Literally…

I don’t know if you remember Sheed taking us on a tour of The Pistons newly renovated practice facility last season, here is the video just in case you missed it.

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One thing Rasheed failed to mention before the tour started was that you needed to leave your guns at the door. Lucky I left my glock at home that day or else I wouldn’t have been able to get inside the building. As I passed the sign the first thing I thought in my head was….was this here before Allen Iverson was? If you click on the picture to enlarge it….you can see the fine print at the bottom of the sign. Do they really need to have the sign…probably.  My guess is things got heated one day after a friendly game of H-O-R-S-E.

The Pistons went on a 10-0 run to start things off in Madison Square Garden Wednesday night and never looked back. Detroit’s rare rout could be just the thing to ease them into what they have in store for them come playoff time. The win 113-86 victory puts Detroit in a tie with Chicago for the #7 spot in the East playoff race.

Key Points:

• An impressive 56 points in the paint for Detroit while shooting 53.8% from the field on the night.
• This game brought back memories of “The Pistons”, you know that team we have come to know that dominates games and goes to six consecutive ECF’s. A pleasant flashback if you watched this one.
• Mr. McDyess just doesn’t realize that he’s in the second half of his career. He had about 90 (8 to be exact) rebounds in the first quarter alone and finished with a double-double with 13 points, 16 boards an assist and 2 blocked shots in 29 minutes.
• Rip didn’t get ejected in this one, for some reason Rip’s temper gets the best of him in New York. He had been ejected in 4 of the last 6 games at the Garden.
• Great ball movement from Detroit, who took advantage of the Knicks small lineup.
• Hamilton led the team with 22 points, adding 7 assists and three boards in 32 minutes.  No two points prettier than when he took it left handed to David Lee for the layup.

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• All five starters in double figures.
• 57-33 edge on the board for Detroit.
• Play of the game, a Rasheed behind the back block to Tayshaun for an uncontested dunk. You can see it in the NBA Highlights.

• The Big Men – Dyess and Sheed combined for 27 points and 28 rebounds.
• The Pistons never trailed in this one and led by as much as 32 points.
• Jason Maxiell can wow just about any crowd and putbacks are a specialty. Jason put up 6 points and 6 boards in 18 minutes.

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• The magic number to clinch a playoff spot is one.
• “Whoever is going to play (the Pistons) in the playoffs is going to have some trouble,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said. “They’re big. They’re strong. They run. And our guys got overwhelmed.” Via The Detroit News
• Everyone played in this one, even Walter Sharpe who went 0-for-2 and one of those I’m sure he will be hearing about today from his teammates. Teammates can be brutal when you throw up an air ball.
• A better game for Rodney Stuckey, who looked very comfortable running the floor and making the most of the openings he saw to get the ball to open teammates.  Stuckey finished with 14 points on 6-for-10 shooting with 7 assists, a steal and one board while turning the ball over twice.
• “Three or four times we got the rebound and he pushed the break, didn’t have anything, and he pulled it out and ran a set,” Curry said. “That’s big. That’s game management. That’s the next step in his progression as a player, as he keeps learning how to manage the game. We’re going to need that from him.” Via The Detroit Free Press
• Amir Johnson, 4 points in five minutes with one board.  I know it has been said before about Amir, but not being able to box out when the Knicks are on the foul line and losing a rebound to your man that a resulted in a three point play for the Knicks is a flaw that Amir needs to work on.
• Tayshaun Prince had quite a few easy dunks finishing with 15 points on 7-for-14 shooting with 3 boards, 2 assists and a blocked shot in 27 minutes.  It was nice to see Prince have an easy time of it for a change.

