'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 31

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The teams split the season series, with the road team winning each game...The Lakers improved to 3-0 on a season-long seven game road trip and will also face New Jersey, Atlanta, Charlotte and Milwaukee before returning home...Bynum also had 11 assists for Detroit...Odom had 12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the Lakers.

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http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/LALDET_ ... uotes.html

Postgame Quotes - March 26, 2009
Pistons Head Coach Michael Curry
(On Will Bynum) “I thought we played really hard. We got down in that first quarter and in the second quarter I thought Will Bynum was outstanding. We came back in the third. We figured the first six minutes were going to probably be the most important, knowing how the Lakers play, and they were really aggressive. We were up four and after those first six minutes, we were still up one when we pulled Will out. At that time, Will was winded. He needed a break. He had gone about 18-20 straight minutes. Even though we had halftime (to rest) – we went to him at the end of the first, all of the second and the first six minutes of the third. We pretty much had the ball in his hands with him pushing the attack. We just didn't finish the rest of that quarter when he went out.”

(On the Lakers defense) “Against them, the way they like to zone up, they zone up a lot like Boston. You have to have shooting bigs and guards that can dribble penetrate so that does why Will caused them problems. To beat a good team like this, we need all our weapons in order to do it.”

(On the difference between Will Bynum and Rodney Stuckey) “Will (Bynum) is more experienced than (Rodney) Stuckey. I don't know if everybody really knows that. You might have to write that because Will has been carrying teams the last three years on his back in Europe and he spent a year in the D-League. He carried the team in that league and was probably the top-two scorer in the D-League at the time. Then he went over to Maccabbi Tel Aviv and carried that team in the European Cup. Will is a very capable guy. He hasn't played as much when we have our full group of guys but Will's play is not surprising to us. We expect him to play well. With starting minutes, he's played exceptionally well. I think that a lot of the stuff Stuckey is seeing and a lot of stuff he's going through is new for him, and it's a learning curve. He just has to go through it. When we're short handed, more is put on his plate. Sometimes he handles it really well and sometimes he doesn't do as well. But I love the fact that every day he comes in -- he came in yesterday and got a good hour and 20 minutes worth of work -- that just tells me the kid has what it takes to get better. And he'll get better and continue to learn how to play in all situations.”

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/LALDET_ ... uotes.html

Pistons Guard Will Bynum
(On the loss) “It’s another tough one. I think in the second half they went on that run and we couldn’t recover after that. They just outplayed us in the second half.”

(On his increased playing time) “I think it’s just being comfortable in an opportunity. I am just taking advantage of it. I have been positive all season long even when I was sitting. So, it kind of helped me keep that same mentality when I got on the court.”
(On being able to play in the NBA) “I always knew that because I was playing every summer, when I was going back home since high school, since my sophomore year, I have been playing against pro’s, working out against pro’s. I knew it wasn’t a problem. It’s just me maturing and getting better at my position.”

(On their losing streak) “It is tough for us so we have to just stay positive and keep working hard. That’s the only way to get out of a slump like this if you just keep working hard. Eventually, it all falls to place.”

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/LALDET_ ... uotes.html

Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson
(On coming back in the second half) “We knew that they had the momentum and we committed turnovers that gave them offensive opportunities, and we just tried to stay consistent with the ball, and try to stay more compact in what we were trying to do. I shortened the rotation in the second half, so we didn’t have so many guys that were not starters.”

(On Will Bynum) “He still had a career game for himself and played exceptionally well, but I thought we did better things on him and offensively we stepped it up.”
(On Kobe Bryant) “He played well. I tried to get him in there with that second unit so that we could kind of steer the course a little bit for them and he did the job.”

(On 20-0 run in the third quarter) “A lot of it was about breaks. We got some offensive breaks and opportunities down the court and we took advantage of it.”
(On points in the paint in the second half) “We talked about how you can’t settle for jump shots. We did that to start the third quarter and went down by 10 points. I called a timeout and said you are not going to get the game won if you settle for jump shots. You have to get penetration and it’s the first priority of an offense.”

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/LALDET_ ... uotes.html

Lakers Forward Lamar Odom
(On this win) “At this point and time all wins are big for us. Every game that we play we feel it is a winnable game and we look at these trips as business trips and we just want to play our A-game. If not, then we just want to find a way to win it.”

(On focusing on the best record in the NBA) “We want to be the best team in the league. We have to set goals in order to get better and one of our goals is to be the best, have the best record before the playoffs start. Ultimately we want home court advantage in the playoffs.”

(On finally winning in Detroit) “It wasn’t about me tonight. Winning in Detroit was about us right now. To play well and add another win to this road trip was good. Detroit just happened to be the place that we were playing tonight, so its not about beating the Detroit Pistons, it is about beating any team that we are facing.”

