Game 36- Detroit Pistons (19-16) @ Boston Celtics (19-15) 7:30 PM EST

[Liqourish]

Important game that can impact playoff standings. Not only current standings, but head to head tie breakers for later in the season. Dare I say, must win?

I wonder if this will be the first game we see some of the Jackson-Jennings backcourt lineups.

[Laimbeer]

This team's talent doesn't impress me a lot but they always seem tough on us.

[Billl]

Not feeling great about this on. Quite a few of our guys seem to get up for playing big names and then get blown up by lesser talent.

[Redeemed]

Games against Boston make me a little nervous. Their bigs shoot threes and collectively they play a tough brand of basketball on both ends.

Jennings will be a major factor in this game. If RJ starts slow and passive he should get pulled immediately for Jennings to bring back the swag.

[zeebneeb]

This team's talent doesn't impress me a lot but they always seem tough on us.

Well thats because the Pistons have the three best players between both teams in Drummond, Jackson and Jennings.

What Boston has is a roster filled with solid role players, and are well coached. If you rated players on a scale of 1-10, they are a team of 4-5-and 6's.(I really like Thomas but his tiny stature keeps him from being anything more then a marvel and defensive liability at his size) Combine that with good coaching and you are going to have exactly what I expect thier record to be, around 41 wins give or take 5 wins.

They are always a tough win for any team(see Golden State) regardless because they dont have any glaring weaknesses. I respect that team and their coach for what they have accomplished I just loathe their fans. I also expect that Ainge has been working the phones since the start of the season and hasnt had much luck and I think the reason is that teams and coaches wanted to see what they had at first, and now the East is wickedly competitive this year, and one win seems to be the difference between 2nd, and 10th. No one wants to make a trade that hurts themselves, or helps direct competitors in the East which is amazingly almost 11 damn teams this year, Its crazy.

I expect Boston to be a part of a trade with a Western conference team within the next month and it could be a big one.

Pistons are a better team with better players but the Pistons are a brand new team still, and prone to collapses and mental breakdowns. Now with Jennings return our bench, which was the teams biggest problem, can now be its biggest difference maker as our starters are fantastic. Keep the lead, or build it and the last game it looked utterly in sync, and ready to ball.

I honestly dont know what to expect tonight but ill tell you one thing for sure;

If the team(bench included)that played against Orlando shows up tonight against Boston they will absolutely crush the Celtics. Anything less and they are in for a dogfight and could lose really easily.

I really respect what Ainge has done in Boston. The team plays hard and is well coached. Its now up to him to get them to the next level by leveraging thier considerable assets. If he bones it they could be average to bad for some years to come.

[ducler]

Smart and Bradley are injured. Our backcourt must own this game.

[hoophabit]

Road game, so how the whistle goes is always a big question. Boston has a lot of size and is physical. Pistons are on the road and thin up front. I don't know that "must win" applies on Jan 6. It would be a "good" win, no doubt.

What BJ and the 2nd unit can bring tonight is big. How long before the refs stop giving SJ rookie calls? Love reading these threads after the games. Widespread Panic is a pretty good band.

[zeebneeb]

This should also be a huge rebounding game for Drummond although it seems like he rebounds better against bigger and better centers and forwards oddly enough.

Doesnt matter though. No team or combo of players can contain drummond. Just hope to slow him down. If the Celtics start hack-a-drummond im out as its a complete **** and i hate it.

[engelbert321]

This should also be a huge rebounding game for Drummond although it seems like he rebounds better against bigger and better centers and forwards oddly enough.

Doesnt matter though. No team or combo of players can contain drummond. Just hope to slow him down. If the Celtics start hack-a-drummond im out as its a complete **** and i hate it.

Hack a Dre will definitely happen all game, like last time


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[bballnmike]

This should also be a huge rebounding game for Drummond although it seems like he rebounds better against bigger and better centers and forwards oddly enough.

Doesnt matter though. No team or combo of players can contain drummond. Just hope to slow him down. If the Celtics start hack-a-drummond im out as its a complete **** and i hate it.

Bad news... http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2016/01/06/detroit-pistons-boston-celtics/78351110/

[bballnmike]

Really hope to see some of Jackson and Jennings together if Boston goes with a small back court like Thomas and Bradley.

