The Pistons lost their second straight game Sunday night in Washington 95-83. Detroit hadn’t played since their loss to Cleveland three days earlier, but they played like they were on the second game of a back to back in DC. The Wizards came out and played this one like their season depended on it. Each game is crucial for The Wizards to ensure a playoff spot. After the win against Detroit, Washington now holds a 1 1/2 game lead on Philadelphia and Toronto for the fifth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Key Points:
- The offense was surley not flowing, but Detroit’s defense looked less than stellar as they allowed Washington to score 50 points in the paint.
- The Wizards played without Gilbert Arenas who was possibly going to make his return Sunday night, but was held back by team doctors and clearly upset about not making his debut against the Pistons on National Television.
- Early foul trouble for Rasheed led to a very early Amir Johnson sighting. He played six first quarter minutes, scored 2 points with a steal and committed 2 fouls. Amir saw no second half action.
- I felt the same way while watching the game too.
Courtesy of The Detroit Pistons and myTV20 Detroit
- First of 5 games in 7 nights with a game at home against Phoenix tonight.
- Still trying for their 50th win.
- The Pistons shot just 43% on the night, they had plenty of wide open looks that wouldn’t go down.
- Sheed’s 11th tech of the season. It clearly was a foul, but a tech? I guess however if you give one to Stackhouse for pushing Ginobili’s face into the floor Sheed’s little push qualifies, though it was very marginal.
- “He gave me a tech saying I shucked him,” Wallace said. “So I knew that was some (baloney).” Via The Detroit News
- The Wizards got solid games from Jamison, Butler and Haywood.
- Another lackluster performance for the Pistons, who have a tough stretch ahead. They are locked into a playoff spot, but we would like for them to be playing solid ball headed into the playoffs.
- Richard Hamilton led the Pistons with 19 points, all of them scored before the third quarter ended. Rip added 5 boards and 2 assists and played the most minutes of any player for either team with 42.
Photo/Getty Images
- Anyone notice that Rasheed didn’t play the last few minutes of the game and was sitting when the game was being decided?
- The Pistons could have really used a solid game from Rasheed, who was 3 for 12 on the night. His only field goals came from three consecutive shots from beyond the arc in the third.
- Rebound war won 39-33.
- Rodney Stuckey got the bulk of the bench minutes, in fact he was out there when the buzzer sounded. He had 8 points on 3-for-6 shooting with 1 assist and 2 steals.
- The Wizards got pretty much every shot they wanted and made it look easy.
- Flip Saunders doesn’t want to rest key players for the final games of the season.
- This came after Sheed knocked down a few threes and this put the Pistons within three points in the third quarter.
Courtesy of The Detroit Pistons and myTV20 Detroit
- “We were running stuff pretty much to get some movement and whatnot and not have guys standing around,” Prince said. “Usually in crucial situations in a game we go to our bread and butter plays, but we didn’t run no plays tonight at all, really, something that we do on a regular basis.” Via The Detroit News
- Jarvis Hayes, who was 3-for-9 for 7 points against his former team, admittedly commented that the Pistons didn’t have much energy in his post game interview. If you look closely behind Jarvis you can see Jordan Dumars lurking in the background.
- NBA.com Highlights of The Game.
- Nothing looked like it was flowing for the Pistons whatsoever. Maxiell and the rest of the Zoo Crew could not provide a spark.
- Antonio McDyess continues to grab boards with 14.
- Tayshaun Prince put up 13 points on 6-for-10 shooting with 3 assists and 3 boards. I would have liked to have seen the Pistons go to him a bit more since he seemed like the only Pistons that was having any luck knocking down shots.
Photo/Getty Images
- Pistons fans can thank Isiah Thomas for Tayshaun Prince.
- Chauncey, who scored 11 points, took just 9 shots and most of them came late in the game. When Chauncey is clamoring to get involved late in the game it usually doesn’t end well.
- Team Need4Sheed member Junior made his own Amazing Happens video.
- I feel the same way about writing this recap as the Pistons probably did on court last night, uninspired with no energy.
- 22 bench points.
- Phoenix tonight at the Palace. They will be looking for a beat down after what the Pistons did to them a few weeks back.
Once again im gettin used to saying this.. HORRIBLE GAME..HORRIBLE COACHING..We need a player to take charge of a game by himself if others r not willing to make a shot..PAY ME HALF OF WHAT THEY MAKE ILL MAKE A GODDAMN FREETHROW OR A JUMP SHOT PLEASE IM BROKE! i dont get it they wont win the ship this yr they r to inconsistant and get scared against rivals..o well 7 days till opening day..miggie cabrera ohh boy!
I just wanna fast forward to the playoffs. I feel that at this point, everything has been said and done: “no complacency,” “resting starters,” “lack of energy,” etc etc. All that’s left is for the Pistons to show their pride and themselves in the playoffs.
Btw, how does everyone feel about us may or may not meet the Cavs in the Playoffs this year?
My ideal Pistons playoffs opponents are these teams: Bulls in the first round, Cavs in the second round, Celtics in the ECF, Spurs in the Finals. I hate all of those teams, and if the Pistons can beat them all in a single Playoffs run, then oh man, it’ll be so sweet. I can already imagine the Hater Meter going through the roof!
I just get worried that we are falling into the trap we have the last few seasons and think we can turn on a switch and start winning. Sure, that will work in the first round, but the lackluster effort now could come back to haunt us come the Magic or Celtics.
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i agree claire, lets get to the playoffs. theres a lot of simple things that i don’t understand why our guys can’t be consistent. things that a non-winning teams are even capable of. the one thing i notice on a lot of the games including clev and washington is that when we push the ball for a fast break, everything works out well except the problem is on our defensive end. i think we need to push the ball more when we get a stop or a turnover and not slow down just like what chauncey likes and has been doing. when rip and stuckey has the ball they push it. i know chauncey did that as one point last night, but he got called for an offensive foul. horrible decision thats unusual.
Yet, another horrible game.
I just don’t get Flip. Remember larry brown used to call those time outs and ask out guys do nothing but to get to the rim?
My 3 Major questions never got answered since we had Flip as a coach.
1. Why doesn’t Tay go to the hole more often? Why can he post up like sheed as a consistance weapon for us?
2. Since when is Dyce only a jump shooter. Last time I checked, he’s got really nice post moves and great foot works. I’m sick of him only taking jumpers even though they are open jumpers. That said, his energy for rebound is always great!
3. I understand we are a veteran team, we play smart. Chauncy likes to get the pick and force the switch and post up the mismatch… But why don’t we run some simple pick-n-roll offence?!! Tell me what Tony Parker+Duncun do Chauncy and Sheed can’t match?? I don’t care what kind of shitty offence Flip runs, all we get are just jumpers after jumpers…
Lastly, I’m pretty sure come playoff , Flip is not going to play Stuckey much. And he’s just not that ready yet. I say, we play Affalo more, he’s a solid defender and doesn’t have as many metal mistakes as Stuckey.
I’m not that worried though. But look at all the other teams. They have people who can finish. We pretty much have jump shooters. The game changed so much since we won the ship. These superstars are all getting those pussy calls to the basket… It makes me sick, especially seeing how physical and fun the NCAA is going on now.