The game started very similar to what Pistons fans are used to from this team, they dug themselves in a hole. This time the Pistons came back and even took the lead, but they did do something we are used to, they couldn’t hang on late in the fourth quarter.
The longest home stand of the year netted the Pistons 5 straight losses as the Pistons fell to Orlando 91-86.
Key Points:
- No Charlie Villanueva, who sat out the entire game with back spasms.
- Jameer Nelson played just the first quarter due to a hyperextended left knee.
- Coach Q listened to all of us and put Jonas Jerebko back in the starting lineup, but without hurting Tayshaun’s feelings. JJ started in place of Chris Wilcox at PF.
- The Magic were up by as many as 15 in the first half, but the Pistons fought back and were only down by three at the half 48-45.
- Detroit was within one with a minute to play, but Rip and Gordon couldn’t hit their jumpers. To make things worse, they had a chance to tie (with a three) and Ben Gordon threw the ball away.
- Ben Wallace is now at 1999 career blocks…this was probably one of his best all season.
Video Courtesy of The NBA and The Detroit Pistons
- Ben had a heck of a night, really limiting Dwight Howard with no real help. Big Ben finished with 4 points, 9 boards, 2 steals and yes…3 blocked shots.
- It’s shocking to say this but this 12 point, 9 board game from Tayshaun Prince may have been his best performance all season.
- Great rebounding game from the Pistons 36-26.
- Pistons biggest lead 7.
- I still dislike JJ Reddick.
- Rodney Stuckey led the Pistons with 18 points on 4-for-10 shooting, while going 10-11 from the line, with 7 assists and 3 boards. Solid game for Stuckey, who seems to be understanding when to dish and when to shoot with each passing game.
Photo/Getty Images
- You need a chance to win, Jonas Jerebko does that for you. It was his spark that got them back in this game. Jonas finished with 16 points, and 9 boards in 34 minutes on the floor. He never has a play run for him, but he’s always making plays.
- I went from SHEED to SWEDE very easily. It’s all the excitement, without the techs.
- Ben Gordon – I wanted him back, but with how he’s shot the last two games maybe I shouldn’t. Ben was 2-for-11 on the night for 5 points.
- A quick 6 from Chris Wilcox who played just 8 minutes.
- MORE Austin Daye please!
- Highlight of the great performances by Ben Wallace and Jonas Jerebko.
[flashvideo file=https://need4sheed.com/videos/flash_videos/jan_31_2010_wallace_jerebko.flv /]
Video Courtesy of The NBA and The Detroit Pistons
- Never thought I would be saying this “The Best Ben on this team is the Bull that used to have a Fro”. Wallace>Gordon
- This Pistons loss to the Magic means that Stan Van Gundy will coach the East All Stars.
- Jason Maxiell is starting to slowly creep back into my good graces. Jason scored 8 with 4 boards in 15 minutes. He’s not the Maxiell I hoped him to be yet, but at least he’s been serviceable.
- Hamilton 14 points on 5-for15 shooting, 4 points and 4 turnovers.
- It really shocks my the way this team plays from game to game. It’s either mental or lack of effort.
- Sign of the Times – This was Orlando’s second time winning in its last 12 games at the Palace.
Nice game Stuck, Awesome Game Jerebko. WTF was that BG, you didnt take the shot we paid you to take.
Yeah I dont Cringe any more when Jason enters the game any more. Tho Im guessing he wont ever be the player you thought, even if he were to avg 50 ppg and 30 reb. He still wouldn’t be the player we thought we were going to see. Jason has completely reworked his game, hes taken a step back in his athletisim, tho now hes replaced it with more skills, Jumpers and Hooks. I think his peak has been reached tho, the only thing we might see is more consistency, no way his skills get any better than what were seeing now.
BG will be fine. You don’t just come back from an injury and take up where you left off. Give him some time. To my mind, these injuries are what have ruined the season, not so much the roster. There has been no consistency anywhere because you never know who will play or for how many minutes. It’s impossible to have any sort of team chemistry under these circumstances.
