After the Pistons fourth quarter collapse against the Bulls Monday night at the Palace they have now locked themselves into the 8th spot for a date with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Photo/Getty Images
You can be as optimistic or pessimistic as you like, you can compare this team to the one that defied all odds to beat the Lakers in 2004, but as Pistons fans don’t we have to be honest with ourselves at this point? If this team crumbles in the fourth and can’t beat the Bulls in an important game how are they going to defeat a Cleveland team that sits atop the Eastern Conference and has only lost one game in their own building all year long?
Now I’m a glass half full kind of gal, but someone needs to give me some kind of hope that Detroit has a plausible chance to upset the Cavs.
I have my own bright spots here and there like the surprising and refreshing play of Will Bynum, the heart and determination of Antonio McDyess, Rip Hamilton’s return to the starting lineup, the defense of Arron Afflalo and iron man Tayshaun Prince, but all those things just don’t add up to what it takes to beat (and I hate saying this) a powerhouse like the Cavs.
The Cavs are 66-15 and have won 18 of their last 20, and like I mentioned before have lost just one at home. The series starts with the first two games in Cleveland. LeBron has dominated Detroit in the playoffs and to this day he’s responsible for my worst memory of the Palace (remember that fateful game 5). Add in the Cavs defense, the calls they get and it’s a recipe for disaster.
I would love for the Pistons to prove me wrong, in fact I’m rooting for it, but given their play all season long is the benefit of the doubt good enough?
I’m hoping yes, and the Homer in me says so, but someone has to give me something solid besides my loyalty and faith in the team I love.
Any takers?
We will play like the wizards last year. Send Kwame and Amair to just hit Lebron. Get him injured, so what if we have Kwame suspended.
That’s why I never say never, Teams like Cavs, Celtics are one big injury away from okay them.
Look at Celtics and the Magics, imagine the damage we could do if we are a 50 win team this year.
I love this team very much even when they’re like that, well – I don’t love them for doing that but they’re still the Pistons (am I sure?)
I’m sad to say that it’s not a matter of a match-up or being an underdog, but the way they play, it just can’t happen. They showed us some great basketball sometimes this season but one or two nights later it was already gone, take for example the game in New-York, I don’t care about the Knicks, what matters the most is how the Pistons played in this game, and they just don’t do that to check if it can work against better teams, they just don’t show the effort more than about three times a month 😛
Hope the summer will be good, it’s really sad to see the Pistons play like that.
this is going to be an ugly series that will sadly not swing detroits way. i hope for a 6 game series at best, with the pistons winning 2 at home.. 🙁
We’re likely gonna get swept right out of the playoffs which would be a fitting end to a disaster of a season. Even worse, we’ll be subjected to endless highlights of LeBron and how fitting it is that he’s getting past Detroit again. This is gonna be brutal. Time to start thinking about what next year’s team is gonna look like.
The worst part is I actually bought an allen iverson jersey… (forehead slap)
it wont be ended until 6 for sure , buying a iverson jersey . WOW
damn whata shame, id love to believe theres hope for detroit but come on…
i can already see them getting swept im sorry to say
It was an impulse decision which I attempted to defend in my blog…but yeah, worst purchase I ever made since I bought a Joey Harrington jersey.
We are all thinking realistically, where are the Homers to give me hope?
I’ve watched and rooted for the pistons for as long as i can remember and i love this team but….I say its about time we focus on who we’re gunna pick 15th overall in the upcoming draft.
I love ur work natalie!!!
I’ll give it a try… look at what the #8 Hawks did to the Celtics last year. You never know what could happen. Maybe Detroit tanked to the 8th seed just so they could be the underdog and destroy everyone on their way to a championsh–okay I tried.
COME ON YOU GUYS BELIEVE!!!!!!!! PLeaSE dont forget that the slates are clean in the playoffs and anything can happen. You guys dont know who will step up and carry this Pistons team through the playoffs. Remember we were all excited to c Will B. step up…….SO YOU DONT KNOW WHO WILL STEP UP THIS TIME!!! YOU GUYS COME ON NOW I MEAN WHEN YOU PRAY AT NIGHT JUST THROW AD EXTRA PRAYER FOR THE PISTONS AT THE END SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE THIS JOURNEY TO THE NBA FINALS!!!! YOU GUYS HAVE TO BELIEVE!!!!!!1 okay i dont care how unrealistic or how impossible it might be to win the finals this year…but there is hope there is a possibility that we can win this year. Its not like the Pistons are scared to play the cavaliers because they already admitted that they dont care who they play. Sheed claims that their swagger is gonna come in the playoffs so he definitely believes. They just need support from their fan base WHICH IS US AND WE HAVE TO BE THERE FOR THEM!!!!! WE GOT TO BELIEVE!!! COME ON PISTONS FANS BELIEVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!11…please
LET’S GO PISTONS AND LET’S GET THAT SHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!SHOW THEM WHOSE BOSS!!
The season is coming to an end (thank God) and as I said before the whole problem here was the “Coach”. Players don’t like him, don’t like his game plans, just look what they said last night, that doesn’t sound like THE PISTONS. With Iverson we could have had a shot but because of the coach Iverson is not playing. Look the way we played this year against the Lakers(1st game) San Antonio(1st game) Warriors, that was great basketball, with AI-Rip-Tay-Dice-Sheed… we could have done something in the playoffs but no, coach’s poor decicions got us here, where we are. Can we beat the CAVS? of course we can! but we need to bring back the love for the Jersey, the passion, the team work, the optimism, the blue collar and most of all the HEART. GOD BLESS YOU AND GO PISTONS!!!
I feel about like you Nat. Just don’t see it happening but I’d LOVE to be proven wrong. Honestly when “the trade” happened I thought they wouldn’t even make it to the playoff’s this year. I thought the disruption in the team chem was that big a deal. Am happy to have been wrong about that though and that they did manage to get a spot in.
I can only hope with their backs really up on the wall like this, it will bring out their best.
