Realistically Pistons fans knew a win against the Lakers without Rip, Sheed and AI was a lot to ask for, and after the 25-12 first quarter it sure looked like this was the case.  Will Bynum didn’t get that memo, however, sparking the team in the second quarter while putting up a career-high 25 points.  Unfortunately you can’t beat many teams when just two of your players score in double figures and the Pistons lost to the Lakers 92-77 at home for the first time in seven years.

Key Points:

• Will Bynum and Antonio McDyess were the only Pistons players to score in double figures.
• This was truly a game of runs Will Bynum took Detroit from 13 down after one quarter to 10 up early in the third. The Lakers closed the quarter on a 30-5 run.
• Walter Herrmann did his thing and knocked down a few threes to help Detroit capture the lead before the half.  He finished with 9 points, a blocked shot, 4 boards and an assist in 20 minutes on the floor.
• Stuckey looked out of place going up against Kobe, he played just 26 minutes, scoring 5 points with 4 turnovers, 2 steals and three assists.  He looked bad, in fact he was a -31 for the game.
• “When we’re shorthanded, more is put on his plate. Sometimes he handles it really well and sometimes he doesn’t do as well.” Curry on Stuckey. Via The Detroit Free Press
• Career High for Will Bynum who has more than stepped it up for the Pistons lately.  Will put up a double-double with 25 points, with 11 assists, 3 boards, a steal and 4 turnovers.  Numbers aside, Will did just what the Pistons needed when they needed it.

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• “It’s just another tough loss,” Bynum said. “They went on that run and we couldn’t recover. They just outplayed us in the second half. I am going to stay aggressive,” Bynum said.”I am being more confident. I got an opportunity and I am taking advantage of it. I’ve been positive all year long, even when I wasn’t playing and that’s helped make it easier.” Via The Detroit News
• I must say that I can’t stand going to Lakers games at the Palace and I was glad I wasn’t in the house last night. An MVP chant for a Laker at the Palace just isn’t right.
• Rip and Sheed will be back Saturday!
• Allen Iverson returning next week? I will believe it when I see it.
• NBA.com Highlights of the Game.
• With the loss last night the Pistons (34-37) fell to the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference.
• Detroit (Bynum mostly) outscored the Lakers 30-14 in the second quarter.
• The final score aside, the game was pretty entertaining, it was nice to see Bynum help Detroit crawl back. It just goes to show you they really can be in any game not matter who’s on the court for Detroit.
• “In the second half it seemed like we couldn’t get no offense going at all,” said McDyess, who finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds. “Will came out of the game and he was pretty much getting us where we needed to be, dishing the ball. When he went and sat down it was like we were just stagnant. We were just standing and looking around.” Via The Detroit Free Press
• Another double-double for Antonio McDyess who’s been playing out of body for quite some time now.  Dyess finished with 14 points, 12 boards, a blocked shot, a steal and an assist.

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• Kwame Brown stuffing Lamar Odom….must have made him feel good. He doesn’t put up huge numbers and he fumbles the ball like nobody’s business, but Kwame has given more that I expected he could for this team.
• Amir Johnson, from starter to garbage minutes.
• Afflalo, who started the game didn’t come back with the starters in the third quarter. He finished with six points and one rebound in 31 minutes.
• Tayshaun Prince 7 points on 3 for 13 shooting .
• Consider this game Bynamic.
• Saturday’s game against the struggling Wizards should tell us how this season may end. With Rip and Sheed back and only a handful of games left and Detroit now in the 8th spot…..this should be interesting.

The Pistons take on the 56-14 Los Angeles Lakers tonight at The Palace of Auburn Hills. At this point, especially after the loss in Chicago, the Pistons need every game to help secure a spot in the Playoffs. The Pistons, who have lost six of their last eight, are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, one game ahead of Chicago.

Detroit will again be without Allen Iverson, who wall called out on Tuesday during the TNT telecast about the validity of  his injury by Reggie Miller. Whatever the the reason Allen Iverson is not with this team right now I always had the same feeling about Allen Iverson that Reggie Miller does.

I was never a huge AI fan, but the one thing I always thought about him, besides his great game, was the fact that he played no matter what.  When he got here I specifically said that anything short of a bullet wound, Iverson would play.

Do you remember this?

Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton will not play in tonight’s game against the Lakers.

Something special about tonight’s FOX Sports broadcast of the game:

“For the first time, FOX Sports Detroit’s collection of channels will present simultaneous telecasts of the same game, but from two different perspectives, when the Pistons take on the Los Angeles Lakers at the Palace on Thursday, March 26.

The traditional game coverage will appear on FOX Sports Detroit and in high-definition on FOX Sports Detroit HD.

Meanwhile, FOX Sports Detroit PLUS presents a “Match-up Cam” telecast, with a devoted camera isolating on key battles throughout the game among the many stars on each team.”

Now that sound great, hopefully this becomes a regular feature for FOX.