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/LALDET_ ... uotes.html

Lakers Forward Trevor Ariza
(On the game and Will Bynum) “We just had to try to score and find a way to get ourselves going and fortunately we did it was on the defensive end. We also got a couple offensive rebounds. We didn’t let them get where they wanted to go tonight, except for Bynum. He had a great game but I think that without him doing the things that he did, we didn’t let the other guys get to where they needed to get to.”

(On winning on the road) “Home or away, it really doesn’t matter we can’t focus on that. Whether it is home or the road, we just need to try and win and worry about ourselves.”

(On their second half) “Whether we played bad or not, we still came out in that second half and got the win, we did what we had to do in that second half. I think that what counts the most, how we finish the game.

[nasty daddy]

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

Rip Hamilton to play in Saturday's Pistons-Wizard game
The Detroit Free Press is reporting that Rip Hamilton will suit up for the Detroit Pistons against the Wizards this weekend.

In some much-needed good news for the Pistons, Coach Michael Curry said Rip Hamilton would be back for Saturday's game at Washington and there was a possibility Rasheed Wallace could be in the lineup as well.

He also said Allen Iverson could return next week. There has been speculation about Rip's return for a few days now, while Rasheed Wallace was thought to have to be out longer. As for Iverson playing next week, it's known that he has been on the court with the team in practices, but if he is able to get in game shape by next week the Pistons might have a full roster for the first time in a long while.

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime ... ime-090327

Lakers Finally Get A Win In Detroit
The Lakers won in Detroit for the first time since 2002, ending a streak of six straight regular-season losses at The Palace. (They were also 0-3 in NBA Finals games there over that stretch.) In the last 15 years, Los Angeles lost six or more consecutive regular-season road games against only one other Eastern Conference opponent: Philadelphia, dropping seven in a row from 2001 to 2007. During that losing streak the Lakers did win three straight Finals games in Philadelphia (in 2001), following the first of their seven straight regular-season losses.

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime ... ime-090327

Magic's Howard Ready For the Pistons
If there's an easy road to the NBA Finals, Dwight Howard doesn't want it. The Orlando Magic superstar wants the path of most resistance. So bring on the Pistons. Howard doesn't want to see Chicago, Philadelphia or Miami in the first round of the playoffs. He wants Detroit, which has won 8 of 9 games in eliminating the Magic from the playoffs the past two years. "Hopefully, we play Detroit again,'' Howard said earlier this week. "That'll be good for us because we have to get over that mental hump. Those guys have beaten us two years in a row and they've left a bad taste in our mouths. So hopefully this year, it'll be different.''

If the season ended today, Howard would not get his wish. After defeating Boston Wednesday night, the Magic (53-18) took over second place in the Eastern Conference standings. Detroit (34-37) is currently seeded eighth, which means a date with top-seeded Cleveland. But while the Pistons are 19 games behind Orlando, racked with injuries to Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Allen Iverson, and struggling just to reach the postseason, they have continued to frustrate the Magic. Even though it's beaten the Lakers, Spurs and Celtics twice this season, Orlando is 0-3 against Detroit. "I don't know what it is about the Pistons, but every year they seem to have our number,'' said Howard, who's averaged 22 points and 15 rebounds against Detroit this season. "So to grow mentally we have to step up to the challenge and beat those guys.''

Detroit's mastery of the Magic predates Howard. In 2003, a year before Orlando drafted Howard out of high school, the Pistons rallied from a 3-1 deficit to stun a Magic team that featured Tracy McGrady. The series was most known for McGrady's infamous foot-in-mouth moment when, prior to Game 5, he stated how good it was to "finally be in the second round.'' Of course, Detroit won the next three games.

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime ... ime-090327

NBA Video Channel

• Lakers stay hot, rough up Pistons

[nasty daddy]

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

That might not necessarily be very good, since the Pistons have been erratic with a full roster. Of course they are 1-6 in their last seven games and have dropped to the eight seed after Thursday's loss to the Lakers, so how much worse could it get? After starting out the season 21-11, the Pistons have went 13-26 and realistic hopes of a Piston run in the playoffs have been dashed.

If Hamilton does return Saturday, it may be pretty interesting to see how coach Curry handles the guard minutes. Will Bynum has played outstanding, scoring 25 points(9-14 FG), 11 assists in 34 minutes against the Lakers, and has earned the chance to play a lot of minutes. Statistics don't equate wins though, so the end effect of Bynum's playing time may have to do with the scoreboard. Agent Zero(Gilbert Arenas) will also be back for Saturday's game, so it should be a very interesting game in D.C.