COME On You guyS BELIEVE!!!!! I BELIEVE!! I DONT CARE WHAT THE RECORD SAYS ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!!! EVERYONE JUST LEAVE IN AN EXTRA PRAYER FOR THE PISTONS WHE NYOU PRAY AT NIGHT…I DO AND I WILL NEVER STOP BELIEVING NO MATTER WHAT!!!
LET’S GO PISTONS AND LET’s GET THAT SHIP!!! LET’S SHOW THEM WHOSE BOSS!!!
but here’s my attempt at upbeat, sometimes when you have really low or zero expectations, that’s when you get handed a really nice surprise. 😉
11/19 vs Cleveland W 96-89
It can happen again, hopefully more than once!
Thank you Schrempf, Cone and Vanalope. (fellow homers)
I especially appreciate this Cone.
“we need to bring back the love for the Jersey, the passion, the team work, the optimism, the blue collar and most of all the HEART.”
horrible season will end horribly and things happen for a reason, starts with Joe D, goes down to MC and then the players.
and AI doesnt fit this team at all, he’s a sore loser on and off the court, just read detnews web-blog on how he was banned from downtown Detroit casinos. i cant even name any good games we played this season except win down in orlando, win in boston and the latest knicks game, all without iverson. i mean when u’re a piston fan and u cant name any good games we played this season, true detroit basketball style games then u know we’re in trouble
that early LA game was all sheed and AI hittin shots, we just happened to knock down shots and did a good job on the D thanks to sheed and kwame, we shot like 60% in that game, its not really how u win games and game with san antonio was dreadful, absolutely worst offense ever and at the end sheed decided to hit 3-4 three’s and we won
and im sorry i wanted to stay positive this season and stay positive as a fan but now i just cant. MC is a HORRIBLE coach, he wasnt a good player and hes not a good coach either and it all starts with that, nothing will change next season even if we get good players in the summer. name one team that gotten into the finals or won nba title with a dumbass coach? pistons wont be a powerhouse again until they get a new coach and thats the sad reality. dont say its his rookie year and he’ll get better as a coach cuz he wont, he already hit his ceiling
game 1 will be crucial, if we can win game 1 — that would increase my optimism. i was pissed last night! the last two games showed that maybe we aren’t ready for the playoffs, but on the bright side we do have good match up situations. L. James will have to be doubled teamed, and the Pistons need to suck it up and play some zone at times. make L. James pass, and if the Pistons can work hard to not let other Cav players get off we should stand a chance. if Max, Dyce, Amir, K. Brown and others can focus hard on offensive rebounds and provide us with second chance points we’ll be good. Sheed is going to have to be a presence down low and force people to show — so we can get a kick out game going. Rip must play big.. i don’t see any of their guards cuzing Rip a problem… Game 1 is will tell the story! okay.. i can get winded, but Bynum, Aaron, Max and Rip have been pretty solid on D… Stucky at times. Our guards are solid and their success will translate into whether or not we pull this upset off!
ill give you hope to believe. Once again, this detroit team is with their backs against the wall. This team is not cocky like they used to be. Yeah we lost chauncey. But look at it this way, Do you honestly think cleveland and LBJ want to play the DETROIT pistons in the first round?? You have to be kidding!! Man their scared shitless just like you guys are. Trust me, Rip sheed and tay, those guys arent scared, cuz they’ve been thro it all, their looking forward to this. They wanna pull the upset off, because in their mind, THEY are the favorite and cleveland is the underdog. Lets go DETROIT! Time to go to WORK!!
Boozer is available this summer and might sign with the Pistons instead of waiting till 2010. that would be a good pick up. Solid presence down-low… we shouldnt be too hard on MC. there was a lot going on… i honestly hated the trade for Ivo.. and cant believe Billups isn’t a Piston anymore! Billups meant a lot to Pistons success.. and he seemed to be a solid leader on and off the court. personally i feel the players weren’t focused and felt pissed that Dumars made that move? it seemed that they were more than just teammates w/ Billups… and bringing in the polar opposite in Ivo didn’t improve the situation…
Natalie, you should do a poll — How long do you think JoeD will wait before he fires MC after our early playoff exit.
Emphasise it’s not what you and I think when MC should be fired, rather bet on when JoeD pulls the trigger.
If MC is not gone the next day after we exit the playoff, I would put this entire season and the next one on Dumars alone.
If the Pistons want to have a chance to win this series, they have to go at Lebron. They have to foul him hard and often. Offensively, they have to go at him. Lebron gets SO FEW fouls per game, it’s disgraceful and, there is very convincing evidence that the refs are protecting him (I’m not saying that Lebron isn’t an extremely talented player–just that Rasheed may have had a point when he called out the refs with regards to Lebron’s lack of calls). The Pistons need to make sure they aren’t letting games come down to calls–I appreciate how difficult that will be. Play Kwame. Play Maxiell. And, for the love of god, make sure the perimeter is defended well.
Most of all, and I really believe this, Curry has to stop:
playing guys out of position
drawing up the shittiest possible offensive plays
handing out nonsensical DNP’s
I think much depends on the outcome of tomorrows game against Miami. The Pistons last effort in the forth with containing Wade weren’t exactly great.
So if the challenge Wade, whom like Lebron get awfull a lot of calls with him.
So a win against a play off team with a superstar like Wade really can add some swagger for coming into Clevlands building, and if we can take game one, the series is not that certain anymore!
it is impossible for the pistons !!! because the Cleveland Cavaliers is the favorite team for David Stern for the NBA Finals, Lebron vs Kobe
“this is not Basketball, is all entertainment”
i completely agree Joel! i’m with you on this one! its not basketball anymore.. if the game was called correctly — it would be a interesting series.. however, the Pistons have to prove that they are ready to play in game 1! they haven’t shown the heart and passion in these last two games at all!
Look for an upset Natalie 😉
We can hope that Cavs are tired and too confident coming into play-offs. I guess that’s the only way we could surprise them.
In the other hand, let’s just play hard-lock-down defense, foul hard, grind it out basketball.
