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NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: PISTONS v HEATMay 24, 2006Antonio McDyessDETROIT, MICHIGAN: Practice Day Q. Coming off that seven-game series and a tough game last night, maybe just what the doctor ordered for this team? ANTONIO McDYESS: No question, I think we needed it. Looking at the first quarter last night sitting on the bench, we looked pretty fatigued. I think looking at guys, it seemed like they wanted to do something but your legs was telling you no. That's how it looked last night. Q. Is it as much mental fatigue as physical fatigue coming off a grueling seven-game series? ANTONIO McDYESS: No question. Both ways, mentally, physically, going through a whole seven-game series and exhausted as we were, fighting back to win it, having just a day layoff and coming back playing is just really tough. Q. That being said, is it almost like a silver lining in the sense that as tired as you were and as well as they played, you still were leading by five in the third quarter and maybe had a chance to pull that thing out? ANTONIO McDYESS: You could look at that for a positive, but also they did a great job executing their offense and winning the game. I give them all credit. But for us we've just got to come out mentally tomorrow and prepare ourselves to go out there and get the game. Q. Was it fatigue with Rasheed or was it the ankle bothering him? ANTONIO McDYESS: I don't think it was as much the ankle as it was he was tired. The ankle I don't think is causing him any problem. I asked him during the game because I kind of saw him picking up his leg, which may be just something he don't even know about, not even thinking, it just happened. I think he was just pretty fatigued. Q. I know it's a team -- this is a team group where a lot of people have to have parts to make it all work, but what about Chauncey? Do you guys need Chauncey? He seems to be the one out of rhythm, not making the shots, not doing things, and the point guard usually leads the team. ANTONIO McDYESS: I tell him all the time, "wake up." I don't know what it is right now. Maybe he's tired. He's played a lot of minutes this year, but it's hard for us to win without him. It's hard for us to win when he's not playing well. He gets everyone going, and when we see him -- a leader like struggle like Chauncey, when he's struggling, we just have to continue to prepare ourselves mentally and not worry about who's playing bad and just pick each other up. Q. What worked to get Wade and Shaq in foul trouble? ANTONIO McDYESS: We were just trying to drive the ball to the basket. We kind of watched a lot of film of what Chicago did to them and we tried to drive the ball to the basket and give them body contact, and I think that worked. Q. With the way Rasheed played, obviously an offensive game, going to the three-point line, the thing that makes him special defensively is his mobility. Would an ankle injury affect him more than most power forwards? ANTONIO McDYESS: Yeah. I mean, not to say that it's not hurting him right now because Sheed is just a totally different player when he isn't hurt. He has a lot more confidence, and you kind of take away your confidence, with an ankle injury, kind of a scary injury, mentally it can get into your head it can cause you to have bad games. But Rasheed, he's working through it. His ankle is pretty swollen still. Once he gets a lot of mobility back, he'll be okay.
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