Update:

Final Score:
Pistons103 Magic 110

Due to a lack of time and technical difficulties I’m not recapping this one but after reading Patrick Hayes over at MLive I would have to say I agree with him for the most part.  Good to see Charlie V finally put it together and impressed with Day and Jerebko.  Also just like Patrick, waiting on Chris Wilcox to prove me right on my X-Factor pick of the season.

Oh, and let’s talk about giving up 40 first quarter points to the Magic…that was a mess I didn’t think they were going to pull themselves out of.

Highlights from the game:

A win for Detroit tonight would make it six in a row against the Magic.

With all the success Dwight had in Detroit he decided to sponsor Need4Sheed by promoting his new business venture on the website.
Listen to the commercial for

Dwight Howard’s 17 minute Chicken Shack.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton will not play again for Detroit and Vince Carter may not play for Orlando. John Kuester’s starting lineup will likely be Rodney Stuckey and Ben Gordon in the backcourt, with Jonas Jerebko, Charlie Villanueva and Ben Wallace up front.

Tip off is at 7:00 PM and will be locally broadcast on Fox Sports. Can’t catch the game on television? Tune into the radio at 97.1 The Ticket or follow the game on line of at NBA.com.

The Pistons did their best to try to pull out another game without Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince, but the Raptors didn’t cooperate with Detroit’s plans. Detroit went down 99-110 in Toronto after another gutsy effort.

Key Points:

• Another start for Jonas Jerebko and his first NBA points.  Hustle from Jerebko and defensive effort turned into 2 blocks, 3 boards and 8 points.
• Though not a 20 point night, Rodney Stuckey put up a solid double-double with 10 boards, 13 points and 4 assists.
• We have to face facts, it’s clear that Detroit desperately needs front court help.  They can’t count on the guards to do all the scoring.
• I’m getting Ben Wallace DeJa vu.  He’s as closer to the Ben that left to go to Chicago than I could have ever imagined.  Now Kuester needs to limit his time a bit more so this lasts all season.  Wallace finished with 9 boards and 6 points.
• Toronto became the first team this season to score more than 100 points against Detroit. Does that mean the “D” is officially back?  Probably not, but it’s a refreshing surprise.
• Another heroic effort from Will Bynum, who did his best in the fourth to get the Pistons back in it. He tied the game up with this drive and finished the game with16 points, 6 assists and a steal in 33 minutes. I know he prefers “The Thrill” but I can’t help screaming Bynumite, when he does something spectacular like this…

Video Courtesy of The NBA and The Detroit Pistons

• Austin Day looks a lot like Tayshaun on court, especially when he’s blocking people with those long arms. Daye logged 16 minutes, blocking 2 shots, with 3 boards and 5 points.
• Jason Maxiell got 10 minutes of floor time and added a bit of a spark. A nice putback with 3 boards with 4 points.
• By the way….how many “trade rumor” stories did you read after the Orlando game?
• 20 trips to the line for Bosh, that’s big.
• How much do you enjoy watching Ben Gordon? I’m sure I’ll be writing this again but… Ben Gordon put up a career high in a Pistons uniform while leading the team with 30 points. He’s truly putting this team on his back with Rip and Tay out. Oh and I’m enjoying the fact the Bulls fans are sick about it.

Photo/Getty Images

• First official NBA time for DaJuan Summers who saw 40 seconds.
• Pistons shot well, shooting 45% for the game, but needed to get some stops down the stretch and couldn’t.
• Charlie Villanueva played his best game as a Piston against the team that drafted him. A pretty good stat line in all departments with 16 points, 7 boards a steal and a block. He’s looking better in red, white and blue every night.
• Tough to play a back to back shorthanded, especially after the battle against Orlando. You could clearly see the effort, but they just fell flat mid fourth quarter.
• A little more Ben