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• Walter Hermann had quite a few highlights himself in this one, it really does amaze me when he goes up for one of his one handed floaters. Walter finished with 6 points and 6 boards in 15 minutes on the floor.
• Sheed started off things right from the start going 4-for-4 with two triples for 10 points. Wallace finished the game with 14 points and 12 boards, adding 2 blocks in 28 minuts on the floor.
• From team N4S member Ryan Collins who was at the game last night: “Lots and lots of Pistons fans in the house. Matter-of-fact, the only time you really heard Knicks fans give it up was when Nate Robinson did something, which wasn’t too often, unfortunately (i love that lil fella.). I know you watched all this on FSN Detroit, but it was a great night to be at MSG (unlike our unfortunate December meeting…) Right when Maxey went in, he had a HUGE dunk that missed, but i wanted you to know that it silenced the entire arena. Even without the points, his presence was felt.”
• Great D from Detroit, who held the Knicks to 36% shooting on the night.
• Kwame Brown still making the best of the role he has been put in. Brown put up 6 points with 8 boards and a blocked shot in 14 minutes on the floor.
• “In five months, Iverson accomplished what Flip Saunders couldn’t in three years. The Answer turned the six-time Eastern Conference finalists into a hanging-by-a-string, eighth-place playoff qualifier.” Jason Whitlock – AI Was Never The Answer
• Get in on your own Playoff Madness over at Pistons Online, where they are giving away a $500 NBA Store gift card to the winner!

The Pistons are in New York to take on the (30-48) Knicks. Don’t let the Knicks record deceive you, they always seem to play their best against Detroit winning the last two games they have faced the Pistons. Detroit, who has lost seven of nine on the road know just how important each remaining game in the season it.

“We’re running out of time,” Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey said. “Each game that we play is crucial for us.” Via MLive

“We’re still trying to win that championship, even though most people don’t think that we can. But we still believe that we can. For the last few (years), everyone said, ‘Oh, oh, Pistons, Pistons, Pistons,’” Wallace said in a mock plaintive tone. “But even then, honestly, for the last few they counted us out. They never said we won’t be there and this and that, but we’ve always been there. So now we definitely have to prove to it, that we will be there.”

“I think our swagger will come with the playoffs. We have a lot of veterans on here who we’ve all went deep into the playoffs for the last so-and-so years. So I think we’ll definitely get our swagger back once we get that rolling and get into the playoffs; that whole playoff atmosphere, playoff mystique then -- we’re good.” Via The Detroit Free Press

Not a Guaransheed, but a little confidence never hurt anyone.

Positive thoughts about a not so positive season always helps.

The Good/Bad and More

• If Philadelphia wins at Charlotte Tuesday, the Pistons could lock up a playoff spot with a win against the Knicks. (Thanks Shawn) Philly lost
  
• New York has lost eight of its last 10 at Madison Square Garden.
• The Knicks haven’t  won a season series with Detroit since 2000-01.
• Don’t think you were the only one who thought about Will Bynum starting.
• Rodney Stuckey making progress.
• Today the Pistons will begin selling individual first round playoff tickets. Two thousand of those seats will go for $12 per game. The “cheap seats” are only available at the Palace Box office.

Tip off is at 7:30 and will be locally brodcast on FSN. If you can’t watch you can listen locally at WDFN 1130 AM or follow the game through your computer at NBA.com.

When Antonio McDyess puts up 21 points and a career high 22 rebounds, the man deserves a victory. With Rasheed Wallace out, McDyess has Detroit’s first 20-20 game in over 11 years, but it just wasn’t enough for the man who gives his all night in and night out.   A foul by Rip Hamilton on Larry Hughes sent him to the line for three free throws with 10 seconds left on the game clock that tied it up, and sent Detroit into overtime. An overtime in which they were outscored 15-10 for a tough 116-111 loss to the Knicks.

Key Points:

• Someone please wake up Antonio McDyess from his nightmare. If there was an award for heart, it would be named after Antonio.
• Antonio McDyess – 21 points, 22 boards, 2 assists a steal and a blocked shot. The man was the epitome of “stepping up,” but then again hasn’t he done it all season long?
• This is about the point in my recap that I would put up a very special Antonio McDyess highlight reel of the first Piston 20-20 game since Bison Dele. Sad news about that Pistons fans….. FOX Sports put the kibosh on me and my videos for you. You may have noticed that the older ones aren’t working, and don’t expect to see any more from ME on N4S. They asked me nicely to take them down and stop using them, so I’m going to have to find them for you on YouTube like everyone else. It was fun while it lasted.
• Seriously, how do you lose a game when you outrebound the other team 64-39?  Dyess says “You just have to look at all the positives you did and build off that and take it into the next game. It is really disappointing for us as players to come up short like we did because it was right for us to win it.” Via The Detroit Free Press
• I love ya Amir….but you let little Nate beat you on a jump ball.  You must redeem yourself for that one.
• Pistons squandered a 10 point lead going into the fourth quarter.
• The Pistons shot 29.2% in the fourth quarter.
• First half fire for Mr. Hamilton.  Yes, Rip led the Pistons with 22, but 8 turnovers from one player? I can’t remember a stat like that…..ever. Rip had more turnovers that the Knicks did all game. Knicks had just 3 all game long, Detroit 15 total. The last one by Stuckey to close out regulation was a killer. A chance for the last shot with the game tied….ugh.

