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Wallace out as Pistons try to sweep Clippers again

Mar 11, 2007 - 4:42 PM Detroit (38-22) at LA Clippers (29-32) 3:00 pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - As the Detroit Pistons continiue their West Coast road trip, they will be missing a key player.

Suspended for an accumulation of technical fouls, power forward Rasheed Wallace will not be available for the Pistons, who visit the Los Angeles Clippers in the second of a five-game road trip Sunday.

Wallace received his 16th technical foul in Friday's 95-82 victory over the Denver Nuggets, reaching the threshold for an automatic one-game ban. Wallace will miss a game for every other technical he receives for the remainder of the season.

The 6-11 Wallace is Detroit's best defender, capable of guarding all three frontcourt positions. But the Pistons may not miss his presence much against the Clippers, who have lost 17 of the last 24 meetings between the clubs, including three in a row at Staples Center.

The Pistons will try to complete an unprecedented fourth consecutive season series sweep of the Clippers. Detroit swept the series three times from 1995-98.

Wallace's absence could allow Clippers forward Elton Brand to get loose. Normally the primary option, Brand has not led the Clippers in scoring in any of their last three games.

The inconsistent Clippers are coming off Friday's 99-89 setback at Golden State and hold a one-game lead over Pacific Division foe Sacramento (28-33) for the eighth and final postseason spot in the Western Conference.

"We have to play with confidence, play loose," Brand said. "We can't put any added pressure on ourselves and we're trying to catch the teams ahead of us with the teams behind us trying to make a charge. It's a tight race."