DETROIT – Understandably, many of the Detroit Pistons were upset after their season ended with an 89-81 loss to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.

“It’s just disappointing,” said Detroit guard Chauncey Billups. “It is disappointing to lose like this again, because we felt like we were better this year than we were last year.”

Billups had 29 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists in the loss while trying to will his team to victory.

“I was just trying to be aggressive and ... just attack and break down the defense,” Billups said. “I knew that they were coming to me and I could break down and kick it out for shots. It didn’t matter though in the end, because we couldn’t pull it out.”

Teammate Richard Hamilton also played well, overcoming a strained right elbow he injured on Wednesday in Game Five. Hamilton finished with 21 points.

“When you think about it, and all the hard work we put in, you know, and to get in this situation again and the same things happen, it’s tough,” Hamilton said.

Detroit guard Lindsey Hunter said, “I think everybody feels the same way. You work all season to hopefully hold that trophy up and it’s disappointing anytime you don’t get to play for it.”

Detroit forward Antonio McDyess took a different approach. He seemed to be more disappointed for Detroit’s fans than for himself.

“I can’t do anything but smile at this point,” McDyess said. “I can’t beat myself across the head anymore. It’s like we tease each other and tease our fans. We give them a good dose in the beginning and let them down in the end.”

Pierce used to hate the Celtics

Boston guard Paul Pierce has played his entire NBA career with the Boston Celtics, but Pierce hated the Celtics growing up in California.

He was a Los Angeles Lakers fan.

“To me, I think that's what pretty much got me started in basketball, growing up in Los Angeles, watching the Lakers and the Celtics, and it's ironic, just being a Celtic, growing up, now you're playing against the Lakers in The Finals,” Pierce said. “As a kid, I hated the Celtics. I'm going back home to play against my team that I grew up watching.

“It’s a dream come true, man, just thinking about it. I think that rivalry really revolutionized the game of basketball, and now I’m part of it.”

Boston has beaten the Lakers in eight of the 10 meetings between the two teams in the NBA finals, but Los Angels won the last meeting in 1987, 4-2.

Saunders happy for Garnett

Detroit coach Flip Saunders used to coach Boston forward Kevin Garnett when they were both in Minnesota. Saunders said that while he is disappointed that Detroit isn’t going to the NBA Finals, he’s happy for Garnett.

“Well, I think he's one of those players, I always said, he happened to be a great player that just never happened to have a ring,” Saunders said. “To get to The Finals, I'm sure it's something that that's all he ever talked about, but I'm sure he's not satisfied with that, that he wants to win a championship, too, kind of solidify who he is and what type of player he is.

“As I said after the game, I wish him luck and he'll go out and he'll compete.”

Praise for Rondo

Boston coach Doc Rivers said he gave second-year point guard Rajon Rondo the keys to the offense and is letting him drive.

Pierce likes what he sees out of Rondo.

“Just for a guy who wasn't really heralded coming out as a lottery pick, only in his second year, you know, I really didn't know too much about Rondo when we drafted him,” Pierce said. “But just being around him, knowing that his hard work, his ability just to stand up to the veterans and not get rattled, I mean, he's come a long, long way in his maturity as a player.

“That's just the work he's put in, and he's able to listen. I think that's the key for him. He listens to the guys and he goes out there and puts the work in. This just being his second year, I mean, he's no longer a young guy; he's a grown-up veteran now.”

Rondo scored 11 points and had 4 rebounds and 3 assists last night.

Rivers not worried about critics

Several NBA analysts said that Rivers would never get past the first round as a coach.

Yesterday coached the Celtics to the NBA Finals.

He said that he has never listened to his critics.

“I mean, it obviously means a lot that we're going to The Finals,” Rivers said. “But for me it's just – I'm doing my job. I was never going to allow anybody to talk me out of that. I didn't change. I've always done what I thought is best for each individual team that I've coached, and no one has ever been allowed or been able to talk me out of doing what I do.

“So obviously you would love everyone to love you; that's not going to happen. But we have enough fans out there that support us, and I thought during the tough stretch, on the street, there were a lot of people that came up to me and just wished me luck, and those are the guys that I will remember and I keep with me. Those are far more important than any of the other people.”

Finals tickets on sale Monday

Boston Celtics NBA finals tickets against the Los Angels Lakers go on sale on Monday at 2 p.m. There is a two ticket limit per customer and seats start at just $30 in the Rite-Aid Family section.

Games One and Two are scheduled for June 5 and 8 respectively, both with a start time of 9 p.m. Celtics fans will be able to purchase tickets on Monday by visiting Celtics.com, by calling 1-800-4NBA-TIX, or by visiting the TD Banknorth Garden Box Office or Ticketmaster Outlets.

A random number distribution will begin at approximately 1 p.m. at the TD Banknorth Garden Box Office for fans choosing to purchase there.