I’ve been looking forward to this game for awhile and it seems I’m not alone: the game was bumped (twice) from it’s original 6pm start time to 1pm so that ABC could televise it for a national audience. For the oft-overlooked Hornets, it’s about time they get a share of the spotlight: they’re an elite contender, sitting just a half game out of the No. 1 seed in the ultra-competitive West and coming into today’s game with a full head of steam having dumped the Spurs and Lakers in their last two.
Plus, Chris Paul may be the best point guard in the game — certainly an MVP candidate and maybe even the best all-around little man the league has seen since Isiah Thomas was still building his legacy and not destroying it. Unfortunately, we may not get to see Paul at his best; he tweaked his ankle late in Friday’s game, and although he almost certainly will play, he may be somewhat limited. Then again, maybe not; as Chauncey Billups said, “he’s tough as nails.”
Hornets fans aren’t quite as excited about facing Detroit’s point guard — here’s Ryan Schwan of Hornets247 delivering the backhanded compliment of the week when discussing the first time these teams met this season:
I remember the game, and Billups was doing his best Bowen impression, poking, slapping and tugging at Paul every chance he got. He’s a savvy bastard on a team of savvy bastards.
I’ll be at the game filing pre-game, halftime and post-game reports for HOOPSWORLD. Enjoy the early tip-off, and do your thing in the comments.
Update: Oh good lord this is pretty:
I’m looking forward to this game too. The Piston will win it because for some odd reason they always annihilate their opponents on national tv. Look at what they did to their two previous games on ABC. Dallas and Phoenix were killed.
Laglois is having a live game chat at pistons.com and is already answering questions and providing news like this item
A LITTLE BREAKING NEWS HERE … NICE TO HAVE THE CHAT TO RELAY THIS … But David West WILL NOT be in the lineup today for the Hornets. He twisted his ankle in Friday night’s win over the Lakers and it was said yesterday that he would be a game-time decision today. The decision was just made … no West for the Hornets. Their backup big men are Melvin Ely, Hilton Armstrong, Ryan Bowen and the recently resigned Chris Andersen.
Lets go Pistons
Given that the Spurs lost last night to the 76s, just like we did on Wed I would consider this game a bigger test of where we are.
The Hornets throw up a ton of threes. It seems to me that we are going to have to shoot a lot better than 2 for 18 from beyond arc, like we did against the Spurs if we are going to beat the Hornets.
wtf.
I love it when we spot the other teams 11-15 points out of the gate.
er, I mean…no I don’t.
WTF?
so I take it I’m the only Piston fan that isn’t getting to watch this because their local ABC network is running Infomercials for “Sheer Cover - the secret of hollywood’s most beautiful stars”
Sounds like I probably don’t want to watch this game as it is from the way it started, but this is seriously fucking annoying. Sorry for the vulgarity but I just can’t believe that they’d be allowed to run paid programming infomercials instead of NBA basketball.
Jame B. - look at the bright side - you’ll be very, very pretty if you learn how to use Sheer Cover!”
Seriously - I’m sorry to hear that - where in the US are you?
There only gonna talk about Chris Paul in this game lol
and judging from the start, there aint much to talk about the Pistons.
well got it sorted out. Have to watch in SD on ESPN2 SD. KOMO 4 News decided not to air the game on ABC and tell me its airing on ESPN2. Well ESPN2HD is NCAA basketball.
I don’t think I’ve been this angry in a while. At least they’ve cut it to 7…
Oh I’m in the seattle area.
wow…wake up call indeed!!!
MAX came to play.
Baby eating on national television! Filthy
Holy hell, Chandler just lost a child.
OH……….My……..God!!!!!!Maximus Baby!!! Another slow start but we’re only down five. These slow as starts during the playoffs will make things difficult. Lets go boys.
Tyson, America, meet Jason Maxiell.
James,
I know for a fact they have good sports bars in Seattle. Make haste!!
Q Dog
To paraphrase Mike Tirico, that was the best babyeating of the year.
James B., I get the same thing occasionally– on Dec. 31st when we played the Lakers my local ABC channel played Iowa Women’s College Basketball instead. I was tearing my hair out…
They will show that one at Maxiel’s Baby-Eating intervention.
Max: “I didn’t eat no babies!”
Intervention: “What happened on this tape, then?”
Max: “Okay, I need help.”
Where Babies are eaten happens.
“I didn’t eat no babies!”—-lol
is anyone listening via live stream - I cannot hear anything - HELP
Dear Detroit… that foriegn guy can definately shoot. You’re probably going to have to cover him at some point. Yes, I know you’ve never heard of him and yes I know NOBODY on the team even knows what a Peja Stojakovic IS, but seriously evidence dictates that he can put the ball in the hoop man. 4Really, pasty white guy has game… COVER HIM YOU MORONS.
Kthanx
Chauncey averages 8 assists per game with minimal turnovers. Pretty good right. CP3 has 8 in the first quarter with no turnovers. Damn, this kid is good. Why is it that when we play good teams on the road we usually can withstand their first punch and respond. But when we’re at home, we still wait for the other team to make the first punch, then we respond. Why does it take a damn stiff left hook for us to wake up and get ready to play. Not doom & gloom, just a fact. Our passes are lazy (even the commentators picked up on it) and our defensive rotations are slow. Lets go boys, get in their asses. CP3 is hobbling and still had 8 assists in quarter. Coach Scott said he’s only 50%. Why isn’t Chauncey going at him???
