The 11-15 Pistons are finally home to host the World Champion 21-4 Lakers Sunday evening at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons would love to take this one to avoid a four game losing streak and the first season sweep by the Lakers in eight seasons.
The Pistons have won five straight at home, but are 3-10 against West opponents.
Jonas Jerebko (The Need4Sweed) has a task tonight guarding Kobe, who is playing unbelievable basketball, putting up double-doubles like they are nothing.
Injury Report:
- Gordon is listed as questionable for the game against the Lakers, Ben continues to battle a sprained ankle and will test it in the morning shootaround.
- Tayshaun Prince and Hamilton will not play.
- Charlie Villanueva is dealing with plantar fascitis in his right heel but will be on court against LA.
The crazy that is Ron Artest:
This will be the first time the Pistons meet the Lakers this season after “Ron Ron” opened his mouth and said he still wanted to fight Ben Wallace.
“I see Ben, I’m on my guard now. I’m always in the mood to fight him. … I’ll get suspended 10 games, 15 games (because) I’ll just fight him right there. It won’t go into the stands.” Via The Sporting News
He later backed down from that statement, I am sure after Lakers or NBA brass had a chat with him.
That same article quotes him as saying this about that infamous night at The Palace.
“It wasn’t my fault. … I don’t see anything I could have done different. The only thing I could have done was have God pause time so I could have said, ‘Oh, look, you’re about to run in some stands, so stop.'”
The Scouting Report via Pistons.com
- [flashvideo file=http://nba.cdn.turner.com/nba/big/teams/pistons/2009/12/15/LALScoutingReportm4v-1153493.flv /]
Tip is at 6:00 pm EST and will be televised on Fox Sports Detroit. For the radio broadcast tune into 950 AM WWJ where our good friend Matt Dery is calling tonight’s game, or follow the action on NBA.com.
One team played basket, another – waterpolo. Period.
1) those lakers are really good. I mean they are better than last year, and this year they have ron artest
2) for the price of Charlie V, the lakers got Ron Artest. I would trade both Ben Gordon & Charlie V for Ron artest, he’s really good, but the simple fact of life is this: Artest was only gonna sign with a team that could win a championship.
ron arest said in a interview that he wanted to sign with detriot rather than the lakers but joe dumars said he was not interested
i looked at one interview with him earlier this year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9Sd3OBLhc8
he said “It’s not gonna happen.” Pretty emphatic. He didnt want to play for detroit but the point he was making is that the reason he wouldnt play for detroit has nothing to do with that fight, he’s a professional, and I agree, he has matured greatly since the brawl.
The simple truth is artest wants his championship ring. So the lakers got ron artest while we got charlie V.