[nasty daddy]

http://postingup.2dogs.com/member/blogt ... q=1&page=0

R the PISTONS GROOMIN the wrong point guard?
after watchin the DETROIT PISTONS playing the LA lakers.one could only look at the marvelous talent of WILL BYNUM.HE has skills that i do not see in stuckey.i think DETROIT PISTONS are grooming the wrong man.what a guy.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090327/S ... s+into+7th

Bulls nudge past Pistons into 7th
John Salmons scored 27 points, and the Bulls beat Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat, 106-87, on Thursday night for their sixth victory in seven games. The Bulls took control in the third quarter, outscoring the Heat, 32-14, and moved into a seventh place tie, percentage points ahead of the Pistons in the Eastern Conference.

Salmons scored 13 points in the quarter as the Bulls turned a two-point deficit into a 79-63 lead and sent the Heat to its fifth loss in seven games. Wade scored 31 points after hitting just 5 of 24 shots the previous night in a 90-88 loss at Indiana, but solid efforts by Chicago's Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich and Tyrus Thomas to back Salmons helped the Bulls avoid a four-game sweep. Gordon scored 18 for the Bulls, who, along with the Pistons, lead Charlotte by three games and Milwaukee by 3 1/2 .

Thomas added 15 points and 12 rebounds, and he was particularly good in the third, scoring seven and blocking two of his three shots. Hinrich made his second straight start at point guard for Derrick Rose and finished with 15 points.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090327/S ... s+into+7th

Dallas forward Devean George had arthroscopic surgery to remove loose fragments from a cartilage injury in his right knee. The Mavericks aren't certain when he will return.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090327/S ... 7++summary

Lakers 92, Pistons 77
LAKERS min fg-a ft-a r (o-t) a pf pts
Ariza 29:28 4-8 0-0 1-1 3 2 8
Odom 39:48 5-10 1-2 1-10 7 3 12
Gasol 40:51 5-10 2-2 0-11 3 2 12
Bryant 38:01 10-18 9-10 2-8 7 3 30
Fisher 30:32 5-13 2-3 0-2 2 0 15
Farmar 15:27 2-6 0-0 1-2 1 2 4
Walton 18:32 1-2 2-2 0-1 1 1 4
Vujacic 12:50 1-4 0-0 0-2 0 1 3
Powell 5:25 1-3 0-0 2-2 0 1 2
Mbenga 7:05 1-3 0-0 0-0 0 2 2
SBrown 2:01 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 240:00 35-77 16-19 7-39 24 17 92
FG: 455. FT: 842. 3PG: 6-18, .333 (Fisher 3-7, Odom 1-1, Vujacic 1-2, Bryant 1-3, Farmar 0-2, Ariza 0-3). Team rebounds: 10. Blocks: 1 (Odom). Turnovers: 13 (Gasol 5, Ariza 2, Odom 2, Powell 2, Bryant, Walton). Steals: 8 (Odom 3, Ariza 2, Bryant 2, Vujacic).

DETROIT min fg-a ft-a r (o-t) a pf pts
Prince 32:39 3-13 0-0 1-4 1 2 7
McDyess 36:08 6-14 2-2 2-12 1 4 14
KBrown 29:55 2-4 0-0 4-8 0 2 4
Stuckey 26:35 2-8 1-2 0-2 3 3 5
Afflalo 31:21 2-8 2-2 0-1 0 4 6
Maxiell 23:45 2-4 1-1 2-5 1 3 5
Bynum 34:12 9-14 7-8 2-3 11 4 25
Herrmann 20:15 3-9 1-2 0-4 1 0 9
Johnson 2:35 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 2
Sharpe 2:35 0-1 0-2 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 240:00 30-76 14-19 11-39 18 22 77
FG: 395. FT: 737. 3PG: 3-13, .231 (Herrmann 2-7, Prince 1-3, Sharpe 0-1, Afflalo 0-2). Team rebounds: 8. Blocks: 7 (Maxiell 3, K.Brown, W.Bynum, Herrmann, McDyess). Turnovers: 15 (W.Bynum 4, Stuckey 4, Prince 3, McDyess 2, Afflalo, Herrmann). Steals: 4 (Stuckey 2, W.Bynum, McDyess).

L.A. Lakers 25 14 31 22 -- 92
Detroit 12 30 13 22 -- 77

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Pistons slide to eighth in East
When the Lakers ran out to a 13-point lead at the end of the first quarter Thursday night against the Pistons, it looked as if the Western Conference power would have an easy night. Then it looked as if the Pistons might pull a stunning upset when they hit the Lakers with a 17-0 run to start the second quarter. But in the end, the Lakers got their easy, 92-77, victory against the undermanned Pistons before a sell-out Palace crowd. Entertaining "M-V-P!" chants throughout the game, Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant scored 30 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had seven assists. The Pistons (34-37) lost their seventh in nine games and fell to the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference with the Chicago Bulls ahead by percentage points. The top eight teams make the playoffs, which start next month. Charlotte is in the ninth spot, three games behind Detroit. Bryant's effort and the Pistons shooting 39.5% overshadowed a 25-point, 11-assist effort from backup point guard Will Bynum, who played 34 minutes.

