The Pistons vs. The Magic

by | Feb 27, 2009 | 57 comments

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Richard Hamilton takes the floor tonight against the 45-15 Orlando Magic in his familiar, and well deserved role as the starting shooting guard for The Detroit Pistons. Allen Iverson, who is likely to be a game time decision because of his strained back, will come off the bench for Detroit. A role that Iverson has never had to play in his entire basketball career.

Sheed avoided the mandatory suspension after two of his techs were rescinded by the NBA and will surely be needed to help Antonio McDyess stop Dwight Howard. I know it’s a relief to most of you who simply can’t imagine Detroit losing a nine games in a row, but Rasheed’s actions in New Orleans were an embarrassment to the organization. What’s worse is he let his whole team down by leaving then to fend for themselves when the game was on the line,  a game they desperately needed to win.

Sure he doesn’t have to serve his suspension for the tech’s yet, but why does he get a pass time and again from the team for his actions?  I know we have come to the end of Sheed in Detroit, but what kind of example does this set for anyone? Blow up in Detroit and you get a free pass.

Need4Sheed or not, there is no need for that on this team, especially now.

Like I mentioned earlier, it’s unclear who exactly is running the show for the Pistons, but whoever it is will likely keep changing things around until the Pistons start winning again. Or at least look better on the court than my high school’s JV basketball team. And just so you know…..I went to an all girls school.

The Good/Bad and More

Tip off is at 7:00 and locally broadcast on FSN and Nationally on ESPN.  If you can’t catch the game on TV, or are gearing up for the Oscars, you can listen locally at WDFN 1130 AM or follow/listen to the game at NBA.com.

The comments are yours.

57 Comments

  1. pistons 4 life

    Natalie, are there still problems with the web page? It seems to load a lot slower than any other site. Just curious.

    Reply
  2. Natalie Sitto

    ^^^^Trouble since yesterday AGAIN, thought it was resolved. Thanks for letting me know it should not be like this. I’m addressing the issue now. At least its loading. Not like the last time it went down.

    Thanks Pistons4Life

    Reply
  3. gabe

    gearing up for the oscars? 🙂

    Reply
  4. germanbballer

    y, bad trade , didn´t like it from the beginning on. chauncey – i want you back :((( old pistons with dpuble wallace, tay rip and chaunc rocked so nice :/

    Reply
  5. Amber

    Yeah, the Pistons are much better without AI. They’d be perfect if they had a point guard and center. It really isn’t that hard to understand. It also isn’t difficult to understand that Tay cannot be the superstar on Detroit (Mr. MC).

    Reply
  6. Amber

    Omg, I just saw defense from Detroit – no joke.

    Reply
  7. oig

    please sit Sheed i never said this before but even his biggest fan gets tired to see him just complain!!
    i mean if he would play great like in the past i dont mind it if he yells at the refs but now he is playin bad i mean did u see his 3-4 time putback try and he couldn finish ARE U KIDDIN ME???

    Reply
  8. Chungi

    what the hell… 10 turnovers???

    Reply
  9. Amber

    I absolutely love the fact that Poison Ivy hasn’t played!

    Reply
  10. Z Fan

    Detroit is playing Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetroit Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassketball now. Its awesome watching them play with heart and playing as a team. I never understood why people would think they need to change the dynamics of their game for Iverson. Also. I don’t see Iverson on the sideline. Has anyone seen him or did he just not show?

    Reply
  11. Nik

    I just saw someone mention Pistons as PistOFFs.
    Sad, but has been true for a while.

    Reply
  12. Amber

    Oh it’s so nice to have haters again!!!! Detroit’s bench got called “salesmen” and Detroit is actually a threat and may actually win a game! Awwww I hope AI doesn’t play the rest of the season!

    Reply
  13. Z Fan

    I’m 100% with you Amber.

    Reply
  14. oig

    this is a statementgame from RIP he is playin GREAT and never should have gone to the bench!!!

    Reply
  15. Jayborne

    Haters? Because he called them salesmen?

    Hater = most misused word of the new millennium

    Reply
  16. Murguz

    Stop talking this stupid things. AI will do everything to win a ring, hopefully he will come off the bench and make Pistons even better than this!

