Rasheed Wallace

LANDOVER -- Finally, the Washington Bullets got their man.Amid all the trade rumors and draft-day moves, the Bullets decided to play it safe and keep their No. 4 pick, selecting North Carolina power forward/center Rasheed Wallace.But before they could get the 6-foot-10, 225-pound sophomore, they had to wait and see if the first three teams -- the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers -- would draft the three other sensational sophomores, Maryland's Joe Smith, Alabama's Antonio McDyess and North Carolina's Jerry Stackhouse.

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana Pacers' day began with a bone bruise and ended in a world of hurt, their playoff plans ripped up by a man nicknamed "Rip." Jermaine O'Neal reported to yesterday's morning shoot-around complaining of increased swelling in his left knee. Considering him more gimpy than go-to, Indiana rarely worked the ball inside and O'Neal finished with 11 points on 10 shots while battling pain, foul trouble and a bulky knee brace. Meanwhile, Detroit and Richard "Rip" Hamilton seized control of the Eastern Conference finals with an 83-65 victory in Game 5 at Conseco Fieldhouse.

When the NBA's version of Christmas Day, namely the league's trading deadline, came and went yesterday, the Detroit Pistons found their stocking stuffed with a rather significant gift, namely All-Star forward Rasheed Wallace, while the New York Knicks got a lump of coal. The two-time defending Central Division champion Pistons, who have spent most of this season looking up at the Indiana Pacers, obtained the troubled but gifted Wallace from the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal that was the biggest of deadline day. "It gives us a real shot to compete at the highest level in the NBA right now," said Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - If ever there was going to be a blowup moment for Rasheed Wallace, Sunday night seemed to be it. His Detroit Pistons had been booted all over Continental Airlines Arena by the New Jersey Nets in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, 82-64, and it wasn't even that close. And Wallace, who spent most of the night in foul trouble, had just 10 points, missing all five three-point attempts, with just two rebounds and three turnovers in 22 minutes. With a phalanx of reporters and cameramen hovering around his locker room space, this seemed like a great time for the seemingly always-volatile Wallace to blow, but the big explosion never came.

LOS ANGELES - Perhaps it's not going to be that easy for the Los Angeles Lakers. Hey, it looks like we've got an NBA Finals here. "I don't look at us as underdogs," Detroit Pistons coach Larry Brown said after his team outplayed the Lakers last night in a going-away 87-75 victory. "Our players look at themselves as pretty special in their own right." The Pistons were special and very good in surprising everyone but themselves in taking a 1-0 lead in the NBA Finals thanks to a defense that befuddled and bewildered the Lakers.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - With composure, togetherness and hard-edged style, something their opponent now lacks, the Detroit Pistons stand one victory from a championship. Perhaps the most unexpected finish ever to an NBA season lies ahead. The Pistons, given little chance to win, can clinch their first title since 1990 with a win tomorrow at The Palace of Auburn Hills. They took Game 4 here last night, 88-80, and it served as the latest example of how para-normal the Pistons have become and how shaky the Los Angeles Lakers look.

SAN ANTONIO - So how about those 24-second violations, offensive fouls, box outs, help rotations and inside switches? Yes, it was defensive basketball as promised last night from the league's two best defensive teams when the NBA Finals opened with the San Antonio Spurs defeating the Detroit Pistons, 84-69. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Sunday at the SBC Center in San Antonio. San Antonio's Manu Ginobili had an awesome second half, especially in the fourth quarter when his drives into the lane produced several impressive baskets.

LANDOVER -- In the end, those that remained in the sellout crowd at the USAir Arena stood up, and applauded loudly. They got their first glimpse up close of the 1995-96 version of the Washington Bullets, and they liked what they saw.The Bullets got solid point guard play from Robert Pack. They got offensive support from forwards Rasheed Wallace and Juwan Howard and guard Calbert Cheaney. And they got key reserve minutes from Mitchell Butler on the way to a hard-fought 100-89 win over the Detroit Pistons before a crowd of 18,756.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The quarterfinal round of the 41st Atlantic Coast Conference tournament was about the same for Duke and North Carolina as the regular season: successful but not completely dominant.While the top-seeded Blue Devils and second-seeded Tar Heels advanced into today's semifinals en route to an expected showdown in tomorrow's championship game, neither had it easy yesterday.Duke (23-4) needed a spurt late in the second half to put away Clemson, 77-64. Senior All-American Grant Hill finished with 23 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals to lead the Blue Devils.