---

The Detroit Pistons lead the Los Angeles Lakers 1-0 in the best-of-seven NBA championship series. Here's what Pistons coach Larry Brown and players Chauncey Billups, Elden Campbell, Richard Hamilton, Lindsey Hunter, Tayshaun Prince, Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace said to the media the day in-between games 1 and 2.

LARRY BROWN

Q: Shaquille O'Neal was in here saying that, "We beat ourselves," that it was more about what the Lakers didn't do last night rather than anything you guys did on offense or defense. Is that a fair assessment?

Brown: If he says so. (Laughter).

I mean, I've watched them play, I don't think it was a typical Laker game. You know, I don't know how many times in Payton's career or Karl Malone's career they are going to have a game like that, where they weren't really involved a lot. And I don't know how many times they are going to score 75 points at home in a playoff game.

But I thought we played pretty good, personally. We shot 47 percent, we rebounded the ball effectively, we had four turnovers in the second half. We had a contribution from a lot of people, so, you know, in my eyes, we played pretty darn good, but I wouldn't dispute Shaq's assessment of the way their team played. That's not a typical Laker game.

Q: Can you just talk about your relationship with Chauncey and the process it took him to kind of get to know what you expected out of him in running the offense?

Brown: I've said it a lot, you know, for the last, I don't know how many years, when I was in San Antonio, we had Mo Cheeks for a little while and Rod Strickland and then I would go to Indiana and the Clippers, I had Mark Jackson, and then you go with Philly, with Eric Snow, you have true point guards, guys that thought about pass first and get everybody involved and get your team in sets. It was a change coaching Chauncey because he's a scoring guard. You know, I expect a lot from point guards in terms of getting everybody involved and being an extension of the coaching staff on the court.

So, it's been an adjustment for him and an adjustment for me. You know, as a coach, you want to give your players a chance to do the best they can and put them in a situation where they will be successful, and so we've both been kind of learning. But like all of those guys I mentioned, he has great character and he cares about winning and playing the right way, and he's a major reason we're here right now.

Q: Everybody has been talking for years about how preeminent defense is, you once had a Denver team average 114 points. Is there a difference in how you teach the game and how you see other coaches teaching it now? What's happened in the game that it's changed so dramatically?

Brown: Well, I think skill levels of players have changed, to a large degree. You know, passing and catching and screening is not as good as it was before. I think getting so many younger players into our league, fundamentally, there's a huge difference. I think the clock has really impacted our game in terms of more bad shots are taken because of the 24-second clock. I think if we had a little bit more time, you'd see fewer bad shots, better ball movement in terms of a better game. Our rules have dictated a lot of the problems we are having.

And then scouting has become better. I think in all sports now, defenses have improved, maybe not in baseball because with pitchers being watered down, but in a lot of ways, football, people are putting the best athletes. We have the best athletes and they have a tendency to be better defenders.

But I think we've really got to make an effort to change our rules in my mind. And I also would wish that more kids would stay and be taught the right way to play before we get them. I don't know if that's possible. But when I was growing up, when you became a coach for the right reasons, you were given an opportunity to learn. Now, so many guys that are coaching in high school and college don't have the background that maybe guys had years ago. So kids suffer for that.

Q: Having said all that, were you at all surprised at the number of open shots that you guys seemed to be able to get last night?

Brown: You know, we've had -- I've been looking at these games, you're never as good as you think you are when you watch the film, and generally you're usually never as bad. But watching the films of our playoff games, we've had pretty good shots. I don't think we've made them for the most part.

Last night, we made more shots of the variety that we've been seeing a lot. Because you look at it, neither team got out on the break much to get easy shots, so it's going to be difficult scoring in the halfcourt no matter who you play, but we made shots last night. You know, Tayshaun after the first series has struggled making open shots. Chauncey shot in the 30s, I think, with pretty good shots over the last three series. Rasheed only took four shots. We've been working on Ben picking and popping, so I expected that to happen. (Laughter).

But I think last night, the reason we won is we made shots, which got our defense a chance to set up which maybe impacted the Lakers a little bit.

Q: Could you talk a little about your decision to have Corliss guarding Shaq in the fourth quarter and just what were you hoping to accomplish with that matchup and could you just talk about what Corliss has meant to this team, particularly in Game 1 the other night?