I believe(even after yesterdays game).
it is impossible cause we gonna play the best Team (in the east) with the MVP of this season and a good supporting cast!
They play with maximum effort and very good Defense!
there is no need after this horrible season to still blame the refs or David Stern for other teams havin success!
Is it Sterns fault that we cant beat the bulls in a must win game at home with a team that still talks about winning it all (blablabla) and enough talent or should we blame the players who are 48min on the court???
I hope they can win one game cause that would be a success believe it or not
all playoffs, are fixed!! mmm kings lakers, suns spurs….pistons celtics last year……the NBA has become on MARKETING, and the marketing of this year is Lebron MVP, Lebron in NBA Finals, and Lebron NBA Champion 2008-2009
Question: If we win our next game, we will be 40-42 and if philly loses its next two they will also be 40-42….and assuming Chicago wins its next game….don’t pistons have a chance to be seventh if both philly and detroit are 40-42….do we own the tiebreaker?
confusing question i know….but PLEASE answer it! 😀
oig.. this is sadly true (part of it). the Pistons haven’t played Piston basketball in a while, but lets say by chance they show up this playoffs and they come to play some ball (wishful thinking, maybe :)-however, lets say they make it an competitive series and everything is clicking.. do you really think the refs won’t jump in and put a end to that? i would have to agree with Joel.. L. James is being marketed hard this year.. and the guy deserves the MVP, but they would love to see this cat go far, instead of a a clicking Pistons team that is a Unit…. again, if the Pistons show up they have to contend with L. James and his supporting cast along with the refs. but if the Pistons are going to play like they have been.. refs don’t matter!
Man, I want to go give Pistons a motivational speech right now. They need that right now; they need to realize that they still have that HEART in them to go all the way. I wish I could tell them that. Let’s motivate the Pistons so they could have the best mindset going into the playoffs. Let’s think of ways to do that. Natalie, you should do something! (you are our only hope!)
No we don’t own the tiebreaker. sixers beat us in 2 of our 3 meetings
Its sad but the championship powerhouse pistons are gone. we can point our fingers to whoever and we will all get different answers. The cavs will sweep the pistons, and it hurts me to say that because i absolutely hate lebron james and everything he stands for. cocky bastard. Since the pistons are already going down, Kwame, just nail lebron with a hard foul and end his post season. what else do we have to lose?
can some one tell me the last time we have lost a season series to the sixers?
ridicuouls
@Fariduddin
I tell u what buddy if they really show up and play Pistons-basketball and make it a close series i will give u that Superstar-bonus but i will not talk that shit before they actually compete and show us on the court they still got it and i mean not only one good game like against Lakers or Spurs i mean every game!!
like i said they couldnt win at home against the Bulls in a must win game and it wasnt the only game they should have won so why should i believe it will change against the Cavs who play the best ball next to the Lakers!
Thats why i dont bite into this conspiracy shit cause in the end Kobe and Lebron are leading the best 2 teams this year and its not cause the refs want it this way even though i know they get some bs calls……….
Nostradamus predicts Pistons over the Cavs in 4!!! Hows that for hope Nat!
I like the hitting LeBron James hard talk, but injuring him and knocking him out of the playoffs?? Really?? That’s not honorable in any situation. C’mon guys…
And as much as I love Stuck… he is not the guy. I think he has potential to be a really good player in this league, but not great. He is not a leader, and this is one of the biggest places we fall flat: having that voice in the locker room that keeps everyone in check.
oig — read what i wrote carefully. we are in agreement in certain aspects, but where we differ is on the possibility that the Pistons could show up and play good ball. Lets say that they do show up and play committed basketball w/ heart and passion… which way will calls go.. and who would be treated w/ special preference over righteous and unbiased calls?
Kobe and L. James are special talents and they deserve respect for their craft, but this doesn’t mean they should get special treatment.
i’ve been a fan since the age of 7 from the south-side of Chicago.. and i’ve been loyal. a loyal fan tends to remain optimistic and hopeful!
Pistons in 6! :)-
My first try at photoshop 🙂
WE BELIEVE
http://i40.tinypic.com/39avt.jpg
I will never give up on my Pistons. I will bleed blue until the day I die. I cant give up on them, they got to the playoffs, they can advance in the playoffs. We had a bad season but all is not lost. If the Pistons gave up hope as quickly as a lot of these Fareweather fans, we wouldent even be in the playoffs. I will go into the playoffs fighting until the final seconds, of the final period, of the final game….GO PISTONS!!!!!! We can beat Cleveland.
I like that “WE BELIEVE” pic. Nice job on it.
@Fariduddin
i got ur point thats why i wrote that i will give u that if the pistons play the way they should and they could but u have to understand i will not complain before my team actually shows up and plays with passion and heart………
im a loyal fan too thats why i still watch every game i can and im from Germany buddy so i have to stay till the morning to see my pistons but im realistic so i dont close my eyes and just pray when i see how this season went……….
i really hope it will end up in a close series but do i believe that??
NO
I like it The Fan!
Great job WE BELIEVE!
And by no mean have I given up on this team, it just nice to hear some optimism for a change since I’m always the one with the over the top outlook.
Thanks Everyone!
thanks guys 🙂
Cinque — i feel ya! lets shock the world baby!
Hopefully the CAV’s arena has another roof leak, LeBron steals the ball, goes tearing down the court, hits a patch of water and cracks his tailbone. Stones in 6. Everyone pray for this, starting… NOW!
lmfaoooo
Something to cheer you guys up!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLodUvNH-0g
Here’s some optimism:
The Pistons’ reccord is by no means a true indication of what they are capable of. Many of thier losses came: With Iverson at PG, with “small ball”, with McDyess gone for a month, with Iverson taking 46 minutes a game, with ‘Sheed hurt, with Rip hurt, with Iverson on the floor AT ALL.
Last night’s loss was the result of Will Bynom finally having an off game. His jumper wasn’t falling so people were able to give him space and he couldn’t trive effectively. He only had 10:37 to play with, during which he was 1-6 shooting. Don’t let last night’s game discourage you.
Odds are we were going to have to play Cleveland anyway, so I guess it doesn’t hurt to do it now. We all know that the whistles will favor Lebron, but the Pistons are simply better than their reccord indicates.
How about this- Atlanta took Boston to 7 last year in the 1st round. i believe that this Pistons team is certainly better than Atlanta last year and that Boston was better last year than Cleveland is now. Hopefully the Pistons can do one better than Atlanta last year. Also remember that a couple years ago Golden State a 8 seed did beat a 1 seed in Dallas. I know its not much to go on, but we have to believe in this team with any hope that we can have.
Pistons will sweep the Cavs! No I’m not that out of my mind. I do however think that we should all support the Pistons as we always do but not have these expectations. Just hurts more when we lose. Cavs are sterns ticket to ratings. In the end I just want to see a team that isn’t favored to win, win it all. Sure the pistons will probably not succeed that far but I would Love to see CHAUNCEY up in the finals spanking the Cavs or Celtics. I just don’t want the post season to end with the Lakers or Cavs or Celtics being champions. SURPRISE ME SOMEONE!
Here’s my attempt at optimism; Remember forever ago when Steve Fisher basically rolled the ball out and Glen Robinson and Rumeal Robinson and cast won it all? Of course they did go 30-7 in the regular season, but that’s not the point. The point is they had major controversy before the tourney and they decided to just play ball. If Currey will let these boys play ball-I mean really play- they can beat the Cavs. Do to Bron what they used to do to MJ and I like our chances. The cavs minus Lebron are not nearly as good as, say, the Pistons minus Hamilton. Currey is not an X’s and O’s coach so he needs to stop trying to be one. Let’s see this thing go 7!!!
i have been just as sad as the rest of my fellow pistons fans this year. but the talent is still there they still know how to win and mabey just mabey they will get that spark and we will see the DEEETROIT BAAAASKETBAALL that we all know and love……..
IVERSON GOT KICKED OUT OF TWO CASINOS
NOW HE LOOKS HORRIBLE!!!
haha
I’m just gonna be realistic, we f’d up big time by not LOSING more games. If we had a just lost a few more then we would not have to be in the playoffs next week only to face a DISGRACEFUL loss to the cavs. I live in california and its tough to be known as a pistons fan in a Laker area, and its even tougher when they have curry as a coach.
If we had lost more games we would be able to skip the dissapoitment that has been coming to us for the last few years in the playoffs, AND best of all we would be picking up a lottery pick in the process.
Oh well that chance has flown by, and now we will see if the pistons can at least pick up ONE win.
natalie when can i hit that
What happened this year?
i just don’t understand, i keep watching and i keep getting upsett. they just dont want it anymore, its a shame and they dont deserve to win.
if they put up a fight against the cavs it will be great. but the cavs have there heart in the game and shit im not the biggest fan of Lebron but the kid wants it more then anything in this world, and he might get it this year.
guys, there’s all this talk about “talent” but seriously, really, we don’t have a lot of talent. Sorry that’s how it is.
from kwamebrownsucks.com
* * *
Everybody has moments of ineptitude. Few, however, have them as often, or with as much flair, as Kwame Brown, the erstwhile starting center for my beloved Los Angeles Lakers.
But you do not need to be a Lakers fan, or even a basketball fan for that matter, to appreciate what Kwame Brown, with his stunning lack of fine motor skills, is capable of conjuring on any given night.
Whether it’s inexplicably dropping a bounce pass even a four-year old could secure with ease, or finding new and creative ways to miss what appears to the untrained eye to be an easy layup, Kwame Brown’s unique talent for bungling even the most routine basketball plays can be appreciated by almost everyone.
After all, this is a man who has missed not just the rim, but the entire backboard, from two feet away. This is a man who has shot consecutive airballs from the free-throw line and attempted to catch entry passes with his face. This is a man for whom the highest percentage shot in the sport, the dunk, is anything but a sure thing.
* * *
The pistons are in a place where kwame brown is one of our major stars. And he sucks!
Realistically we have one all star, we have rip, that’s it. Stucky is taking a long time to develop. Someday he’ll be better, but right now he’s adequate that’s it.
I think a little patience is in order. The pistons will rise again, this is just a necessary down year. Even Kobe Bryant the Lakers had to take down years, playing with kwame brown until finally the lakers STOLE pau gasol.
We need to add our pau gasol. We need talent it’s as simple as that.
Guys anything can happen,
We just need to show some more support and believe a bit more, no way can we win with a lot of negative thinking.
I mean, remember the Mavs and Warriors series?
IF DET AND PHI HAS 40-42, PHILLY OWNS TIEBREAKER
Foremost, I can’t stand the Cavaliers. I hate how their stadium antics have been nothing but a low class copycat version of Detroit’s, particularly how bad they have tried to create their own Mason. I can’t stand the giant ego known as Lebron, though I won’t deny the guy is a basketball wizard, I think he would be most happy having a guy with a mirror following him around on the court. Cavs fans are even worse, hanging onto the coat tails of Lebron along with the rest of his team screaming Lebron is God and we are #1.
With that off my chest, I tried desperately to find a way Detroit could pull this series out. I can’t. Best case scenario, we take one game. I can’t see us pulling an Atlanta Hawks of last year on Boston, for Atlanta was a young non-stop high flying team that took Boston by surprise. We’re not that type of team by any means. Lebron is a marvel come playoff time as we all know and whether his team shows up with him or not, he should pretty much have his way unfortunately.
I hope the Pistons prove me wrong. I hope they upset the Cavs and personally come and find me in San Antonio and cram my doubts down my throat. It would be well worth it instead of having to see Lebron flex his muscles after every other basket and watch the Cavs fans scream like little girls. Yep, I’m showing some big time hate on the Cavs, but it is what it is.
I’ll try to watch the games, but I cannot stand to watch Lebron for more than 20 minutes, let alone a Cav home game. Looks like David Stern just may get his wish, a superstar showdown in the finals. Kobe vs Lebron. Ugh.
Enough of this nonesense talk…the pistons r winning this series and we’ll make lebron sign with the knicks in 2010
Seriously, the cavs r not happy theyre playin us
all we really need to do is play smart and win one game on the road
Lets all show up at the palace and cheer from tipoff till the end
OK Natalie here it is…….At least I’ll try. My brother was on the 1980 Olympic hockey team that won the gold medal that year. They said it was almost impossible to win against the best team in the world at the time. Russia. I’m sure you heard about the movie that came out a few years ago called, A Miracle? Why don’t you go out and rent it if you haven’t seen it. It will give you some hope.
I want them to vs the cavs. I think the Pistons will beat the cavs badly. I just want Lebron James to get mad that he made it all that way and they lost in the first round.
To quote the great Vince Lombardi:
“The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That’s real glory. That’s the essence of it.”
Let’s go to Cleveland and kick the throne out from under Lebron.
Pistons could have had a much better record if MC was not the coach. Think about this, would any team in the NBA hire this guy as there head coach?
We fired a coach that won 60 games last year; why does MC get a pass for having a losing record?
You guys are mostly hypocrites. You know why? All of the sudden everybody cries about Flip Saunders. Well comparing to MC he is much better but he never made it to the finals! He had many chances. Too many, that’s why he was fired. D’Antoni had 60 wins every time and who cares? Hes a lil bitch. And Billups, everybody cries about how Billups was awsome. Comparing to Iverson he is Michael Jordan but we had to change something, we had the same group over and over again and nothing seemed to work. That’s why they let Chauncey go, besides he sucked in the previous Playoffs because he is getting old. He has boosted stats because Denver plays fast paced game. I’m pretty sure that if Saunder and Billups stayed we would have a better record but we wouldn’t make it to the finals AGAIN and it would as much frustrating like it is now. At least we have some adventure now, probably some good players coming here next season. Seriously don’t act like you would like to have our old squad for the next couple of years and see them get knocked out of the playoffs every time sooner and sooner.
…….ok……..sure…….not going to happen this year people. Its great that pistons fans believe in there team but how many of you would take that to vegas?
My only hope is the pistons dig down deep and try to spite allen iverson. Winning it all with A.I. inactive would be such a joy for me. He has been everything we didnt need. Plus he has no respect for anyone but A.I. he cant even contain himself when he is out and about in and around detroit. Scrape yourselves off the floor pistons and do what is impossible. Stop the juggernaut in their tracks. We have some ok tools up and down the bench and a possible upset is concievable. I just dont think coach curry is ready for the challenge of tough playoff series
The more and more people keep talking about how badly the Cavs are going to beat the Pistons, the more and more likely I feel like the Pistons will surprise people. Chauncey is gone, but this is virtually the same team that went to the Eastern Conference Finals six years in a row. Now, Chauncey was a HUGE piece to that puzzle (and I can’t stress that enough), but this year’s team also has the added value of Afflalo, Bynum, and even underrated Walter Herrmann. This all might sound crazy, but the Pistons bench consisted of Stuckey, Jason Maxiell and Lindsey Hunter in years past. This year they are pretty deep in that they have up to 5 guys who can come off and provide meaningful help in their own way. Also, this team has won big games this year. It’s just a matter of whether or not they show up. Obviously, if they don’t bring their all in the playoffs they’ll get steamrolled, but they’ve shown when they come out with that”swagger” that they can murder the lesser teams and hang with the cream of the crop.
Now, I reluctantly agree with everything you said in the main post, but I have to go with the glass half full person inside me through and through. The outlook is dim, but the heart inside is bright. Hopefully the Stones can shock some people.
some1 tell me why we call pistons “stones” all of a sudden?
Pistons are heading into the Lion’s Den of King James reminds me like Russell Crowe’s Gladiator..
I’m looking forward to this matchup eventhough the odds are against us.
Fight to the finish Deeetroiit Baskeeetttbaaalll!
Have you ever think what the Cavs are thinking upon playing the Pistons in the first round? I don’t think Detroit is the team they wished to face either. Chances are low, but to get swept is a little unlikely unless MC screws up more than expected.
pfffft as if Cleveland has a chance against Detroit
Detroit will crush them like ants!!!!!!!
And for all the people who said we were so much better off without AI….HA! I really don’t see any difference to tell you the truth and I think overall we might have just got to 50 wins with Chauncey, I really don’t see us being that much better with him either. Bad things happened this year and we need to reconstruct this team quickly. The other night just blew up in our face in the 4th quarter (as always). Now we play a Cavs team who is on a mission this year whether we like it or not. If the Cavs do end up making the finals, I hope the Lake Show can crush them! I read somewhere that Curry thinks this Miami game is just meaningless (and it is to a certain extent), but i would rather goin into the playoffs at least with a winning attitude then a losing one (which we’ve had all season).
Let’s just hope Sheed is feeling it 😉
Pistons have a chance. gotta play physical. gotta get one of the first 2 games to gain some momentum. Pistons are just now starting to come together. I’m not worried about defense, more about offensive execution…stuckey and bynum will have to really play well…or prince and rip will have to play the PG position and initiate the plays.
go detroit!
Lebron will break a knee and the Cavs will crumble like broken biscuits.
LET’S GO TO WORK!!!
DEEEEEETRROOOITTT
BAS-KET-BALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!
You guys are pathetic. Injure LeBron on purpose? Pistons better than their record?
On February 22, the Pistons showed up in Cleveland with their full complement of players. The Cavaliers came out focused and determined.. and led 67-34 at half. I don’t think the Pistons can beat Cleveland. Maybe once, at the Palace, but this series won’t go past 5 games.
And the Stern/conspiracy stuff? Please. Stop. The Cavs won 66 games this season, and it wasn’t on accident or because there was some conspiracy in place. They are the best defensive team in the league. They are one of the best offensive teams in the league. They have the best player in the league. That is why. Not because of any conspiracies. What a joke. The Pistons couldn’t guard LeBron 2 years ago, what the HECK makes you think they can guard him now?
Nat,
There is nothing more dangerous than a team with nothing to lose. Especially when that team has as many talented players as our Pistons. The pressure is all on the Cavs, just like the pressure was all on our Pistons during the 64 win season in 2006. Besides, look at teams like the Warriors when they upset the top seeded Mavs a few years ago. The 99 Knicks made it to the NBA finals as the 8 seed. These things are not unheard of. Plus, nobody expects Detroit to do anything this year. Can you imagine how pissed CLE will be if they lose this series to Detroit? It gives me hope
IF THEY WANT IT BAD ENOUGH..THEY CANDO IT….GET THE RING ..ONE LAST CURTAIN CALL FOR THE GREATEST NUCLEOUS IN BASKETBALL..CLOCK IN ONE MORE TIME FELLAS!!ONE MORE TIME!!!! GO PISTONS!!!!DEEEEEEEEEEETROIT!!!BAAAAASSSKETBALLLLL!!!!!!!!
HEY GUYS!!! JUST SHUT THE HELL UP. WHY U GIVING UP ON THE PISTONS. I KNOW WE ARE NOT THE SAME TEAM AS 04 BUT DID ANYONE THINK WE WERE GOING TO WIN AGAINST THE FAKERS??? NO!! DID ANYONE THINK ATLANTA WAS GOING TO TAKE BOSTON INTO 7 GAMES?? NO!! THEY THOUGHT BOSTON WAS GOING TO WIN IN A SWEEP. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, DID ANYONE…. I REPEAT DID ANYONE THINK THAT THE WARRIORS WERE GOING TO BEAT THE 1 SEED MAVERICKS IN 07?? HELL NO!! SO HAVE SOME FAITH AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET CHRIS BOSH OR CARLOS BOOZER IN A YEAR OR TWO
Win with MC as coach? Please. I’d love to cheer you up, Natalie, but I just can’t do it. Reality is kicking me in the shins.
The last game the when the Pistons faced the Cleveland Cavaliers the Pistons came 6 points shy of defeating them at the Q. Due to 4th quater mistakes we lost after being up the whole game. I feel that the Pistons CAN do it but they have to have Bynum to continue the play that he has been playing and they also need Stuckey to be consitent
I think our Pistons will put up a good fight…granted they may not win but they will fight. We’ve seen it this season right?
Hey jimmy:STUFF IT!
Your the joke kindergarden boyo.
Here I’m all focused to take up for your sorry arses in cleveland as I did against the Spurs two years ago and you open your piehole and P me off!
Get the FFFF over yourself.The deciding game 5 two years ago was a heartbreaker for detroit.And lebron is very talented but he is a child in many ways:C.B. pure class.It was between the two of them in that game could of gone either way!Sheeds meltdown in game six did us in.So be gone knave…go follow bron bron around and drool at his feet!lol
What a PUTZ!
Hope the stones play with a hard edged tude even if they get swept and knock some heads.
Although I’m not entirely sure M.C. would approve!
But then I grew up on an Ice Rink so guess I’m a physical kind of old duffer!
Have to go watch my beloved tigs now…WOWZY WOWZY!
I love this SITE! Ok got that off of my chest. So here’s the thing. So much finger pointing going on it’s making my head hurt. 1st Joe D shouldn’t have made the trade….suck it up boys, it happened. Just like when Big Ben left us, Billups ain’t coming back. We ALL begged for this. I know I did. FIRE FLIP SAUNDERS was in all of our heads & came flying out of our mouths! Flip buckled under pressure & seemed to always call the wrong plays when the other team was on a run. Master of panic award had to go to Flip. He’s gone, good! Then we all BEGGED for a line up change. Hoping to get a superstar & a scorer! We saw Billups decline. His boredom with games against subpar teams. We saw the young guards like CP3 & DWill constantly light him up & blow by him. We saw Sheed run his mouth & get techs for NO REASON & We begged for it. Joe, like the rest of us had seen enough. He looked at all of the available coaches, Paul Silas, Avery Johnson , Stan Van Gundy & a slew of unproven wannabe coaches & knew, there is no way any of them can give me another championship. So he promoted a trusted former teammate. A fresh voice & decided, since I am starting over, what the hell, lets see what he can do. Remember how crappy the Van Gundy’s were as 1st time coaches? Look at Stan now. Even Jeff has turned into a fairly decent coach. So we all got what we begged for, change. AI was in his day a top 5 player in this league & at one point in serious arguments with Kobe as ‘the best 2 guard’. But that was a while ago. We got a fresh faced coach who knew the players, knew the game & wanted to prove he belonged. The task was to get the rest of the soldiers to fall in line. Stuckey BALLED his ass off in the playoffs when Billups went down. We all knew his time was coming to take over as our go to guy. But we were premature. But remember the last time a rookie stepped up like that for us in the playoffs? A kid named Tay? Locked down Tmac & helped get us back on track to when that series. We passed on Carmelo Anthony for that very reason. So we all had to believe Stuckey, a far more talented scorer than prince, would do the same. But now we get back to the coach. His play calls down the stretch have been horrific! Players look confused. Out of position & we have become a team that NEVER uses the same line up twice in the 4th. I am a simple guy. I like things simple. To me basketball is simple. There is a blue print EVERY team has followed with success. You need a Center, a PF, A SF, A SG & A PG! Everyone plays their position. Also you go 8 MAYBE 9 deep. In the playoffs, you tighten that up. A back up PG a back up wing player & a back up big man. PLAY THE RIGHT WAY! A simple ass concept that THESE pistons don’t do. Everyone is out of position & that again goes to the coach. At the end of games we all know who gets the ball in Cleveland, LAL, BOS, MIA, TOR, NJ, so on & so forth! The Pistons had a very reliable Mr. Big Shot. We all knew, he’d save us. He’d calm the team down & he’d either take the big shot, get to the foul line or set the play for some one else by drawing the defense to him & dishing to the open man. A LEADER. This team has NO LEADER. Rip is our go to scorer, Sheed fires the team up, Tay is the silent assassin & Dyess is that wiley Vet that only knows how to go down swinging, but none of them is a leader. You can’t ask a 2nd year PG from a school no one ever heard of, to become a leader. Not after this season, not with more than half of the same team that has gotten to the ECF the last 6 years still in tact & in their prime! Getting Boozer is an upgrade & even grabbing a Tyson Chandler is great news. But we won’t have a leader. Leaders are hard to come by. Who available this summer is a proven leader. That can come in now & make us a scarey team? No one. Boozer, Tyson/Sheed (which ever we go for) Prince, Rip & Stuck is a dope ass team on paper. But who is the leader. Ho is gonna tell Sheed to shut up in a tight game, who is going to set up that final play in a close game. Who is going to take the big shot? No one in that line up. No one available this Summer. Joe has a lot of money to spend, but name 1 team actually willing to depart with a Lebron, Wade, Kobe? A real star/leader/scorer. We are in a bad place folks. Don’t kid yourselves. I hope for the best, but I expect the worse. We all knew when Isaiah left we were doomed. It took 13 years to get back to the top. It’s been 6 years since then. Am I crazy to think we still have 6 years left to get back to the top? As long as Curry is on the sideline & we have no superstar leader on this team, we are doomed. I love my pistons, but this will be a 5 & done series. Not because the players won’t try, but because The Cavs have the ultimate leader & that fire & hunger we had in 2004. So PLEASE prove me wrong, but I am a realist & know our team is done not just in 5 games for the Cavs, but at least for the next few years or until we wise up & finally go after a LEGIT star & leader.
Peace
i always wondered and still wonder. why did allen iverson take chauncey #1??
Because Stuckey couldn’t give him #3 for licensing reasons & #2 & 4 are retired (Joe D was #4 & Vinnie Johnson was #2) So he chose #1 since it was available. Same way Stuckey ended up with #3 after Ben Left. No one was using it so they may as well take it. It felt like a slap in the face seeing AI in the beloved Billups #1.
Our only chance at winning this series, is to take game 1 or game 2. We have to win in Cleveland, and we have to avoid getting blown out in either game. If the Cavs blow us out in game 1, it’s over. It will take away in confidence our players have. Those two games are the most crucial games of this series. It’s all up to the Pistons at this point, do they want one last Hoorah? I sure hope so, it would hilarious to witness them beating Cleveland. We still hope them for 2007, let’s get it done.
DD3 I’m right there with you. Love this site, and the Pistons have barely a chance.
BUT . . . .
If something does happen . . I mean, suppose Lebronosaurus gets t-ed out because of a bad call, or maybe he gets in a fight with someone in the stands, we are talking purely a miracle here . . .
Remember that time that evander the real deal holyfield was beating riddick bowe from post to post, putting a serious hurt on the young boy, it was only a matter of seconds before the old master tk-oed the young man, and then OUT OF NOWHERE FLIES A MAN INTO THE RING, he was wearing this parachute or something, he flew right into the ring. One of the strangest things I have ever seen in sports. It took 15 minutes to clear everyone out of the ring and restart the fight, and during this time, Bowe cleared his head and started to box Holyfield, he was scared of the old man’s hands now and decided to box box box, and quit being so macho, and thanks to parachute man, riddick bowe won the decision.
Now, I’m not saying the pistons have zero chance. But if parachute man makes a landing on lebronosaurus (or the equivalent kind of miracle, the same kind of 1 in a 1,000 shot), we could win.
And how sweet would that victory be. There’s nothing wrong with rooting for the underdog here. We have a chance, but it’s the kind of parachute man lands on someone’s head, kind of chance a 1,000 to 1 shot. But it could still happen.
I say that we will put some bigs on Lebron, put him out of commission and take these Cavs all the way to 7.
Of course that is a pipe dream, but a person can wish can’t he? I am so sick of the NBA “Superstars” and the “Superstar” lovin’ fans. Iverson couldn’t play with us because he’s not been involved in real team play. And that goes for a whole lot of other prospects out there. If they were a “superstar” on another team, I don’t want them on the Pistons. I want some workers. I don’t want the chairman of GM, I want a bunch of hard working welders from the production line. I’m tired of the announcers thinking that they have to pick someone out to worship everytime they call a game. It’s always Wade, Lebron, Kobe, Dirk, and on and on.
And the officiating, don’t get me started. I love seeing the NBA ad where Lebron heads for a big dunk and I see him take 4 steps beforehand.
Ok, so I just vented. But I’ll be watching the Pistons, win or lose. They are my team.
Natalie, I love this site. Thanks so much.
How bout’ this one Natalie: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS #8 SEED. DALLAS MAVERICKS #1 seed.
golden state in 6. (back in 2007).
Mark I agree with you 100%. I hate how the league caters to the ‘superstars’ in the league. The NBA is 1 step away from The WWE where the league chooses the next big thing or the team to push for the season. They love their darlings. We were lucky enough to be the Darlings in 04 without a superstar. After Detroit & the Spurs played in 2005 & the ratings were at an all time low, I believe we saw the end of the team ball era. That’s why there have been no back to backs. Each star gets a turn. All of the big stars. Started with Dwayde, we was billed as the next Jordan then the next season, fizzle. They even tried billing Dirk as some kind of wonderkind on the west that year, but Wade was just a little bit more intruiging. A new fresh face in 2006. The next year 2007 they pushed who else LBJ or ‘KING’ James so we could all be ‘WITNESS’ only for them to decide he wasn’t ready & that big Tim & the Spurs had one push left. Then they looked down the line. What will bring in the ratings. What new star can we push? LBJ still wasn’t ready, Dwade already got one. Hmm. Wait, a touch of nostalgia lets bring back the Lakers, Celtics rivalry. So the league just happens to approve 2 of the most lopsided trades in sports history. Basically Kwame for Gasol in LA & Al Jefferson for KG. Terrible! Then they push these mediocre teams over the top to actual contenders. LA still had holes as did the C’s. But that whole season, they said the right things, had 3 legit superstars all willing to sacrifice & the Sternanator christened them the 2008 darlings & waltzed with them to higher ratings & a ring. This year, they want it to be Kobe vs Lebron. It has to be. The Celts got their ring. This is what they want. LA will have no problem in the west. All of the teams are aching but them. Maybe his other favorite franchise will be back in the hun (Portland) & on the east, who wouldn’t wanna see Dwade vs Lebron. I can see Stern drooling now. We need a superstar it’s sad to say, if we ever want to be darlings again. Ok back to work. I’m done ranting for the day.
The difference between the Golden State Warriors and the Detroit Pistons is that the Warriors were beggining to believe in themselves, and the Pistons are starting to lose belief in themselves.
Record wise, we are nothing compared to the cavs. Just to be positive and be a homer I am, I would clinch my hopes to this facts.
1)We won one game against them.
2)We took leads into the 4th quarters in all of the games except for one that was a wire to wire win by them at their house. Sadly they had 4th quarter collapses, That Wont happen in the series.
3)The game we won, was a come from behind victory after losing the first half by 11, they ended up winning the game by 7.
4)Regardless of records, we can match up with them now that everyone is healthy.
NOW the hopes.
5)The lost against the Bulls could have light up that sleeping fire. They will play with pride, refusing to fade into history. Mr. D deserve that as a tribute and they know it.
6)Will Bynum will do to them what Gibson did to us in 07, remember this is the kid that set a franchise record for 4th quarter scoring.
7)Stuckey will surpassed his previous playoffs performances.
8)Walter herrman has a shiny sexy hair and his 3 point shooting stroke will return just in time for the playoffs. He will cradle the ball to the hoop 2 per game for spectacular layups.
9)Jason Maxiell can eat alive their front line, with a little bit of ketchup.
10)Rip will average 26 per game.
11)Dice will be playoff dice and the rebounding demon.
12)Sheed will play great defense while displaying post game talents and perimeter ability.
13)Tayshaun will show lebron that he aint the only Olympic champion on the court.
14)Kwame is underrated as a back up center and he will prove it.
15)Allen Iverson will not play.
Iverson Banned From Detroit Casinos
Apr 14, 2009 3:48 PM EST
Estranged Pistons guard Allen Iverson has been banned from a few downtown Detroit casinos.
Iverson has been banned from both the MGM and Greektown casinos. He has reportedly been banned do to immature behavior, involving many acts of disturbance.
“He is a bad loser, and he loses a lot, often throwing his chips or cards at the dealer,” wrote the Detroit News.
jeez iverson
Personally, I’ll go on the record saying they’ll take 1, maybe 2 games. But that’s all the further this thing is going to go. They’ve showed no signs that they have what it takes to hang with an elite team. That’s just being realistic.
I’ll always cheer for the Pistons, but if they lose, I’m really going to enjoy watching the Cavs dismantle the Celtics. I absolutely HATE the Celtics and will take great pleasure in watching them lose.
dang.. these are mad post about this series. i can’t wait till game 1. game 1 without a doubt is going to be intense! and also provide us with a sense of whether or not the Pistons are serious bout winning. if we win game 1… Pistons fans in the D! make sure you are that sixth man they will need… if the crowd is totally pumped from start to finish.. i dont think sum Cav players would be able to handle Detroit Pistons intensity. Rip, Tay, Sheed, Dyce and a few others have been deep into the playoffs… and experience has to come into play! (i hope).
i truly believe that the Pistons will win in GAME 6! mark my words!
No no no! Pistonsfan. The Cav’s started our fall, they are our division rivals & remember Lebron’s telling commercial a couple years ago where he said “You can’t get through Detroit! Swimmin in no pool”
Check here to refresh your memory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsoP6bjADic
But Cleveland & Chicago are our division rivals. Miami is a rival cuz Dwade lights us up regularly. Boston got us last year, but you can’t really hate on KG, Ray Allen & Pierce. They fought hard to finally get there after years of struggling. So the Cav’s must be DESTORYED!!! MUHAHAHAHA!
I BELIEVE!!!!! WE ALL NEED TO BELIEVE!!!COME ON YOU GUYS WHAT DO YOU THINK MCDYESS WOULD THINK IF HE SAW US NOT BELIEVING IN THIS TEAM!!!! IF YOU THINK DYESS DIDN”T BELIEVE IN THIS TEAM THEN HE WOULDN”T HAVE CAME BACK!!!! I HAVE MUCH RESPECT FOR DYESS AND THATS WHY I THINK THIS PLAYOFF RUN SHOULD BE DEDICATED TO HIM!!! LET”S ALL PRAY AND BELIEVE IN THIS TEAM SO DYESS CAN GET WHAT HE DESERVES….WHICH IS A CHAMPIONSHIP RING WITH DETROIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CAN I GET A DEEEETROIT BASKETBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LET”S GO PISTONS AND LET”S GET THAT SHIP!!!!!!!!! LET”S SHOW THEM WHOSE BOSS…WE ARE (DETROIT)!!!
Ahhh…we will probably lose; I’m being realistic, but we won’t go down without a fight hopefully!
2 Reasons to Hate Cavs:
1) Lebron James (Great Player but an egotistical maniac)
2) Anderson Varajao (flip flopping “im so cool” arse!)
I think if MC gets us past the first round he has earnt another year as head coach regardless of result next year. Cavs are pretty unbeatable now, if they do get past I hope they take it all, Kobe can get lost.
We are going to beat Cavs in 5. Amir is going to poke LeBorn’s eye.
Brilliant!
No way, Marcell! thats my favorite movie of all time, and one of my favorite sports stories of all time!
Maurice Williams is going to destroy Rodney Stuckey. LeBron is better than any 2 players on the Pistons combined, but we all know that. But the Pistons can’t stop Mo Williams. And they will get demolished.
The only thing they can do is play hard and try to challenge Cleveland. Maybe beat them at home to get a moral victory. But they will leave this series with nothing more than a moral victory. The Cavaliers aren’t unbeatable, but they aren’t going to lose to a mediocre team.
pistons nation rise!