Game 4 - Pistons-Knicks - 1pm ET

[bstein14]

We've been missing 2 of our top 6 players in Stewart and Ivey and we've still played a Knicks team with more talent incredibly close. It sucks to be down 1-3 but we also have to take a step back and put things in perspective as we've seen massive growth from last year to this year. Also, if the correct foul was called with a second left you know THjr is making at least 2 of the 3 and we're going back to New York tied 2-2.



I do think we'll get a favorable whistle in game 5 after the ref swallowed the whistle on that call and it will be another game that goes down to the wire.

[Rip32]

As a die hard Piston fan, I refuse to whine and complain like other folks. We simply didn't get the job done. The playoff vet experience of THJ and Harris hasn't carried over especially to Cade who is quote, "The teams' best player." Everybody is willing to give him time but how long is it going to take? Yes he's a decent player but I don't see the fire in his eyes like the great Isiah Thomas. Honestly, I see Grant Hill. The City really never embraced Hill! Hill came from everything opposite what the City represented. He was spoon-fed and he wasn't gritty or hood.

Again, if Cade turns villian which imo would help him to become a better bball player, the City would love this guy forever like the great Isiah Lord Thomas.

[Billl]

The league admits they blew the call, but what good does that do? Can't complain to much because this is wildly beyond what anyone thought this season would look like, but a healthy pistons team would have swept the knicks here even with the horrible calls.

[MortSahlfan]

https://pistonpowered.com/detroit-pistons-have-isaiah-stewart-problem

[Kalamazoo317]

So close. Gotta love that we're this competitive given our expectations coming into the year. And a lot of room for growth. Ausar's looking completely lost on offense really hurt us in the first half, for instance. I have to imagine he'll find ways to improve his offensive game going forward (he *needs* to!).

[MrBigShot]

As a die hard Piston fan, I refuse to whine and complain like other folks. We simply didn't get the job done. The playoff vet experience of THJ and Harris hasn't carried over especially to Cade who is quote, "The teams' best player." Everybody is willing to give him time but how long is it going to take? Yes he's a decent player but I don't see the fire in his eyes like the great Isiah Thomas. Honestly, I see Grant Hill. The City really never embraced Hill! Hill came from everything opposite what the City represented. He was spoon-fed and he wasn't gritty or hood.

Again, if Cade turns villian which imo would help him to become a better bball player, the City would love this guy forever like the great Isiah Lord Thomas.

Had me in the first half because I agree we didn't get it done, but I'm riding with Cade no matter how many turnovers or misses in crunch time he has this series.

Cade is going to be named to all nba, in the final year of his rookie deal. With all of the awful basketball we've had to endure over the last 15+ yrs, it's a breath of fresh air to actually have a legit star in Detroit. He's improved every year he's been in the league and I believe that he will continue to get better.

If a few calls go our way and Stewart was healthy, this series could very easily be 3-1 in our favor. My bigger concern going forward is Ausar...if he doesn't develop a decent jumper, having him on the court will always mean playing 4v5 on offense. He is so limited offensively that it completely negates what he provides defensively.

[ComboGuardCity]

https://pistonpowered.com/detroit-pistons-have-isaiah-stewart-problem

This is so true. The last two minute lineup would have included Stew when KAT is at the 5. We probably would’ve ran both bigs at some point when Robinson was on the floor as well.

[NYPiston]

1988 was a massive letdown.

The Bad Boys would be looked at as an all time great dynasty if Isiah doesn't get injured and they don't call the phantom foul on Laimbeer in '88, the Pistons were the better team in that series. Ifs are for losers but they were THAT close to 3-Peating in the midst of the Bird, Magic, Jordan glamour era. Not to mention that they had the 1987 Celtics beat before "Bird Steals the ball underneath to DJ and he lays it in". Ugh

[flow]

We've been missing 2 of our top 6 players in Stewart and Ivey and we've still played a Knicks team with more talent incredibly close. It sucks to be down 1-3 but we also have to take a step back and put things in perspective as we've seen massive growth from last year to this year. Also, if the correct foul was called with a second left you know THjr is making at least 2 of the 3 and we're going back to New York tied 2-2.



I do think we'll get a favorable whistle in game 5 after the ref swallowed the whistle on that call and it will be another game that goes down to the wire.

Ivey is a talented player who should be a big part of the rotation next year. But all the crying about 'missing' Ivey now is a bit disingenuous. We became a better team once he went down. That's fact. Was it a coincidence? No. Ausar stays on the bench if Ivey doesn't go down, and Ausar's insertion into the starting lineup is what got things clicking. Who knows if we even make the playoffs without Ivey's injury. Chemistry is a fickle thing.

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[bstein14]

We've been missing 2 of our top 6 players in Stewart and Ivey and we've still played a Knicks team with more talent incredibly close. It sucks to be down 1-3 but we also have to take a step back and put things in perspective as we've seen massive growth from last year to this year. Also, if the correct foul was called with a second left you know THjr is making at least 2 of the 3 and we're going back to New York tied 2-2.



I do think we'll get a favorable whistle in game 5 after the ref swallowed the whistle on that call and it will be another game that goes down to the wire.

Ivey is a talented player who should be a big part of the rotation next year. But all the crying about 'missing' Ivey now is a bit disingenuous. We became a better team once he went down. That's fact. Was it a coincidence? No. Ausar stays on the bench if Ivey doesn't go down, and Ausar's insertion into the starting lineup is what got things clicking. Who knows if we even make the playoffs without Ivey's injury. Chemistry is a fickle thing.

