http://www.freep.com/article/20090226/S ... on+(injury)+and++Sheed+(ejection)
NEW ORLEANS 90, DETROIT 87
Pistons lose game, Iverson (injury) and 'Sheed (ejection)
Wallace ejected on T's, will be suspended. No Allen Iverson. No Rasheed Wallace. Sounds like the Pistons should have limped to their eighth straight loss Wednesday night, right? But they put in their best effort in weeks -- and it still wasn't good enough. Backup forward Walter Herrmann missed a three-pointer with a second left, and the Pistons (27-29) fell two games under .500 with a 90-87 loss to the Hornets. Playing most of the game without Iverson (stiff back) and most of the second half without Wallace, who was ejected after picking up his 15th and 16th technical fouls of the season, the Pistons forged an 82-82 tie with 2:51 left on Jason Maxiell's lay-in.
But the Hornets' Chris Paul (20 points, 13 assists) scored six points down the stretch, David West (30 points, 10 rebounds) added two for the Hornets' final points, and some key offensive rebounds finished the Pistons. "I thought that we played hard," said Rip Hamilton, who scored 24 points on 9-for-24 shooting. "When you're not playing as well as we have been, these losses hurt. "(Wallace's ejection) was a blow, but we told ourselves we had to dig and fight." After Maxiell tied the game, it looked like the Pistons might be able to get their first victory since before the All-Star break. That's when Paul went to work. First he hit two free throws, then a short jumper. After Antonio McDyess' three-point play, Paul got two more free throws to give the Hornets an 88-85 lead.
Hamilton answered with a short jumper, and then West hit his two free throws. The Hornets (34-22) kept possessions alive down the stretch with three offensive rebounds in the last 32 seconds. The Pistons were forced to double Paul on pick-and-rolls, and with three-point specialist Peja Stojakovic spreading the floor, it made boxing out tough.
But the Pistons still had a chance. Hamilton got the ball at the top of the key with 6.7 seconds left, drove the lane and kicked it to Herrmann for an open three-point attempt, but it was long. "We didn't finish the game off with those rebounds down the stretch," Pistons coach Michael Curry said. "I thought Walt got a good look at it." McDyess had 15 points and nine rebounds. The Pistons are 0-3 on this five-game, eight-day trip and likely will be without Wallace (automatic one-game suspension by the league) when they play at Orlando on Friday night. He got his first technical after arguing with the officials over what he thought should have been an over-the-back call against the Hornets. Later, when he was called for a foul against West, he argued the call and Curry subbed in McDyess. But Wallace argued all the way to the bench and then appeared to toss a towel into the stands, signaling the end of his night with 16 points and seven rebounds. "I was disappointed," Curry said. "I tried to get him out before he got it. He's an emotional guy, but I was proud of the way he played tonight." Wallace declined comment afterward.
