While previewing the series with Skeets and Tas, I predicted that Game 3 would be the one the Pistons lost, since they haven’t swept an opponent in the playoffs since I was in fourth grade, and have dropped six straight Game 3’s after going up 2-0. But man, I hope I’m wrong — there’s no reason the Pistons shouldn’t win this game tonight, despite Brian Hill’s best efforts to soften up the refs:
Howard was dominant against the Pistons during the regular season, averaging 20.8 points and 13.5 rebounds. He has scored just 21 points in the first two games because the Pistons have constantly swarmed him with double teams and sent guards to swipe at his dribbles. Magic coach Brian Hill feels that Howard hasn’t gotten the calls from the referees when he repeatedly has been roughed up.
“I just think there’s a lot of contact in there that goes uncalled, that’s all,” Hill said. “There’s a lot of guys going for strips and blocks and things like that and just a lot of contact that could be called in those situations.”
Hill is one to talk, especially with how the Magic have played Rip Hamilton this series:
“It’s a challenge,” [Grant] Hill said of guarding Hamilton. “I enjoy going against Rip because he’s a great player. He forces you to play paranoid; you almost have to be paranoid at all times because any second, he could take off in a full sprint. He’s constantly moving. It is a challenge, to stay in front of him, try and be physical, bump him. That’s what you try to do.”
According to Rip, though, it’s no big deal:
“It’s a waste of energy. It ain’t going to work,” Hamilton said. “People try to do that my whole career. They look at me and say they’ve got to play me physical. We got to try to knock him down and stuff like that. But I like the contact. I will just keep playing through it.”
In any case, the Magic have apparently realized that having someone with some semblance of shooting range on the floor is a good idea. Too bad it’s J.J. Redick; Rip should have a field day with that matchup.
The ball tips in just a few minutes — as usual, leave your thoughts in the comments.
Did Sheed just get ejected from game?
No thank god.. i thought that to. He waqs yelling at flip for pulling him.
I can’t beleive javie said “you want some more”. I’m watching on tv20.
yeah im watching on my good ol black and white screen with not a totally clear reception.. its a good 4 inch wide screen, haha. I am loving the commentary on tv20. Blaha “because we all came to watch the refs blow their whistles!”
Blaha is tearing the refs a new one.
After sheeds T he said “NBA refs need to keep their mouths shut”
After Dice’s he said “of course NBA officials are convinced that everyone comes to watch them blow the whistle. We did not come to watch you guys we came to watch the players.”
love it! You tell them George!
First half:
both teams played hard
both teams played hard
both teams played hard
I think my neighbors were wondering what I was yelling about when Chauncey hit that shot going into halftime. Damn fools, it is Piston playoff time, yo!! You’d better realize with a quickness!
Great, I’m watching the TNT telecast the night that Blaha apparently goes crazy on the air. Anyone by chance know how to throw that tantrum up on YouTube?
And holy crap what an awesome play heading into halftime — that was nuts.
Is that 3 or 4 tech’s on the pistons already?
i think 4. Rip, Sheed, Antonio, Davis? yes?
I don’t know, I kinda like TNT’s coverage. I mean nothing against Blaha and Special K, but Marv and Steve are pretty good. (although they aren’t going nutz)
And yes, 4 techs. (so far) With the first one, I think Marv wondered aloud if there were stats seeing which refs gave the most techs. (hello, Steve Javie) Steve Kerr replied that teams chart that, so the info is out there.
how could tnt’s coverage ever be better than blaha and special k?
I guess I am unabashedly biased beyond any reasoning you could give me.
4th quarter and no collapse..hopefully we will not see one. I also hope that if a win comes tonight, detroit does not think they can cake-walk game four against a demoralized magic team. a sweep would be so great-esp with regular season 4-0 against the magic… a full 8-0 against the magic, hah.
curse ends here….
Just saw Flip’s post-game press conference. Funny moment when a reporter asked Flip what he thought of all the techs. Flip replied something like, “what, you don’t have direct TV, you’ve never seen one of our games?” Ha ha ha!
Matt… ask and receive. The Blaha rant is now on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r_HoiZvrnw
Is the Magic institution stupid or what?
First the “code blue” thing and how it really means a patient is in distress and now this:
“The Magic asked their fans to wear blue T-shirts as part of their “Code Blue” postseason marketing campaign, but the team wore white, making the arena look more like a Pistons crowd.”
What is it with them?!
Who will step up in game 4? Dice is having a not-so splendid series. Maybe he’ll take over this time. And Dale Davis? A few added pts. won’t be that bad…
I thought it was funny in the first 8 minutes of the game Orlando tried to get physical. It drove Sheed to get a tech and numerous fouls to be called…
I thought the turning point in the game was whenever old man Davis was on the floor hammering them young boys down, almost kinda like teaching them a lesson. After the shove of Keyon Dooling, that changed the tone of the game for Detroit. Clearly, momentum shifted into Detroit’s favor after that.
It also had to be a backbreaker of sorts whenever Jameer Nelson would score, because then most of the time on the next possession Billups would come down and bury a J in his grill.
I was frustrated at the beginning, but I knew this game was never in doubt.