Key Points:

• This one looked like it was going to be a pretty easy win over the injured Wizards when Detroit took the lead early.  But one of my favorite non Pistons Earl Boykins, who was playing for the first time this season (a new acquisition for Washington), was on a mission to show his new teammates what he could do.  He scored 20 off the bench, getting his team right back in the game by the half.
• 54 points combined for Charlie V and Ben Gordon.
• From what I hear from a few members of team N4S that went to the game, there were plenty of Pistons fans cheering them on in Washington.
• I know many people are putting a mini Sheed label on Charlie V, something I don’t quite agree with (yet), he sure looked a lot like him when he was knocking down threes like they were layups. 12 of his 25 points game from long range.  Villanueva added 7 boards, 2 steal and 2 blocked shots before fouling out late in the fourth.

Photo/Getty Images

“It is a good opportunity. It’s an unfortunate situation that our top two players are out (Hamilton and Prince) but no one is going to feel sorry for us so we have to keep playing hard. It creates opportunity for other guys and they are taking on the challenge. I feel like we are going to win games by playing good defense.” Via Pistons.com

• It’s safe to say Charlie V is in a groove and is fitting in just fine with Detroit’s style of play.
• Just 2 from SWEEEEDE (Jerebko), but his hustle and defense does wonders in the starting lineup.
• Rodney Stuckey scored 17 in 44  minutes of play on 5-for 13 shooting with 9 boards, 4 assists and a steal.  He turned the ball over 4 times but his help on the boards along with the other guards cemented the Pistons com back win.
• The Wizards may have scored over 100, but do you realize that this Pistons team is 5th in the league in Defense.
• Bynum just doesn’t drive the lane to score you know!

Video Courtesy of The NBA, FSN and The Detroit Pistons

• This team showed heart and determination scrapping out a win after the Wizards took the lead in the fourth quarter. In the past they might have just laid down and took one, but they did everything they could to pull it out.
• Will Bynum put the team on his back in the third quarter and got then right back in it.  I know that many of you think I’m on a Bynumite kick, but I’ll  stand up to anyone who says it’s not well deserved.  We knew what he could do last season, it was just a matter of him getting a chance.  Will scored 20 off the bench for Detroit in 31 minutes with 8 boards and 6 assists.   Did anyone see him take just about everyone on the Wizards off the dribble last night?  He was great last night!
• Hate to say it,  but had MC been coaching last night this team probably would have lost.
• My stat of the night, 42 points in the paint for Detroit. I hated the fact that in the past few seasons when we had Sheed and considerable size that we didn’t put up enough easy buckets, they really have surprised me with their work down low.
• The Pistons led early by as much as 13 and the Wizards mounted a 10 point lead late. This one was truly a game of runs, thankfully Detroit went on a big one late in the game to pull it out.
• DNP for Chris Wilcox, who I wish would be contributing more when he gets time on the court.  It’s understandable why he’s not playing considering the numbers he’s put up, but he’s got to step it up, we know what he can do.
• Our leading scorer Ben Gorden had another fantastic night leading all scorers with 29.  Does anyone even question him when he puts up as shot?  It seems like he makes everything he puts up.

Photo/Getty Images

• Anybody worried about Jason Maxiell? Our spark plug is loosing his spark. I know he had a nice block the other night, but I’m still waiting for him to be a consistent force the Pistons can count on. Jason played 14 minutes and scored 5 with 4 boards. He needs to start taking after Wallace 2.0.
• DaJuan Summers and Austin Day each logged 4 minutes without scoring.
• Why Ben Wallace ditched his headband early in the game we will never know, but his contributions to this team have surpassed everything this Pistons fans thought he could do. The man had just as many assists (4) as our starting point guard. Take a look at this scrappy assist…..

Video Courtesy of The NBA, FSN and The Detroit Pistons

• Wallace 2.0 finished the game with 5 points on 2-for-2 shooting with 7 boards a steal and 2 blocked shots. Can he play 30 minutes a night all season long is the question.
• Still no timetable on Rip of Tayshaun.
• Bynumite tried to wow the Wizards crowd with another jaw dropping dunk over a big man, but the had to foul him to stop him.
• Kwame Brown had to hear the boos from the Washington crowd. It’s unfortunate but he’s kind of similar to Pistons fans relationship with Darko. Kwame finished with 3 points and 3 boards in 9 minutes.
• Highlights of the game via NBA.com

• Detroit has another one  today against the Mavs and a tough road trip out west this week.

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.

Photo/Getty Images

• “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.

Photo/Getty Images

• 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.

Keith Langlois – True Blue Pistons

“Michael Curry stopped short of saying changes are in the offing – in fact, he specifically said there isn’t necessarily another lineup change coming – but he did broadly hint that if the Pistons don’t turn a corner in tonight’s game with New Orleans and Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. late afternoon tip with Memphis, all bets are off.

When Curry was asked about 90 minutes before the New Orleans game if he’s convinced the small lineup can defend and rebound well enough to give the Pistons a chance to be successful, he didn’t beat around the bush.

“I haven’t been totally convinced yet,” he said. “I think we’re good enough, whichever way we decide to play, but we haven’t played defense and rebounded the ball as well as I would have liked with that group.” And then …

“So we’re really looking at today and Monday to see how our performance is. I’m not saying after that we’ll make another decision, but I thought regardless of the lineup, I thought if we shared the ball a little more and took care of some fast-break opportunities … we’re not talking like we are now, because we would have beat Charlotte and we would have beat Indiana and a tossup how that game in Oklahoma City would have gone.