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Ausar's defense is more important for the starters and Ivey is better as a 6th man role but that doesn't change the fact that Ivey is one of our top 6 guys.

Let Ivey be "the man" with the 2nd unit and you can still play him a bit aside Cade and we're likely a better team but you are correct that him going to the bench could have caused chemistry issues in a year where he's trying to earn an extension.

[Snakebites]

I still think Ausar needs to improve on offense to be a viable starter.

We saw it in this game. Everytime he was left open he blew it in one way or another, be it a turnover or a missed shot.

He's nearly useless on offense in half court play.

Man, I'm still pretty upset about the call. I think us winning the series was unlikely once we dropped game 3, but it's frustrating to see that hope all but extinguished on an unambiguously bad no-call.

Ah well. We'll live. Here's hoping we give'em hell in game 5.

[ComboGuardCity]

If you told me a year ago I would be talking about a no call in a playoff game at LCA, I would’ve wondered what natural disaster hit Milwaukee that they had to finish the season in Detroit.

[Dave_R]

Long time Knicks fan coming in peace. There have been some exciting games so far. This was probably the worst officiated game I've seen in a while (on both ends). There were lots of fouls that weren't called -- Knicks just got away with the last one. At least the refs were swallowing the whistle on both ends.

[bstein14]

Long time Knicks fan coming in peace. There have been some exciting games so far. This was probably the worst officiated game I've seen in a while (on both ends). There were lots of fouls that weren't called -- Knicks just got away with the last one. At least the refs were swallowing the whistle on both ends.

It's different when its on a 3 point jump shot. I don't care if a foul goes uncalled on a rebound or even a drive because that contact can be debatable to a degree... but when someone is taking a jumpshot and you get the defender in the air and they bump into the shooter that's always a foul. That's not something that's allowed even if physical playoff games. Huge difference.

[knicks1999]

It has been fun watching the Brunson/Cunningham duel…Not watching the Pistons all the time I had not realized Cade was playing at such a high level…fun match up

[Snakebites]

Long time Knicks fan coming in peace. There have been some exciting games so far. This was probably the worst officiated game I've seen in a while (on both ends). There were lots of fouls that weren't called -- Knicks just got away with the last one. At least the refs were swallowing the whistle on both ends.

There are calls that might have impacted something.

Respectfully though there is only one that unambiguously determined the outcome of a game.

I’m not saying Knicks fans should feel guilty or anything like that. If the shoe was on the other foot we’d be happily enjoying our win- I appreciate you coming on here to discuss it. But we’ve got sound reason to be upset with the officiating on balance.

[Canadafan]

Pistons' Isaiah Stewart: Questionable for Game 5
https://thescore.com/news/3276279

Brutal. Could really use him. Missing his 4th quarter defense especially

[NYPiston]

Ivey is a talented player who should be a big part of the rotation next year. But all the crying about 'missing' Ivey now is a bit disingenuous. We became a better team once he went down. That's fact. Was it a coincidence? No. Ausar stays on the bench if Ivey doesn't go down, and Ausar's insertion into the starting lineup is what got things clicking. Who knows if we even make the playoffs without Ivey's injury. Chemistry is a fickle thing.

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Yes they became a better team but they also played a far softer schedule after Ivey went down and the flaw of missing that 2nd ballhandler/scorer has been very apparent in the 4th quarters of these first 4 games. Schroder has helped in that regard but Ivey is a tougher matchup for defenses with his blow by ability.
Agreed about the chemistry thing, not sure how Ivey would have fit into it, but at some point you need the talent to win playoff series and without Ivey the Pistons are significantly deficient in that area.

[MotownMadness]

We've been missing 2 of our top 6 players in Stewart and Ivey and we've still played a Knicks team with more talent incredibly close. It sucks to be down 1-3 but we also have to take a step back and put things in perspective as we've seen massive growth from last year to this year. Also, if the correct foul was called with a second left you know THjr is making at least 2 of the 3 and we're going back to New York tied 2-2.



I do think we'll get a favorable whistle in game 5 after the ref swallowed the whistle on that call and it will be another game that goes down to the wire.

I think they screwed us in that over and back at the end of game 3 as well. They say he didn’t have possession but in my opinion you touched it and then took it backcourt.

[flow]

Ivey is a talented player who should be a big part of the rotation next year. But all the crying about 'missing' Ivey now is a bit disingenuous. We became a better team once he went down. That's fact. Was it a coincidence? No. Ausar stays on the bench if Ivey doesn't go down, and Ausar's insertion into the starting lineup is what got things clicking. Who knows if we even make the playoffs without Ivey's injury. Chemistry is a fickle thing.

.

Yes they became a better team but they also played a far softer schedule after Ivey went down and the flaw of missing that 2nd ballhandler/scorer has been very apparent in the 4th quarters of these first 4 games.
Agreed about the chemistry thing, not sure how Ivey would have fit into it, but at some point you need the talent to win playoff series and without Ivey the Pistons are significantly deficient in that area.

With Ivey healthy, we don't pick up Schroder. And to say that Schroder's been invaluable is an understatement. Ivey can't do what he does. Not at this point in his career, anyway. So in the wash, we lost nothing from an overall talent perspective. Having both of them next season would be great.

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