The Pistons went on a 10-0 run to start things off in Madison Square Garden Wednesday night and never looked back. Detroit’s rare rout could be just the thing to ease them into what they have in store for them come playoff time. The win 113-86 victory puts Detroit in a tie with Chicago for the #7 spot in the East playoff race.
Key Points:
- An impressive 56 points in the paint for Detroit while shooting 53.8% from the field on the night.
- This game brought back memories of “The Pistons”, you know that team we have come to know that dominates games and goes to six consecutive ECF’s. A pleasant flashback if you watched this one.
- Mr. McDyess just doesn’t realize that he’s in the second half of his career. He had about 90 (8 to be exact) rebounds in the first quarter alone and finished with a double-double with 13 points, 16 boards an assist and 2 blocked shots in 29 minutes.
- Rip didn’t get ejected in this one, for some reason Rip’s temper gets the best of him in New York. He had been ejected in 4 of the last 6 games at the Garden.
- Great ball movement from Detroit, who took advantage of the Knicks small lineup.
- Hamilton led the team with 22 points, adding 7 assists and three boards in 32 minutes. No two points prettier than when he took it left handed to David Lee for the layup.
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- All five starters in double figures.
- 57-33 edge on the board for Detroit.
- Play of the game, a Rasheed behind the back block to Tayshaun for an uncontested dunk. You can see it in the NBA Highlights.
- The Big Men – Dyess and Sheed combined for 27 points and 28 rebounds.
- The Pistons never trailed in this one and led by as much as 32 points.
- Jason Maxiell can wow just about any crowd and putbacks are a specialty. Jason put up 6 points and 6 boards in 18 minutes.
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- The magic number to clinch a playoff spot is one.
- “Whoever is going to play (the Pistons) in the playoffs is going to have some trouble,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said. “They’re big. They’re strong. They run. And our guys got overwhelmed.” Via The Detroit News
- Everyone played in this one, even Walter Sharpe who went 0-for-2 and one of those I’m sure he will be hearing about today from his teammates. Teammates can be brutal when you throw up an air ball.
- A better game for Rodney Stuckey, who looked very comfortable running the floor and making the most of the openings he saw to get the ball to open teammates. Stuckey finished with 14 points on 6-for-10 shooting with 7 assists, a steal and one board while turning the ball over twice.
- “Three or four times we got the rebound and he pushed the break, didn’t have anything, and he pulled it out and ran a set,” Curry said. “That’s big. That’s game management. That’s the next step in his progression as a player, as he keeps learning how to manage the game. We’re going to need that from him.” Via The Detroit Free Press
- Amir Johnson, 4 points in five minutes with one board. I know it has been said before about Amir, but not being able to box out when the Knicks are on the foul line and losing a rebound to your man that a resulted in a three point play for the Knicks is a flaw that Amir needs to work on.
- Tayshaun Prince had quite a few easy dunks finishing with 15 points on 7-for-14 shooting with 3 boards, 2 assists and a blocked shot in 27 minutes. It was nice to see Prince have an easy time of it for a change.
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- Walter Hermann had quite a few highlights himself in this one, it really does amaze me when he goes up for one of his one handed floaters. Walter finished with 6 points and 6 boards in 15 minutes on the floor.
- Sheed started off things right from the start going 4-for-4 with two triples for 10 points. Wallace finished the game with 14 points and 12 boards, adding 2 blocks in 28 minuts on the floor.
- From team N4S member Ryan Collins who was at the game last night: “Lots and lots of Pistons fans in the house. Matter-of-fact, the only time you really heard Knicks fans give it up was when Nate Robinson did something, which wasn’t too often, unfortunately (i love that lil fella.). I know you watched all this on FSN Detroit, but it was a great night to be at MSG (unlike our unfortunate December meeting…) Right when Maxey went in, he had a HUGE dunk that missed, but i wanted you to know that it silenced the entire arena. Even without the points, his presence was felt.”
- Great D from Detroit, who held the Knicks to 36% shooting on the night.
- Kwame Brown still making the best of the role he has been put in. Brown put up 6 points with 8 boards and a blocked shot in 14 minutes on the floor.
