Game 28: Detroit @ Bucks // Sat. 8.30pm on FS Detroit HD

[nasty daddy]

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It took them more than seven quarters, but the Pistons finally made it back from the All-Star break. They didn't get back in time to pull out a victory Wednesday, but they nearly erased an 18-point deficit in the final six minutes before succumbing to the Milwaukee Bucks, 103-98, at The Bradley Center. "For the first three quarters we were out there going through the motions, and we finally turned it up," said Chauncey Billups, who was a one-man arsenal for most of the night, scoring a season-high 34 points. "They were killing us, and we made a game of it. We found out where we need to get back to. We got back there for about eight minutes tonight -- that's the positive thing that happened."

Rasheed Wallace, who missed 11 of his first 14 shots, hit four straight 3-pointers in the final 2:21. The last one, with 22.4 seconds left, cut the deficit to 98-95.

Hamilton, for the second straight game, played like he left his legs in New Orleans. He had 11 points on eight shots. "He's had low energy," Saunders said. "He's not himself, and we've got to get him back." Hamilton said he felt fine, he was just spacing the floor to create space for the hot hands -- Billups and Wallace. That doesn't explain his lethargic defense. "It's nothing, really," he said. "I am a rhythm player and I am just trying to get up and down the court and if guys have it going, then I am going to space the floor for them."

[nasty daddy]

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Amir Johnson went up to dunk the ball. He got his right hand and the ball to the rim just as his left arm was being tugged down. "I was trying to dunk and he (Andrew Bogut of the Bucks) pulled my other arm down," Johnson said. "I couldn't get it off. I wish I did, though." Had Johnson converted, the Pistons would have been down two points with less than 40 seconds left.

That was the only thing that went wrong for Johnson on Wednesday. He energized a furious fourth-quarter rally that nearly brought the Pistons all the way back from an 18-point deficit. "I am just trying to stick to my plan," Johnson said. "Just go out there every time and play hard. We got so far behind, we really had to be perfect to pull this one out. I was just trying to help us come back."

He finished with six rebounds, but it was his defensive presence that changed the game. The Pistons were playing a scrambling, trapping defense, and Johnson got his hands on numbers passes. "That was a big adjustment for him, playing in crunch time," Richard Hamilton said. "I thought he really did a good job." Johnson, though, was the only solid bench support the Pistons got. For the second straight game, the bench let the game get out of hand in the second quarter. They were outscored 20-3 and the Pistons fell behind by 19. On the game, they were outscored 27-13. "It's definitely a concern," coach Flip Saunders said. "There isn't one guy on that unit that can carry us offensively, so if they don't all play together, they are going to struggle."

[nasty daddy]

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Redd made one more free throw to make it 101-97 with 16.6 seconds left. The game should have been over there, but Mo Williams called a timeout the Bucks didn't have with 7.6 seconds left -- which drew a technical foul.

Billups made the free throw, and the Pistons got the ball. Wallace, though, couldn't knock in his fifth straight 3-pointer. Redd sank two more free throws to finish it.

The Pistons bench, for the second straight game, struggled -- with the exception of Johnson. They were outscored 20-3 in the second quarter. They were outscored 27-13 for the game.

[nasty daddy]

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It took the Pistons more than three quarters to get things going, and when they did, it looked all too familiar. The defense was hounding the opponent. The offense was moving without the ball. Shooters were getting shots in stride. The determination was evident. Problem was, there just wasn't enough time for a victory.

The Pistons' comeback from a 20-point deficit fell short Wednesday night in a 103-98 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center.

The comeback included high-energy plays by third-year forward Amir Johnson, who grabbed six rebounds and scored three points in the fourth. But it was highlighted by Rasheed Wallace, who hit four consecutive three-pointers in the final 2:21 -- with two Billups free throws in between -- to hush the crowd and bring the Pistons to within three twice, the final one with 22.4 seconds left.

[nasty daddy]

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

The Pistons played a great final three minutes against Milwaukee, executing at crunch time the way they

[Liqourish]

For the second straight game, the bench let the game get out of hand in the second quarter. They were outscored 20-3 and the Pistons fell behind by 19. On the game, they were outscored 27-13.

bull!! They barely got minutes in the second quarter... and there was a deficit when each one came into the game. Don't blame this on the bench.

Tayshaun shot horribly, Sheed didn't come alive until the fourth, Billups didn't come alive until the third. Dice didn't score until 3rd.

Afflalo played 4 minutes at the end of the first and beginning of the seocnd. When he came into the game, there was a 9 pt deficit, when he left the game, there was an 8 pt deficit. So We outscored Bucks by 1 with AA in the game.

Jarvis played for 3 whole minutes in the second quarter, there was a 9 pt deficit when he entered and an 12 pt deifict when he left. So Bucks outscored us by 3 in 3 mintues... to large to overcome with 7 minutes remaining in the quarter apparently.

Stuckey was in the game for 6 whole mintues in the second and left with over 5 minutes remaining.

During this time, Rip, Rasheed, Tay and Dice were in and out of the game... Sheed misses 26 ft jumper, Wallace bad pass-turnover, Rip misses 24 ft jumper, Rip bad pass-turnover, 24 second violation, Dice bad pass-turnover.

You want to blame the whole team... do so... but don't put this on the bench alone. Besides Dice, 4 of 5 starters played 38+ minutes. Blame the people who were on the floor playing the game.