The Pistons once again let a fourth quarter lead slip away that led to a too-easy Calderon layup that sent the game into overtime. Detroit pulled away with a 9-0 run to begin OT, but Marion’s free throw pulled Toronto within 97-94 with 52 seconds left. Rodney Stuckey turned the ball over on the other end, but with Antonio McDyess on the bench after fouling out…Jason Maxiell saved the day.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04D7f4xDRtk
Final Score – Pistons 99-95 OT
Key Points:
- Turnovers! A miserable 18 for Detroit on the night.
- When Sheed is out, plenty of paint points are given up. Toronto scored 48 down low.
- How about Arron Afflalo who twice hit HUGE (3 point) shots to help the Pistons in this one. After a Pistons timeout, Hamilton found Arron Afflalo for a three pointer from the corner, giving Detroit an 88-84 lead. From virtually no playing time, to solid go-to guy.
- I just like saying Pops Mensah-Bonsu. In fact I think I may just start using it as a part of my everyday vocabulary. Now I just have to think of the meaning to give to it.
- Detroit shot 49% on the night to Toronto’s 40%.
- Detroit caught a break when recently hot Raptors center Andrea Bargnani left in the first quarter with flu-like symptoms and did not return.
- Did Rip and Rodney just switch positions? Another career night for Rip Hamilton with 16 assists.
Photo/Getty Images
- “I just told myself to keep trying to make plays, not just for yourself but for your teammates, and I thought guys did an excellent job of knocking down shots,” Hamilton said. Via The Detroit Free Press
- Rip did lead the Pistons with 24 but he had an awful shooting night going just 8-for-26. He did have another career assist night, but 6 turnovers and 8 against the Knicks, that has to stop.
- Hoops Addict was in the locker room post game with Detroit. Though Ryan touched on something we have been talking about for what seems forever, he did mention to me that he caught Mr. Blaha in the bathroom making sure his locks look perfect on the air.
- Rip did start to get hot in OT and jump started the team to a 9-0 run.
- Another DD for Antionio McDyess who quite frankly is the MVP of the season for Detroit. Dyess put up 16 with 13 boards and was probably robbed on the Tayshaun putback that may have won the game for Detroit. Looked close but off the cylinder it was if you ask me.
Photo/Getty Images
- NBA TV Highlights of the Game.
- Do you realize Rip has been putting up career numbers since he was put back in the starting lineup? 30 assists in two games….move over Isiah.
- Jason Maxiell 16 points on 8-for-9 shooting, while saving the game with the block and the jam in OT. I questioned him starting, but he did more than fine. He added 6 boards, a steal and 2 blocks on the night. A +14 for the game for the Baby Eater!
- “I thought Max’s energy was off the charts,” Curry said. “I thought our guys didn’t have their legs tonight (second straight overtime game), but Max and Arron Afflalo really gave us a lift.” Via The Detroit News
- Stuckey scored 17 in 40 minutes with 4 assists, 5 boards and 3 turnovers. I know he’s learning, but is it just me or do the turnovers he does pick up come at the worst times?
- Tayshaun Prince, 11 points on 5-14 shooting with 8 boards, 4 assists, a blocked shot and a takeaway.
- Antonio McDyess has played 89 minutes the last two games.
- We are mourning the passing of a great man so I did my best to show that we miss him here at N4S with the ribbon at the top of the page. He was a class act and a Champion of a man that left one heck of a mark on the World. Mr. Davidson will be missed.
- A very fitting and touching comment that holds true for me from Benjo in the comments “One of my only wishes in my lifetime is to be able to make the world a better place than it would have been without me. I know you don’t like accolades but YOU ARE MY HERO, Mr. D. Rest in Peace and God bless you and your family.” Indeed, he did leave the world a better place.
UPDATE “All details are not known, but it’s safe to say that Bill Davidson’s wife, Karen, will succeed him as owner of the Pistons, according to Palace Sports and Entertainment president Tom Wilson” Via The Detroit Free Press
i love the pistons red alternates. i am wearing my red hamilton right now. go pistons!!!!
Hey Natalie, just wanted to say that Mcdyess’s put back was definetly a goaltend. It was close, but the whole ball has to be clear. And sorry to sound pessimistic, but if Max had boxed out his man on that free throw, he never would have needed to make that block and get that dunk. Haha, but it was a great win for the pistons, especially for their bench.
Natalie, not to rip on you, but I’m really not fond of the whole “lets rip on every player except for Maxiell, Prince, and Dyess” thing you usually do.
