The Detroit Pistons got out of Charlotte by a hair Saturday night in their 90-86 victory over the Bobcats. Detroit, once again, let a huge 29 point lead slip away in the closing minutes of the game. Up by just one with 34 seconds on the clock it took a crowd silencing Rasheed Wallace three pointer to seal the deal.
Key Points:
- First off I have to point out the debate that has been going on amongst Pistons fans about why Detroit’s leading scorer of the night, Allen Iverson, sat in the fourth quarter. He, along with the starters, was pulled for the second unit after Detroit mounted a huge lead. They let it slip, and Michael Curry didn’t sub back in the starters (minus Iverson) until they were in the Danger Zone.
Photo/Getty Images
- Pointing fingers will get you nowhere right now, but yes it is frustrating. Michael Curry even lashed out in his post game comments. The ongoing debate about Curry shows up in the comments, so join in or just observe. I have a feeling this is going to be an issue all season long.
- “Rip shouldn’t have had to play, Tay shouldn’t have had to play, ’Sheed shouldn’t have had to play, Allen shouldn’t have had to play. I didn’t want to play none of them.”…Yes they shouldn’t have to, but if our lead is slipping shouldn’t they, Coach Curry?
- “After the game he (Curry) explained to me that I had been out the whole quarter, and he didn’t want to have to put me back in,” Iverson said. “He didn’t think he should have had to. He felt the other guys should have been able to close it out. “Obviously, when the situation gets like that, being the competitor that I am, I wanted to get back in to help my teammates. But the thing about it is, we won the game. That’s the decision he made, and I have to live with it.”
- “Iverson stressed he wasn’t upset about Curry’s decision.” Via Chris McCosky The Detroit News
- Richard Hamilton looks like he’s back, he’s put up numbers against the Pacers and now the Bobcats. Rip scored 18 on 6-for-13 shooting in 34 minutes on the court. He may be having a hard time defending in his new SF role but at least his shot is back.
- Iverson led the team with 20 points on 7-for-13 shooting in 32 minutes. That was AI’s first 20 point performance in 11 games. Free AI?
- Crushed on the glass, 35-49.
- Rasheed waited to hit the stat sheet to save the day with 34 seconds on the clock. It’s been quite some time since he shushed the crowd. And trust me, there was no better time than this.
Video Courtesy of The NBA, The Detroit Pistons and FSN
- Sheed didn’t pour in the points but it was his defense to start the game that set the tone all night long. Rasheed blocked 4 shots early in the game before he was pulled with fouls in the first quarter. Though he silenced the crowd with his three, it was his sky hook that blew the crowd away.
- Detroit only allowed the Bobcats 13 fist quarter points but then let them put up 30 in the fourth. Big problem.
- Another DNP for Johnson and Brown.
- 17 turnovers for Detroit, lucky the Bobcats had 18 and Detroit capitalized on them.
- Tayshaun Prince was just 4-for-11 for 8 points and 2 blocked shots, but it was his body and backboard shaking dunk that had me afraid for his safety. Did anyone notice he has missed 2 wide open dunks in the last two games?
- Rodney Stuckey was impressive with another double-double, 13 points and 10 assists with 3 takeaways. He’s learning his role on the job and he’s doing quite well at it. Here are some key Stuckey moments from the Detroit’s win over the Bobcats.
Photo/Getty Images
- “We can’t be doing this,” Rodney Stuckey said. “We’ve already lost three games like this. We won this one, but this is kicking us in the butt. Hopefully this is the last time something like this happened.” Via The Detroit News
- Detroit allowed the Bobcats 44 points in the paint.
- Another tech for Sheed, he’s already at 8. Remember 15 is when the suspensions start.
- FSN highlights of the game by quarter.
- Dyess, just 4 points in 17 minutes before fouling out in the fourth. It was his defense that helped the Pistons in Charlotte with 6 boards, 2 blocks and 2 steals.
- Keith Langlois talks to Joe Dumars – Q&A part 1 and Q&A part 2.
- I know it’s been rough and it’s hard to watch but the talent is there so that’s not the issue. It’s just the bumps in the road along the way that is hard for Pistons fans to watch.
- The Pistons have a break until Wednesday when the Wizards are in town.
Curry didn’t want to put the starters back in, because he wanted to let the bench feel and experience the moment, when the other team is making a run.
This experience, you can’t learn it from the bench, you have to be on the court.
Everybody was mad at Saunders for not letting the bench play, now Curry is giving them a chance to play, and to learn, and everybody is mad at him that the starters aren’t coming back in.
If you make mistakes, bad coaches will take you out. If you’re a good coach, you will let the player learn from his mistakes and give him chances to make up for it. It’s that experience that we will need come Febuary, March, April,…
This team is starting to click. The first couple of game, when you come out of a slump are the ugliest wins.
we should try and get gerald wallace in a trade him and rasheed tear it up
This bench mentality is kicking us in the ass… Curry didnt play when he rode bench for his entire career so hes giving making sure the starters and the bench get equal minutes? kind of like how people who get picked on in highschool become traffic cops.
A teams starters are that team; a teams bench is intended to keep the starters fresh as well as provide options for dealing with mis-matches.
fuck..
Sheed might be traded guys
Franz is right. Let the bench learn. It will be important come Playoffs.
Why would Sheed be traded when his contract expires soon? Only for someone whose contract is similar?
intense game, i was there! great ending but we need to lock it up. Does anyone have an image link to a photo of sheed shushing the crowd?
I would trade Ai, Sheed, Tayshaun, and Kwamae Brown to Orlando for Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkulo, and JJ Redick