- “In five months, Iverson accomplished what Flip Saunders couldn’t in three years. The Answer turned the six-time Eastern Conference finalists into a hanging-by-a-string, eighth-place playoff qualifier.” Jason Whitlock – AI Was Never The Answer
- Get in on your own Playoff Madness over at Pistons Online, where they are giving away a $500 NBA Store gift card to the winner!
okay.. i don’t want to come across like a cry-baby, but i would like to encourage Pistons Nation to Man/Woman-UP! it’s obvious this team is better than what their record indicates. when the playoffs roll around more than likely we will be playing Cleveland or Boston. i think all would agree that it will be an interesting battle if both teams are allowed to play the game. there’s an obvious reality: both Boston and Cleveland are “so-called” marketable team that can produce TV ratings and money. It’s a game, however it’s a business at the end of the day. both of these teams have “star players”, and lets not be naive in our thinking that elements would like “star players” to go far in the playoff season.
with that being conveyed…., i’m asking Pistons Nation fans to Man/Woman UP and become proactive. For example, maybe someone can develop T-Shirts which read: Refs, LET THE PLAYERS DECIDE THE GAME! or DON’T PROTECT SUPER STARS, PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE GAME! we pay money to support our favorite teams, we buy merchandise to show our passion, etc. and when we see refs calling the game in a bias fashion we say nothing!?!?
non-pistons fans and pistons fans get upset when Sheed blows-up, but never consider the raw emotions one must feel when they know both teams are not provided equal justice.
lets explore ways we can voice our concerns for our Pistons and for the game itself. it wasn’t one ref that was guilty of fixing games!!! its become a culture and an un-spoken norm to protect super starts and make sure they advance in the playoffs!
I encourage True-Pistons fans to make HUGE Posters asking for a fair shake. I encourage Pistons fans to design T-Shirts to distribute throughout the Palace during playoff games conveying the game be called in a fair manner!
it’s as if Paul P. of the Celtics drives to the hole and flops his body because he knows it will slow the pace down, give them momentum and send him to the free throw line for free points (while stacking up fouls). every motion and move this guy makes is to get a call. i will give Kobe and L. James credit.. they play hard as hell and not to the refs, however the refs look out for them both (more so for L. James).
In any event, hopefully this post will incite / motivate us to become proactive rather than feel helpless when we see the writing on the wall.
Peace…
How about a banned sign on “STUPID-STAR CALLS” for a shirt?
Great Idea! I love it.. very creative. keep the ideas coming and lets also explores ways we can make ideas become reality….
I’m sorry but i have to completely and TOTALLY disagree with Jason whitlock, and say that it wasnt ai that brought us from the top of the eastern conference to where we are now, it was our dumb F*** coach curry. AI is one of the most talented players ever, and it was curry’s fault for not knowing how to utilize him best. It was also his fault for not being able to be a leader and make AI understand his role to come off the bench, i guarentee you that if Larry Brown was coaching AI would do whatever he was told. And of course just because we lost chauncy is no excuse for dropping to the 8th seed in the eastern conference, if we had a coach that knew what he was doing we would at least be at the fourth seed. I could list a lot more reason why curry is the reason why we are here and not AI, but this rant is long enough haha
Yayah Pistons won! But I must say, coming from a Piston fan , I’ve gotta dissagree with that Jason Whitlock guy. It isn’t entirely Iverson’s fault, and thats totally wrong trying to blame everything on him. That’s just uncalled for.
One correction, Nat- Walter Herrmann had 10 points. He was in double figures! 2/4 threes, 2/2 free throws and one two handed dunk.
Farriduddin, your rant is ill-founded. Making T-shirts and posters is NOT going to stop the reffs from doing what they’ve done since the Jordan days. What do you think the result will be? You think they’ll look into the stands, see the posters and shirts then get a cold chill saying, “oh no- the fans have figured out that we treat superstars differently!” Hell no- it’s a known fact that they treat them differently because people come to see Dwayne Wade and Lebron James jump out of the gym for 40+ minutes a night- they don’t come to see them get the 2+ offensive fouls that they deserve per quarter and have to ride the bench or foul out. The only way to prevent the advantage of those calls is the method that Chuck Daily developed- “the Jordan Rules”. Daily figured that if Jordan was going to get and and one every time he stuck out his tongue and brushed passed people on his way to the paint and one of his players was going to get a foul anyway, then Jordan was going to have to pay hard for each foul and have two earn his points from the line.