• Good to see Amir Johnson get some time on court.  He really helped Toronto when the Pistons started making a run in the third.
• A day of rest and a tough rematch in Orlando Friday night. I hope someone bring some more Kryptonite.
• My good friend Ryan over at HoopsAddict got the inside scoop in the Pistons locker room last night.  I’ll quote him, and then send you over for the audio. “Tonight the Pistons locker room was pure jokes, hence Rip Hamilton free styling before the game about “pimpin’ ain’t easy fo’ sheezy” Pre and post game audio over at Hoopsaddict.com

The Pistons handed the Orlando Magic their first loss of the season Tuesday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills.  Not only where the Pistons without Richard Hamilton again, Tayshaun Prince finally missed a game after starting 496 straight.  Great guard play all around for Detroit led by the gutsy play off Will Bynum after he returned from a poke in the eye from Marcin Gortat and made some key plays down the stretch to lead Detroit to a 80-85 victory.

Key points:

• Though the crowd was sparse at the Palace, the Pistons had the crowd rocking from tip to buzzer.
• 17 minutes from Superman, who finally fouled out on in the fourth on a Bynumite drive.
• 63 combined points from Gordan, Stuckey and Bynum.
• When did white chocolate land in Orlando?
• Jonas Jerebko who became the first Swedish born player to start and NBA took Tayshaun Prince’s spot in the lineup.  Jerebko was 0-for-5 but grabbed 5 boards and was hustling all night long.
• Things got scrappy in the second half when both teams got physical with their fouls.  Could it have started with the Stuckey throw down on Dwight that sent him to the locker room? Possibly, but how can 50 Cent hurt Superman…really.  Hard fouls back and fourth, especially one  from Jameer Nelson on Will Bynum. Even J.J. Reddick got into the mix.
• If your counting that’s 4 straight wins against the Magic.
• It’s getting a little better for Charlie V. Villanueva scored 12 with an assist and grabbed 8 boards.  He’s looking like he’s really getting used to Detroit Basketball.
• First NBA points  for Austin Daye in his 4 minutes on court.
• Prince will be sidelined for at least three games before his status is re-evaluated this weekend.
• I can’t tell you how many times we are going to hear “Rip and Tay or just Tay or just Rip…..should be traded”  just stop now. It’s one game and we are 4 games into the season.
• Great night for Rodney who was one rebound shy of a double-double. Stuck put up 20 points with 9 boards, 3 assists and a steal.

Photo/Getty Images

• Don’t worry about Rodneys’ assists… though the ball movement was ok at times, the Pistons only had 8 total all game.  Will this team have assist issues all season long…probably not.
• Ok, I did read this stat right: Orlando was 10-for-35 from three point land… that’s a ton of threes.  Meanwhile the Pistons were 0-for-6 on the night.
• No play at all for Jason Maxiell, is he in the doghouse with Kuester too?
• By far win or lose and despite the absence of Rip and Tay, this was the best the Pistons have played in a long, long time.  I’m talking current or past lineup.  Hard fought, gritty basketball was the key and Detroit did everything they had to do to pull it out.
• On a night that I thought the bigs would have had to step up, it was the guards who had big nights.  They not only put up big numbers, they got the Magic in foul trouble.
• Ben Gordon was great again, leading the team with 23 points, 5 boards, 3 assists  and a steal.  He’s stepping up and taking doing what he’s got to do when the Pistons need buckets.  And guess what …he makes ‘em. He was 6-for-10 from the floor and 11-for-11 from the line.

Photo/Getty Images

• Eight total points from the Piston Bigs on the night.
• Pistons went to the line 38 times and made 31 to Orlando’s 12-for-16 from the line. Thank the Pistons guards for driving the lane all night long.
• Great play from Ben Wallace again, who scored just 2 but grabbed 10 boards with 2 steals and 2 blocked shots. Best of all he was fired up…just like old times.
• I have to say I really like Dwight Howard, but he’s defiantly one of those players who’s face always looks like he never committed a foul in his life.
• Orlando led 41-38 at the half but the Pistons (finally with a good third quarter) made a game of it the rest of the way.
• I am not kidding you when I tell you the last few minutes of the game was electrifying at the Palace. When it was clear that we were going to pull it out I was simply WOWed.
• Not only did Bynum come back, he drove the lane hard on Dwight, sacrificing his already bruised body (eye) and forced Howard to foul out.  With his 20 points on the night he clearly was the player of the game, especially what he had to do to get it.  His basket in the closing minute was the dagger.

