Yeah, yeah, the Detroit Pistons lost to the Miami Heat.

It was a disappointing season for the Pistons to say the least. After flirting with an unprecedented 70-win season, after having one of its core players eye the MVP Award and after four of it’s five starters get the nod for the year’s All-Star game, Detroit ended their year without any NBA championship ring to show for.

And it’s all thanks to the Miami Heat. (Oh yes, I am bitter…)

But come to think of it, maybe the Pistons knew that the Miami Heat NEEDED to advance to the NBA Finals more than they do. Maybe the Pistons knew that this Miami franchise was denied of basketball’sgrandest stage for so long that they OWED it to humanity to give the Heat their one-way ticket to the championship series.

After all, THEY are the league’s CHARITY CASE.

Why?

Take Shaquille O’Neal for example. Now this guy was one of the very first ones who saw the impending Detroit dynasty in the East. Back in 2004, Shaq led the most fabled roster in Lakers history, together with Kobe Bryant PLUS the addition of another two future Hall-of-Famers in Karl Malone and Gary Payton.

The Pistons killed them off, in five games.

Shaq was again eliminated by the same FUCKING team, the same five guys in fact, during last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. Losing to those guys again could very well send Shaq to just lose it.

Antoine Walker and Gary Payton are DESPERATE to win a title. Heck, as good as these guys are, they just can’t seem to win one goddamn NBA ring. Gary Payton ALMOST got one but his Sonics had to face the Chicago Bulls led by that guy wearing no.23.

If these guys lose, maybe their last golden opportunity to advance to the NBA Finals and get that ring, well… they might as well retire and just quit.

Of course, none of ‘em is as DESPERATE as Alonzo Mourning. Now this guy has seen different kinds of Miami Heat teams, only to see each one fall in the Eastern Conference Finals.

There’s Alonzo’s Heat and their rivalry with Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls. No contest there as the Bulls took care of Miami in five games.

And of course, there’s the storied rivalry between the Heat and the New York Knicks. Back then, it looked like the Heat will finally break their curse in the East and finally advance from the Conference Finals and play for the NBA Championship. If only they guarded Allan Houston better. If only they were able to stop him from making that game-winning shot in Game 7 of that Eastern Conference Finals series.

Sheesh…

The Miami Heat, and their fans, heart-broken for quite some time now.

Maybe that’s why the Pistons allowed Shaq to have his way inside the paint and not defend him with two or three defenders.

Maybe that’s why the referees allowed Shaq to let those elbows fly and find Ben Wallace’s jaw.

Maybe that’s why they let Pat Riley howl obscenities to the basketball court without even attempting to T’ him up.

Maybe that’s why it will be the Miami Heat facing the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Now the question is will Mark Cuban and his Dallas team let the NBA’s CHARITY CASE have that easy pass towards the NBA Championship.

[The NBA’s CHARITY CASE in Miami will be going up against the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Who will draw first blood? Visit and bet on Bodog now.]