I mean, you rip on Rip, Stuckey, Sheed, Iverson, Kwame, and Amir a lot. I dunno. It might be my fault for coming back to this site, but I’m sorta sick of reading it.
Rip had a career high assist count, and I feel like he didn’t do a good job after reading about your comments on how bad his shooting was and how many turnovers he committed. You also make it seem like Maxiel and Dyess are the one leading this team when Dyess has admitted he doesn’t want to play for Detroit and there are a better players than Maxiell.
With that aside, great site, and I suppose I can’t say I won’t come back
Pistons coming together
The last 2 Pistons, each over times.
Were toss ups.
Heads/tails
Loss/win.
Black and white in the score book, but the pistons made it black and blue, their way.
This team is coming together, going to work and forming an idenity.
Rip and Mcdyess are Leading this team now.
Rip is getting the ball on every play and making the offense work.
The pistons are getting open shots and mismatches.
The game is starting to come easy for this team
and they getting a flow,
Still the team is a jumpshooting team, not alwasy a winner, but
they are playing playoff type basketball.
Rip is leading he team in scoring and assists.
He has always been turnover prone but the way he moving the ball
and keeping his oppnents guessing has been masterfull.
Dyess on ther other hand is leading by example.
He is the soul of this team.
His story is illogical and unfatomable.
This team traded him.
He gave up money and front running to be a piston again.
A team that hasnt looked like a contender all year.
He is 34 years old.
He choose loyalty as the number one factor.
Clearly he is working the hardest of anyone on the floor
and making no mistakes.
His play has been an inspirition bordering the mythical.
He plays with focus and desire and the team is dailing in.
Too often Sheeds hot and cold focus grips the pistons. The last 2 games, their effort has been more consitant. Sheed need to fall in line when gets back and just play ball.
This team is poised to become a playoff upsetter.
Suhitha- the goaltend is debateable. I’ve seen them call it when it was that far out and not call it. I dislike the rule of offensive goaltending anyway. I think the international rule makes for much more entertaining effort-based basketball.
As for the Maxi’s game winning play- are you kidding me?! He boxed Pops almost all the way out of bounds. Pops has to sprint in from behind the backboard to catch the ball that happened to miss and fall straight down. It was a very strange play, but Maxiell made the best of it, and swatted the hell out of his shot attempt then ran the floor. It was the play of the game- not a lack of fundamentals.
… Says- How has Natalie ripped on any of the players? She’s spoken the truth on all accounts. Rip did have a terrible shooting game, but a great passing game. He also had a lump of uneeded turnovers. That’s what she said. The only negative thing she’s ever said about Amir was that he got ‘beaten’ on a jump ball over Nate Robinson- which she qualified with “Amir, I love ya’, but…”
Dyess and Maxielle played outstanding last night, and Dyess has been the physical and emotional backbone of this team. He deserves his props. He’s doing it all for less money for a team that was willing to throw him in as a ridealong to get a “superstar”.
One of the things that makes for good journalism is having at least a somewhat objective view. The fact that Natalie is reporting what happened and giving her opinion on it makes her a journalistic blogger- rather than the typical “fanboy” who just whines about the other team when we lose and sends godly praises to all the players when we win.
I cannot for the life me understand why Curry does not play Afflalo for 5 straight games. He played solid at the start of the season, plays solid anytime he gets PT and is by far the most clutch Piston on the roster.
A little bit of consistency would be nice from Mr. Curry and a little bit more of AA would be even better, is it that hard to see?
The reason that I think that call was easier for the officials to make, as opposed to the Dwight Howard alley oop I remember seeing recently (which wasnt called a goaltend, but probably could have been) is that the shot bounced up almost straight, and on rebounds like that, if you touch it they’ll call you. Alley oops are much harder to call, and I agree, i like the international rule better. And with Max, he gave a great effort, but didn’t do enough to help Detroit come up with the rebound. It was an amazing recovery, but if Pops makes the shot or passes of and someone else makes it, whole different story. Since results are what really matter, this is a moot point really, and it wasn’t intended as a critizizm, more an observation.
I’m thankful for the win but I have to say that I’m frustrated with and completely tired of Curry playing Tay at the 4! Again last night, Curry is putting 3 guards out there. When has that ever worked? Why can’t Curry understand that if something has never worked, you should maybe stop doing it? Honestly, I think Curry made this game a lot more difficult down the stretch than it had to be.
Afflalo was clutch last night and it was good to see.
I’ve actually liked what Kwame has done out the in the last few games. His tiny hands aside, he’s a big body out there and he’s willing to set screens and rebound.
Can’t wait to watch Pops in the 2011 European Qualifiers next summer