That’s why the starting lineup is always different, because different guys play and don’t play every game.
we should try to get jwall
give up on jwall. im sick of hearing about him. hes not that good, and were not getting the 1st pick. good game by stuck hes looking more like the pg we need 18-7-3 good numbers. GO PISTONS
u guys are pathetic, stop putting your team down and the players down. they are our team no matter if they are good or bad. how you think its gonna help the players feel if they come on here and see that we have given up on them and on the season? they see that and you gonna expect them to play hard for fans that dont appreciate them? hell no they wont. right now is the time we need to stand up and cheer for the team while they are down and struggling. let them know that we still love them and want to see them play hard and win some games. they wont see that if we are putting them down saying we want them traded that we should tank the season and give up. they see that and that is exactly what we are gonna get. a team that NEVER plays hard,NEVER wins, NEVER plays the way the big D used to play. and you guys will NEVER be happy with that becuase i am a lifelong PISTONS FAN and i always root for MY team to play hard, MY team wanting to win and trying to win, MY teamdoing what the big D always has done. . . . PLAY HARD EVERY GAME TO WIN. they need us to be there for them RIGHT NOW!!! while they are struggling and need us the most. not when they are only playing good and winning. you guys know what that is? A BANDWAGON FAN. ive said enough. either be a true fan or dont be one at all. GO PISTONS
AMEN!
i was watching the lakers, kobe bryant played with most of the fingers on his left hand sprained twisted ankle and who knows what else, he was shooting and when he landed, he had to hop on his right foot because his left wasn’t working right.
lakers over celtics, 90-89
If only Ben Gordon showed as much desire and heart as kobe has in his pinky I would forgive him, but he’s just like the rest of these lazy give-up-because-we-can’t-win pistons.
orlando came into this game thinking we dont have to play that hard, the pistons will give up. Yup, that’s the pistons for you. They give up.
Remember that ben gordon started to suck the 2nd week in november when he figured out the pistons wouldn’t make the playoffs, not when he got hurt.
for instance, vs orlando 11/6/2009, ben gordon was 5-19 in 41 minutes, for 25% shooting.
I dont care how hurt you are, when you shoot this bad, it means you are just jacking the ball up instead of getting open looks.
It’s not just Gordon. I’ve seen everyone on this team heave up ill advised shots all the time. I’m not sure coach Q’s offensive platter is that big. It was easy when he had LBJ because he can shoot from anywhere and there’s a chance it might go in. This team just isn’t that good.
I’ll have a bit more to say later, but I’ll say this for now.
You guys are so shortsighted! Because Ben Gordon did not hit the three in this game, he has no heart, no desire to win, and has given up on the season? Before he got injured, Gordon was carrying this team offensively and doing a fantastic job. Now he has been injured and cannot play like he usually does untill he gets his legs and rhythym back, and everyone comes down on him like a ton of bricks? I look at Gordon’s record and say that this may not be the floor, but it is definitely not the ceiling of Gordon’s Pistons career.
Give the guy a break. OK, he missed. That happens in the NBA. OK, he turned it over. That happens in the NBA.
And remember guys, although we are used to beating Orlando, Orlando is one of the top teams and has hit some good form. There are positives.
ben gordon has played well for this pistons team for a period of 2 weeks, the first two weeks of november. when joe d bought BG for $10m a year, he bought a 1 dimensional player. BG can’t drive, he can’t guard anyone, and he can’t play point. And now apparently he can’t shoot. If we were playing him $5 million a year, I wouldn’t be complaining right now.
I have a lot of sympathy for Coach Q
Coach Q made my day keeping CV on the bench and starting JJ. Sometimes he has weird rotation, but we were down 15 in the 1st and then he started to adjust by swithing players and suddenly we had a chance to win. We are <<<Orlando now, but coach Q was good with his strategy. It's up to RIP who fouled JJ Redick and BG in the last seconds.
he didnt keep cv31 out he had back spasms and couldnt play
We are bandwagon fans because we criticize the teams effort?Nobody has a problem if we lose,but if the players do not even try to win?Of course losing is a part of rebuilding,but personally,i think we don’t have a ‘rebiulding’ plan,so it’s hard to get the reason why we lose into my mind….Go PISTONS!
