Detroit Rock City

Well the Sports Illustrated experts are evenly split on who'll win Game 7 of the Spurs-Pistons series but I'm going with the Pistons all the way.

They are, hands down, my favorite team besides the Kings. The Kings are my favorite because, well, they're the Kings and I'm loyal to the home team. But the Pistons? I love 'em because they're everything the Kings are not: scrappy and tough, street-smart and chippy.

Plus, I don't care what all the naysayers think, I have a real soft spot for ol' Larry Brown. How can you not admire a man who's not afraid to tell his team that 'I love you'?

Yeah, I know, there are a lot of crusty old sports lugs out there who scoffed at that. But whatever - like that would make the Pistons go soft? As if.

In any case, on paper and in the numbers the Spurs may be the better team but - and if you'll excuse the cliche - they don't have the heart. They're methodical and plodding and oddly often without emotion.

I could be wrong. The tortoise may beat the hare after all.

But I'm thinking no and my money's on the Motor City brawlers.