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The marriage of Uma Thurman's character in "Kill Bill: Volume 1" was supposed to be straightforward just like November 19th was supposed to be just another passing day in a young NBA season. A bullet to the head and a brawl in the stands later and a simple thing was complicated.
As the 2004 Eastern Conference finalists renewed their vows on that cheerless Friday, the resulting effect left the Indiana Pacers on the floor nearly comatose while the Detroit Pistons walked away intact.
It was the Pacers who were left with the pain, the blame, and the shame of the incident. Not to mention the long-term ramifications without reigning defensive player of the year Ron Artest and the short-term consequences of playing without critical components Jermaine O'Neal and Stephen Jackson. On the other hand, the Detroit Pistons were left virtually unscathed, expecting a facilitated return to the playoffs with their biggest rival apparently crippled.
Apparently not.
The Pacers were left for dead, but have persevered through an arduous season to overcome Black Mamba-type adversity.
First, there were days when the lineup was depleted and only six Pacers were eligible to play. Then there was inconvenient injuries to starting point guard Jamal Tinsley (42 games) and starting power forward Jermaine O'Neal (22 games). A developing team that visited the Eastern Conference final the previous year was expecting to make a strong run for a title in Reggie Miller's final season so that his illustrious career could end on a high note.
Instead, they were clinging to journeymen Anthony Johnson and Dale Davis, gasping to stay in thick of the playoff race. With a decimated roster and constant obstacles to overcome nobody would have blamed the Pacers for quitting. As a matter of fact, that is what most people expected after a 102-82 Game 1 destruction at the hands of the Boston Celtics in round one. Their own fans devoted a standing ovation to Reggie Miller in Game 6 when the Pacers' prospects of advancing looked bleak, assuming that that would be their last look at the Pacer great.
Yet somehow, this barren team still overtook the number three-seeded Boston Celtics and is now taking a run at the governing NBA champions.
They have a chance to serve a dish that is best served cold: revenge. For the Pacers, this is their championship.
Back on November 19th, there were two sides that sparked a quarrel, but only one is still feeling the punishment. The Pacers want revenge and a triumph against Detroit would give them that redemption.
With the series square and the Pistons regaining home court advantage, the task might seem like an uphill climb but the Pacers have faced an incline all season long. They've won two games in this best-of-seven series already and are 3-1 in Detroit this season. This journey might require the help of Hattori Hanzo, but I assure you one thing the Pacers do not do is quit.
"Kill Bill" and the NBA playoffs mix like Mondays and me.
"Funny ... you like Samurai swords ... I like baseball." — Hattori Hanzo
Don't miss next week's installment of "I Hate Mondays," sponsored by CyberSportsbook.com, a great sportsbook for horse racing and casino action!
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