Three and Out: Knicks 99, Pistons 91
by Packey on Jan 18, 2010 4:43 PM EST
in Detroit Pistons Recaps
Email
Print
What Happened:
The winning streak ended at three. Rip had a tummy ache that prevented him from playing, adding him to the already too long injury list of Prince, Gordon, and Bynum. The Pistons allowed 65 points combined in the 2nd and 4th quarters en route to the 99-91 loss.
The Good:
Ben Wallace. He finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds, and he had a handful of tips that resulted in rebounds he wasn't credited with. Not found in the box score was him taking charges, contesting shots, and hitting a fade away jumper from the post position. He and Austin Daye were the only Pistons in the plus for +/-, both finishing at plus-7.
The Bad:
There's plenty of bad to go around. Stuckey had 14 points at the half, but finished with just 22 on 8-26 shooting.
Chucky Atkins finished 1-5 shooting and all shots seemed to come at probably the worst time for him to take shots. For example, with the Pistons trailing early in the fourth and making a mini-run, he took an outlet pass from Stuckey, dribbled the floor, and quickly pulled up for a three with no Pistons under the basket to potentially rebound. He was also minus-15 -- just a point ahead of Charlie Villanueva's minus-16.
Wilcox was 0-4 before injuring his back causing him to miss the entire 2nd half, adding to the team's injury woes.
The team as a whole had just 10 assists and zero three-pointers today. They averaged 22 assists and seven threes per game during the three game winning streak.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Unsung Hero:
Austin Daye. He got the nod in the starting lineup in place of the sick Hamilton and did a job well done. He was 7-14 shooting, six of those misses coming from downtown, finishing with 16 points and 6 rebounds in 32 minutes. He was also a team-high plus-7 with Ben Wallace, which has to say something, right?
The Takeaway:
When the Pistons don't move the ball around to create better looks and lose the 3-point battle 10-0, they aren't going to win very many games, if any at all. This was a winnable game, even without four of their key players, but the offense resorted to standing around and waiting until the shot clock forced them to shoot. They then let the Knicks pick them apart when Ben Wallace wasn't on the floor.
The Pistons finish the month with six straight at home. They start that stretch with the somewhat struggling Celtics on Wednesday. Make or break time.
41 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
"tummy ache"
Pull those Jordans on and play, Rip. Stuck’s been playing with a sore knee for several games.
"We’re going to turn this team around 360 degrees." –Jason Kidd
Kander made him switch shoes
to ones with a higher ankle. I think he really trashed it and is waiting until it heals up before committing to anything more than practice.
"We’re going to turn this team around 360 degrees." –Jason Kidd
Didn't Kuester made all of them switch shoes?
If I recall correctly all the players that injured their ankles (except Stuckey) were wearing the same kind of shoes and they were requested to change them.
I think he played around with Gordon's shoes too.
You could be right. when I read the article MFWB was who I remembered.
Nash, Arenas, and Bryant all have worn low-top shoes, but the average NBA cat can’t do that. Those guys have all played soccer as well.
"We’re going to turn this team around 360 degrees." –Jason Kidd
so did he make them switch to higher top shoes or lower ones?
My Music: Now on last.fm!!
My Blog: Inside A Head
hmmm...
I personally can’t wear high top shoes because my ankles start to hurt after just a little bit.
My Music: Now on last.fm!!
My Blog: Inside A Head
The following video
contains a keyword for today’s game. See if you can guess which one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0VGcbnOaQ4
just EPINION
I dunno how "winnable" this game was
The Pistons led only for a few brief moments after the 9-1 start crumbled. Yeah, it was close down the stretch, a tribute to the hustle and work of the guys playing, but we were really undermanned. Ball movement is going to suffer when three of the five guards on your roster aren’t playing at all, and the #5 guard is getting lots of minutes. They were not only down four guys, but with Wilcox out in the second half, they were down five — and if you count Wilcox as our starting PF, which I think he would currently be even with everyone healthy, we were down three starters and our number #1 sub (Gordon).
