Rodney Stuckey also had his own buzzer beating jumper to take a 49-46 lead at the half finishing the game with 20 points. Knock it down and send him flying.

Rip Hamilton dropped 15 in another foul laden game thanks to the replacement referees.   The teams combined to commit 57 fouls, leading to 59 free throws.

Those Pistons fans who where out at the game were treated to a little Chucky Atkins in Sunday nights win. Atkins, who played seven minutes scored three points for Detroit.

The Pistons third pre-season game tips at 6 PM at the Palace of Auburn Hills.  The 2 and 0 Pistons take on the 1-0 Atlanta Hawks.  No television broadcast, but you can listen to the broadcast on the radio at 97.1  The Ticket or trough your computer over at NBA.com.

The Piston we are all waiting to see (Charlie Villanueva) is expected to miss his third consecutive preseason game because of hamstring injury.

Things are looking up in Motown

“It’s a good time for us to make a run now,” Hamilton said. “We pretty much know we can’t get the one, two or three seed, we’re so far behind. But we can definitely shoot for the fourth.” Via NBA.com

Not so much in Hotlanta.

“Guys aren’t serious about what’s at hand,” said coach Mike Woodson, who saw his team’s lead over fifth-place Miami shrink to a half-game. “And what’s at hand is us winning this fourth spot and holding it down. So we’ve got to go home now and see what we’re made of.” Via NBA.com

We may not even see Josh Smith tonight after he had a heated incident with his coach on court.

Josh Smith didn’t play in the second half Friday after he got into a heated exchange with Woodson at halftime that could be heard in the hallway outside the locker room. Smith, who had 13 points in the first two quarters, spent the second half sitting in the middle of the bench with a towel draped over his back.

“I don’t want to talk about that right now,” Smith said when asked about the benching.

Woodson wouldn’t say whether the team’s third-leading scorer would play Saturday.

“We’ll determine that tomorrow,” he said. Via NBA.com

Sad really, as good as Smith is, I think his immaturity has plagued him his entire (though short) career.

Tip off is at 7:00 PM and will be locally broadcast on FSN PLUS. 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.

Leave them in the Comments.

And remember Daddy Rich in your thoughts and prayers.

Key Points:

• When Flip Murray is the game maker and burns you over and over again is it time to give up?  Seriously, Flip Murry lit the Pistons up for 23 points on 10-18 shooting off the bench for the Hawks.  Still a little funny to me that Flip took more shots for the Hawks than Joe Johnson did. Johnson led the Hawks with 27 on 10-for-16 shooting.
• Has Sheed given up? I was at the game and I was bitching (to myself) that we were going small down the stretch, again, and wondering why Sheed wasn’t in the game. On the ride home I heard Curry explain that he said that when he asked to return to the game Rasheed said he wasn’t able.  An old injury re-aggravated or is there something we don’t know? Maybe he just wanted to rush home to catch the rest of the North Carolina – Duke game.
• Allen Iverson led all scorers with 28 points on 11-for-20 shooting. Great performance from AI who missed Tuesday’s game against the Bulls with Flu like symptoms. He added 3 steals and just one turnover, but the one he did give up was a critical possession late in the game that could have made a big difference in the outcome of the game.

Photo/Getty Images

• AI highlights complete with the diving assist to Rip.
• If the playoffs started Wednesday, the Pistons and Hawks would face each other. And Detroit would NOT have home court advantage.
• The Pistons actually won the war of the boards 40-35.
• They even had 45 points in the paint.
• They really have no defensive identity.  Oh how we miss the Wallace x2 days.
• Rodney Stuckey struggled a bit after suffering a slight ankle sprain in Tuesday’s game with the Bulls.  Rodney scored 12 on 5-for-11 shooting in 30 minutes on the floor.  A complaint by many Pistons fans is that our point guard doesn’t distribute the ball…and his one assist last night is a shining example.
• Feel bad…some Jason Maxiell Highlights will make you feel good. At least it did for me when I was putting the video together. Dunk you very much Jason for easing our misery just a little with your hustle and heart.