P.S:Its a shame that Ben Wallace is not even in consideration for Defensive Player of the Year honors.At least he should be part of the ALL-Defensive team!
Rip really improved,don’t you think?He is averaging about 6ApG,really impreessive for a shooter.
IDK about you guys, but I am predicting that the Pistons can figure this all out in around 10-15 straight games that has everybody (or at least the core — Stuck, Rip, Tay, BG, Wallace, Jonas) healthy.GO PISTONS!!!
I, for one, am not ready to give up on this season yet. Although they may not make it to the playoffs, just as long they finish the season strong(and healthy), and carry that over to the next one, I wouldn’t mind. I will just root for Denver(Chauncey/Afflalo) or San Antonio(McDyess) inthe playoffs.GO FORMER PISTONS!!!
I also criticize the team i love. we were playing well (with RIP) before Tay came back. then this happen five game homestands that translate into 5 game loosing streaks. BG was not to be blame cos hes coming up off the bench. I miss the presence of Bynum cos Atkins is not going to help by scoring. vs magic Tay played better lets hope he could be the starter that we wanted. Stuckey, JJ, and Ben should be the role model of the team.
Good games from Stuckey, Jerebko, Wallace, and Prince.
Not going to get too excited about JJ’s play at PF yet, wait till he plays well against a more conventional PF, but the signs are positive. Stuckey seems to be filling up the stat sheet quietly. Wallace was just great. Prince has shown life, not surprised that this is his best performance this season considering he has played less than 15 games this year.
Can’t afford to give up the lead big straight away in the first. I do think this team just has no confidence so they are not consistent – its different mistakes and perceived effort each game.
Edt, BG7 is not Kobe. Another thing, Kobe may be injured, but he has played most games this year; Gordon is just returning from a couple of lengthy absences. And I think you are being too quick to judge Gordon, this is by no means the best Gordon can play.
I’ll finish with this and leave it open to some thoughts:
If Q drew up the play to go for a 2 (which by the way I have no problem with, they had enough time to get the 2, foul, take a timeout and shoot again, so good choice to go for the 2), he draws up a good play, gets the mismatch, but why were we going to Gordon in the first place? The hot hand, and best player at attacking the rim on this team at the moment, is Stuckey. Why was Gordon, on a dodgy leg, on a poor shooting night, taking that last shot? If you are going for the 2, on this night, I would go to Stuckey.
When is Bynum coming back? I think when he does, this team immediately gets better.
I wonder why NBA teams don’t invest in having a good Psychologist work with the players. No Joke. I really think it would do some good. I think Jason Maxell said it best after the win against Boston last week. It was easy to get up for a team like them. Why not get up and play hard for 48 full minutes for every game? Perhaps having a team Psychologist would do some good. I hear that they even have chaplains come in and have a chapel at the training facility. Make no mistake. Somebody from the Pistons organization reads these blogs. Natalie is right when she said that they listen to fans about starting Jonas Jerebko
It seems like the season is done. I think alot of palyers are ridding the bench like Bynum ,gordon,brown,these guys are getting healthy so they more valuable for a trade…I hate to say it but I think bynum,brown,gordon will be traded, with a prince or rip.we might not alot of players but we will get draft picks. so hang on pistons . you might get shocked.by the trade, but I heard in the rumour mill.It would be crazy but those guys are gonna make a big move. Go Pistons!
I highly doubt Gordon or Bynum will be traded
Natalie, love this website. I have been a Piston fan for a long time. Last night was my first live game. Oh man!! It would have been better it they had won, but it was better than Friday. It was hard watching a game with Greg & George commenting anyway had a great time GO PISTONS!!!!
I meant it was hard watching without hearing Gret & George comment!!!
As much as I hate to admit it. My boys suck. Injuries and chemistry have played a key role in their current status but they should definitely be playing better than they are. Look at how many players Portland has lost to injuries and yet they still come out and compete. We have talent to compete.
