Pistons vs. Wizards, Rip is starting sorry for the late game thread.

Tip off is at 8:00 PM (now) and will be locally broadcast on FSN Detroit. If you can’t catch it on TV you can always tune in to 1130 AM WDFN The Fan or stream it live through your computer at NBA.com.

BLOGFEST UPDATE: For those of you joining DBB and N4s for Blogfest, we are meeting at The Comcast Pavillion inside the palace at 11:00 AM on Sunday for all the goodness.

The Pistons lost their second straight game Sunday night in Washington 95-83. Detroit hadn’t played since their loss to Cleveland three days earlier, but they played like they were on the second game of a back to back in DC. The Wizards came out and played this one like their season depended on it. Each game is crucial for The Wizards to ensure a playoff spot. After the win against Detroit, Washington now holds a 1 1/2 game lead on Philadelphia and Toronto for the fifth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Key Points:

• The offense was surley not flowing, but Detroit’s defense looked less than stellar as they allowed Washington to score 50 points in the paint.
• The Wizards played without Gilbert Arenas who was possibly going to make his return Sunday night, but was held back by team doctors and clearly upset about not making his debut against the Pistons on National Television.
• Early foul trouble for Rasheed led to a very early Amir Johnson sighting. He played six first quarter minutes, scored 2 points with a steal and committed 2 fouls. Amir saw no second half action.
• I felt the same way while watching the game too.

• First of 5 games in 7 nights with a game at home against Phoenix tonight.
• Still trying for their 50th win.
• The Pistons shot just 43% on the night, they had plenty of wide open looks that wouldn’t go down.
• Sheed’s 11th tech of the season. It clearly was a foul, but a tech? I guess however if you give one to Stackhouse for pushing Ginobili’s face into the floor Sheed’s little push qualifies, though it was very marginal.
• “He gave me a tech saying I shucked him,” Wallace said. “So I knew that was some (baloney).” Via The Detroit News
• The Wizards got solid games from Jamison, Butler and Haywood.
• Another lackluster performance for the Pistons, who have a tough stretch ahead. They are locked into a playoff spot, but we would like for them to be playing solid ball headed into the playoffs.
• Richard Hamilton led the Pistons with 19 points, all of them scored before the third quarter ended. Rip added 5 boards and 2 assists and played the most minutes of any player for either team with 42.

• Anyone notice that Rasheed didn’t play the last few minutes of the game and was sitting when the game was being decided?
• The Pistons could have really used a solid game from Rasheed, who was 3 for 12 on the night. His only field goals came from three consecutive shots from beyond the arc in the third.
• Rebound war won 39-33.
• Rodney Stuckey got the bulk of the bench minutes, in fact he was out there when the buzzer sounded. He had 8 points on 3-for-6 shooting with 1 assist and 2 steals.
• The Wizards got pretty much every shot they wanted and made it look easy.
• Flip Saunders doesn’t want to rest key players for the final games of the season.
• This came after Sheed knocked down a few threes and this put the Pistons within three points in the third quarter.

• “We were running stuff pretty much to get some movement and whatnot and not have guys standing around,” Prince said. “Usually in crucial situations in a game we go to our bread and butter plays, but we didn’t run no plays tonight at all, really, something that we do on a regular basis.” Via The Detroit News
• Jarvis Hayes, who was 3-for-9 for 7 points against his former team, admittedly commented that the Pistons didn’t have much energy in his post game interview. If you look closely behind Jarvis you can see Jordan Dumars lurking in the background.
• NBA.com Highlights of The Game.
• Nothing looked like it was flowing for the Pistons whatsoever. Maxiell and the rest of the Zoo Crew could not provide a spark.
• Antonio McDyess continues to grab boards with 14.
• Tayshaun Prince put up 13 points on 6-for-10 shooting with 3 assists and 3 boards. I would have liked to have seen the Pistons go to him a bit more since he seemed like the only Pistons that was having any luck knocking down shots.

• Pistons fans can thank Isiah Thomas for Tayshaun Prince.
• Chauncey, who scored 11 points, took just 9 shots and most of them came late in the game. When Chauncey is clamoring to get involved late in the game it usually doesn’t end well.
• Team Need4Sheed member Junior made his own Amazing Happens video.
• I feel the same way about writing this recap as the Pistons probably did on court last night, uninspired with no energy.
• 22 bench points.
• Phoenix tonight at the Palace. They will be looking for a beat down after what the Pistons did to them a few weeks back.

This Pistons are set to take on the 35-33 Washington Wizards tonight in this just the second meeting between the two teams this season. The Pistons took the first one 106-93 in Washington. Detroit is going for their 50th win of the season tonight, but the game is more important to the Wizards, who are clinging to fifth place with a half game lead on Toronto. After tonight’s home game, Washington goes on a five game road trip to end the month of March.

The Wizards have been playing well even with injuries to key players (Butler and Arenas). It’s possible we may even see the return of Gilbert Arenas tonight, who’s been out most of the season with a knee injury.

Tip off is at 8:00 PM and will be locally broadcast on FAN Detroit and Nationally on ESON. If you can’t catch it on TV you can always tune in to 1130 AM WDFN The Fan or stream it live through your computer at NBA.com.

Leave ‘em in the comments.