In fact, the only time the Pistons were consistent on offense was when Bynum was on the floor. Missing three of their top players in Rip Hamilton (sore left groin), Rasheed Wallace (sore left calf) and Allen Iverson (sore back), the Pistons had no answer when the Lakers turned up the defensive pressure. "Against them, the way they like to zone up, they zone up a lot like Boston so you got to have shooting bigs and you got to have guards that can dribble penetrate so that's why Will caused them problems," Pistons coach Michael Curry said. "To beat a good team like this, we need all our weapons to do it."Bynum was a one-man weapon in the second quarter, when the Pistons outscored the Lakers, 30-14.He directed the offense and had six assists as Antonio McDyess and Walter Herrmann were the main beneficiaries. Heplayed so well the Pistons took a 42-39 lead into halftime and Curry decided to start Bynum for Arron Afflalo in the second half. The Pistons pushed the lead to 10 points at 50-40, but the lead dwindled to one-point at 55-54 and a gassed Bynum went to the bench.The Pistons didn't score again in the quarter as the Lakers' lead ballooned to 70-55, effectively ending the game."In the second half it seemed like we couldn't get no offense going at all," said McDyess, who finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds. "Will came out of the game and he was pretty much getting us where we needed to be, dishing the ball. When he went and sat down it was like we were just stagnant. We were just standing and looking around."

Starting point guard Rodney Stuckey had a poor shooting night for the second straight game. He was 5-for-14 Tuesday against the Bulls and struggled Thursday, scoring five points (2-for-8 shooting) with three assists and committing four turnovers in 26 minutes.Curry defended his second-year point guard."Will is more experienced than Stuckey," Curry said of Bynum's experience in the NBA Developmental League and in Israel. "I just think that lot of what Stuckey is seeing and lot of the stuff he is going through is new for him and there's a learning curve and he's just got to go through it."When we're shorthanded, more is put on his plate. Sometimes he handles it really well and sometimes he doesn't do as well."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090327/S ... +Yes++sir+

Will Rip return soon? Yes, sir!
Rip Hamilton was working up a good sweat Thursday morning. At the Palace practice facility following the Pistons' shoot-around in preparation for a visit from the Lakers later that evening, Hamilton ran to a spot, caught a pass from strength and conditioning coach Arnie Kander, and knocked down his customary mid-range jump shot. He was cutting and running, showing few signs of the sore left groin that sidelined him for 14 games this season. And when he was finished, as he walked toward the team's weight equipment, a reporter yelled, "Close?" And Hamilton replied: "Yes, sir!"

Later that day, coach Michael Curry gave the ultimate indicator that Hamilton was feeling better: He announced that the team's leading scorer would return to the lineup Saturday night at Washington. Thursday's game was the sixth straight Hamilton had missed. And Curry also said there was a chance that Rasheed Wallace, who had missed the last nine games with a sore left calf, could return Saturday as well. And to add to the good news coming out of Pistons camp, Curry said that Allen Iverson, who had missed the last 15 games with a sore back, could return next week.

Hamilton, Wallace and Iverson returned to the court Wednesday, and Wallace followed Hamilton on Thursday in doing shooting drills with Kander. The news comes at a good time as the Pistons have struggled since Hamilton and Wallace left the lineup, losing six of eight going into Thursday night. So you can understand Curry's good mood before the team took the floor against the Lakers. "I think it's a psychological lift," Curry said. "When you lose, not just one or two players, but you lose three of your top scorers, that's a big blow to any team. "When you see guys back on the court doing some work, I think you can get an emotional lift by knowing that they're returning very soon."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090327/S ... +Yes++sir+

REST FOR THE WEARY: One obvious problem with the injury woes is the added work for Tayshaun Prince and Antonio McDyess.

Prince is averaging a career-high 38.1 minutes and McDyess, who came into the season as a solid backup, has been playing like a frontline starter in averaging 40 minutes in the last 10. But Curry's options are limited because he basically has been playing with a nine-man roster. Rookie small forward Walter Sharpe isn't ready for prime time.

Curry has canceled several practices and shoot-arounds to try to rest the veterans, but until the cavalry rides to the rescue, he is forced to play Prince and McDyess.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090327/S ... +Yes++sir+

Guess McDyess has taken to this whole starting thing. He was averaging 7.3 points and 8.6 rebounds as a reserve. That goes up to 14 points and 11.8 rebounds as a starter. Those are borderline All-Star numbers.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090327/S ... +Yes++sir+

Will Bynum is surging. In his last 15 games, he is averaging 9.5 points and 3.5 assists. He is coming off a 20-point, nine-assist night at Chicago in a 99-91 loss Tuesday.