Brown: Well, we were just trying to buy some minutes with Rasheed because really, down the stretch I think Rasheed would probably have to guard Shaq. And then I wanted to give Ben a couple of minutes of rest and Elden's tank looked on empty when I took him out. So we were going to rest him a little bit, so I thought we could bide some time and then have Shaq guard Corliss a little bit and then maybe give Corliss an opportunity to penetrate. But it's not something that I thought we were going to do a lot of, but it just gave us some time and allowed Ben to rest and be fresh late and keep both Ben and Rasheed out of foul trouble late.

And then, every time we play Corliss, it seems like people match up to stop him, and it gives us another scorer, which when you -- we don't have a lot of low-post threats, but when he gets on the low post, people tend to either front him or help on him, which opens up opportunities for other players, and that's been a huge factor for us.

And then Tayshaun, you know, considering the tough match-ups he's had to play against, we need another 3 man and Corliss, I don't worry about him so much defensively, even playing against the better 3 guys.

Q: Give they have that low-post threat, is that why you opted to go with him, because Memo (Okur) was a little bit bigger, to guard Shaq?

Brown: No. I just felt that you just get a feel in the game, and Memo, I thought, if Shaq was going to go at him, maybe we would bring him back in and play him in pick-and-roll situations, because he's such a good outside shooter.

I don't think as a post player against their big people, that would always be in our best interests, but the nice thing is you've got those options for us, which we really needed.

Q: Joe Dumars talked about the Pistons having players with an edge. Can you talk about the edge Rasheed Wallace has had and the impact he's had on the team and how well he meshed with this group?

Brown: Well, one, I don't think people have made enough out of the fact -- I kept this guy on the bench for 19 minutes. If you look at my career, I've always done that with players, except for one, that has gotten into foul trouble. (Laughter) And as long as we -- as long as we were close, I figured, you know, why put him in a position to pick up fouls where we didn't have them in the guts of the game and it's remarkable for me to see the type of person he is when he just does it. He cheers for his teammates. I don't know how many superstars would allow their coach to put them in that kind of position.

We thought he would be a contributor, especially on the offensive end, because we don't have a whole bunch of options, but he was somebody we felt could stretch the defense, was a highly skilled offensive player. We also felt he would be a good defender but he's been a phenomenal defender and he's made everybody around him better because he's long, he can block shots, he can guard a lot of different people. He's so unselfish, and the biggest factor is aside from being a great teammate, we didn't have Memo and Tayshaun on the court at the same time. Two young kids that didn't play a lot in the past, and that puts a lot of pressure on those guys. Since we had Rasheed come in, Tayshaun's game has just gone off the charts. Taken so much pressure off him and made him so much more of a threat on both ends of the court.

Q: Earlier in the playoffs, when you spoke about so many people dropping off the Olympics, you talked about maybe just going with young players the next wave and you mentioned Dwayne Wade. Your thoughts on bringing a team to the Olympics on that and a guy like Dwayne, too raw, too young or is that maybe the way this whole thing is going?

Brown: One, the guys that aren't going, you know, helped us get there by qualifying in Puerto Rico. They made an unbelievable sacrifice. We played ten or 11 games in 12 days, so they gave up a lot, and I respect that. Every one of the guys that have dropped out has had their own particular reason, which has been a pretty valid one.

My way of thinking is there's so many great players in our league and so many guys that want to play, I just look at it as maybe a missed opportunity for the guys that are dropping out but an unbelievable chance for the guys that want to play.

The more young kids with enthusiasm that are going to be our future, in my mind, the better off we can be. And guys like Wade and Carmelo and LeBron and Stoudemire, you name them, all of these young kids coming into the league and some of the second- and third-year guys. If they want to play, that's great and it's Pop's job and my job to put them in a situation where they will be successful.

I just think it's the greatest experience ever. But, I spoke to Kobe and I spoke to Karl and I know how much they want to be there, but it's just not going to work out. So let's bring the young kids in, if the committee accepts that, and give them an opportunity to show the world that we truly have the best players and can play the right way, and I'll be thrilled to be part of that.

CHAUNCEY BILLUPS

Q: How important was it to control the tempo of the game in Game 1 and how integral will it be to keep that for Game 2?

Billups: That's one of the things that we are trying to do is try to control the tempo. We know this team likes to get out and play in transition and get involved in the high-flying attack that they always do. It's our job to try to control that, try to slow it down when we get a chance, get a good looking shot or try to get to the free throw line. When we can get our defense set, we are a tough team.

Q: Do you expect to have a big change from them for Game 2 on that?

