'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 63

[nasty daddy]

http://twitter.com/DetPistons

Reminder: Tomorrow is Tayshaun bobblehead night. 10 winners get golden bobbles and meet&greet with Tay post-game: http://bit.ly/93atnv

[nasty daddy]

http://twitter.com/DetPistons

Uppers for $20 and Lowers for $40 to see Boston next week: http://bit.ly/8lEyQe

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http://twitter.com/DetPistons

The PRE Report is available for the scouting report on tonight's game against New Orleans:... http://bit.ly/65l0ZG

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http://twitter.com/DetPistons

host the New Orleans Hornets tonight at 8:00 p.m. The Pistons trying to build on the one-game streak they have and... http://bit.ly/8wcj7m

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http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2010 ... 47-million

Report: Pistons' Karen Davidson selling estate for $47 million
Pistons owner Karen Davidson is selling her estate in Snowmass Village, Colo., for $47 million, according to a report. Davidson told the Wall Street Journal, "I just want to downsize."

estate includes a 10,000-square-foot, eight-bedroom vacation home on 10 acres. The Wall Street Journal says the late Pistons owner, Bill Davidson, purchased the property in 1996 for $8.25 million.

Click on the link at the right to read the story and view a slideshow of the estate.

[nasty daddy]

http://need4sheed.com/2010/01/the-pisto ... ets-3.html

The Pistons vs. The Hornets
The 12-24 Pistons are hosting the 20-17 New Orleans Hornets Friday night at the Palace. Detroit will try to get back on track after getting their first win in 14 games Tuesday night against the Wizards. A win tonight will make it two in a row, which never sounded like much before, but after the 13 game skid it sounds just fabulous. With Detroit’s less than stellar play on the road it’s great that they will play eight of this month’s remaining nine games at the Palace, including a season-high six-game homestand to finish January.

Injury Report:
No Will Bynum.
Ben Gordon and Tayshaun Prince are both game time decisions.

Tip is at 8:00 pm EST and will be televised on Fox Sports Detroit. For the radio broadcast tune in to 97.1 The Ticket or follow the action over at NBA.com.

[nasty daddy]

http://twitter.com/DetPistons

Support Samaritan's Feet on Jan. 29th: http://bit.ly/bDBaj

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http://www.971theticket.com/pages/3824327.php

Slam John Kuester? Don't add insult to injuries
John Kuester's Pistons are on a one-game winning streak, which might not sound like much, but considering it follows a 13-game losing streak, the Pistons will take it.

[nasty daddy]

http://twitter.com/DetPistons

Still time to sign up for Kids' Night. Work at The Palace and watch the Pistons take on Orlando Magic! http://bit.ly/8WOpBZ

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... is_no.html

Bill Simmons: Evaluation of Joe Dumars is not cut and dry
I get that many people don't like to read Bill Simmons, but even if you're not a fan of his columns, his Podcast can be pretty entertaining. His latest featured ESPN NBA reporter Chad Ford, who's about as polar an opposite of Simmons as there is, discussing potential NBA trades, evaluating GMs and other random NBA stuff. The topic of the Pistons, and in particular, Joe Dumars, came up, and both found agreement on one idea: the Pistons overpaid for Ben Gordon. Simmons' take: "You're not going to win a title playing Ben Gordon $60 million." Ford defended Dumars while still not liking the deal: "The one thing about Dumars, except for this summer, is that Dumars has run a couple of successful business, in addition to being a player, he understood how to be a CEO. This summer, I wasn't in love with their free agent class …"All of us knew that Ben Gordon wasn't worth $65 million. Bulls fans knew it, Bulls beat writers knew it, they would've killed the Bulls if they signed him to that contract. They let him go, which was the right thing to do, and now what are they getting killed about? Why didn't you sign Ben Gordon?"

Simmons has a bit of a reputation for being harsh on Dumars and the Pistons, also had some praise for the GM: Dumars, despite the hit or misses with the big stuff, always seems to find these random guys, like Jerebko, or Will Bynum. He has a knack for landing these guys, and that's a real skill for a GM that we often forget -- to be able to see a guy on another team who's not really making it and say, you know what, I think that guy has talent.

