Damon Jones, who hit the game-winning 17-footer on Friday night in Washington, arrived at the Palace on Sunday afternoon for Game 1 decked out in a garish leopard-skin coat. Never one to shy from the spotlight, Jones defended his bold fashion statement. “I just wanted to exhibit individuality and my fashionability,” Jones quipped. Jones did not wear the accompanying leopard skin shoes and insists that the coat will be retired to a case in his house after Sunday’s appearance. “That thing should be in a cage, not a case,” joked Donyell Marshall. Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas said: “I used to have bed sheets like that back when I was single.”
Everyone has seen the LeBron James “WITNESS” t-shirt, in conjunction with the Nike advertising campaign with the same theme. In order to counter that, vendors outside the Verizon Center last week were peddling “TESTIFY” shirts – in the black with reverse type – and a number “0” below, in tribute to Gilbert Arenas in the Cavaliers’ first round series against the Wizards. Based on the amount of fans that were donning the bootleg versions, let’s just say Nike did just a little better than the street vendors. The shirts, by popular demand, are now available in the Cavaliers Team Shop.
Unless he chooses to do so, Rick Adelman shouldn’t be unemployed long. After eight years in Sacramento and leading the Kings to eight straight playoff appearances and a trip to the Western Conference finals in 2001, the Kings “relieved (Adelman) of his duties” following their first round playoff loss to the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs. Adelman was by far the winningest coach in Kings franchise history, with 395 victories. He was aggravated when the Kings openly courted Phil Jackson last off-season and the hot rumor following his departure is that former Mavericks and Warriors coach, Don Nelson, could take over the helm in Sacramento.
The Cavaliers have their share of media-savvy players and tops among them is Donyell Marshall – as is evidenced by his Playoff Blog on cavs.com. Marshall is one player who always speaks with the media and is always one of the most candid players. But on Tuesday, Marshall was burned by an AP headline that twisted a Marshall quote – “Detroit has the knowledge from winning a championship two years ago and going to the championship last year. I think their knowledge is going to overtake our youth right now." It was the buzz on Detroit talk radio all day. Marshall was not happy and the power forward’s reaction when he read the quote: “When I read it, I was very p*ssed. I‘m a guy who talks to everybody and it made me really not want to talk at all. It’s something I would never say about us versus them, and it makes me feel like I’m giving up on the team, like I don’t have any confidence. I’m one of the biggest believers in this team. And I’ve said that from day one.”
The Pistons have sold out 131 consecutive games – January 19, 2004 or two-and-half full seasons, plus playoffs – and after witnessing the atmosphere at the Palace – which is in a remote locale ala the old Richfield Coliseum, it’s easy to see why. On Tuesday night, Motor City and national celebrities seen by Garbage Time were Mike Fratello, former Michigan State star and Cavalier, Mateen Cleaves, Thomas “Hit Man” Hearns and, of course, Kid Rock. Not to give aid and comfort to the enemy, but the Palace, the Pistons and Joe Dumars have to be given credit for revitalizing a great franchise. With that said, here’s hoping they lose four of the next five games.
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