It's up to Chauncey

Dear Chauncey,

Where have you gone, Mr. Big Shot? Since Game 2 of the Cleveland series, you have not looked like your normal, clutch-shot-taking, fundamental-pass-making self. You're forcing passes and turning down shots - you don't look like the MVP candidate everyone considered you to be at the end of the regular season.

That Chauncey Billups looked confident. That Chauncey Billups made good decisions with the basketball. That Chauncey Billups would have closed the Cavaliers out in five games and propelled the Pistons to a Game 1 victory over Miami on Tuesday night.

Instead, the Cavs made it a seven game series. Instead, the Heat won Tuesday, 91-86.

It's not panic time. I still trust you'll come through, Chaunce. You always do. But it must happen tonight in Game 2. There will be no return trip to the Finals - the place you've grown so accustomed to going each June - with a loss tonight. The Heat are tough at home, too, you know, and if you are in an 0-2 hole heading down to Florida, you'll be six feet under in white South Beach sand. And there's no climbing out of that.

Now how do we remedy this situation? Let's glance at your numbers. In the regular season, you averaged 18.5 points and 8.6 assists. You shot 89 percent from the line, 43 percent from three, and 42 percent overall. You also led the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio at 4.11 to 1.

In the six games since Game 2 of the conference semis, you've averaged just 15.7 points and 5.2 assists. You've remained steady by going 90 percent from the line and 41 percent overall, but your 3-point percentage has dipped to an icy 29.4 percent. Your assist-to-turnover ratio is a depressingly low 1.7 to 1.

So what's up? Why are you dribbling into traffic when you could be swinging the ball around the perimeter? Why are you flailing your legs on 3-pointers when your defender isn't even near you? Why must you insist on trying to make the spectacular pass when the easy one will suffice?

I ask you these questions, Chauncey, because you make this team go. While Ben Wallace is its backbone, you are its central nervous system.

I know, I know. It's not fair to pin all the blame on you.

If Rip Hamilton would take a few more of his patented pull-up jumpers instead of driving into the trees - Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning are sizable impediments - I think he could be more of an effective scorer.

Rasheed Wallace could help you out by not taking nights off, like he did in Game 1.

Tayshaun Prince has been steady, but maybe he needs to kick it to you a bit more when he's posting.

Big Ben is Big Ben. He was brilliant defensively in Game 1. Now if he could just make one darn free throw…

And the jury is still out on Flip Saunders, who I think is still searching for a substitution pattern. My, how that could help.

But Chaunce, I'm afraid it all comes back to you. You facilitate the ball movement. You can fire up a guy like 'Sheed. You can tell Rip - "Hey, come off that curl and let it fly! No use in driving right at Shaq." You are this team.

That sounds like a lot of pressure, but I know you can handle it. After all, you are Mr. Big Shot.

Now it's time for you to remind us all how you got your name.

With hope and confidence, on the behalf of Pistons fans everywhere,

Your Wake Up Call