Game 44: Magic @ Pistons // Fri. 7pm on TV20 Detroit HD

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=280125008

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Rasheed Wallace stole a pass on the opening possession against the Orlando Magic. In the first 2 1/2 minutes, the Detroit Pistons' forward scored seven points, blocked a shot and grabbed a rebound.

Hamilton scored 32 points and Wallace had 13 of his 15 in the first quarter, helping the Pistons build a big lead that allowed them to coast in a 101-93 win over Orlando on Friday night.

Dwight Howard had 22 points and 14 rebounds and Hedo Turkoglu scored 23 for the Southeast Division-leading Magic, who had won three straight.

[jab]

-= original quote snipped =-


Guess? What is this you speak of? I don't need no stinking guess?

Of course YOU didn't need to guess, remember this forum is filled with people who never noticed a certain ref that ran to the other side of the court and disappeared during the malice at the Palace.

[Hunter]

Anybody else still trying to figure out why we had 4 starters playing 36, 37, 39 & 40 minutes in a game in which we lead by 21 pts after the 1st quarter and by 19 at the half?

[Chuck Nevicic]

Because Flip Saunders is the coach.

[jab]

Because Flop Saunders is the coach.

fixed

[nasty daddy]

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

It should have been one of those nights that came in bunches back in December, when Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Antonio McDyess and Rasheed Wallace spent the fourth quarter yukking it up on the bench. With four minutes left in the third quarter, the Pistons led by 25. By the time the quarter ended, it was down to 13. It didn

[Hunter]

Because Flip Saunders is the coach.

That's part of it. Anytime we look flat or the other team makes a run Flip panics and thinks he has to leave the starters in.

But to be fair if the starters played with some urgency to start the 3rd it would make it a lot easier for Flip to go back to the bench. You can put that on Flip too if you want - it is the coaches job to have them ready to play. But there needs to be some accountability on the part of the players as well. It's kinda like LB used to say; effort is the one thing you should never have to coach. Unfortunately you do, but I mean...damn, these guys are professionals, it'd be nice if they could find a way to motivate themselves for an entire game. Even if it is a blow out.

But yeah, when we do look flat that is exactly when we should be going to the bench for some energy. Why Flip thinks it's cause to play the starters more I really dunno. It's mind bottling.

[roc]

It's mind bottling.

hmmm, reminds of an old Steve Martin flick

[ajaX82]

Gotta say...coming home tired as hell from work to find a nice win, with Amir playing again, with no mod problems to sort out...damn thats a good end to a day. Til next time children...

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... 60331/1127

Richard Hamilton led the way with 32 points, hitting 14 of 22 shots, and eight assists. "It was tough how we lost down there and we just wanted to come out and be aggressive," said Hamilton, who bested defenders Maurice Evans and Keith Bogans. "I wanted to be aggressive playing against Mo. He was talking a lot of trash last night when he came over to my house. I told him I was going after him today."

The Magic had to know they might be in for a long night when Dwight Howard tipped a missed shot into the Pistons basket on the second possession. The two points were credited to Wallace (he was the closest to it). Wallace went on to hit all six of his shots in the first quarter, good for 13 points. He also had two steals and a block and the Pistons were off and running.

Saunders went to his bench in the second quarter, deploying a lineup of Amir Johnson, Arron Afflalo, Rodney Stuckey, Jason Maxiell and Jarvis Hayes. That group, with Johnson blocking three shots, limited the Magic to two field goals and extended the lead to 27, 53-26. "The biggest disappointment was not being able to get Amir back in the game in the second half," Saunders said. "We wanted to keep 'Sheed on the floor (in the second half) and to not give Amir an opportunity to follow up on his performance was the most disappointing thing." Johnson had three blocks and four rebounds in nine minutes.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 60380/1051

As a team, they shot 77.3%, making 17 of 22 shots. Power forward Rasheed Wallace was 6-for-6 from the floor, although his first basket came when the scorekeepers awarded him a make that Magic center Dwight Howard (22 points) actually tipped in.

Hamilton said he had extra motivation Friday after hanging with former teammate Maurice Evans on Thursday night."He was talking a lot of trash last night when he came over to my house," Hamilton said. "So I told him I was going after him today. It was a fun matchup."

"Our guys didn't give up on the game," Van Gundy said, "so the final margin doesn't look bad. But we never threatened in this game."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... 0380/1051/

This time, no such heroics could overcome the onslaught of the Pistons' biggest first quarter this season. The Pistons (31-13) built a 21-point lead in the first 12 minutes and rode it through the Magic's rally to a 101-93 win."We were looking forward to this game since (Monday)," said point guard Chauncey Billups, who scored 21 points. "Losing down there, we were really looking forward to this one."

That aside, Wallace was dominating, scoring his 13 first-quarter points mostly from the block. Billups was 3-for-3 in the first quarter for 10 points.

"We ran one play pretty much the whole first half, with Rip coming off a curl, and he just got hot," Billups said. "Really, the play was for 'Sheed, but they couldn't stop Rip, so we kept riding him, riding him."

[Dirtgrain]

Turkoglu seemed like he could score at will on us. Who was covering him when he got his points? I thought it would be Prince, but when it occurred to me to focus on him, Prince was out of the game. Rip was salivating when Turkoglu was covering him. Turkoglu is streaky, right? Does he show up every night? He didn't seem to show up in this game until it was too late. How do you all rank him as an NBA player?

[LanierFan]

He's close to an All Star, playing much more consistently than in the past. Traditionally feasts on bad teams and struggles against clubs that don't give him the open 3, but now he's working that pick and roll a lot more aggressively. No D to speak of, but at 6-10 his versatility is what makes the Orlando offense work. I'd take him over Tay this season.

[7r5ur]

-= original quote snipped =-



And throwing up junk and getting packed, too.

He was just trying to pad his rebound stats, so he could get an offensive board and the putback

Amir is on his own fantasy team.

[Tap Tap the Chiseler]

I wonder how much of Orlando's (pardon the pun) cold first quarter has to do with the weather? Here these guys flew in from 73 degree Orlando and landed in 5 degree Romulus. They probably had the same expressions on their faces as those Jamican guys from the movie "Cool Running". Than they took the bus ride all the way to their hotel in Auburn Hills in snowy and icy conditions. Probably was a shock to their systems. If I were a Piston player I would keep reminding them that they have to go back out in that constantly up and down the court.