Tip off is at 7:30 PM and will be locally broadcast on FSN. If you can’t catch the broadcast, listen locally on WDFN 1130 AM or trough your computer at NBA.com

Leave your thoughts in the comments and feel free to be as descriptive as can be while I’m on the disabled list, your comments will help keep me in the loop. I thought I would be up an running a bit quicker, but I had a little setback the last couple of days. And if you need a doctors note I can give you one. My injury actually shows up on an MRI, so there should be no questioning my condition. Thanks for being patient.

For the first time in what seems like forever Detroit, took control of a game from the tip and kept it. The Pistons ran off to a quick start and controlled the tempo in their 106 – 95 victory over the Lakers from the tip. The Lakers took the lead just once during the game and made the game a little tight at the finish but the game was all Detroit.

Key Points:

• Kwame Brown played through the boos and put up his best game as a Piston. Kwame put up a double-double with 10 points, 10 boards, a blocked shot and a steal in 28 minutes on the floor. Not huge numbers but all his numbers really came when it counted.
• “It was better to get booed this way … I was excited to play all day. I was antsy. I couldn’t sleep. It was just real good to get a win against a team that traded you.” Kwame Brown via The Detroit News
• Kobe put up 29 (took him 30 shots to do it) very quiet points, most of which came late when he was trying to get his team back into the game singlehandedly. He did have a couple of huge highlight dunks.
• Arron Afflalo once again stepped up and played well, this time in front of his hometown crowd. Arron scored 7 and played a key role on defense. He knocked down a three at the end of the third that took the life out of the crowd.
• Sheedtastic is an understatement for the game Mr. Wallace put up against The Lakers. Another double-double with 25 points and 13 boards while blocking 2 shots on the night. He’s playing better with Kwame at center, no doubt about it. He even seems to be into the games more, throwing down convincing dunks and jawing it up on court.

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• And how about his off glass three with the shot clock running out. He couldn’t stop laughing when it went down.
• Too many points in the paint for the Lakers. Detroit let them inside for 52 while scoring 30 themselves.
• Detroit started the game knocking down just about everything. They finished the night shooting 50.7% from the floor.
• The Pistons led by as much as 20.
• NBA.com Highlights of the Game.
• Another solid night for Tayshaun Prince. Tay scored 18 with 6 assists and 4 boards in front of his mother who was interviewed during the game. If this isn’t an in-your-face highlight I don’t know what is.

Video Courtesy of The NBA, The Detroit Pistons and FSN

• “But our bigs were the players of the game. Because they were able to play Gasol and Bynum straight up, that allowed Arron Afflalo, myself and Allen (Iverson) to play their perimeter guys straight up. We didn’t have to leave our guys to double down or help.” Tayshaun Prince via The Detroit News
• Iverson’s play of the game was quite nice.
• DNP for Amir Johnson, I believe some of that had to do with the way Kwame was playing and how big Gasol and Bynum are out there on the court. I know plenty of LA fans that are disappointed they didn’t get to see anything Amrizing.
• Pistons were outrebounded 42-43.
• Richard Hamilton is still struggling, 12 points on 3 for 10 shooting. It will come.
• Are you voting for your Pistons yet? And don’t forget Dyess….he’s coming home, isn’t he?
• Impressive game, it was nice to see domination from the tip and to get it in a game you’re playing against the unbeaten Lakers makes it that much better.
• Maxiell showed us a thing or two.

• Stuckey put in 17 minutes and scored 5 points. It’s nice to see him back on the court.
• How nice is it to have a few guys on the team that can break down the defense and penetrate the lane?
• No will Bynum, but they did a nice piece on him at the half. I will get it up for you soon.
• It’s still a bit weird to see Iverson on the court for Detroit, but with the way he’s playing I’m getting used to it quickly.
• AI, along with Sheed, put up 25 points for Detroit. He’s also getting used to where his teammates are on court. His turnovers are going down, but unfortunately the team’s aren’t. 18 turns for Detroit on the night.

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• Pistons finish of this trip tomorrow (Sunday) in Phoenix.
• Do you want to win the Bobble Head I’m giving away? All you have to do is join The Fans of Need4Sheed group at Postin Up.

Back to backs are never easy and Detroit’s game with the Lakers tonight is no exception. Detroit, who are still trying to find their way together, will try to take down the last unbeaten team in the league tonight in LA.

A. Sherrod Blakley at MLive:

“Pistons guard Richard Hamilton understands a win over the Lakers at this point in the season could very well be a statement-type victory.

But as far as the impact of tonight’s game on Detroit moving forward, that’s the least of his concerns.

“We just want to win,” Hamilton said. “However we can get the win, that’s what we want to do.” “

Stuckey will be available tonight, but for how long we won’t know until he goes out there. Kwame Brown, well he’ll need all the help he can playing in front of an LA crowd that doesn’t look fondly upon him.

I know plenty of the Pistons fans will be in the house rooting for Detroit and giving them plenty of love.

Tip is at 10:30 on FSN and ESPN. As always you can catch it on the radio at WDFN 1130 AM The Fan or stream it live at NBA.com.

Leave them in the comments or enjoy the Chat Room during the game.