Billups: I'm sure they will try to push tempo a little more. They will make some adjustments, I'm sure, but we are just going to try to stay consistent and do the things that we've done. You know, if they make some adjustments, we are pretty good at making adjustments on the fly during the game.

Q: Ben Wallace said you and Rip have been essential in regard to team defense by making the opposition play the entire court. How much pride do you take in that?

Billups: Well, I mean, you know they are the reason why we can do that. You know, when you've got two guys back there in Ben and Rasheed, you know, that gives me and Rip and Tayshaun a lot of confidence to pressure up and play guys man-to-man, the whole court because we know that if they get by us that we've got help back there. So I think it's, you know, not just me and Rip. I think it's everybody. It's everybody. We are just very cohesive out there. We know that once we get beat, that next man is right there to help.

Q: How has playing the point for Larry different from some of the various coaches that you've played for over the years?

Billups: Well, Larry, I mean, he's just, he's a perfectionist and he played the position professionally and he was very good at it. He's just very demanding and he thinks, you know, it should be played a certain way, the position, the point guard position should be played a certain way, and he's going to try his best to not stop teaching that until you get it, until you get it. I'm kind of a different situation for him because he has not coached a point guard who is a scorer, and has the ability to score. His last couple point guards, Eric Snow and Mark Jackson were just pure, very good point guards and me I'm kind of like a lead guard, I can make plays, as well as those guys, but I have the ability to score.

So it's been a little different for both of us.

Q: Is it uncomfortable at all?

Billups: At some times it is, sometimes it's a little uncomfortable because you do something your entire career, since I've been playing that's what I've been doing. To try to change it now and let it be a little different now, it takes a while before it becomes second nature to you. It's a learning curve. But like I said all along, the struggles that I do have sometimes with that, you know, I'll become a much better player because of that. But in the meantime, it's going to be some struggles.

Q: Can you talk about just how it feels to dominate a Hall of Famer like Gary Payton the way you did last night or would you expect he'll come out extra fired up tomorrow?

Billups: I don't think it was domination. I got shots and knocked them down. I'm sure, you know, he'll be playing a lot harder tomorrow. He's proud, you know, he's got a lot of pride. He's dominated this league for ten, 12 years and he's been the best point guard in the League.

So, it felt good for me to play good and all of that, but, you know, it's a long series, man. It's a long series. They are going to make some adjustments. He only shot three or four shots yesterday. I'm sure that won't happen again. It's a long series, man.

Q: Early when Shaquille and Kobe and Phil were in here, they were saying that what happened last night was more them, not doing certain things and you all maybe taking them out of their sets and making them a little uncomfortable, could you address that because that seems to be their mantra through the whole post-season whenever they have fallen behind, and how does that make you feel in terms of maybe not getting the just due in earning the victory last night?

Billups: Well, I mean, you've got to give us some credit. I don't care who it is and what happens. You've got to give us credit. You know, we played good. We took -- we took those guys out of a lot of their sets and offensively, you know, we hit shots. So you can't discredit what we did. But at the same time, when you're an elite team, you always feel like when you lose, it's something you didn't do. When we lose games and the games we've lost during this post-season, we felt like, you know what, it's something that we didn't do. We didn't execute this or we let them catch the ball where they wanted to; it wasn't what they did, it's what we didn't do. When you're an elite team and you have the utmost confidence in the players that you have, you know, you feel like it's something that you didn't do.

Whoever wins the game, you know what I mean, the other team, didn't do something, you know what I mean. So, I agree with him, you know what I mean, because I feel the same way when we lose. It didn't make me feel one way or another, because like I said, I feel the same way when we lose games; it's something that, you know, we didn't do.

Q: How much of a mentor has Joe Dumars been for you, and also, how much of your game is just straight out patterned after Joe's game?

Billups: Well, Joe's been, he's been great for me. My early struggles in my career, you know, I finally got into a situation where the management and the coaching staff, they have the same amount of confidence in me as I have in me. I haven't had that, you know, and that's meant everything for me.

Joe, he's just been fair. He's just been fair. He believes in me. He believes in what I can do and he let's me know that. I haven't been around a guy like that that's in the front office since I've been in the League, so that's been beautiful for me just to have that stability.

As far as my game and his game, I mean, I was a huge Joe Dumars fan. I watched his games a lot, but not really until I really got in the League and got to real playing, not when I seen the close similarities of our games and our demeanors on the court. It's kind of crazy.

He was unbelievable, man.

