The Pistons lost one of those games to the Lakers Friday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills 106-102. One of those games that they should have won, but couldn’t close out. One of those games where they led and it looked like they’d pull it out. One of those games where they let their opponent go on a run late and never recover.
One of those games we are used to watching.
Key Points:
- With a 10 point lead in hand late in the fourth quarter Detroit make too many mistakes and allowed the Lakers to go on a 12-0 run.
- The Pistons biggest lead in this game was 10 points, the Lakers 4.
- They lost a game where they scored 76 points in the paint.
- Pistons fans certainly were upset walking out of the Palace Friday night. This is a game I hate going to because of all the Lakers fans. When Brandon Jennings missed two of his free throws late in the game and the crowd cheered like the Pistons where on the road, that just hurts. Then to lose like this is just frustrating.
- Josh Smith is still having trouble with his shot going just 4-of-16 for 8 points. He did bring it on the defensive end with 19 boards, 5 steaks and two blocked shots.
- Andre in foul trouble early limited him to just 16 minutes on the night, but he still managed a double-double with 13 points, 11 boards, a steal and a blocked shot.
- Wesley Johnson 9-of-11 from the three-point line.
- The problem defending the three is glaring for Detroit. The Lakers outshot the Pistons 43-3 from downtown.
Mo Cheeks: “I didn’t think it was any type of (system) breakdown, they stayed in the game by (the) three and got back in the game by (the) three. They spread the floor, they beat us off the dribble and they kick it to a shooter. That’s how they got back in the game and then we stopped scoring.” Via Pistons.com
- Hit free throws! They are free you know. The Pistons were abysmal from the line making just 13 of their 25.
- Brandon Jennings had a nice stretch late in the game with consecutive uncontested layups. He finished the game with 19 points, 9 assist in 41 minutes on the floor. Many Pistons fans want more from Jennings, but this is about the player he his.
Photo Getty Images/Editing Need4Sheed.com
- After the last of Brandon Jennings’ points with 4:59 to go, the Pistons didn’t make another basket, going 0 for 7.
- I never thought I’d say this, but where would the Pistons be without Rodney Stuckey, who again led the team with 22 points in 33 minutes off the bench. When a guy coming off the bench is your best player, things usually don’t finish well.
- Finish games, this is where Chauncey Billups helps. I can’t tell you some of these games would have been W’s for Detroit had Chauncey on the floor but it sure would have helped.
- Siva with his first NBA points.
- Greg Monroe does all the little things and tends to go unnoticed when the highlight reel is played. Moose finished with 19 points and 8 boards.
- Highlights via NBA.com
- A victory Sunday afternoon against the Sixers at home?
what about Dion Waiters? he is available on market
Aside from the horrible free throw shooting at less than 50%, I still put this loss on the coach. No adjustments were made down the stretch while you lose a double digit lead and the other team gains momentum. You ride Stuckey for a full quarter and a half straight with no rest. You leave Drummond on the bench after he puts up good numbers (why not let him foul out if you’re gonna bench him anyways). Virtually no shooters used in the fourth to offset theirs. They totally go away from Moose who was dominating Gasol in the post. Cheeks rode the same line up from like the 6 min mark in the third through the end of the game including a Josh smith who was struggling (playing over 40 min I wouldve liked to have seen more Jorts), no wonder they were slow getting out to the perimeter and started getting beaten on dribble penetration, tired legs. Jerebko must of slept with Dumars wife or something because this is the second straight coach that seems to hate him. I don’t get it. What is it with this teams free throw shooting? Drummond hits 3 of 4 while the rest of the team goes for like 40%. Did Cheeks leave Drummond on the bench in the fourth because of the hack Drummond strategy? If so he over thought that one and under thought all the other facets of the game.
josh smith is a worse defender than charlie v. What josh does is leave his man to camp out in the lane (for a rebound or block), leave his man on the perimeter to get in the passing lanes (for a steal) basically anything that adds stats he’ll do it.
He will not defend the perimeter, period. There’s a youtube posted recently that shows him ball watching as his man casually jogs to the rim and receives an easy layup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sfmpAVur3I
some more of josh smith “defending” watch it if you can, it’s difficult to see play after play of utter indifference on defense, unless he can get a block or steal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aaeeGOthls
This experiment of the “big three” is a complete failure. Josh can’t play SF. I think Joe D is gonna trade Greg Monroe to move Josh Smith back to PF. He’ll be ok there. I would rather dump Smith, since Greg Monroe is a better player, but I know how Joe D thinks, he wants to ride Josh Smith to prove he was right about him. We should be able to pick up a really good SF especially if we package Stuckey and Monroe together. I’m not against trading Moose, I just wish we could trade Josh Smith instead.
My thoughts exactly. But we better get a Damn good wing if we trade Monroe.
Joe D has wanted Rudy Gay for a while now. . .
Think Stuckey, Jerebko and Moose for Rudy Gay. . . .
I haven’t trusted Joe D since allen iverson. Joe D had wanted ai for years and years and when he got the chance he did it no matter what. He feels the same way about Rudy Gay.
Gay, Smith, Jennings, Drummond, Stuckey?
oops that should be Charlie V, Jerebko and Moose for Rudy Gay not stuckey.
If he gives Monroe for gay.. There are too many reasons to list as to why I don’t want that to happen. I’d rather him get somebody younger with more upside. Maybe Turner Hayward or Leonard. I just wish he would cut his losses and trade Smith. Isn’t he admitting he was wrong anyway if he trades Monroe?
if this season turns into a shit ballet then Greg Monroe will want to walk anyway take his talents to a contender. Now after the season ends sure we can match any offer and give Monroe a max contract (that’s what he will probably get) but once you have a max contract on Greg, and a max on Drummond there’s not much money left over.
Yes, we could move Smith but we haven’t yet really tried pairing Smith with Drummond and Center and PF. So there are a lot of reasons to want to move Greg. It will be very difficult to move the Smith contract. It will be incredibly easy to move Greg.
I would love to move Stuckey and Smith, but that would be too difficult and make too much sense.
I don’t really think trading Smith would be that hard, but we can trade Greg as long as that wing is as young and as good as greg.