Video Courtesy of The NBA and The Detroit Pistons

• Crazy hand for Will Bynum who came back from a horrible poke in the eye from Gortat. He looked like he wasn’t even going to be able to stand up at first, let alone come back in the game. And looking at the replay when I returned from the game it was worse than on Palace Vision. That’s what I call Superman!
• Oh, and was that a tackle on Will, Jameer?

Photo/Getty Images

• Rebound war won 44-41.
• Great win, things came together and the team gave Pistons fans something to cheer about.
• Thanks go out to my Twitter followers who (in a matter of seconds) let me know why Tayshaun didn’t start last night and what exactly happened to Will Bynum when he went down.  Love going to the games, but when you have no idea what Blaha and Kelser are saying it can be frustrating.  I know you have my back, so thanks.
• Highlights from the game

The 1-2 Pistons look to put an end to their two game slide with a win of the 2-0 Magic tonight in Auburn Hills.  They have three important things going against them tonight.

• No Rip
• Dwight Howard
• and Sheed (Dwight Stopper) is balling for Bean Town.

“The Pistons probably will be without Hamilton the next two games — definitely tonight’s home contest against the Magic and likely Wednesday’s game at Toronto.

Hamilton hurt his ankle with 5 minutes left in the season opener at Memphis on Wednesday. An initial X-ray proved negative. The Pistons took another X-ray as a precaution when he returned to Detroit, and it also was negative. Still, there was significant swelling and bruising, and Hamilton was placed in a walking boot because he could hardly put any pressure on the ankle. ”

“Howard is going to get his, so you just got to keep throwing bodies at him,” Pistons center Kwame Brown said. “You just keep having enough big buys to throw at him and foul him in certain situations and send him to the free-throw line.”

Via The Detroit Free Press

The Magic be without Vince Carter (ankle) and Mickael Pietrus (flu-like illness) as well as Rashard Lewis (suspension)

Tip off is at 7:30 at the palace and will locally broadcast on Fox Sports and while your watch use the NBA’s TV Companion. If you can’t watch the game on television, tune into my buddy Matt Dery on the radio at 950 AM WWJ. Can’t do either follow live over at NBA.com.

Well this happened a lot sooner than I thought it would.  And AI fans complain that Pistons fans treated Iverson unfairly…see a pattern people?

Iverson made his debut for Memphis on Monday night returning to the court after a partial left hamstring tear, AI put up 11 points in 18 minutes in the Memphis’ 127-116 overtime loss.

“I had no problems (with the hamstring),” Iverson said afterward. “I had a problem with my butt from sitting on that bench so long. That’s the only thing I got a problem with. Yeah, I’ll be disappointed (if he’s a sub this season),” Iverson said. “I’m not a reserve basketball player. I’ve never been a reserve all my life and I’m not going to start looking at myself as a reserve. … To answer the question, ‘No, I’m not a bench player. I’m not a sixth man. Go look at my resume and that will show you I’m not a sixth man.” Via Fanhouse

Karma…AI, Karma.

I hate to post AI stuff anymore, but I love to say I told you so.
Hat Tip Detroit Bad Boys

The Pistons did a little Halloween video and asked the player about their least favorite candy they used to get when they went Trick or Treating.

Rip was not happy with fruit and Big Ben prefers traditional candy.  Poor Jason….

They played it on Palace Vision during opening night during a timeout and the bench was glued to the tube, they even poked a little fun at Jason after his part.  I hope he didn’t think the soap was a bar of white chocolate and give it a bite.