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• Hamilton was a board away from a double-double.
• Lets put it this way…the Pistons gave this one away. Detroit led by as much as 12, the Knicks’ biggest lead was 5.  Now look at the final score.
• Four Pistons starters put up more than 20 points.
• Arron Afflalo could use more than .08 seconds on the floor. That’s all I’m saying. At least Curry’s utilizing Walter and Will.
• I still think Jack Nies has a vendetta against Detroit.
• NBA.com Highlights of the Game.
• Is it just me or is Jason Maxiell way more productive coming off the bench? Three points, 2 boards and a turnover in 26 minutes.
• Class act, Pistons lower season ticket prices.
• Why not to be an ESPN fan, no love for Maxiell.
• A double-double for Tayshaun Prince with 25 points and 10 boards.

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• The Pistons Feed The Children Telethon was a rousing success, Pistons raised more than $440,221 thanks to generous Pistons fans.
• Never much cared for Quentin Richardson (his 3 point horn antics always got under my skin) but the fact that mid game he pulled a donation envelope and dropped 1000 dollars in it redeemed him….until he knocked down that three late in the game.
• 58 paint points for NY
• Got Milk?
• Rodney Stuckey scored 23 on 9 for 20 shooting with 8 assists and a steal in 41 minutes.
• The McDyess stat line was huge, but the shot he knocked down with 23 seconds left in regulation to put Detroit up 99-96 should have been the dagger.
• “We played hard and just came up short,” McDyess said. “I think we shouldn’t have put ourselves in that situation in overtime. I think we kind of ran out of gas. We couldn’t get shots and we were missing shots, but the effort was there.” Via The Detroit Free Press
• 21-22

The Pistons may be without the services of Rasheed Wallace for tonight’s game at the Palace against the New York Knicks. Sheed’s MRI showed nothing a sprained left calf muscle, but could miss tonight’s game. A win tonight against the 26-37 Knicks would be the sixth win for Detroit in their last 7 games since Richard Hamilton returned to the starting lineup (and AI hasn’t touched the court).

Good Odds – Since the start of the 2002-03 season, the Knicks are 1-11 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Tonight’s contest at the Palace has a little more to it than just a basketball game.

“The 2009 Pistons Care Telethon, benefiting Feed The Children, will take place on Wednesday, March 11. The Detroit Pistons are devoting the entire day, including their game and their broadcast, to raise money for charity. The event will begin early in the morning with radio and television broadcasts taking place at The Palace and will run throughout the day. The event culminates with the Pistons hosting the New York Knicks at 7:30 p.m., broadcast on Fox Sports Detroit.

With Michigan being ground zero in our national economic downturn, the fight against poverty and hunger is harder than ever. This year’s telethon benefiting FTC will dedicate 100% of proceeds to support Michigan residents in critical need throughout the state. The team, and the entire Palace Sports & Entertainment organization, is asking for the support of everyone in the Pistons community.

Donations can be made immediately by visiting www.pistons.com and clicking on the “DONATE NOW” button, calling 877-DEP-2009 or texting DEP to 90999 for an automatic $5 donation. Online donations will be accepted until March 11. Donors interested in participating on the day of the telethon will be provided a toll free number to call throughout the day. To learn more on interactive fund-raising programs that allows individuals, businesses, schools or churches to get involved, visit the Pistons team website. ”

If you are lucky enough to be able to help Feed the Children, please do, every dollar counts. Click here to go directly to the Donate Page.

Tip off is at 7:30 PM at the Palace of Auburn Hills and will be locally broadcast on FSN. If you can’t catch the broadcast you can tune into 1130 AM WDFN. If you can’t do either, follow the game live or listen to the stream over at NBA.com.

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