PLAYERS WILL DECIDE WHO WINS: CARLISLE: Detroit Pistons coach Rick Carlisle probably would not go so far as to say coaching is overrated. He might be thrown out of the coaching fraternity for doing something like that.

But Carlisle did suggest yesterday that the coaching chess match in a playoff series sometimes can be over-analyzed to the point of ridiculousness.

"Adjustments (by the coaches) are fashionable to talk about through the course of a series, especially in the first couple of games," Carlisle said. "But the number of significant things that actually happen is quite minute."