As for Whitlocks comments, I mostly agree, but the result isn’t entirely on Iverson’s backand I don’t think it has nearly as much to do with Curry as people like to think. Everyone’s jsut looking for a scapegoat. Iverson is two months away from his 34th birthday and he’s been playing basketball his whole life. If he still hasn’t realized how the game works, it’s not Curry’s job to get it into his head. You think other coaches haven’t tried? Iverson is only half of the Pistons problem this year. The other half was the helter skelter that naturally comes with losing the team’s leader, captain and game facilitator. Iverson kills teams, Chauncey makes them better, which is why Denver and Detroit went in exact opposite directions after the trade.
I don’t think it was totally AI either but I think him and the trade has played a role in it as well as Curry. Pretending that AI hasn’t been a part of the problem is about as dumb as pretending Curry hasn’t been part of the problem imo. I have to say Whitlock’s overall assessment of AI as a player I have to agree with, though I probably wouldn’t have worded it quite the way he did. At various points I was willing to give the AI the benefit of the doubt when he talked the talk, but he sure as hell didn’t walk the walk after the talk in my book.
On to pleasanter things. It’s nice to see there was a blip on the EGK with that NY game. I hope we can squeak on in (sad isn’t it when just making it to the playoffs is a dream you’re hoping for?). I really hope other things *cough*Curry*cough* get dealt out for next season too.
Whoa.. Whitlock really let AI have it, but I’m happy someone finally had the balls to actually tell the truth about poison ivy. Also to shawn, curry was put in a really tough position. He tried to utilize him, but the team just wasn’t able to mesh. He tried almost the entire season to try and please ivy and his ego, moving rip to the bench, but he finally realized how to truly utilize him with this group, but that selfish little bitch just couldn’t accept that role off the bench. He did not do everything he could to win, he’s just not ready to accept his new role in the league, or at least with serious contenders and not just some team who wants to sell tickets. He has basically ruined this entire season for the pistons. I’m still optimistic about this team, but they would not be in this position they’re in now if chaunce was still on this team. Go pistons
Well written Whitlock. I couldn’t agree more. Sure AI might be one of the best ever to play his position But he’s never going to win a championship because in his own mind every team he plays for is all about him. He can say all the right things, but he just can’t do them for some reason. He’s one of those players that says things like, I just felt like I could have done more for us to get the win, when he’s not in the game. He’s fooled himself into thinking that the best thing for any team he’s on is for him to play more, shoot more, and score more points. He just doesn’t get “team” basketball. What more can you say?
We need the Jordan Rules back because the refs are wack! The shirts should say JORDAN RULES and Hermann should lay down a few more strong fouls in the playoffs. Come on Detroit, where the Bad Boys at!!?
Some of you folks need to let the whole AI thing go. It’s over, move on.
“pistons 4 life Says:
April 9th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Well written Whitlock. I couldn’t agree more. Sure AI might be one of the best ever to play his position But he’s never going to win a championship because in his own mind every team he plays for is all about him. He can say all the right things, but he just can’t do them for some reason. He’s one of those players that says things like, I just felt like I could have done more for us to get the win, when he’s not in the game. He’s fooled himself into thinking that the best thing for any team he’s on is for him to play more, shoot more, and score more points. He just doesn’t get “team” basketball. What more can you say?”