I say: Forget trying to find the starting rotation that works. Pick your main five and your key reserves and ride with it from here on out. My starting 5 would be:
-Stuckey
-Rip
-Jonas (he should’ve stayed in the starting line up from day one anyway)
– Big Ben
– Chris Wilcox or Charlie V
Off the bench:
Ben Gordon
Will Bynum
Tayshan
Charlie V or Chris Wilcox
Kuame Brown
Austin Daye
Maxiel
The bench can be tweeked as far as rotation but I would stay with the starting five and let the chips fall where they may. All this shuffling isn’t helping anything. Too much happening all at once.
i wonder if we can get ray allen’s expiring contract somehow? maybe rip, tay, and suckey for him? i don’t know the salaries…
Why is it that if people aren’t drowning in the Pistons kool-aid that they are bandwagon fans? Why can’t people be critical when there is something to be critical of? I say people who blindly support the team 100% no matter what are enablers… who are you cheering for anyways, the players on the floor? or the palace sports and entertainment corporation? I cheer for the players… when I like them, and right now I don’t like many players on this team…. apply whatever euphenism you deem fit.
Agree!!!! As soon as anyone is negative you’re labeled as a “bandwagon” fan. If you’re critical of your team and you keep watching them how is that bandwagon? If your team starts struggling and you just stop watching and figure you’ll watch them again once they get better, that’s a bandwagon fan.
if u just cheer for the players when you like them go over and cheer for denver and chauncey or the celtics or san antonio thats the players u want to cheer for that WAS the pistons this is the pistons now. yes i cheer for the team THE PISTONS not the players. players are part of the team the team is not part of the players. AS I ALWEAYS SAY . . . . GO PISTONS
Junior is a sea pickle
AND U R RETARDED o sorry mentally challenged dont want to offend anyone else
here is my opinion on criticizing the pistons. We love the team. But sometimes this team shows no heart. They just give it up.
When that happens we have a right to boo them. When you love a team, it’s ok to boo them because you know they can be a lot better.
When you are a bandwagoner, you don’t even show up for the games, and you start rooting for other teams, and the palace is empty, because nobody watches.
Bandwagoners don’t boo their teams because they are already wearing a Cleveland Cavaliers hat.
thank you edt THAT is what im saying too. im not saying you cant critisize im just saying wwe dont need to do it all day every dayity gets old we need to shut up and root for our team whatever it may be good or bad. GO PISTONS
That was a awesome block by ben
I just can’t believe Gordon shot a 3 when all we needed was a 2. and he had 10 feet clear in front of him. and we could have called a time out.
My opinion on Gordon has always been this: He is one of the best in the league at making bad, awkward and ill-advised shots…he makes a lot of them though. Other than that, if his shot isn’t falling, he doesn’t do much for you- doesn’t make plays for others, can’t rebound, isn’t a great defender, isn’t physically dominate, isn’t a leader…. which is why I thought it was a big mistake to pay $50+ mill for him.
Yep. I was so upset this summer when our big moves were Gordon and V. Hope for the best though.
well at least the next game is against new jersey, lol
Good critical write-up Nat.
Some other good things that are being noticed: This daily dime showed the assists for Rip and Stuckey are getting better go to #8. Rip, Stuckey Thriving Together
http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime
Do you think Tay and Rip are feeling the squeeze to outperform eachother to stay on the team or get traded to a contender?
if you’re joe d….assuming all the financial caps are met…would you trade stuckey for amare stoudemire?
NO! Amare’s way to expensive and that knee could go out on him again at any time not to mention his lack of d for a big. Factor that in with the fact that Stuckey is young with a lot of upswing making him one of the few players on this team that should not be traded…. Unless your talking a deal for someone like Chris Paul or something.
AWESOMEEEEE THE BAD BOYS ARE BACKKKKKKK!!!!!!!! This time they are just really really bad lol
I remember this moment when we signed them. You kno, there would be no question if one of them was Joe Johnson or even Jamal Crawford, u kno what to expect from them, u kno they never fail 2-3 games in a row. I mean they have high productivity level that can be lil lower or higher, but never becomes 0.
