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The Pistons are in Indiana to take on the 34-45 Pacers in an important second game of a back-to-back. Detroit has three regular season games to go and the Eastern Conference playoff field has been determined. Depending on the outcome of the next games, the Pistons have a chance to finish as high as 5th place.

The Good/Bad and More

• The Pacers are out of the Playoff picture.
• The Pistons have lost six of its last eight away from home.
• The Pacers are winners of four of their last five home games.
• Detroit won the first two meetings this season over the Pacers, but lost 116-110 in overtime.
• Keep an eye out for Michael Currys’ use of the starters.

Tip off is at 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on FSN and on NBA.TV. If you can’t watch, you can listen live on 1130 AM WDFN or catch the game through your computer at NBA.com.

Tayshaun Prince did not make the All Star Team again this year. I know we have been pushing for Tay to make the squad for years, but with everything that has been going on with the team, Prince really stood out when Detroit needed him.

He deserved a spot, but it truly would have been hard to deny Danny Granger with the year he’s been having.

Next year is Tay’s for sure. Right?

Oh and congrats to Chauncey, who made the team for the West. It’s going to be hard to root against him whatever team he’s on.

And the hits just keep on coming for Detroit. The Pistons are now on a three game losing streak after a 110-106 overtime loss to the Pacers.  Detroit went into Indiana having won eight straight against the Pacers, who currently have the second worst defense in the league. Despite a 30 point performance from Stuckey and the ball in their hands multiple times at the end of regulation, the Pistons came up short.

Key Points:

• Small Ball Part II: 0-for-2
• DNP Jason Maxiell and Kwame Brown. I know Indiana is fast but come on.
• Another loss to a team that we should beat. As of now can we say the Pistons “should” beat anyone at this point?
• Another fantastic night from Rodney Stuckey that gets soured by losing a game like this. A game high 30 for Stuckey who was 12-for-20 with 9 boards, 6 assists and just one turnover. Thank goodness George Blaha is so animated when Rodney is playing, it’s the best part of watching these days.

Photo/Getty Images

• A few Stuck HL’s.
• Not a good night for Rip 4-for-13 from the floor for 9 points in 29 minutes.
• Tay 4-for-12, it’s clear he is not the player he can be when he’s playing out of position.
• Sheed put up a double-double with 17 points and 15 boards with a steal and a blocked shot. Yes great numbers but 3-for-11 from downtown (1-for-5 in OT)….Do we really need Rasheed to be taking 11 from beyond the arc? Stick to the post and witty banter Rasheed.
• Outrebounded 48-50.
• This lineup is messing with Dyess who had been one of the reasons we were winning since his return to the team.

Photo/Getty Images

• First overtime win for Indiana all season.
• Iverson 23 on 9-for-19 shooting, that’s probably one of the best shooting nights he’s had percentage-wise in quite some time. Add 7 assists to that and it’s a nice line for AI. Yes he had 4 turnovers, but I’ll take a game like this over a 30% shooting night any day.
• FSN Highlights by quarter.
• Friday in Oklahoma should be interesting.

Detroit is on the second game of a back-to-back tonight in Indiana. The Pistons will try to snap out of their offensive woes against the 13-25 Pacers who return home after allowing an average of more than 120 points during its five game trip. A much-needed win tonight for Detroit would make it nine straight against a Pacers team who once were Detroit’s biggest rival in the East.

Boy how things change fast.

Small ball part II tips off at Tip off is at 7:00 P.M. and will be locally broadcast 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.

Chat, Comments and CONTEST!!!!!

McDyess made sure his homecoming was one to remember, especially after his standing ovation right before the tip. The Pistons organization made such a great welcome home video for McDyess that was played on the big screen before the game started that it had me, as well as other Pistons, fans teary eyed. (They didn’t broadcast the video during the game so I don’t have it. I’m told they are going to have it on Pistons.com.)

UPDATE: Here’s a video taken from the stands – thanks to altan in the comments.

Dyess didn’t disappoint in the Pistons’ 114-110 win over the Pacers.

He even recreated “the block.” It wasn’t on the most famous Pacer Reggie Miller, but it was impressive nonetheless. (more…)

Rookie head coach Michael Curry started the Pistons off with a win in a different manner than we are used to seeing. Coach Curry utilized his bench early and often playing 11 Pistons, eight of which put up points in the first half alone. Detroit started slow but once they took the lead early in the first half they remained in the drivers seat the rest of the way to a 100-94 win over The Pacers.

Key Points:

• The Palace renovations look great and considering that building is one of the oldest now in the NBA, it’s still one of the best.
• Very quiet crowd considering it was opening night.
• I don’t know if it was shown on the broadcast, but right before the tip Rasheed took the microphone to center court and thanked the crowd for coming out, especially during the hard economic times and reassured Pistons fans that they (the team) were out to prove something.
• The starters looked a bit rusty to start off the game but as soon as Curry started utilizing the bench Detroit made their push.
• Rip and Chauncey each shot 5-for-13.
• Four Pistons scored in double figures, and 10 played at least 13 minutes. Now that would never have happened last season under Flip.
• Rasheed has not shaken his pre-season shooting woes. He went 4-for-11 for 9 points but his defense was just fine. Sheed grabbed 7 boards, had 2 steals, a blocked shot and added 2 assists.
• Tayshaun Prince led the Pistons with 19 points on 8-for-15 shooting in 32 minutes on the floor. The jumpers weren’t going down to start but the dunks brought life to the crowd and the team.