ELDEN CAMPBELL

Q: Do you feel you are a better center or power forward?

Campbell: I feel that I am a better center. That is what I like to do, I like to post up and I can supplement my game with other play, but I would rather be a post player. I have seen guys start as a post player and work themselves to the perimeter and I am just ready to make that adjustment.

Q: Some people have said that Shaq should have had 30 shots last night. What do you think?

Campbell: That’s not realistic. Of course you want to go to him as much as you can, but you can’t go to him every time. I don’t see how you can be disappointed with 16 shots and 12 free throws.

RICHARD HAMILTON

Q: What were your impressions from last night?

Hamilton: I think last night, we really set the tempo of how we want to play. I think at times we can play better, take better shots, things like that. But for the most part, our defense did an excellent job of containing their fast breaks and things like that.

Q: Did it say a lot that you guys were able to get the win despite you not having one of your best efforts?

Hamilton: Oh, yeah. Because I think that’s the great thing about it. I think they do a great job of trying to limit my touches, trying to deny me the ball, trying to trap me on screen-and-rolls and things like that. But that just shows you how deep a team we are. Tayshaun came up big, Chauncey played an excellent game. Corliss, Elden and Lindsey came off the bench. So when they try to focus on me, I think the guys did an excellent job of really stepping up.

Q: Do you think that was a wake-up call for them (Lakers)?

Hamilton: I think so. I think anytime you can go on an opposing team and get a win on their court, you know they’re gonna come out with a lot of energy and do everything possible to try and take care of business on their own court. But we just have to come out and play defense and play together like we’ve been playing.

Q: Coach Brown has been in this position before (in 2001), taking the first game here in Staples and losing the next four. Has he talked to you guys about what had happened to him in Philadelphia?

Hamilton: He says it. He reminded us of that on the bus. But like a couple of people said on the bus, “This is a different team. You’re not in Philly anymore, you’re in Detroit.” So we know what’s at stake and we know you can’t treat the Lakers like they’re a slouch because they’ve been here. They’ve won games, they’ve won championships, so we’ve really got to take advantage of it.

LINDSEY HUNTER

Q: Talk about Joe Dumars’ management style.

Hunter: It’s been good for me because I’m familiar with him. I know what he expects. I know what kind of player he was. He’s got that same type of attitude. In turn, you see a product that he’s put out on the floor that represents how he is. He’s done a great job.

Q: Talk about playing the Lakers in Game 2

Hunter: These guys are great at what they do. We can’t take anything for granted. Every game now is a must win. If you’ve got a chance to get these guys down then you’ve got to try and take advantage of it. We’ve won one game. That was great. Now it’s time to get the next one.

TAYSHAUN PRINCE

Q: How does the team feel?

Prince: We are feeling fine. Guys are banged up, but it’s going to be like that playing in June. But we are feeling good.

Q: Are you trying to temper your confidence?

Prince: We feel good about the first game, but there is a lot more of this series to be played. For the most part, we are a confident team and we believe in what we can do. For the most part, we have to go out there and play. Hopefully, we can sustain it for the whole 48 minutes.

Q: What do you expect from the Lakers?

Prince: They are going to bounce back. They are going to try and bring … put a lot of pressure on us. It’s on us how we respond.

BEN WALLACE

Q: What did the win last night do for the team’s confidence? Did you surprise yourself that you were able to win?

Wallace: Did we surprise ourselves? I want you to answer that question. That’s you all doing all that writing about our chances coming here. We just come out and do what we’ve been doing all year – just going out and playing basketball. No, we didn’t surprise ourselves. This isn’t the first time we beat this team. As long as we go out and continue to play the way we’ve been playing all season, and give ourselves a chance to win, I like our chances.

Q: Coach Brown said he didn’t think the team could play any better than it did last night. Is that an effort you think you can duplicate?

Wallace: Of course, but I also think we can be a little better at certain points in the game like setting screens, executing offenses a little bit better and being aware where guys are at on the defensive end of the floor. If we can come out and duplicate those things, correct a couple things, I think we’ll be all right.

Q: Has Larry Brown already reminded you guys that his Philadelphia 76ers team won the first game and lost the next four?

Wallace: Yeah, he reminded us that a couple times but like we told him, we aren’t the same crew. I think that Sixers team depended a little too much on how Iverson’s night was going. We’ve got different guys that can step it up at different times in the game.