And when we heard about BG and Villa, almost everyone said “well, they must be good, especially BG after the Bulls-Celtics serie, but…uhh…so…let’s find something positive, something other than they may fail, because everyone knows they can”
I bet everyone of you had a feeling that it can go wrong with them, but you kept positive. I had this feeling.
I won’t say that we should send BG or CV out of town seriously, but we saw the signs of inconsistency in both of them. They are streaky players, sometimes they both are wonderful. Sometimes they suck. They suck so much, that Pistons has no chance to win from the beginning of the game. And if you talk about BG, if you can have any confidence in a player when the game is on the line, you never can be sure that BG will score the last second shot, he is not that kind of player you can rely on. Even if he is wide open.
I want BG to find his shot, I want to see 50% shooting every night. Not 18%, not 2from12, not 3from18.
Amare “No Defense” Stoudemire? He would fit right in! Why not trade away Ben Wallace and Jerebko along with Stuckey, for Amare so we can get Steve “No Defense” Nash too!
Ben Gordon & Charlie V are actually very good NBA players, I think they would form a very nice second team along with Bynum for a scoring spark, except . . . the problem is that we are paying them starting salaries. They would be awesome for $4 million and $3 million, but for a total of $90 million dollars they are two of the least efficient players per dollar in the NBA.
The weird thing is that not only do we have the most underpaid duo in the NBA with Charlie & Gordon, we also have the most underpaid starters in the NBA with Ben Wallace and Jerebko. Someone did a statistical analysis of wins produced per salary and those two are the most efficient per dollar in the NBA (source – http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/2010/01/ben_wallace_and_jonas_jerebko.html).
I hate to say it but we’re the last with pace per 100 posessions, 26th in offence with less than 100 pts per 100 posessions and 23rd in defense with almost 106 pts
that’s why Amar’e is not our saviour. He’s headind everywhere according to the rumors as T-mac does.
T-mac trade would be like a possibility to start all over, but with BG, CV, JJ, Stuckey, Daye, but it never gonna happen.
the team is going to get better as the players heal and if someone gets traded. i don’t think a trade will give the pistons the missing piece to the puzzle as much as it will get rid of the puzzle pieces that don’t fit anymore. if tay and rip go, then Q would play jj, big ben, wilcox, bg, and stuckey without feeling obligated to placate rip or tay. but hopefully rip and tay turnaround and start scoring 20-25 pts/gm
big ben is a good value. Nat’s taco bell ad for wallace is way funny. gordon will find his shot, but he’ll need to play many games @ 30+ minutes
OMGGGGGGG WE STANKKKKKKK
As bad as Amare is on D, I would still be okay with bringing him in….what it would cost, if he is re-signed, for how much and how long is another story. The team is going nowhere and is pretty unwatchable right now; Amare would probably be the best scoring big man this team has seen since Bob Lanier…. Stuckey and Stoudemire could probably run a pretty sick pick and roll game. At least it would be a reason to tune in…. Doesn’t matter though, it won’t happen.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Your-champs-in-your-eyes;_ylt=AuogtSNk.TAaQ.2QKMXnS7y8vLYF?urn=nba,216894 go to this site and you guys will understand what i was trying to say earlier. GO PISTONS
Murphy’s Law says that by the end of the season, when it makes no difference, all the players will be healthy and will have some great chemistry going. And we’ll play as well as we did in that first game every night.
murphys law states if something can go wrong it will go wrong. how do you get what you just said from that? just curious.
i was at the game and they’re were lots of fans, i was actually surprised. the palace kinda quite until the 4th, everyone was into it, i actually thought we were gonna win this thing…..until rip nd ben missed about 10 wide open shots……everyone in the building was soo dissapointed u can c everyone’s face.
Junior just reads articles and then repeats others opinions and tries to sound like he knows what he is talking about. Try thinking for your self there bagpipe.
I dont want us to make the playoffs at the 8th spot this season and get crushed in the first round then be given the 15 draft pick.
frank? where you come from never even seen you on here before, stfu and go back to your nets team.