• 14 turnovers for Detroit isn’t the norm but they really took advantage of Indiana’s 21.
• Rebound war won 41 to 38. It was nice to see them grab 14 offensive boards. I love that way Amir keeps the ball alive down low.
• Detroit shot 44% for the night to the Pacers 49.
• Lesson Learned – Leave Amir open and he’ll knock down a 20 footer.
• “It all started with preseason, when I was already shooting a couple of jumpers,” Johnson said. “I’m very confident in my jump shot. We work on it every day and I’m just going to keep shooting if I’m open.” Via The Detroit Free Press
• Great to see the Amir get introduced by Mason in the Starting Lineup.
  In my opinion Walter Herrmann AKA Rico Suave was the key off the bench for Detroit. Herrmann sank a couple of key three pointers in the second to help the Pistons take control of the game. He finished with 10 points and the best two came on this circus shot late in the fourth.

Courtesy of The Detroit Pistons, The NBA and FSN Detroit

• “Walter Herrmann came in and he’s shown everyone he’s a guy who can come in and give Tayshaun (Prince) a break,” Curry said. “He’s (Herrmann) a very capable player in this league. He’s an experienced guy.” “I was waiting for this opportunity,” said Herrmann, who saw limited playing time last season when arrived in a midseason trade from Charlotte. “This season maybe I can play more minutes. Michael Curry told me when I come to the court I have to play hard. That’s it. ” Via The Detroit News
• NBA.Com Highlights of the Game
• How did Danny Granger put up 33 points on Detroit, who was wasn’t guarding him? The kid couldn’t miss, I almost thought it was a mistake when I looked up at the scoreboard and noticed he had 30 late in the fourth.
• Come on people, I know there is traffic but there is no reason to leave the game with 6 minutes left when it’s pretty close. The building was almost empty when I left, and I always stay till the final buzzer sounds.
• The new look Pacers really like to run the floor, it made for a different looking Pistons approach that I’m not used to seeing from this team.
• You always miss things when your’re at the game but Team Need4Sheed Captain (Steve) made sure to text message me that one of the refs called Indiana’s coach “old man”. That’s the beauty of high quality microphones.
• Dyess just didn’t look like himself to start the game but eventually got into the groove. He put up 8 points with 5 boards. The thing about McDyess is….it seems like if he doesn’t make his first couple of shots to start the game he struggles. When he knocks down the first one, watch out!
• Scary isn’t it….Amir and Sheed down low. Did I mention Amir blocked 3 shots on the night?

• Solid effort for Arron Afflalo who had 5 points and 3 takeaways in 13 minutes.
• Stuckey looked solid and had a couple of nice cuts to the basket for layups.  Eight points with four assists in 16 minutes is a nice way to start the season. I do get a little scared when he drives the lane in traffic with no hesitation, reminds me a little too much of Wade (and his injuries).
• The Spare Tires dressed in appropriate gear passed out candy to the crowd and did one heck of a Thriller dance during one of the breaks in action.
• My goodness was it just me or was the officiating a little off? I know Detroit took too many jumpers but the foul discrepancy was big. Detroit had 16 chances at the line to Indiana’s 29. Jarret Jack slipped and fell and they called a foul on Prince.
• Chauncey’s three pointer with three minutes left was the nail.
• Either the Pacers are better than I expected or Detroit wasn’t quite on their game last night.
• Have to agree with Dave Dial on this one.
• For those of you in the chat room last night during the game I’m anxious to know how it worked out.
• Many of you asked, so I just want you to know that the November Pistons Schedule wallpaper will be up tomorrow.

I thought I would get the intros up for you as soon as I got back from the Pistons win over the Pacers on opening night. I am not really sure that I can pinpoint it, but for the first time I wasn’t feeling the changes of the intros. They just didn’t pump me up as they usually do to start off the game. The video was cool, but seemed quite quick and the music just didn’t move me at all. Maybe it was the excitement of the opening game, well I hope so that’s all it was because the intros really make the game special for me.

When pulling the video I noticed that Rasheed made quite a statement after his customary dance. Make sure you listen to what he had to say to his teammates in the huddle.

The Pistons start the much awaited regular season tonight at The Palace of Auburn Hills against The Indiana Pacers. Now this isn’t your Indiana of old, even though Jeff Foster is still on the roster. Indiana will be without their leading scorer Mike Dunleavy JR. On Detroit’s side, Kwame Brown is expected to be in uniform tonight with a right shoulder strain, while Walter Sharpe’s left knee bruise continues to heal he won’t be. Alex Acker and Cheikh Samb will also start this season in their dress clothes.

I’m as excited as most of you are and will be heading over to The Palace early to see what sort of trouble I can get myself into. For those of you watching the game on TV, FSN will be starting the Piston broadcast off at 6:30 pm with The Pistons Season Preview followed by Pistons insider at 7 pm and the pre-game at 7:30 pm. Tip off is at 8 pm, as always you can listen live on the radio on 1130 AM WDFN The Fan with the live stream at NBA.com.

Remember the new Chat room feature that I will be adding to each game thread, I would love to hear your feedback on it. There is also a link at the top of the page to the Chat Room page.

Here’s to a healthy, winning Pistons 2008-2009 Season!

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