RASHEED WALLACE

Q: Could you talk about the effect it's had on you, just changing cities, changing teams? A lot of people talk about players can use a change of venue as a fresh start, and just are you surprised at the open arms you've been welcomed with by your teammates, as well as the fans of Detroit?

Wallace: Well, no, not really, for the simple fact that one, I knew the majority of the guys before I got here to Detroit, playing against them and friends with others. So as far as the team goes, no, I wasn't too much surprised.

As far as the city, the city has embraced me with open arms which is it all good. That's major love. But, you know, you figure, okay, if any good basketball player, you know, like say right now, Laker fans hate Tim Duncan, but if Tim Duncan was to come here to the Lakers, everybody would love him on the Lakers. You know what I'm saying? That's kind of sort of how I feel with it.

Q: How has it helped you as a player, your perspective about the burdens of the way things had happened in Portland had started to weigh you down a little bit, did you feel like some weight was removed from you?

Wallace: No, I wasn't feeling weighed down when I was in Portland. Just still going out there and playing basketball, even though we didn't win the way that we wanted to win, still going out there and playing basketball.

And like I said, the City of Detroit has definitely welcomed me. There is not no type of beef or gripe or anything bad I can say about the organization or the city itself.

Q: Earlier today one of the Lakers, Gary Payton, did not come to the podium and he's probably going to get fined. What's your feeling, is it too much to ask of the players in these situations? Is it fair, what's your whole -- as far as dealing with the media in Finals situations and situations like that?

Wallace: I ain't mad at him. Probably y'all know how I feel about the media already over the last few years. So, you know, I'm not mad with him, and nine times out of ten, they probably will fine GP, but I'm pretty sure it ain't no sweat off his back.

Q: Do you think too much is asked of you guys during these playoff situations to meet the media every day? Do you think it's fair?

Wallace: Pretty much, it's crazy. What different questions will you ask from today and tomorrow morning? What's going to be different? Nothing too much. You only can rephrase questions but so many times.

Q: Can you talk about how the depth and defense that you guys have that gives you confidence in this series, because you're not a team that relies on one or two guys or your jumpshots to fall? What does this do for your confidence?

Wallace: It definitely lifts the confidence of everybody on the team. When the first five is out there, we have the bench supporting us, they are up cheering and everything. And then when a couple of guys from the bench go in there, it's vice versa, you know, they are coming off the bench, they are ready. They are just as hyped as we are when we go into the game so, the bench definitely plays a big part in this series.

Q: How about the defense?

Wallace: The defense is real critical because defense wins championships. You can go out there and score a million points, but if you're giving up a million and one, what good is it? So defense is definitely critical at this time in the series and this time of the season.

Q: If you win a championship here or come real close how tough is it going to be for you to leave, especially the way Detroit has embraced you?

Wallace: Well, there again, I'm not thinking about that right now. I'm just concentrating on this game tomorrow. That's more for sort of after the season or, you know, after this Finals round. Then I'll sit down and think about if I'm coming back or whatever.

Q: Does making it to The Finals change your thinking at all in the last couple of weeks?

Wallace: No.

Q: Larry Brown said earlier today, he complimented you on how last night, a lot of superstars would not have been able to stay on the bench for as long as you did and stay in the game and come back in and contribute as you did. Was that a maturation process for you from earlier in your career is that something you've grown into becoming?

Wallace: I've always been like that. It's up to the coach. If he even decided to start somebody over me, what am I going to say? What am I going to do? When he calls on me, what, am I not going into the game? It's the coach's decision. And he decided last night, I got into foul trouble, and obviously he had his thinking and his ways. So I sat pretty much that first half, but it wasn't no real sweat off my back. Even if we would have lost, I don't think I would have been upset or, you know, have any type of ill feelings towards LB.

Q: Do you think those attitudes are important to winning teams?

Wallace: Just good attitude, period, to have. That's something I've always had since high school is, it's up to the coach. Some players do that, and you know, you have other players who will complain their minutes or complain about their shots or whatever.

But I'm like, hey, if I get out there, if I'm out there for two minutes or out there for 48 minutes, just try to go all-out.

Q: Karl Malone and maybe some of the other Lakers seem more inclined to talk about they missed shots and what they were not doing last night, as opposed to your guys' defense. Is that a surprise or confusing or disappointing to you at all?

Wallace: No, it doesn't confuse or disappoint me, period. If they feel as though that was the reason why they last lost Game 1, so be it. But we know what we done last night; we know what we have to do for tomorrow.