Hey tard, he sacrificed just about everything -_-. He said he wanted to fit in. He sacrificed his minutes, points, and just about everything else.
ok…who here would def. rather play celtics than the cavs? Most def. me! Sorry I just feel like Cleveland is the tougher oppnent this year and with all the injuries makin a factor in beantown I would just rather try and win there. Not to mention they don’t have LBJ…and all his foul calls…I’m really hopin that Chi-town screws up and loses these next 3 or at least 2 out of 3 and we can win 3 of 4 or more, we would then play Boston. If we tie Chicago, the tiebreaker would be the division record and if we are tied there, I think it would be the conference record (which we would win). I’m not sayin Boston is a bad team by any means, I just think we would have a harder time with them is all. Just think everyone 1999 Knicks! (currently the only 8th seeded team ever to reach the NBA Finals) lol.
Bottom line: Whitlock is a tool. A fake one. A ‘plastic hammer’ to be precise…….. Anyone on foxsports.com couldve/wouldve wrote that. Personally it doesnt even phase me…. It’s what i’ve come to expect from ALL of the fauxsports media as well as tv sports media ANYWAYS. Their opinions hold no water with me anymore, anyway. Need4Sheed.com though is kind of cool. Good luck in the playoffs Detroit. (you may need it)…. 😉
I think orlando is going to coast it out hanging in 3rd. They know theres is practically no chance for us to get 6th. There going to stay right where they are. Stan Van Gundy is not stupid. He knows the bulls can’t upset Boston. I wouldn’t be surpirsed to see the Magic throw a game in the event they have a chance to move to the 2nd seed. It’s going to be hard playing against powerhouses and the refs I agree. It’s going to be interesting if Miami plays Cleveland round two. With the superstar calls canceling eachother out, it’s really going to be a fun series. We pistons fan know when we’be been cheated in the playoffs. Just sad and I hope we see less of it this post season.
Richie you point is noted and valid, however i don’t believe that the Jordan Rules were related to Jordan getting calls. More so to this guy freaking us every each way and being a one man show. Jordan was killing teams by himself, and the Jordan Rules were based on not against us.
again, Richie your point is valid concerning a campaign Pistons fans can initiate. however, let me make a point:
in various European countries when employees are losing their jobs or they are being affected financially they react. they hold people accountable. now equate that with mad people losing their jobs in America and bankers being bailed out when they have blood sucked average Americans. Wrong is Wrong, and it appears to be a culture of acceptance. sorry to get political…. but when fans invest money into the game why is that one is crazy when they seek a fair shake?
its crazy, in my opinion, for refs to overtly make dumb calls and protect super stars. by bringing banners, making signs and T-Shirts and having these items visible at the Palace will trigger a national convo and/or debate about this matter. it creates the potential for us to re-claim the game and see all teams dealt with in a fair manner.
if there are other ideas i am open… but we will face more than likely Cleveland or Boston. i think the Pistons can beat either one! but if LBJ & Paul P. are being protected and their teams are getting the bulk of the calls we don’t stand a chance… and we won’t win…
i just want to see a fair game….
Peace!
Fariiduddin, you’re overestimating the power of signs and shirts. Hell, you’re overestimating the amount of screen time that fans get at games. Do you think that Stern wants the cameras on a group of fans that are rebeling against his puppet refs? It’s not going to help. You’d be better off trying to organize a massive campaign of hand written letters to Stern himself complaining about your concerns for the integrity of the game. Your complaints are well founded, but your suggestion for reaction is vaine.
Richie you might be right that any effort would be in vain… its frustrating to watch our team being dealt a bad hand. we all recognize the winds of change in the NBA culture and instead of blowing in a direction thats not pointing to blind conformity, we could resist and not be content with the status quo. personally, i’m not cut like that where i can swallow bias calls. its 3-4 refs on the court and thousands of fans in the stands, along with several media talking heads. I’m sure that we can be creative and tap into the passion of over a thousand Pistons fans that spend their good money to watch a fair game. T-Shirts, Banners, Chants, Posters, etc. indeed could stir the pot… or other options. but again, i believe that my call is in vain. but i would ask to recall past feelings when certain cats drive to the hole and get a call, or the lack of calls that our players receive, or the momentum being controlled by the refs instead of the players… it’s not a good feeling… Power is at times an illusion and Stern’s possession of power is an illusion. We have the greatest Power if collectively we hold peeps accountable. there exist a culture of maintaining the status quo and bowing to false power….
Peace