Ben Wallace played up to his defensive reputation in limiting Tim Duncan to 14 points in Detroit's Game 3 win. Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
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AUBURN HILLS, MICH. -- When the landmark London clock known as Big Ben stopped ticking for 90 minutes last month it made news around the world. Engineers were baffled, though many Britons blamed it on a spell of hot weather.

When Pistons center Ben Wallace stopped ticking in Games 1 and 2 of the Finals, it made news around the NBA. Observers were baffled, though many Motown fans blamed it on Shaquille O'Neal.

Whatever the case, both Big Bens appear to be running smoothly again. In the case of the Pistons' model, it could not have come at a better time. Down 2-0 to the Spurs, Detroit could ill-afford another lackluster performance from its undersized 6-foot-8 center who had looked in need of repair after having battled the 7-1, 340-pound Shaq in seven games in the Eastern finals.

But Wallace answered the bell big time in Game 3, setting the tone from the opening tip with a steal and dunk just seconds into the game. He went on to block five shots in the first quarter alone, tying Bob Lanier's franchise record for most blocks in a postseason frame. Inspired by his hustle and energy, the Pistons went on to a 96-79 victory that has them right back in the series.

"His energy was off the hook," Pistons guard Richard Hamilton marveled Wednesday. "He rebounded. He had five blocked shots in the first quarter. We just fed off that."

Spurs forward Bruce Bowen echoed Hamilton's assessment of Big Ben's stellar play. When asked on Wednesday who had made the biggest difference for Detroit, Bowen didn't hesitate. "I think Ben did," Bowen said. "The first part of the game, Ben gets a steal, the dunk. That's not how you want to start off a game away from home. That just energizes their team. That picks their team up and makes them more heightened and more hyper."

For Wallace, Tuesday's breakout performance was just a matter of, well, time. While he joked after the game about his wife calling him out, he said Wednesday he really didn't need anybody to tell him he wasn't playing up to his own high standards. "You know I definitely put a lot of pressure on myself to go out and make things happen for this team," he said.

What Wallace doesn't say, however, is that he has plenty of reasons to perhaps not be at his best. Given the physical and emotional strain he's been under this season, it's a wonder in some ways that he's been able to play as effectively as he has. Consider some of the issues he's had to deal with so far:

• Last August, he had to undergo an emergency appendectomy. He missed most of training camp while recovering.