Boston's road warrior status is back in style

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- On a jumbo screen high atop the Palace of Auburn Hills was a pre-recorded production featuring super spaz Rasheed Wallace. He peered over his shoulder and while glaring directly into the camera smiled: "Weee're baaaackkk!"

Wallace was seated in front of a television that had nothing but static on it which was an appropriate visual since there is nothing but static deep inside Wallace's head and, on this night, inside his entire teams' as the Pistons put up a magnificent stinky Mac-stinker.

The Wallace opening was part of Detroit's attempt at first degree intimidation in what is without question one of the more fearsome arenas in the sport. The Palace is so tough a fan sported a T-shirt that read "no b----assness allowed."

At last, Paul Pierce's Celtics rediscover their guts away from Boston. (Getty Images)

Instead of being vulcanized under the pressure it was the Boston Celtics who did the pushing around in a dramatic reversal of fortune as the Pistons turned from intimidator to the intimidated, losing 94-80.

Finally, the Celtics remembered to pack their spine for road trips. No b----assness, indeed.

Boston jumped to an 11-0 lead and when the Pistons came back to tie the score at 17, that was the cue for the Celtics to do their normal road fold. Particularly since Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were benched most of the first quarter with two fouls each.

Boston could have run scared. Instead it went on a dramatic series of runs demonstrating toughness some didn't think was there.

"We wanted to come out real aggressive," said Paul Pierce about that fast start, "kind of take the crowd out of the game."

They certainly did that. At one point it was so quiet in the Palace you could hear Matt Millen drafting a wide receiver.

Detroit was once mighty and years ago possessed an aura of un-breakability but with back-to-back losses in the conference finals and now this brutal Game 3 defeat their aura has taken a hit and their legacy is thinning like it's on prescription Coumadin.

Detroit allowed Boston easy shots, dunks and wide open jumpers which wasn't very Piston-like.

"Our defense was horrible," said guard Lindsey Hunter. "It had nothing to do with a bad shooting night. I always say we can manufacture enough points. We gave up two dunks (early) and you tell me we're ready to play?"

The Celtics won ...