Video Courtesy of The NBA, The Detroit Pistons and FSN

• Jason finished with 6 points, 4 boards, 2 blocked shots and a steal in 17 minutes. You can ask yourself all you want why he didn’t get more time when he was a difference maker when he was on court and when Sheed couldn’t return.  Should Need4Sheed have a “mail bag” of questions for Michael Curry to answer?  I think we would keep him pretty busy.
• Tayshaun Prince 12 points on 4-10 shooting, with 8 assists, 5 boards, and a steal.  Thank goodness someone is racking up assists.
• 17 lead changes with the game tied 8 times.
• Double-double for Antonio McDyess with 10 points and 10 boards.
• FSN Highlights by the Quarter.
• Jason Maxiell likes to block shots, and we like to watch him do it.  Al Horford……..not so much.

Video Courtesy of The NBA, The Detroit Pistons and FSN

• “For some reason, when we come home, we have a lull,” Curry said. “When we’re on the road, we’re all together and you have to fight, that’s all you got. (At home) everyone is finding reasons why we’re losing.” Via The Detroit News. Dear Mr. Curry, just so you know, in case you haven’t paid attention, IT’S NOT JUST AT HOME!
• Richard Hamilton 14 points on 6-for-16 shooting with 5 assists, 4 boards and zero turnovers.
• It may be every bit of reality that the Pistons don’t even make the playoffs. There, I said it. Just look at the standings and see for yourself.  They have the same record as Miami and Philly and the only team below them in the hunt are The Bucks.
• Did you know that Antonio McDyess hit the Bulls Derrick Rose so hard that he was in tears?  I knew he was hurt when watcing the game but apparently the Bulls think action should be taken against Dyess.
• Anyone have the feeling Joe Dumars is just some kind of Evil Genius and something just might happen?  I am thinking if something does go down it will be after the All Star break.  For all we know a deal is already put in place, but the NBA wants All Star weekend to take precedence.  Just me thinking to help stop the madness in my head.  But I could be right.

On their second game of a back to back the Pistons host the (better than they are) Atlanta Hawks. The 30-21 Hawks have lost seven straight at the Palace, but like most of us know stats like that mean nothing to this Detroit Pistons team, who struggles with just about every team that they play. And this Hawks team is nothing like the Atlanta teams of old.

Good New/Bad News and More:

• Last game for Detroit before a MUCH needed All-Star Break.
• Lost to the Hawks in their first meeting but won a season high seven straight after that. They are 6-12 since that seven game miracle.
• Atlanta has won 3 of their last 4 games.
• The Pistons are guaranteed their fewest wins at the All-Star break since 2001-02, when they were 26-21.
• Chuck Daly thinks this talented Pistons team needs more time.  But do they have it is the question.
• I had nothing to do with this… FireCurry.com
• No news yet on Stuckey, who tweaked his ankle in the closing minutes of the Pistons loss to the Bulls.
• Allen Iverson will be reevaluated today after missing yesterday’s game with Flu like symptoms.

Tip off is at 7:30 P.M. and will be locally televised on FSN. If you can’t watch the broadcast, tune into 1130 AM WDFN The Fan.  Can’t do either? Follow the game on NBA.com.

Comments and  Chat.

Key Points:

• Mike Bibby, whom I had forgotten was even on the Hawks roster, torched the Pistons from behind the long line. Bibby had 27 on the night including 5 three’s in the second quarter alone. Now after he made three it would have been nice if someone locked on him defensively.
• How bout this Pistons fans, The Atlanta Hawks are 4th seed right now in the East and have a better record than Detroit (5).
• With small ball comes second chance shots for the opposing team and rebounding problems. War of the boards lost again 39-45.
• DNP Jason Maxiell…..and Kwame and Walter Herrmann. Amir Johnson got eight minutes of floor time but I would love it if someone can explain Curry’s rotation schemes. At what point do you just play the best guys you have rather than trying to match up (unsuccessfully it seems) with every lineup you face?
• Rip, a technical foul late in the game when the game was on the line after a Bibby elbow to his head. When he finally got up and went to the bench during a timeout his remarks to the refs after a no call got him tossed. They showed the replay a few times and it didn’t look intentional and wasn’t that obvious, the camera barely caught it. Not that I don’t deny that fact that it probably would have knocked me out but Rip has got to control himself, we needed him.