That gets to the heart of much of the discussion in the comments of Justin's well-researched evaluation of some of the top GMs: Dumars' has had some high profile flops. Unlike other GMs, however, he's turned those flops into useful players and also found under-the-radar guys -- Jerebko, Bynum, Ben Wallace, Chucky Atkins, Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess -- who have played key roles and exceeded expectations when they were signed. The Gordon signing will be an interesting case -- virtually no one among NBA experts liked it. Gordon has always been considered a streaky, instant-offense guy. Right now, while he doesn't have a max deal, he's being paid as much as Dumars has ever paid any franchise cornerstone. As Simmons pointed out, could the Pistons have been better served spending half that amount on a less heralded scoring guard, like Raymond Felton, who might flourish in a different situation? Gordon can be extremely fun to watch when he's on -- just check out his performance in the playoffs against Boston last year. But if he doesn't prove to be anything more than he was in Chicago -- basically, bench firepower -- he could become Dumars' first untradeable contract (unless Rip Hamilton's extension makes him the first). Anyway, they get into Pistons discussions at about the 50 minute mark if you're interested.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2010/1/15 ... no-detroit

Keep the Streak Alive! NO @ Detroit Game Thread
New Orleans Hornets at Detroit Pistons, Jan 15, 2010 7:00 PM CST
Game tips at 8:00 pm ET
Detroit Pistons: 12-25 (8-9 home, -5.4 margin)
New Orleans Hornets: 20-17 (5-14 road, -1.5 margin)
Oppo Research
The Hornets are becoming a one-man team. Fortunately, that man is Chris Paul, one of the best Point Guards in history. Unfortunately, Paul sometimes hurts himself, and the team doesn't win any games. Since his return from injury, his team is 13-6, even though he hasn't approached his searing numbers at the start of the season. Instead, he's garnering gobs of assists (13.1 for the month of January). In related news, David West seems to be rebounding to his fringe all-star form, and Emeka Okafor seems to be rebounding period (he is averaging a double-double for the month. Even Peja is starting to hit baskets, which is probablly more of a fluke than anything to do with Paul's presence. What keeps the Hornets out of the top echelon of championship contenders? Consider the supporting cast. James Posey is too much of a liability on offense to compensate for his (overrated) defensive skills. Devin Brown is one of those coveted shoot-first types who can't shoot, and only his flukish three-point percentage is between him and a disastrous season. The lone bright spot is Darren Collison, who plays, um, Point Guard. Add to this the fact that the Hornets are pretty terrible on the road, and the Pistons have a decent shot at keeping one streak going and ending another. The Pistons have lost their last five at home.

The Drama
Remember when Jarvis Hayes arbitrarily torched this team? I think I'm going to turn this segment of the game thread into a "great moments in Pistons history".
Keys for Detroit
Crash The Boards - The Hornets are not a great rebounding team, and the Pistons need to make David West get out of his comfort zone.
Stick to Paul - This isn't one of those ironic "easier said than done" type observations. Chris Paul is able to add to his efficiency by getting open looks from beyond the arc, since defenders stay back on him. Our defenders have the speed to keep up with him, and we have Big Ben in the middle. Make sure he puts the ball on the floor.
Forget about last game - As much as I'd like to get excited for a road win against the Bullets 2.0, that was basically a game in which we played poorly, and compensated by randomly hitting 10-16 from three point range. 22 minutes of Chucky time is NOT the answer. has all the stinging hot Hornets action you could want.

Question of the Game
That said, can we shoot 10-16 from three point range again? Cause that'll make the whole winning thing easier.
Valuable Links
At The Hive has all the buzz on the stinging hot Hornets action.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.pistonpowered.com/2010/01/ga ... s-hornets/

Game Preview: Detroit Pistons vs. New Orleans Hornets
EssentialsDate: Jan. 15, 2010
Time: 8 p.m.
Television: Fox Sports Detroit
Records
Detroit: 12-25
New Orleans: 20-17
Probable starters
Detroit:
PG
SG
SF
PF
C
Rodney
Stuckey
Richard
Hamilton
Jonas
Jerebko
Chris
Wilcox
Ben
Wallace
New Orleans:
PG
SG
SF
PF
C
Chris
Paul
Devin
Brown
Peja
Stojakovic
David
West
Emeka
Okafor

Las Vegas projection
Spread: Detroit +2
Over/under: 192
Score: New Orleans wins, 97-95
Statistical projection
Detroit offensive rating: 103.6 (24th)
Detroit defensive rating: 109.7 (23rd)
Detroit pace: 88.3 (29th)
New Orleans offensive rating: 106.7 (16th)
New Orleans defensive rating: 108.3 (20th)
New Orleans pace: 91.8 (20th)
Score: New Orleans wins, 97-95