[zeebneeb]

This should also be a huge rebounding game for Drummond although it seems like he rebounds better against bigger and better centers and forwards oddly enough.

Doesnt matter though. No team or combo of players can contain drummond. Just hope to slow him down. If the Celtics start hack-a-drummond im out as its a complete **** and i hate it.

Bad news... http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2016/01/06/detroit-pistons-boston-celtics/78351110/

You know what you do then? You leave him in the game and instruct Drummond when it looks like they are going to foul him run to a different player and force that player to foul you and get them into foul trouble. LEAVE DRUMMOND IN.

You can only do it so much before you run into foul trouble! If he goes to it early let him keep doing it over and over and over. Its a 48 minute game and it will come back to haunt them at the end of game.

Plus with the return of Jennings I have a TON more faith in our bench now.

I have zero problem intentionally fouling a player if he has the ball, or is part of the play. Thats the change that needs to be made. Fouling anyone is against the spirit of the rules and everyone knows it. What I would like to see is Drummond start cursing or pointing at the coach and laughing at him repeatedly mocking him everything to make him look like an idiot. Really take offense to it Andre.

[RasheedTupac]

Smart and Bradley are injured. Our backcourt must own this game.

Smart is back


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[Snakebites]

This should also be a huge rebounding game for Drummond although it seems like he rebounds better against bigger and better centers and forwards oddly enough.

Doesnt matter though. No team or combo of players can contain drummond. Just hope to slow him down. If the Celtics start hack-a-drummond im out as its a complete **** and i hate it.

Bad news... http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2016/01/06/detroit-pistons-boston-celtics/78351110/

No real news there.

Its a possibility to use every night. That's the reality.

Lately I've actually turned the TV off for a while when it happens. I hate it that much.

[mattao313]

I'm not even that mad that teams do it, it's more so that Dre is the worst FT shooter in history. Like how can you be this bad? Damn man 37% on over 7 attempts thats just pitiful. Cmon man you can do better than that.

[bballnmike]

This should also be a huge rebounding game for Drummond although it seems like he rebounds better against bigger and better centers and forwards oddly enough.

Doesnt matter though. No team or combo of players can contain drummond. Just hope to slow him down. If the Celtics start hack-a-drummond im out as its a complete **** and i hate it.

Bad news... http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2016/01/06/detroit-pistons-boston-celtics/78351110/

No real news there.

Its a possibility to use every night. That's the reality.

Lately I've actually turned the TV off for a while when it happens. I hate it that much.

Yeah, it's no surprise. I read the headline 5 minutes after seeing Zeeb's post and thought the timing was funny.

Side note, totally forgot about it until now, but did anyone else see in the Warriors Cavs game on Christmas when Cleveland did a similar intentional foul to Iggy during the free throw? before the ball was live and so no time ran off. Same thing the Clippers did to Drummond a week or two before. I absolutely hate that. My whole extended family was like wtf was that how is it legal to jump on his back, had to explain it to them from prior experience

[Snakebites]

Bad news... http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2016/01/06/detroit-pistons-boston-celtics/78351110/

No real news there.

Its a possibility to use every night. That's the reality.

Lately I've actually turned the TV off for a while when it happens. I hate it that much.

Yeah, it's no surprise. I read the headline 5 minutes after seeing Zeeb's post and thought the timing was funny.

Side note, totally forgot about it until now, but did anyone else see in the Warriors Cavs game on Christmas when Cleveland did a similar intentional foul to Iggy during the free throw? before the ball was live and so no time ran off. Same thing the Clippers did to Drummond a week or two before. I absolutely hate that. My whole extended family was like wtf was that how is it legal to jump on his back, had to explain it to them from prior experience

I didn't have much respect left for Doc Rivers, but that pretty much obliterated whatever might have been left.

He needed to take a shower after that play. Not sure I've ever seen a more undeserving team win a game than that.

[pistontr]

if we lose tonight, all the late optimism will collapse.

[pistontr]

drummond have tried several free throw method but always hit %37-40 of them. it is miracle.

[mattao313]

drummond have tried several free throw method but always hit %37-40 of them. it is miracle.

He has? imo his form hasn't changed much.