Photo/Getty Images

• “I don’t deserve to get kicked out of the game for that,” Hamilton said. “There’s a lot worse stuff being said out on the floor. I was in the wrong for saying what I said, but not by any means do you get kicked out of the game for that.” Via NBA.com
• Rip scored 16 with an assist, a steal and a rebound on the night before getting tossed in the fourth quarter.
• Tayshaun 1-for-8 for 2 points on the night and the ball was in his hands for a desperation three with the score at 78-83 and 13 seconds on the clock.
• Did anyone else wonder why Detroit didn’t foul Atlanta late in the game and stop the clock?
• Stuckey is proving himself to be the biggest asset the Pistons have right now. He was a rebound away from another double-double, scoring 20 points with 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and just one turnover. It was Rodney who gave Detroit a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter.
• Rodney Stuckey Highlights of the game.
• Yes the Pistons tend to NOT get their fair shake in the foul department, but are we really going to blame all Detroit’s losses on the officiating? Talk of conspiracy theory in the comments. They are losing because they aren’t playing well…come on Pistons fans.
• Rasheed put up 20 for Detroit with 2 blocks, 5 boards and one heck of an assist to Allen Iverson.

Photo/Getty Images

• I really was never anti-Michael Curry but sometimes his decisions make me wonder, which usually leads to anger after the outcome.
• The Pistons fell to 0-6 on Sunday.
• The Pistons were down by as much as 18 until they started to pick things up late in the second quarter.
• Isn’t it alarming when Rodney Stuckey is the team’s leading rebounder?
• FSN Highlights of the game by quarter.
• 18 Pistons bench points.
• AI just 4-for-11 for 10 points.
• Detroit shoots 46.7 % on the night and loses to a team that shoots 41.9% and 68% from the line.
• I thought it was just me, but I wasn’t the only one to notice Iverson was upset he wasn’t in the game late in the fourth quarter when the game was on the line. In fact, maybe that was the reason he didn’t attempt the last second shot, choosing to dish it to Tayshaun. Is trouble brewing already?
• Look it could be worse, William Clay Ford wants to keep things the same for the Lions next season.
• I thought I was the only one who thought Jack Nies had it in for Detroit. (link via Detroit Bad Boys)
• Comment away, I’m enjoying what all of you have to say.

Pistons take on the Hawks in the ATL for and early afternoon Sunday game today. This could mean trouble for Detroit who have yet to record a W on Sunday thus far this season.

Detroit looks like they have finally started to click, especially after their double OT loss to the Jazz at Palace Friday night. But don’t look for the Hawks of old, this Atlanta team is 16-10 on the season and knows how to shut teams down. Don’t forget our old friend Flip Murray is averaging 10 points in 20 minutes for the Hawks this season.

Tip off is at 2:00 P.M. on FSN. If you can’t watch the FSN broadcast, tune into 1130 AM The Fan can’t do either, follow the game on NBA.com.

Sorry for the lack of posting, the snow storms took out my internet service. Thank goodness for Starbucks right now.

Chat, comments and Contest!

Courtesy of an Arron Afflalo reverse Dunk

Check out the whole highlight reel of Arron lighting it up in the third quarter

of The Pistons loss to Atlanta. I don’t know what’s more priceless, Afllalo or The Pistons bench reaction.

The Pistons will take the floor for the last time this pre-season tonight against The Atlanta Hawks at The Palace. The Pistons topped the Calavliers 97-79 last night with the help of Rodney Stuckey’s 20 points and a Cheikh Samb 3.

And then there was AMIR….

“Most definitely,” he nodded. “He was way bigger than me. I was about 215 and he was like 245 or 250. So I was a little intimidated by him. But now it’s no problem. I just treat him like a regular guy.” Amir on Ben Wallace

“The truth is, Amir got the better of Big Ben in Wednesday’s preseason game, though to be fair, a 34-year-old four-time Defensive Player of the Year nursing a tender back is going to approach a preseason game with a tad less fervor than a kid trying to prove his coach was right to thrust him into a starting lineup composed of four virtual All-Stars.” Via Keith Langlois at True Blue Pistons

Expect some rest tonight:

“Pistons Backup center Kwame Brown (right shoulder strain) missed the game and Curry said he expects Brown to miss tonight’s game against the Atlanta Hawks. … Curry said he expects to rest Rasheed Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Prince, Hamilton and Antonio McDyess in the second half of tonight’s exhibition finale.” Via The Detroit Free Press

Tip off is at 7:30 PM and WILL be broadcast on FSN Detroit. You can also follow the NBA.com live stream or listen to 1130 AM WDFN The Fan.

I’m trying out a new Chat Room for those of you who like to talk live during the games. I put a link to it at the top of the page but here it is if you want to try it out tonight during the Hawks game, or any other time for that matter. I can even add it to the each game tread, so give me some feedback if you can.
Let the countdown to the regular season begin!