The Knicks aren’t great, or even good, but they have a couple of good players who can get hot. In short, I’m not shocked we lost. Take away Rip, Tayshaun, Gordon, MFWB for the game, and Wilcox for a half and, frankly I don’t see a lot of teams we can beat.
When you lead by four in the 4th, the game is winnable.
by Kevin Sawyer on Jan 18, 2010 9:12 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I knew all that good shootin' would go to Chucks head.
Chuck annoys me.
My Music: Now on last.fm!!
My Blog: Inside A Head
Chucky.
I just like calling him Chuck for some reason.
My Music: Now on last.fm!!
My Blog: Inside A Head
The upside
We got to see a glimpse of what Daye could become. With physical maturation, he could absolutely be a high quality starter. Not a star, I don’t think, but a very good player with a very unique set of strengths. If he becomes a SF, his rebounding and ability to block shots will make him extremely valuable …
Also, Ben Wallace (copy and paste everything we’ve already said about him). And to think, Joe signed him strictly as a locker room presence. That’s still scary to me … that he could misvalue a player like him so profoundly. Ben Wallace has to be the absolute biggest bargain in the league, bar none.
Everyone else just pretty much sucked today. Stuckey was understandably pressing, and he simply doesn’t have the ability to win a game on his own. Charlie put up 16 inefficient points. Blah blah blah.
by brgulker on Jan 18, 2010 11:05 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Big Ben
It’s too bad the Benaissance is being wasted. Think he has one more in the tank…?
by garrettelliott on Jan 18, 2010 11:34 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I had the same thought today while watching the game — I kind of feel bad for him that his efforts are being wasted.
by Matt Watson on Jan 19, 2010 12:01 AM EST up reply actions
The Benaissance
is not about now, but about the future. It’s about our grandchildren, who will look back upon Ben and say, “Yes. This was human achievement at its finest.” And then they will be inspired.
just EPINION
by real Rob G on Jan 19, 2010 12:19 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
At least Big Ben’s effort this season will raise him back to his proper place as the undisputed heart and soul of the “going to work” era.
But yeah, we are probably witnessing history with how well Ben has played. 35 year old centers are never, ever, ever this good. Ever. Crazy, amazing, unreal, borderline superstar production.
One thing that has been definitively proved; there is never going to be a “next Ben Wallace.”
Hoist that motherfucking jersey
as far as the ceiling will allow.
"We’re going to turn this team around 360 degrees." –Jason Kidd
by Skylar on Jan 19, 2010 1:02 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Superstar?
Really? I’d say borderline allstar, but maybe Dave Berri knows something I don’t. :)
Ben Wallace is a Detroit Superstar.
He will retire here and either the number 3 or number 6 will be up there one day.
"We’re going to turn this team around 360 degrees." –Jason Kidd
It is being wasted.
But Jerebko admires the hustle, best believe.
He ain’t the next Ben Wallace but he will be around after Wallace retires.
Ben will come back next season. There is no way that Dumars lets this performance go unrewarded, and there is no way Ben hangs it up after 2010. Look at how he’s playing. I ain’t never scared.
"We’re going to turn this team around 360 degrees." –Jason Kidd
You can’t tell me Danny Ferry isn’t regretting moving Ben Wallace just a little bit.
It’s amazing what he’s doing. His efforts are only wasted in the sense that he’s not contributing to a winner. But OTOH, he’s solidifying himself as one of the most important players in Piston history. He’s a once in a generation kind of player, one who belonged in Detroit, and one who made Piston basketball a staple of the NBA for several years.
Jarebko
According to NBA rules Jarebko is a rookie.
However, all Pistons fans know that this is Jarebko’s 4th year playing as a professional
Last year he played almost 1,000 minutes for Angelico Biella which is the same team that Trent Plaisted played a couple games for before getting injured. My guess is that is how the Pistons discovered Jarebko.
Here are his states for Angelico Biella
http://www.usbasket.com/player.asp?Cntry=USA&PlayerID=72089&Stats=2009
What I have not been able to find are his stats when he played professional basketball in Sweden. I understand he was a sensation in his home country.