Outlook
After the team’s first win in a month (seriously, look at a calendar … I’ll wait … ), Detroit finally has a chance to get a different kind of streak going. But it won’t be easy. The last time the Pistons played New Orleans, they unraveled down the stretch, blowing a 13-point half-time lead. Though it was on the road, they lost to a sub-.500 Hornets team still trying to find its identity only a month after coach Byron Scott’s firing. Fast forward to today. The Hornets have won seven of their last eight, and the Pistons, well, their recent struggles have been well documented on this site. The good news though, is that New Orleans has had some minor troubles of their own. They’re 5-14 on the road this year and are in the middle of playing five of eight games away from home. The Pistons, meanwhile, have eight of their next nine contests at The Palace, with their lone trip to visit the less-than-stellar New York Knicks. After resting for a couple of days, they have a chance to rebound in a big way during this home stand and prove that they can be a playoff team. A win tonight would give them a great start to doing just that. As always, you can check out Daily Dime Live to chat during tonight’s game. The Friday Trade Idea will be delayed until early next week

[nasty daddy]

http://pistonsnationblog.com/2010/01/15 ... g-hornets/

Pistons hosting Hornets
The Pistons (12-25, 8-9 home) will be taking on the New Orleans Hornets (20-17) Tip off is 8:00 pm est from the Palace of Auburn Hills and will be televised locally on Fox Sports Detroit. You can also tune into 97.1 fm.
Hornets’ Snapshot
Road record: 5-14
Vs. East: 6-9
Last game: 1/13 (Weds) W 94-108 Vs. Clippers
Last 10: 7-3
Streak: Won 1
Vs. Pistons: Dec. 16th – Pistons (87) @ HORNETS (95)

Good news; the Pistons are in no danger of losing their 14th straight game tonight. Bad news; they have to beat a red hot Hornets teams -winners of 7 of their last 8- in order to avoid losing their sixth straight home game and starting a whole new streak. The Pistons last played the Hornets about a month ago in The Big Easy, and boy was that game a big let down. Down 53-37 at the half the Hornets ground down the Pistons lead and eventually won handly behind a brilliant 32-point/12-rebound performance by David West. That game was loss number 2 of 13. Guys like David West, Emeka Okafor and Peja Stojakovic are helping Chris Paul to a share of the league lead with Steve Nash for assists at 11.2 a game. Needless to say this is a game where the Pistons are going to need a total team effort to avoid any “…Get Stung By…” headlines tomorrow.
Injuries:
Will Bynum is still out (ankle), Ben Gordon (groin) & Prince (knee) are game time decisions.

ALSO OF NOTE: Hornets are a 2 point favorite … New Orleans starters all average double-digit scoring … The last five Pistons’ home losses are by an average of 16 points … Joe D not “adverse” to making a trade … Detroit plays 8 of this month’s remaining 9 games at the Palace … Pistons owner, Karen Davidson, unloading real estate … Hornets wary of Pistons … Hornets have won 3 of their last 4 road games, but are 1-7 against the east on the road … Pistons are 4-1 against the Hornets at home in the previous 5 seasons … Hornets247 preview …

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Chat.asp?CHAT_TOPICS_ID=718

Snoop in detriot:
whats goin on wit detriot? why did they waste all their money on nova? david lee would have been a better investment!! or they could have used the money to trade for a good player

Travis Heath:
That's just one of the reasons Joe Dumars is open to making a trade and floating rumors about possibly acquiring Carlos Boozer. Many people were critical of the offseason moves the Pistons made, and it appears they were right. At this point I think Jerebko is a much effective player than Villanueva when you consider all-around play and not just scoring. I also think the Pistons overpaid for Ben Gordon. Dumars better pull a rabbit out of the hat because this looks to be a sinking ship.

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http://www.hoopsworld.com/Chat.asp?CHAT_TOPICS_ID=718

Mike in Portland OR:
Would pistons consider outlaw and blake for prince?

Travis Heath:
Maybe, but only if their primary intention is to dump salary

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14994

New Orleans Hornets @ Detroit Pistons: The Pistons finally got over their losing streak; can they build the right kind of streak starting tonight? Injuries continue to be an issue for Detroit, with Ben Gordon, Tayshaun Prince and Will Bynum all questionable for tonight's game. Darren Collison (knee) has been upgraded to probable for the Hornets.

