Boston 88, Detroit 79

It's virtually impossible to find two NBA players more intense than Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace.
Whether you're a reporter or a teammate, don't dare talk to Garnett before a game. The 11-time NBA All-Star gets in a zone from the time his eyes open in the morning and transforms into a warrior once the ball is tipped off. Wallace plays with a Cheshire grin or a scowl depending on what is going on in the game. And referees know that by game's end they'll have had more than an earful from 'Sheed.
All this toughness, focus and intensity, however, seems to change when they play each other. Pay close attention. Garnett and Wallace meet up for a hug before the game and find each other for one after.
Why? It's a mutual respect. These two near 7-footers can shoot from deep, take you off the dribble, can hit an unblockable turnaround in the post and block your shot. It's almost as if they are looking at each other in the mirror when they play one another.
In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, Garnett got the better of the match-up with Wallace as he scored a game-high 26 points and dished four assists to lead the Celtics to an 88-79 victory at TD Banknorth Garden Tuesday night. Wallace struggled by missing 9-of-12 shots, including 0-of-3 from 3-point range and five made free throws en route to 11 points.
But even though Garnett won the first head-to-head battle, he unsolicitedly expressed respect to Wallace knowing there is still a lot of basketball to be played against his tough and gritty mirror image foe in this series.
"Playing Rasheed is like looking in the mirror," Garnett said. "Aside from Joe Johnson, I think he's the most underrated player in this league, and when we play it's just like that. A lot of respect to that man and how he plays."