    Reply
  17. Amber

    Yeah, because they didn’t agree with the call, and accused Detroit of overreacting. Usually…and for the most of this season people have ignored Detroit or shrugged them off because Detroit hasn’t been a threat. But even according to the announcers, Detroit is “good” again.

    Poison Ivy has never been and never will be Pistons material.

    Reply
  18. Z Fan

    Hopefully AI will ride the bench like stephon marbury with the Knicks and go make some other team worse next year!

    Reply
  19. lol

    The sucky pistons are able to win tis game, but Wallace is lousy bum, get the sucker fired, Hamilton at least showinga little.anyways, playoffs first round is maximum for thisbunch of detroit elbow-pussies.

    Reply
  20. Nate

    Good win because of solid defense and for the first time in a long time, solid offensive plays. Sheed’s rushed 3’s at the end could of came back to haunt us, but we clamped down defensively. Let’s hope this just isn’t a one time thing.

    Time to watch the Spurs hopefully put another beating on the Cavs.

    Reply
  21. Vanalope

    Dear God, Buddah, Allah, Flying Spaghetti Monster, THANK YOU!

    Reply
  22. pistonsfan101

    DETROIT BASKETBALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL is BACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

    Thank you.!

    Reply
  23. ALMEI

    Finally!!!! And thank you, Natalie.

    Reply
  24. Dominic

    Couple Thoughts:

    -Great Game! I saw defense, I saw crisp offensive plays. I couldn’t be happier with tonight’s performance

    -There is no way you can say Sheed didn’t bang today. His threes were limited and he was working Rashard Lewis. Where were you all season Sheed?

    -In New Orleans we couldn’t buy a rebound. Today we dominated the boards. I am positive Michael Curry got on them about rebounding. It was something he was preaching for a long time before the season starting. Great adjustment Curry. (Wow no sarcasm)

    -Start Hamilton!

    -Did you see Stuckey’s fist pump when it was clear we were about to close it out? This kid wants to win sooo bad!

    Reply
  25. blamu2

    Let’s just all hope it’s a season ending injury for Iverson

    Reply
  26. Dominic

    One More

    -Stuckey showed up today. It seemed like everything we’ve been griping about we did the opposite in this game.

    Reply
  27. Finny

    Haha, true that blamu2. Great game overall, definitely one of the best that I’ve seen since the trade. I really felt the essence of Detroit Basketball tonight. I was so happy to see our boys win again. Hopefully, this gets our momentum going.

    Reply
  28. Dominic

    From the Dime magazine article:

    “This is an older team, set in their ways, accustomed to everyone being involved and getting their fair share of shots. When that doesn’t happen, as we’ve seen, the Pistons mentally check out.”

    That’s the truest thing I’ve heard all season

    Reply
  29. mac

    I hope we can play this well with iverson coming off the bench. Solid win tonight, looked liked pistons of old. Good d and the offense was much better. Not a lot of guys just standing around and watching, lots of ball movement and good shot selection. Keep it up guys!

    Reply
  30. Amber

    My only concern is that MC will put Poison Ivy into the game during the first quarter with a few minutes left – like he always did with Rip. AI, really, should only play when Detroit has a 30 point lead, and then, for only 5 minutes. I haven’t blamed MC all season; I hope he doesn’t let me down.

    Reply
  31. Ben from Seattle

    Well what do you know, Iverson misses the game and the Pistons snap their 8-game losing streak. Coincidence? I think not.

    Reply
  32. Chris

    Oh no, here it comes. Let the AI bashing begin.

    Reply
  33. jizm

    Yeah boy, pistons with the W!!!!

    Reply
  34. Th3 Answ3r

    Here comes all the stupid comments about AI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  35. Jayborne

    The funny thing about the people who want Iverson to miss the rest of the season or never play, is they are more interested than that than the actual success of the team. Some people are so unwilling to let go of the team of the last 6 years, that they’d take a mediocre team as long as they played “Pistons basketball”.