We also got a gander of Rodney Stuckey’s special Skeleton kicks he wore on court Saturday night.

The Pistons are in Milwaukee tonight, hopefully to bounce back from the pretty ugly home opening loss against the Thunder last night.

Richard Hamilton will not be in uniform again for the Pistons.  Without Rip in the lineup last night the Pistons shot 37.1 percent from the field, but Ben Gordon filled in and scored 25 points while starting  Rip’s spot.

Tip is at 8:30 pm and will broadcast on FSN. If you can’t catch the game on television, tune into the call on AM 950 wwj or the game cast over at NBA.com.

Since it’s Halloween…I’ll wish you a Happy one,  and add this image I pulled from The Pistons.com splash screen.  Hmmmm…. Does any of that look familiar?  It’s Stuctacularly Bynumite if you ask me.

The new players impressed and the seasoned ones did the rest. The Pistons pummeled the Memphis Grizzlies in the season opener 96-74, led by 25 from Rip Hamilton while Ben Gordon added 22.  The big question has been could the two exist together, and I think they answered that one emphatically with 47 points between them.

Key Points:

• The Defense?  Well it didn’t look that bad, holding the Grizz to just 74 was a nice way to start.
• I mentioned before that Charlie Villanueva was a little (and that’s being nice) lax on playing “D” but he looked like he was really trying to step it up before he got into very early foul trouble. Let’s hope that’s not an issue.
• Coach Kuester started his tenure with Detroit the right way.
• This was the team I was hoping to see this season.
• First official points from Ben Gordon as a Piston… leaning glass gunner with the shot clock expiring. Four point play,  followed by a buzzer beater at the quarter. Ben impressed with 22 points on 7-12 shooting in 25 minutes on the floor.

Video Courtesy of The NBA and The Detroit Pistons

• You know how it feels for Pistons fans to see Sheed on the hated Celtics. Well just bask in the glory that Bulls fans are killing themselves right now watch Ben Gordon don the red, blue and white!
• Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon’s first Pistons points – triples.
• I love the George Blaha (don’t we all?) poster in Memphis…priceless
• Bynum is really trying to cement this whole point guard position. Bynumite with 5 points, 5 boards and 7 assists in 23 minutes.
• Rip tweaked his ankle late in the game after a very impressive performance. Hopefully he will be just fine. I was worried about him as the game started as well as the preseason but he looked great. He loses his ducktail and he gets his shot back, coincidence? I think not.
• Ben Wallace back to his “Big Ben” status? Fear the fade?

Photo/Getty Images

• Wallace not only started for Detroit, but he was very impressive making his defensive presence felt while making it contagious to his teammates. Ben finished with 9 boards, a blocked shot and 3 points in 28 minutes.  Pleasant surprise…
• Rodney Stuckey 12 points on 6-for-10 shooting with three assists and two boards.  I’m hoping his assists are better this season, but either way I think he’s going to be substantially better than last season.
• Tayshaun Prince looked good with 14 points, 5 boards and 3 assists in 31 minutes.
• Will rebounds be a problem? Probably – Pistons outboarded 39-49.
• I was thinking that Rip’s ego might be a little bruised by Ben Gordon but the fact that Gordon scored the coveted Dr. Rahmani commercial was like writing it in stone.  That’s Rip’s gig, my man.
• Rip started slow but totally stole the show with 25 points on 10-for-19 shooting with 4 assists and 3 boards.  Great start for Rip who was looking a little confused during the preseason.

Photo/Getty Images

• I’m hoping Jason Maxiell really plays the way I think he can play. Maxi with 2 points, 6 boards and a ton of hustle in 14 minutes on the floor.
• 51% shooting on the nigh – WOW.
• Charlie V started the game and scored 7. A great dunk but he’ll have to watch the fouls.
• No Austin Daye or Jonas Jerebko, (The Second coming of Detroit Bad Boys) who were both suspended for their skirmishes in the preseaon.  Pistons dressed just 10 players.
• 37% for three.
• Highlights of the Game

• Nice way to make Pistons fans feel after the mess that was last season.
• I can’t wait to see what the crowd is like Friday night at the Palace. Ben Wallace with a serious ovation during the intros I predict.