“We’ll see. We’ll look at everything.”

Should we be surprised?

Don’t forget this one starts early and will be televised nationally.

Tip off is at 5:30 P.M. and will be nationally broadcast on TNT . 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, Chat and CONTEST

Need4Sheed.com is giving away pairs of tickets to lucky winners.
Watch the Video to find out what you have to do to win!

You have a better chance at winning the tickets if you put some effort into it, so don’t be shy….Sheed isn’t.

E-mail me at need4sheedcontest@gmail.com

Subject line -- “I’m Sheed”

1. Name
2. Age
3. Address
4. Telephone #
5. Along with either your “I’m Sheed” entry or by telling me what your favorite Sheedtastic moment is.

I will announce the Winners Monday December 29th.

It’s not just a game…it’s the ultimate fan experience.

Thanks go out to Dave Wieme and The Detroit Pistons for giving Pistons fan a day they will never forget.

Detroit hosts the struggling 8-11 Sixers tonight at the Palace. The Sixers, who have lost five of six, will be without forward Elton Brand who is sidelined with a strained right hamstring.

AI is excited to play against his former team and is READY to be whatever Detroit wants him to be, even if that means going back to being “The Answer” again.

“That’s just inside me. I want to be the guy with the ball. I want to be the guy making the decision. But that’s just not the case any more, and I have to adjust.

“I don’t have a problem with it. I think the bigger picture is winning a championship.”

If you are heading out to the Palace tonight make sure you stop by section 106.

“Fans who make the Responsibility Has Its Rewards (RHIR) pledge to always have a designated driver, never drive drunk, and always buckle up will film their own message about responsible behavior. The film crew will be set-up on the main concourse near Section 106, next to the Designated Driver program booth. Public Service Announcements produced from the filming will air throughout the season on the Palace of Auburn Hills video board and on local broadcast TV.” Via Market Watch

Great idea from the Pistons. Don’t Drink and Drive it’s simple.

Looks Joe Dumars was sending Chauncey to Denver and only Denver.
Tony Mejia talks to Joe D. (link via True Hoop)

“In a perfect world, you always have guys that are up for every game, that don’t need any extra motivation,” Dumars said of what he hopes bringing Iverson and Wallace together will do for the Pistons’ approach. “But, you know, at this point in their careers, in the last year of big deals and impending free agency, those are factors that work in our favor in terms of urgency. That’s reality.”
And in case you didn’t know, it’s Ladies Night at the Palace……Tickets, Martini Glasses and Herrmann, what more do you want ladies?

Tip is at 8:00 PM on FSN with the pre-game festivities starting at 7. If you can’t watch the television broadcast, tune into 1130 AM The Fan where you can catch our friend Matt Dery with the pre-game at 7:00. Can’t do either, follow the game on NBA.com.

You know what to do in the comments or chat.

“McDyess will re-sign with the Pistons on Dec. 3, after a league-mandated 30-day waiting period expires. He will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2008-09 season.

“It was a very difficult decision for him. He was weighing good offers financially, along with other variables he thought were important,” agent Andy Miller told ESPN.com. “But going into the year he had a team goal set, and to not finish up with it, he didn’t want to do that. He wants to finish the year, finish what he started in Detroit, then reevaluate after the season is over.” Via Chris Sheridan ESPN

Allen Iverson Wallpaper

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While ‘Dyess may have his heart with this team it may be hard for him to turn down the many offers that are coming his way. The good thing is we know McDyess stated he would rather retire than be “a ring chaser” but putting that aside it’s hard for Antonio not to look at other offers that would bring more money and a chance a title. And he would be losing a bit of money if he comes back to Michigan.

So I was searching Amazon.com doing some early holiday shopping when I came across an old Charlie Brown classic and was shocked to see that it’s been remade for Antonio’s return.

Who cares about Snoopy…..McDyess Come HOME!

Now can anyone get a copy of this to Antonio so he knows how much we want him back?

“The Detroit Pistons are moving into the world of social media with the introduction of their own social networking site: POSTING UP (www.pistons.com/postingup). Launched today, the customized social network is exclusive to Pistons.com and gives fans a place to express themselves and their love for Pistons basketball.

Members are able to connect with other members by making friends with them.

Posting Up will serve as a central hub for announcements about upcoming Pistons events and promotions. Fans will be able to post their own events as well. Fans will be able to comment on photos and video and give each a rating. They will be able to comment on individual blogs and join discussions in the forums section. “

Now the good old folks over at The Pistons were nice enough to make a Fans of Need4Sheed group right off the bat, so head on over there and be sure to join it. I’m taking it one step further and pimping myself out to get more Fans.

Head over to Posting Up, Join (it’s free and fun) and then join the Fans of Need4Sheed.com group. On the 26th of November I’m randomly picking one person in the group and sending them a Detroit Pistons Bobble head courtesy of The Detroit Pistons!

THE BOBBLE HEAD CAN BE YOURS!

And no you’re not getting my AF1’s….don’t even think about it.

Don’t forget you can e-mail Bennie and Jeff at benniecovington@woodradio.com or as always you can leave them your thoughts in the comments.

Team Need4Sheed Podcast – Allen Iverson at The Palace

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