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http://twitter.com/detroit_pistons

FullCourtPress: Game Thread: New Orleans Hornets at Detroit Pistons: Your spot to leave comments and observations ... http://bit.ly/4o8iXm

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http://twitter.com/detroit_pistons

DetNews: Wizards' Gilbert Arenas pleads guilty to felony gun charge: Prosecutors agreed not to seek a sentence l... http://twurl.nl/k8vkai

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http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... ornet.html

Game Thread: New Orleans Hornets at Detroit Pistons
Tip: 8 p.m., FSN Detroit
Probable Starters: NO - G: Chris Paul, Devin Brown; F: Peja Stojakovic, David West; C: Emeka Okafor
DET - G: Rip Hamilton, Rodney Stuckey; F: Jonas Jerebko, Chris Wilcox; C: Ben Wallace.

Notes: The losing streak is over, but hopes of going on a winning streak are probably premature. Still, the New Orleans Hornets might be the right team to let the Pistons continue their winning ways. The Hornets come into the contest having won seven of their last eight games, but the success is a bit deceptive. In the last week New Orleans has struggled to put away the worst teams in the Eastern Conference, escaping with narrow victories over the New Jersey Nets and Washington Wizards, but falling to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Last meeting: A game the Pistons would like to forget. Detroit blew a 16-point lead in New Orleans, falling to the Hornets 95-87.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2010 ... gun-charge

Wizards' Gilbert Arenas pleads guilty to felony gun charge
Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas pleaded guilty Friday to carrying a pistol without a license in the District of Columbia, a felony conviction that could jeopardize his future in the NBA. Arenas pleaded guilty to a single count of violating the city's strict gun laws as part of a plea bargain in D.C. Superior Court. He will remain free at least until his sentencing March 26. The charge stems from a Dec. 21 incident in which Arenas acknowledged he stored guns in his locker at the Verizon Center and took them out to play a joke on a teammate. The NBA has suspended him indefinitely. A pre-sentence report is not yet complete, but defense attorney Kenneth Wainstein said Friday that prosecutors have agreed not to seek a sentence longer than the low end of sentencing guidelines, which call for six months to two years. That could include probation, jail time or some combination. Judge Robert E. Morin emphasized he is not bound by prosecutors' recommendation. Arenas "accepted full responsibility for his actions, acknowledged that those actions were wrong and against the law, and has apologized to all who have been affected by his conduct," Wainstein said in a statement.

Prosecutor Chris Kavanaugh, reading in court from a statement of facts that Arenas agreed to, said the charge stemmed from a Dec. 19 dispute with another player over a card game. Kavanaugh did not identify the other player, but authorities have searched the home of teammate Javaris Crittenton for a gun. Kavanaugh said the disagreement developed during a team flight back from Phoenix. The other player offered to settle matters with a fist fight, but Arenas, 28, said he was too old for that and suggested he would instead burn the other player's Cadillac Escalade or shoot him in the face. The argument on the plane ended with the other player saying he would shoot Arenas in his surgically repaired left knee. Two days later, Kavanaugh said, Arenas brought at least one gun to the Verizon Center in a black backpack. He laid out four guns on a chair in front of the other player's locker with a sign saying, "Pick 1." When the other player asked, "What is this?" Arenas responded: "You said you were going to shoot me, so I thought you would like some firepower. Pick one." The other player said he had his own gun, threw one of Arenas' weapons across the room and then displayed what appeared to be a silver-colored firearm, Kavanaugh said.

Since Arenas first acknowledged keeping guns in his locker, he has publicly employed a "goof ball" defense, claiming he wasn't aware of the law, meant no harm and never takes anything seriously. But he was subdued in court Friday, wearing a gray suit with a light pinstripe and responding in a soft voice to the judge's questions. U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips said in a statement that "playing with firearms is no joke." "Today's guilty plea to a felony count of carrying a pistol without a license reflects the seriousness and grave risk of such conduct," Phillips said. Arenas, a three-time All-Star, earlier acknowledged storing four unloaded guns in his locker, saying he wanted to keep them away from his young children and didn't know it was a violation of the city's strict gun laws. He says he took them out of the locker Dec. 21 in a "misguided effort to play a joke" on a teammate. After the fracas, authorities seized four unloaded handguns from Arenas, including a gold-plated Desert Eagle .50-caliber semi-automatic that the manufacturer sells for about $2,000. The other weapons were a 500-magnum revolver, another semi-automatic and a pistol.