flopping and falling all over the floor and they're calling that (expletive). That (expletive) ain't basketball out there. It's all (expletive) entertainment. You all should know that (expletive). It's all that (expletive) entertainment."

It has been reported, that Wallace’s teammates aren’t so much bothered by Rasheed’s post-game reaction, as much as Wallace’s demeanor towards Celtics F Kevin Garnett. Apparently, the Pistons players don’t really agree with Sheed’s friendly on-court gestures with the “Big Ticket”. Some of them have gone to say: “If he wants he can take [KG] out and buy him dinner… but do it after this series is over… we are at war right now.”

I truly believe that the Detroit Piston’s chances are not affected by Sheed's kissing and hugging; they rest solely on the ability of Richard “RIP” Hamilton to be able to go for game 6. I think Detroit has the poise, the veteran leadership, and the experience to take this series back to a game 7 in Boston. However, without RIP, they have 0 chance; RIP is receiving treatment around the clock, and is listed as a game-time decision.

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