    If the starters continue to play this well (something a lot of them haven’t been doing lately, and somehow short sighted fans blame on Iverson), Iverson playing with the 2nd unit could make this team actually dangerous again. This team still has serious problems scoring the basketball, Iverson is easily the best offensive player anyone is going to bring off the bench in the NBA, and he’s better than Bynum. I’m not sure it will work, the Pistons players have already shown a resentment to playing with Iverson because his name isn’t Chauncey, but if they don’t want to be a 1st round exit it has to.

    If the Iverson off the bench experiment works, this team can actually advance.
    If it doesn’t, fans will be happy we played Pistons basketball and lost in 5 games in the first round.

    Reply
  36. Z Fan

    Its funny how so many people are on Iversons nachos. It doesn’t have to do with him not being chauncey billups. It has to do with him not being a team player. Detroit is going to be team based in the future not just the past. Thats detroit basketball and that is the essense that will remain even as players come and go. The pistons do play well with him for that reason. Early on with this hole stupid Iverson / Rip thing began stated that Iverson is good with 4 robots on the court with him. He, speaking from experience playing with both teams. Philly and Detroit said Iverson should come of the bench and play with the bench. But we showed tonight that we don’t need Iverson to be a good team. And Orlando is a good team. All ya’ll Iverson fans can go back to what ever little hole you crawled out of and stay there. You’re not real detroit fans. Most of you are probably just fair weathered fans who’ve watched Iverson do nothing more than a mass scoring titles and all star invites. Never won a championship and probably won’t ever.
    Bottom Line: Detroit needs to play the players that are going to be with the team next year.

    Reply
  37. Jayborne

    I’m on no one’s “nachos”, it’s just hilarious at these people looking for justification and using Iverson as their scapegoat. I’m not doubting Iverson has caused trouble on this team, he has, but a lot of it isn’t his fault. Is it Iverson’s fault that Stuckey, over the last 2-3 weeks, refused to be aggressive when playing with Iverson? That Rasheed Wallace in a diminished talent? I’m not arguing that Iverson doesn’t help cause problems, I’m arguing that his teammates don’t get enough flack for refusing to attempt to accept a change and for completely disappearing time and time during games. That “It’s not what they are used to” excuse is BS. They are paid athletes. It speaks to the mental weakness that has plagued this team since the 60-win regular season.

    This team, with Iverson starting, beat the Lakers, Cavs, and Magic earlier in the season. But we win a game without Iverson and all of a sudden it’s a reflection of the success of Detroit basketball. Really? Are we that short-sighted? (That question answers itself. Most people on here act as if the problems of the last 2-3 years no longer exist, and it’s just now Iverson)

    Reply
  38. Jayborne

    Now that I think of it, the end of small ball and the beginning of the 3 guard rotation is when Stuckey stopped being as aggressive. It won’t matter who is starting if Stuckey doesn’t start off games looking for his shot and not being too unselfish.

    Reply
  39. Z Fan

    Well, one would argue that Stuckey has been having problems with the lack of consistency between guards. For one you have a guard that wants to play the point but is a shooting guard.(Iverson) Then you have Rip who is completely comfortable playing as a pure shooting guard. So he has to balance that everytime Rip and Iverson switch out.

    I agree that Rasheeds heart is not in it. I didn’t think his heart was in it last year. I hoped they would offload him and that was their big move last summer. When they picked up kwame I was a little disappoint and I think most people were. He showed some life tonight but he’s mr. inconsistency.

    However, your short sighted argument is lacking. The championship teams of detroit have all had a common quality of blue collar and team play. Thats detroit basketball my friend.

    I would ask yourself seriously. Why would the entire team try to re-arrange its game to fit one player? Everyone know’s that doesn’t make sense. Just call it a wash and admit that Iverson does not belong in detroit. It will be cool if he comes off the bench and delivers the extra punch we need. But he’s gone at the end of the year anyways.

    So why does anyone care about Iverson. Is it his feelings your afraid are going to be hurt. WHO CARES. Like you said its business and these are paid professionals.