This is what Pistons fans have been waiting for since Detroit’s early departure in the playoffs last season.  Let’s leave the mess behind us and get to the good stuff.

Detroit is in Memphis to take on the Grizzles for their season opener tonight at 8pm.  You’re opening night linup is.

• Rodney Stuckey
• Rip Hamilton
• Tayshaun Prince
• Charlie Villanueva
• Ben Wallace

Yes, Big Ben will be the Pistons starting center.

Tip off is at 8:00 PM and will be broadcast on FS Detroit with pregame festivites starting at 7PM.  Can’t watch live? Listen on the radio over at 9.71 The Ticket or follow the gamecast over at NBA.com.

I’m excited, so I’m sure you will get a few choice Tweets out of me during the game.

To an eventful and action packed season!  Leave em in the comments.

We all know the season starts Wed the 28th, but here is your schedule wallpaper for the month of November with the Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon representing the D for the very first time.

Download the Wallpapers here and throughout the month of November on the sidebar of the site.

1024×768 | 1280×800 | 1680×1050

Technically the Pistons have three games in the month of October, but  making a special wall for three games just didn’t seem right, so here is the info for you:

1. Wed 28th @ Memphis 8:00pm FS Detroit
2. Fri 30th vs Oklahoma City 8:00pm FS Detroit
3. Sat 31 @ Milwaukee 8:30pm FS Detroit

I have set up 4 Fantasy Basketball leagues for team Need4Sheed members (if you’re reading this that means you). I’m giving the information two more, one which will be Drafting Today at 7:15 EST. If you haven’t tried your hand at fantasy basketball here is your chance to go up against fellow Pistons fans. The winner of each league wins a Need4Sheed.com T-Shirt! So not only do you get bragging rights, you get custom clothing.

I ask just 2 things of those who participate:

There are a limited number of spaces so PLEASE join just one league to be fair to everyone.

Please make sure all your contact information is correct in your Yahoo profile (it’s free to join) so I have correct information at the end of the season to send the winners out their prizes.

That’s it!

Please Check the availability of the leagues at the top first.

Got to the Yahoo Fantasy Home page click Join League type in the appropriate League ID number I posted and password.

Live Draft Tuesday Oct 27:15pm EDT – Rotisserie Scoring (14 Teams)

Need4sheed.com League 2 – League ID# is 315728

password=sheedtastic

Auto pick Draft – Rotisserie Scoring (14 Teams)

Need4sheed.com League 4 – League ID# 315746

password=sheedtastic

Good LUCK!

PISTONS WAIVE DERON WASHINGTON

Roster Now Stands At 14

“Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has requested waivers on guard/forward Deron Washington.  He averaged 3.3 points, 0.6 rebounds and 6.4 minutes in seven preseason games.

Washington was drafted by Detroit with the 59^th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.  He played on the Pistons’ summer league teams each of the last two years and averaged 14.8 points and 7.0 rebounds in 27 games for Hapoel Holon of the Greek League in 2008-09.” Via Pistons.com

The Pistons’ updated 2009-10 roster is a follows:

17           G      Chucky Atkins                       
38           C      Kwame Brown                       
12           G      Will Bynum                              
5             F      Austin Daye                           
7             G      Ben Gordon                             
32           G      Richard Hamilton       
33           F      Jonas Jerebko 
54           F      Jason Maxiell            
22           F      Tayshaun Prince   
3            G      Rodney Stuckey         
35           F      DaJuan Summers       
31        F/C      Charlie Villanueva       
6             C      Ben Wallace   
9          F/C      Chris Wilcox