There are people who show less emotion than Joe Dumars, but you have to look pretty hard to find them. When the Detroit Pistons stormed back from a three-games-to-one deficit against Orlando in the first round of the NBA playoffs a few weeks ago, Dumars went so wild as to nod his head in approval.

"He's not exactly a rah-rah guy," notes guard Jon Barry, but then again, Detroit isn't exactly a razzle-dazzle team. When the Pistons host the Philadelphia 76ers at The Palace tonight, there will be no one to match Allen Iverson crossover for crossover, much less shoe commercial for shoe commercial. There will be no Kevin Garnetts, no Tracy McGradys.