    Reply
  40. Amber

    Jay,

    Did you happen to watch the game? Did you honestly not see a difference in Detroit? The problems of the last few years are not resolved. Detroit still has no center. Detroit now lacks a point guard. The problems are worse. However, Detroit played very well tonight, and it’s not difficult to see that with AI not playing, it was helpful to Detroit. I’ve been unhappy with the trade since the beginning, and I will continue to contend that he is not Pistons material and he should have never been here in the first place. But how does any of this even matter? Detroit won. Detroit finally played well for once. Be happy and move on.

    Reply
  41. Jayborne

    Regardless of all this other stuff, I’m excited to see how this team looks with Iverson coming off the bench and hope that they once again become a respectable team.

    Anyone remember that guy Amir Johnson?

    Reply
  42. Z Fan

    Who? LOL

    Reply
  43. pistonsfan101

    Amir Johnson? Who dat? Is he some college or D-League player??

    Reply
  44. KG

    WOW that’s all I have to say, this game goes out to all those who think AI isn’t partly the problem. RIP starts and my god we win against the Magic non the less… Can’t wait till the disease is gone from the D!

    Reply
  45. SadPanda

    Alright, let’s not get too carried away after one game. Here’s what a sad (re: drunk) panda saw:
    !. Rip has to start. He is our best player and we can’t bring him off the bench.
    2. Coincidence or not, Stucky had a great game running the team. Rip’s passing takes a lot of pressure off of him.
    3. The core of this team is still strong. They know how to defend and trust each other. If A.I. is willing to accept the role as our scorer off the bench this team could make some noise in the playoffs.
    $. I’ve been down on Sheed lately, but I have to give him credit for his superb defense tonight. The Pistons could not have won without him.

    Reply
  46. Mikey F Baby

    blamu2………FUCK YOU BITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Pistons are going nowhere. AI will sign with whoever he wants to next season…get that 4th finger ready. Fuck Detroit

    Reply
  47. SadPanda

    Hey Mikey, no one is going to respect you for criticizing the whole city of Detroit. I agree that it was wrong to hope A.I. is seriously injured. But if you don’t care about the team, then why are you posting here?

    Reply
  48. Ilovethisgame

    People are getting carried away. Let’s not forget we always beat Orlando, always no matter how bad we play. All those hoping A.I. stays injured, well hopefully he can take all those 7 straight wins we had with him too.
    I feel A.I. should come off the bench and we’ll see where this reaches.

    Good win, hopefully we can do this to other teams soon.

    Reply
  49. ryanr

    this is the last stretch of the season, I hope that Rip stays as a starter. Also it would be nice to have Dice come off the bench also as it would rest his legs more, and spare him the fouls in the first quarter. We need to win as much games as possible to up our standings for the play offs. We need to get to the sixth to face off with Orlando in the first round.

    Reply
  50. Rip32

    I read many AI fans’ thoughts about pistons just played much seriously in this game w/o AI than they played in the losing streak w/AI just because they were trying to isolate him

    Reply
  51. Jop

    AI is the cancer of the team, he’s a loser.

    Reply
  52. augustslady

    Hey Mikey,
    Take a chill pill,geez you have the right name:
    F BABY!
    Keep your nasty feelings about the D to yourself!
    You sound like a 2 year old.
    It’s a game,watch it for the love of the game.
    Sometimes reading the various posts I think I’ve
    stumbled upon a soap opera competition!lol
    Everyone have a great weekend!

    Reply
  53. Crazyazman

    Oh thank God for a W. AI isnt cancer, he just different player to this team, not defensive minded first. He been thrown in bad situation, had to fill big shoes of “Mr Big Shot”.

    He can be very valuable, being a former MVP and all. Just need a strong coach who will pull him into a defensive minded, pass first point guard. Him and Rip backcourt is one of the strongest huard combos in the league. Stuck will fall into 6th man. Tay, Sheed and Max to finish lineup.

    Reply
  54. C-Quense

    The Pistons played a much better D, than the games before. Only Stuckey has got some problems at times.
    In my opinion, there was a better offensive flow overall.

    Reply
  55. jim

    I SEE BLUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  56. Amer ican Prince

    guys you really can’t blame AI for the troubles after one game. A lot of teams play better for one game after a teammate goes down. Because more people are asked to do more. You have to wait til at least next game to see how well they are doing. Cause I don’t think they played that well overall

    Reply

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