prince among thugs. (original) (raw)

GAME ONE: PISTONS WIN 92-74 SERIES 1-0 [PISTONS LEAD] Minutes: 41
Points: 15
Rebounds: 8
Assists: 3
Blocks: 2There was a nice article about Tayshaun in today's Detroit News.

Prince Perplexes Bucks Forward's size and skill pose matchup problems.

Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- Earlier this season, when the Pistons were still on pace to threaten the Chicago Bulls' record 72-victory season, former Bulls great Scottie Pippen was asked which current player most resembled him.

The verdict: Tayshaun Prince.

"That's like the greatest compliment you can have," coach Flip Saunders said. "But I also think it's true. Tayshaun does everything good and he's willing to accept whatever role you assign him and he accepts it graciously."

Don't look for the Bucks to be scoffing at the gaudy comparison. Prince continues to baffle them.

While coach Terry Stotts and his staff spent countless hours game-planning against the Pistons' three top scorers -- Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace -- Prince fell through the cracks and hit them with 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists in Game 1 on Sunday.

"Tay is really a luxury for us," Billups said. "He is a matchup problem for any team. If a team has a guy as tall as he is (6-foot-9), he's never going to be as fast and mobile as Tay. And if they put a smaller guy on him, he's a great post-up player. He doesn't just score off the post-up, either. He makes plays."

The Bucks are caught in that Catch-22. Their best antidote would be 13-year veteran Toni Kukoc, who at 6-11 has enough length and savvy to counter Prince. But Kukoc has a back injury that will keep him out at least through Game 2 on Wednesday.

"It's a lot different without Kukoc," Prince said. "When they take (small forward) Bobby Simmons out of the game and go small, that's when coach decides to throw it into the post to either me or Rip."

The Bucks have to pick their poison, regardless of who is in the game. Simmons and Michael Redd are unreliable defenders. Starting point guard T.J. Ford is too small to defend any of the three perimeter positions. Their best perimeter defender is reserve Charlie Bell, and when he's in the game, he usually has to guard Hamilton.

So, Prince should be in a position to wreak some havoc.

"I know what I have to do for my team to have a chance to win and lose," Prince said. "The situation in Game 1, I felt it was important to rebound because of Andrew Bogut and Jamaal Magloire and how Redd like to get on the boards.

"I have said all season, my role on this team is to do whatever is needed. There may be times when I have to score. There may be times when I have to defend certain players. Whatever it takes, that's what I do."

By the way, Prince was called on to guard Redd in the fourth quarter of Game 1. The result? Redd had two free throws and missed his only two shots.

Prince is no longer considered the X-factor. He is now a constant.

Prince played in 63 playoff games his first three seasons -- no player in NBA history has appeared in more in their first three seasons. He also has played in 312 straight games.

"No, I wouldn't have predicted that," said Scott Perry, director of player personnel for the Pistons. "But I always knew his approach to the game was very professional and I knew he loved to play. Watching him as a kid, he never sat out any AAU tournaments or any high school games. I always saw him out on the floor playing."

Prince never missed a game because of injury at Kentucky, either. Yet when he entered the draft, there were concerns about his durability.

"I never tried to prove people wrong as far as my ability or as far as what people might have said about me," Prince said. "I figured the only way to get through it was to go out and do what I do. I just try not to miss any games. If I don't play, I feel like I'm letting my teammates down, even if I am hurt. There are times when I've been banged up, but I feel like I still have to go out and perform. That's my job."

You can reach Chris McCosky at (313) 222-1489 or chris.mccosky@detnews.com.

Tayshaun Prince elevated his play in Game 1, getting 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists.