The Pistons won their first Sunday game of the season, taking down the Sixers 81-88 at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Another game without Rip Hamilton and of course Tayshaun Prince, but this time it was our old friend Ben Wallace who put on a rebounding clinic on his familiar floor.
Key Points:
- Ben Wallace had an amazing 16 boards on the night, 11 of them coming in the first half, which is a Pistons record. Either he loves being back in Detroit, or Arnie has got some secret anti-aging fountain of youth voodoo drink concoction he’s giving him. If it’s the later….I’ll take some please.
- “I knew Ben would be an asset talking to our bigs,” head coach John Kuester said. “I never imagined the impact he would have playing. Right now, he looks like the old Ben. He’s leading by example” Via NBA.com
- An impressive 51 rebounds for the Pistons. I attended the matinee and all I kept thinking was, boy are they ever gobbling up boards – especially on the offense (21). I had no idea the number would add up like that.
- Did I mention Mr. Wallace also blocked 3 shots and added 3 steals!
- SWEDEtastic!
Video Courtesy of The NBA and The Detroit Pistons
- Is Jonas Jerebko making good of his time on court of what? This kid is pure hustle who knows a golden opportunity when he sees it. Jerebko scored 10 on 5-for-10 shooting, with 5 boards in 22 minutes. The putback jam was tops, but all his highlights are solid.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLXniLmncfE
- More minutes for Jason Maxiell who scored just 2 with 2 boards in 20 minutes on the floor.
- Iguodala got hot quickly for the Sixers and led all scorers with 24. It’s usually Tay who plays him tough, so he had an easier time Sunday afternoon.
- Boy is Charlie Villanueva starting to warm up. It looked like the Pistons tried to draw plays for him in the first quarter to help him get off to the right start early in the game. CV31 finished with 16 points , 5 boards and a blocked shot in 27 minutes on the floor and was showing some sweet moves in the post all weekend long.
- All Daye long…Nice spin move from Austin in the post after a dish from Bynum. Daye, who’s also making the best of an awful situation (T-Prince’s injury) scored 7 points in 14 minutes on the floor.
Video Courtesy of The NBA and The Detroit Pistons
- Fourteen assists for the Pistons.
- Though Detroit led most of the game, they let the Sixers take the lead in the fourth quarter, but went on a 16-6 tear to finish the game.
- DNP for Wilcox who’s not living up to (my) expectations.
- Great job by Stuckey holding Iguodala to 1-4 shooting in the fourth quarter. Rodney finished the game with 13 points on 5-for-15 shooting, 5 boards, 3 assists and a steal
- BYNUMITE stats of the night 8-8-8 ! Boards, assists and points. Not to mention the sweet dish on NBA.com. I have a soft spot for Mr. Bymum and cross-court bounce passes.
Photo/Getty Images
- My apologies to Will for starting this whole BYMUMITE thing…it seems to have really taken on it’s own life. Not only was it on Pistons.com, but I’ve heard it on the radio broadcasts a few times now. Sorry “Will the Thrill”.
- What’s more of a surprise, Pistons fans:
The play of the rookies, Austin Daye and Jonas Jerebko?
Ben Wallace?
Or AI’s mess in Memphis? - 42 points in the paint, that’s a great stat for Pistons team that has struggled in that department.
- Can we please talk about Kwame Brown. I have said it before, this guy really puts in the effort. He may not put up 20 a night but he’s doing just what he came here to do. We need him to produce and hustle and he’s doing just that. He finished with 7 points, 8 boards and a steal in 18 minutes. Give the guy some credit please.
- Ben on Ben: “Seems like he’s at home here in Detroit,” Gordon said. “Playing for (Chicago and Cleveland) the last few years, it never seemed like he was at home. You can tell Big Ben is definitely at home here.” Via NBA.com
Photo/Getty Images
- Another stellar game from Ben Gordon. I think he’s definitely showing management and fans that he was well worth his contract. Once again BG led the Pistons with 23 points on 9-for-19 shooting with 2 boards, 2 assists and a steal. The highlights are mounting and the Pistons have only played seven games.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6wgG3cR2tg
- Great day for an afternoon game in Michigan and it was nice to walk out of the Palace drenched in Sunshine and a Win!
when rip returns?
Great write-up as usual Nat.
Great win, what is especially encouraging is that the boys are learning how to play together but still winning. I’m happier to be 3-4 and closer to a finished product than 0-7 and disheartened!
CV31 is playing much better. BG7 is lighting it up. Bynumite is ‘exploding.’ Stuckey is solid. The rookies are producing. Kwame is coming into his own.
Anyone think it’s time to start the petition up again:
“FEAR THE FRO!”
Big Ben is a Legend!!!!!
I loved the play from Ben Wallace (as I usually do)!
Bynum’s stat line was awesome – 8-8-8 with an 88-81 victory. That’s a lot of 8’s!
Wait. Hold it. Did Detroit actually pull one off on a Sunday? I think so! That is great. Both Ben’s are solid. What’s even better is my brother is a Bull’s fan and walked in during the game and just said “Dude it makes me sick that Gordon is playing for you guys” I just laughed. After all the crap he talked when they got Big Ben! Except we got them both and Big Ben is playing like he used to! Man I am probably to excited. I still think we need the Prince and Hambone back.
1 thing i have to say. Everyone last year said we detroiters blamed allen iverson too much. Hah! I say. It is a joy to watch this team. I know we will be lucky to make the playoffs, but Allen Iverson brought so much bad atmosphere to the team, I do think we can blame him, in retrospect for the collapse last year.
Good luck Grizzlies now you have the troubled man-boy.
It’s unfortunate that mcdyess isn’t going to get a ring this year with the spurs. You can tell just looking at that team, however talented they are, they are just too old. Billups on the other hand, he will get a chance to make some jewelry, because carmelo gets better every game.
It’s unfortunate that Rodney Stucky is developing so slowly. But remember it took billups 5 years to finally become a great point.
I still don’t like Charlie Villanueva, he as soft as a marshmellow. We are stuck with his contract, that’s the worst thing. But he is a team player, I’ll give him that. Him and Ben Gordon have excellent attitude and that helps immensely not just to win games, but for you and me the fans, because we can tell how joyful they are to play the game.
Need4Swede! Another great game for the rookie.
Jonas Jerebko = The white Ben Wallace
“This was definitely an aggravating loss for the visiting Sixers — a game that could very easily have been won.” – Charley Rosen from Foxsports. Poor and biased analyst.
@edt stuckey isnt developing slowly, hes just not a pg at all, at best a combo guard but more of a sg/sf. stuckey lacks everything a pg should be except for finishing with contact. i hate to say it but i actually dont like that joe d. thinks stuckey is our pg of the future.
I am one of the displaced life long Michigan cats that had to leave the state for work. Watching the Pistons is a great comfort for me and seeing Big Ben being Big Ben is an awesome thing. I really think this guy is one of the top ten Pistons ever and they better hang that big red three in the rafters someday (sorry Stuck – you should have given it up). I identify with Ben because I made it the same way – I cut my own path through the thickets when no one called my name on draft day. Four time defensive player of the year, three time All Star, World Champion and Hall of Famer – Ben Wallace.
ben gordons been killlllinggg
and an another amazing job by ben wallace 😀
Detroit needs a PF/C before the ALL-STAR or PLAYOFFS to strengthen the paints just like we got SHEED in the champion year…
Did the Palace look empty to you guys? Was it just because it was a matinee game?
@Rodney Stuckey’s forced shot- are u serious right now? You can say waht u want but there are hardly any PGs that are what u would call “true PGs” in the league. There are only a select few that are pass first PGs and really only 3 off the the top of my head are the best at doin both (D-Will, CP3, and Nash) to say Stuckey isn’t a PG right now is a little biased at best… I think you need to give him at least another 2 yrs before you can say that he isn’t a pg at all now. You can’t knock him for being aggressive on the offensive end and breaking down the defense, I will admit there are times where he gets cut off still takes a bad shot but that will come in time I’m sure. he’s doing better than last year and at 23 yrs old there’s only upside for this kid. Don’t be so quick to knock him off his horse just yet…
I missed the old Ben. And now he is back. 16 rebounds!!
Awesome game.
Who thinks Tay is on his way out of the D? Out indefinitely with lower back injury sounds like Kitna all over again. I think he’s gone.
I am still hoping, injuries and all, we can find a way to be above .500 before our early Western Conference road trip. 3-4 start, that is about to be expected. With Rip out, luckily our backcourt is still strong enough. I am in agreement with everyone in the house though, we do need another big. GO DETROIT!
I’m ready to sit back and watch the team as is instead of pleading for a trade. We’ll wait til around the all-star break and analyze the Pistons situation then.
LOL, I think it’d be great move to trade rip and tay. We just need Jerebko to make a Wallside window commercial. Since Ben already replaced Rip in the Romanie eye institute ad.
Yeah, who’s gonna want an injured Rip and Tay? Trades are two sided.
I hear the Oklhoma Thunder hold the rights to Detlef Shrempf. I would trade Tay for Shrempf and a cheeseburger.
How about a team with the injured T-Mac.
Come next year, we don’t have big money to improve the team. Some people just don’t get it. Look at all the big free agents next year. You need money to go after them.
What’s the point of making the playoff if you can’t go deep anyways?!
Sorry, Princes back pretty much sealed his being a Piston all season, if not longer.
its so funny how cats dont know anything about the game of basketball to BG7 & CV31- killin’ it who apparently does not no quat!!!about basketball you said you can name only 3 true pg’s are you seroius i can give you 20 my friend rondo,bibby,felton who averging 12 and 5 this year,billups 20 and 5,brandon jennings d rose come on man..j kidd..monte ellis r u serious should i go on…sheeshh (kermit style)
yes i said quat not squat
obiwan dont forget that rondo’s first two years were not spectacular, it took him til his 3rd year to break out, billups took 5 years to develop. of course players then there are players like jason kidd who was great right out of college, but a point guard is like a football quarterback, you have to give a rookie three or so years to learn, they aren’t ready right out of high school, because the position takes a lot of brains.
i was at the game it was about 2/3 full. i have to say that i was overall very pleased withthe all around effort all game by the pistons. losing tay hurt but the rooks are doing well taking his spot combined for 17 points and 5 rebounds in 36 min. better then princes avg. i also would like to say that if we give jerebko starter min for the next month he is going to be a beast, he has a lot of natural athleticism and high iq. he definetly has the motor. i think with him and daye we got a tremendous steal on both. go pistons
o sorry also on stuckey, we can not put him down for his not being a great pg. if u have been watching this year more then half his mins he is at the 3 spot. its very hard to get the pg numbers when u r at the 3 spot. he is doing a very good job given his circumstance. he is being a team player like every1 else on the team. isnt that what matters? and until he starts putting up horrible numbers he is the future, maybe not a pg though. go pistons
i know it wont happen but wouldnt it be great if the pistons could get (drum roll)…stephen jackson for rip and fatzilla (maxiell)..i here is the guy the pistons need a beefed up small foward who can shoot,drive,score inside, and wont be scared to check lebron like somebody (cough cough tayshaun)…yea i know the guy is hurt but this is business..i think he would be best fitted off the bench….jonas and mr.daye r a good combo but havent ran into a small foward who can straight ball (ballin!!!)…..i know mr.jackson ran into the crowd and went straight ike on the fans but aye the guy can ball…oh yea stafford sucks had to throw that in there
I can’t help to think about how many more rings the Piston would have won if Big Ben never went to the Bulls. He is clearly a leader and does all the little things to help win basketball games.16 reb!!! Wow…
I’m sure no one else is shocked about the iverson drama, but it sure makes you greatful for a humble guy like ben gordon, whose probably the best guy on the team, but has no problem coming off the bench. Sooooo glad iverson’s out of our hair
I’m excited about Jonas- he’s playing really well considering he’s a rookie, and the first of “my people” to break into the league. Give him a few years, and maybe someday we’ll all be reading Need4Swede.