Ben Wallace insists he wasn't sending any personal message to Andrew Bogut, the Bucks rookie center who was the No. 1 pick in the draft last June.

"I am always sending a message," Wallace said. "No. 1 overall pick, No. 10 overall pick, cagey veterans, it don't matter."

Whether it was an intended message from Wallace or not, Bogut got a hint what life will be like in the Central Division on Thursday.

And it wasn't pretty.

Wallace manhandled him. Bogut managed to get up just four shots in 21 minutes, missing all four. He did manage three free throws and six rebounds.

Wallace, undrafted out of Virginia Union, blocked four shots, pulled down 13 rebounds, had a steal and eight points as the Pistons won their second straight exhibition game, 95-88, at The Palace.

"I saw they were trying to go at Ben a couple of times and I was like, 'Wow, good luck,'"said Chauncey Billups, who led the Pistons with 16 points. "We definitely wanted to let them know that when you come into this building and play against the red, white and blue, it's going to be a long night."