Does anyone have a link to Jarebko’s stats from his Sweden professional days.
Thanks
by Buddahfan on Jan 19, 2010 12:26 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Big Ben
It doesn’t scare me that Joe D. missed how great Ben would be this year — really, what signs were there that anyone saw from his Cavs and even Bulls years? What scares me is that Joe D. was ready to go into this season with a roster in which, in his mind, Big Ben was at least mostly only going to be a locker room presence. Think of how bad — and I mean much worse — the Pistons would have been / would be this year if that’s all Ben had been. Which means Joe pretty seriously overestimated the rest of the roster, or at least the rest of the front line.
by Toledo Joe on Jan 19, 2010 8:04 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Ben Wallace was playing great basketball last season before he got hut. His totals were down from career averages, but that’s mostly due to more limited minutes.
No one saw this type of resurgence coming, but I think if you’re going on last season, you could say pretty confidently that if Ben Wallace were healthy, he’d be a valuable contributor.
What scares me is that Joe D. was ready to go into this season with a roster in which, in his mind, Big Ben was at least mostly only going to be a locker room presence. Think of how bad — and I mean much worse — the Pistons would have been / would be this year if that’s all Ben had been. Which means Joe pretty seriously overestimated the rest of the roster, or at least the rest of the front line.
Absolutely.
Question everybody else in that front office too.
Unless every one of them were saying:
“the team you have constructed is going to put a terrible product out. Far below the standards you set for the better part of the previous decade, and far below the money we’ve spent.”
He’s the figurehead, but he also has a cabinet assembled. The entire staff should be made to answer for such mistakes.
"We’re going to turn this team around 360 degrees." –Jason Kidd
Stuckey is taking too many shots but
It’s because with so many injuries and RIP missing so many shots when he has played, that not enough points are coming from SG. Scoring at SF has been inconsistant as well so defences key on stopping Stuckey and don’t have to worry about anyone else.
Stuckey could shoot closer to 50% if he wasent forced to shoot so much. He is becoming a better passer, but guys arent hitting their shots. 38.8fg% for RIP this year, the worst of his career yet still scoring 18.9pts. That is a waste of shots/possessions. Somebody has to shoot them and RIP is coming back from injury, but it is what it is.
Vikings 38, Cowboys 17.
50%?
His career best season (last year) is just below 44%, which is a loooong way from 50%. As a Freshman in college, he shot 49%, followed by 45% in his sophomore campaign. To ask Rodney to consistently shoot near 50% would be asking quite a bit.
If you ask me, he needs to shoot more FTs. He shoots a good percentage. If he could shoot something like 8 per game instead of his current 5.4, we’d see an increase in his point totals (and increase in advanced shooting stats) without him taking more shots. And if he could get his FG% to around 45%, which is probably realistic, that would help enormously, too.
Closer to 50% would include 45%
when your shooting 40.6% on the season.
Who dat? Nobody will remember or care after this week. Go Vikes!
Honestly, we can't forget how much injuries have impacted this season.
1 game where every single Piston was healthy. Gordon, Bynum, Hamilton, and Prince all missing 10+ games each. It’s hard to build any sort of chemistry or cohesion with players regularly in and out of the lineup. If we were completely healthy this season, I bet my life that we’d be much closer to .500 right now, maybe even above it. The Knicks game was a game lost thanks to injuries more than anything. It forces players to play longer, it eliminates the amount of offensive weapons we have (give me a healthy Gordon, Bynum, or Rip to take some slack off of Stuckey and we win this game). Right now, we’re 14-26. If healthy, we’re more than likely 20-20 or better.
Also, keep in mind that if it wasn’t for Dumars, Ben wouldn’t even be playing anymore. He was all set to retire until Dumars and Co. contacted him. I don’t think even Ben knew how much he had left in the tank.
by Terrence J. Lynch on Jan 19, 2010 4:23 PM EST reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Detroit Bad Boys
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recommended FanShots
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
