Detroit let another lead slip away in the fourth quarter and lost at home to the Charlotte Bobcats for the first time since 2006.  Detroit ran cold in the fourth, letting the Bobcats go on a 13-2 run to finish the game and put them in a place for Ramond Felton to hit a jumper to take the lead with 0.7 on the game clock. AI had a quick chance three to win the game, but Detroit fell 78-80 to Larry Brown’s Bobcats.

Key Points:

• Small Ball
• The Pistons scored just 10 points in the fourth quarter.
• Out-rebounded by a horrible rebounding team, 41-44.
• Sheed not only was called for his 13th technical foul of the season, this late game offensive foul call that took the ball (and Sheed) away from the Pistons when the game was on the line wasn’t the cause of the Pistons collapse, but it was tough to swallow.
• Rodney Stuckey led Detroit with 22 points on 8-for-11 shooting with 6 boards and 5 assists in 38 minutes. Another big night from Rodney who must have blamed the loss on the team at least three times in his post game interview…”it was on us not the coaching.” When asked about the small ball lineup, he said it didn’t play a part in the loss.

Photo/Getty Images

• Stuckey Highlights.
• Long gone are the days when Detroit clamped down in the fourth quarter and got it done.  Take it however you want to, but it’s not just about how the lineup changed or the small ball. Think about how many games or playoff series the Pistons have lost in the past few year that they had no business losing.  Charlotte at home is just icing on the cake.
• FSN Lowlights of the game by the quarter. Want to see the mess unfold? Just watch.
• Sheed’s 16 points, 7 boards, 2 blocks and a steal didn’t even tell the whole story of how he played. His defense at times on Okafor was stellar and he hit a couple of huge threes just when Detroit needed them.

Photo/Getty Images

• Sheed was also a key part of The Play of The Game.
• Maxiell 10 minutes, Amir 9. Combined they scored ZERO points and pulled down 2 boards.
• Missed shots, critical turnovers and an offense that looked horrible in the fourth was to blame.
• Fourth Quarter – 10 points on 2 for 13 shooting with 5 turnovers. Really?????
• Rip looked pretty good in his first game back although I was surprised he logged so many minutes (35).  He was just 4-for-12 on the night with 5 boards, 2 assists a steal and a SHOCKING block on the 6″10 Okafor.

Video Courtesy of The NBA, The Detroit Pistons and FSN Detroit

• It’s real cute to put Tayshaun at the point for a play or two, but it takes away from his game. The recently settled and productive Tayshaun Prince flirted with a double-double going 4-for-12 for 11 points, 9 boards, 5 assists, 2 blocked shots, a steal.  Now that’s stepping up for your team, especially when your playing out of position. Put him back in the paint where he belongs and see his shooting percentage go right back up again.
• Just six minutes from the only true point guard on the team. Will Bynum was 2-for-4 with a board and no assists.
• Dyess, 9 boards and just 2 points.
• Iverson 5-for-12 shooting for 13 points with 5 turnovers in 38 minutes.  Can’t really hold the last shot of the game against him, how many times is he going to be put in that position to win a game?
• AI – “We just got beat, we lost a game we should have won easily.” Via MLive
• Rip is now all for doing what’s best for the team. That came before the Bobcats game.
• Fun with Small Ball.
• Hit me with your comments, I know there are a ton of frustrated Pistons fans today. Maybe even more after tonight’s game in Indiana. Oh, and my apologies to those of you at the game last night. On a miserably cold night the last thing you want to do is drive home in sub zero temps after losing to the Bobcats on a last second shot.
• BTW Steve is ready to put up an open letter to Michael Curry here on N4S and I’m all for it if things keep going south.  Want in on it….by all means leave ‘em in the comments.