Game 43: Hoston @ Detroit // Sun. 6.30pm on ESPN

nasty daddy · Post #201 » by **nasty daddy** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 7:41 am

http://www.mlive.com/pistons/index.ssf/ ... ame_1.html

STUDS: While Richard Hamilton delivered the game-winning points, it was Tayshaun Prince who clearly elevated his play in the fourth and in the overtime period. He had 22 points to go with seven rebounds, including an offensive board which set up Hamilton's game-winning shot. He also had three blocked shots, two of which came with the shot clock winding down. Emeka Okafor had a really good game at both ends of the floor, scoring 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting, along with grabbing a game-high 15 rebounds.SOLID: Chauncey Billups got off to a great start, disappeared for a while, and re-emerged in time to save the day. He led all scorers with 27 points to go with seven assists and four rebounds. Gerald Wallace had another stat sheet-filling performance with 26 points, six rebounds, five assists, three blocks and three steals.

DUDS: Antonio McDyess had a big game on the boards, but he continues to struggle making shots - he missed six of his seven on Saturday - and finished with more fouls (six) than points scored (five). Saginaw native and former Michigan State guard Jason Richardson had 20 points on 8-for-20 shooting, but needed a bigger game than that with so many players out with injuries.SUPER SUB: This was not one of the Pistons' bench better moments, but Jason Maxiell made his share of hustle plays on the boards with five of his seven rebounds being on offense. He also had six points and two blocks. Former Piston Nazr Mohammed nearly led the Bobcats to victory. He finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds, which did not include a tip-in that didn't count because the officials had already whistled Okafor for basket interference.

UP NEXT: Sunday night at New York. We'll find out if the horrible play we saw from Detroit tonight was jut one of those things, or a bigger problem that the lowly Knicks will somehow manage to expose. Detroit has owned this series in recent years, and there's very little to believe that tonight's game will be any different. I anticipate Pistons coach Flip Saunders will go to his bench earlier than usual Sunday night, primarily because many of his core guys had to log a lot of minutes tonight. Rip and Chauncey played 46 and 44 minutes, respectively. Tayshaun played about 40 while Sheed and Dice were in at 36 apiece.

nasty daddy · Post #202 » by **nasty daddy** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 9:47 am

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 30704/1051

After the Pistons led by 14 early, the Bobcats rallied and had the Pistons down five late in the fourth quarter. Point guard Chauncey Billups tied the score at 91 with a dramatic three that ended with a spin with 1:17 left ."It was my momentum," said Billups, who scored 27. "They didn't realize the clock situation, and I knew I had to get it off."

In overtime, the Pistons scored the first four points, then needed Hamilton's short baseline jumper with 16.2 seconds left to put them in front, 101-100. Hamilton had missed four straight shots -- all threes from the corner -- before that one finally fell. "Whoo," Hamilton said. "Man, that's my spot. That's my real estate over there. I kept telling myself, 'If they give it to you, you've got to shoot it.' I'm shooting (43.5%) from the three-point line and (Charlotte) kept giving it to me."

Hamilton, who scored 26 , hit two free throws to ice it. Small forward Tayshaun Prince, who took an elbow to the nose but returned, scored 22 points.

nasty daddy · Post #203 » by **nasty daddy** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 9:51 am

Choob wrote:check my prediction from the spurs game thread (p13) on sheed vs the bobcats

-= original quote snipped =-

today against the 'cats 4-11, 10 pts, 6 rbs and 5 fouls

i stole nasty's time machine...

I was wondering where it went. :lol:

reggielewis · Post #204 » by **reggielewis** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 10:29 pm

the bobcats are very talented. noone knows that better than us:) if they can sneak into the playoffs, they could upset anyone because they play with nothing to lose. its funny because they are actually built like a team should be, a scoring guard, a pg, a scoring pg, a down low presence, a shotblocker/defender, and of course a athletic defender on the wing. i have to say they are fast becoming one of my faves..
oh and btw we did lose BUT it was in DC

we play them on monday at home...

Grey · Post #205 » by **Grey** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 11:32 pm

Roscoe Sheed wrote:I hope the league doesn't make them replay the final 5 seconds of that game because of the Okafor interference call

http://www.charlotte.com/bobcats/story/443869.html

And just to make sure the point was made, Vincent advocated protesting, to force a last-minute do-over similar to one the NBA will stage between the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks.

"I'm sure we'd like to contact the league," Vincent said. "I'd like it to be like Miami (when center Shaquille O'Neal was incorrectly charged with a sixth foul). Play the last minute; that would be justified."

Hunter · Post #206 » by **Hunter** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 11:59 pm

Big difference between human error on the part of a league official (considered part of the game) and gross negligence on the part of a team official.

Grey · Post #207 » by **Grey** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:32 am

Yeah, the league is very protective of its officials. I don't see them honoring a protest based on an ref's call.

Hunter · Post #208 » by **Hunter** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:49 am

Yep. And refs blow calls all the time. You could probably find a half-dozen blatantly obvious bad calls in just about any game and just as many questionable calls that could go either way. Can you imagine if the league suddenly decided to start changing calls posthumously?

Plus they already have a system in place for reviewing refs performances.

Dirtgrain · Post #209 » by **Dirtgrain** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 1:16 am

I don't see the NBA replaying any such games. The Miami incident is about potential cheating by the home team. This is just a ref's call. If it took Vincent a half hour to figure out if it was interference, then maybe he's being a bit too picky. I thought Okafor looked like he knew he screwed up right after he tipped the ball--he pulled his hands back like he wanted to take it back. Oh well.

nasty daddy · Post #210 » by **nasty daddy** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 3:33 am

http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/DETCHA_ ... recap.html

20-SECOND TIMEOUT The Pistons avoided the same fate that befell the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, but barely, making just enough stops late in regulation and just enough shots in overtime to fend off the Charlotte Bobcats. The Pistons seized the early advantage with a 13-0 run in the middle of the first quarter. After Detroit built a 44-30 lead, the Bobcats ended the second quarter on a 17-7 run to make it 51-47 at halftime. The Bobcats capitalized on multiple second-chance opportunities in the third quarter to take their first lead. They eventually built an 89-84 lead with a little over three minutes to play before Chauncey Billups scored five straight points to help force overtime at 91.

There are nights when Prince doesn