Gonna prove my age here but damn:
“BULLETHEAD INFULLEFFECT BABY!”
Jarvis is such a chucker. They are falling today though
Tirico is cool but Hubie drive me nuts. He’s like Walton-light.
“he’s an explosion waiting to happen.”
Thanks Hubie, we know you’d recognize!
pg4l - oh, Rasheed knows about Peja: “Along the way, Saunders has made some heady defensive adjustments. Against the Kings, for example, he had Prince shadow Peja Stojakovic on defense, then went to Prince repeatedly on offense, working on the theory that you can tire a guy out by making him play D (as Rasheed helpfully explained after the game, “Peja’s a bitch to guard, but he don’t play any defense,” something to which Prince’s 25 points on 10-for-13 shooting attested).”
i’m trying to watch out of seattle, but instead i’m getting treated to ‘wacked out sports’
go pistons
ps - julian wright’s DOPEEEEE
That’s the 3rd pass we had stolen directly from the passers. I need crisper passes guys. Once Stuckey gets that layup thing down, watch out Baby.
Hayes is on fire!!!
Nice to meet you Mr. Hayes!
I never thought it was possible to score 13 points and not dribble…once.
Hayes’s power grows as his beard grows.
by the way i got the game figured out…airing on ESPN2-SD. Had to call KOMO-4 News Desk just to get it figured out. Called Comcast previously and they had no idea.
The woman at KOMO-4 was really rude. They’ll definitely be getting a rude email from me.
Nice pass from Roscoe,
Stuckey needs to finish shots.
Maxiell eats baby.
Ball don’t lie
THEOOO! Ya see, the way ya stay on the floor in this league, ya see, is to make a solid pass to the post, ya see.
THEO!
RJ,
I’m in Seattle It’s on ESPN-2 SD channel. The ESPN2-HD has college hoops.
He called glass
Theo is flexing some serious muscle today. Hopefully his back can hold up to the beatings he’s inflicting…
Loving Theo coming in and cracking skulls from the start!! Awesome.
Hey, what channel is the game on in Seattle?
we gotta come up with a nickname for Theo… I like Rattler but, Maxiell is the baby eater… can Ratliff belike… the Butcher? I dunno
Channel 32 on Comcast I believe. But it is ESPN2-SD channel, NOT ESPN2-HD.
RIDICULOUS HAYES!!!
Hayes putting on a clinic! and somewhere Ernie Grunfeld is mumbling to himself..
Now of course you wouldn’t because you need to have continuity in a game, but do you guys & gal (PG4L) realize that we go 13 deep with good NBA talent? Hayes, WTF? Is this Vinnie Johnson? CP3 is cold man. Theo may keep Amir on the bench during the playoffs. Keep playing like this and I wont be upset about that.
Toss it in to Hayes - he’s about ready to do one of those sommersault jams with the ball on fire…
gotta love obscure NBA Jam references… I love it Rob G!
A lot to like in the first half. I think Stuckey played real well. Max, obviously. Jarvis being absolutely on fire. Theo looked pretty good when he came in. Welcome back, Zoo Crew.
thanks james
and jarvis needs to hit everything or else he’s CUT
Thirteen point deficit? When is Flip going to realize that we need more Walter Herrmann? Seriously, we need a new coach and a new backup SF. Free Fabio!
It’s pretty frustrating seeing Amir’s minutes getting cut this much. I don’t like him racking up DNPs at all and I feel like he deserves a shot with how well he’s played.
This is turning into Murderball…….and I THINK I LIKE IT BABY. Seriously this is wild. Go Pistons.
Let’s play this 2nd half strong and win this one on my birthday!
sheed drains a left-handed three after the whistle….i love it
Happy Birthday Mark….
Also, I think this “grind down to a snails pace” in the 3rd favors us in this matchup but I’m not sure it’s a wise strategy overall. We’ve got them on the run why break up the flow so much? Seriously the Hornets aren’t a big comeback team but this is EXACTLY the kinda crap that’ll kill us vs a Cleveland or Houston type team.
That having been said I’m having way too much fun watching this to complain so I’m just going to assume Flip/Joe/Our Spiritual Leader Ra know this and won’t try this same gameplan come playoff time. It’s easier on my heart.
Bad call
did tirico just say that maxiell leads the pistons in field goal percentage and ‘energy?’
I think Abdenour leads the team in energy
i just wanna see more Tim McGraw and Def Leppard: Together at Last!
I think Stuckey is going to be special when he learns to finish at the hoop in the NBA. I read somewhere that the biggest difference between college ball and the NBA was just how much the rim was contested. It’s not just about beating the first guy in the NBA — you have to put up a shot that avoids the help and I think penetrating players have trouble adjusting until they really work on it as a pro.
If we could somehow translate every ESPN reference to Chris Paul into mortgage payments, the subprime crisis would be over!
PG4L you called it - we should be up by 20 now
Meh, I’ll take 11 and like I said, the Hornets aren’t exactly known for thier big comebacks.
Also Dyees has been just FANTASTIC on the glass the last little while. I didn’t even notice that he already has ELEVEN rebounds after 3, that’s borderline sick.
I don’t fault ABC for hyping CP3. It’s his first time on national TV. He’s quite a player, too.
Jarvis!
Jarvis Hayes is Jimmy Chitwood tonight.
This just in…Chris Paul has a bad ankle.
Small forward Rasheed is also on fire for three!
It’s so awesome when the crowd yells “Sheeeeeed!” as he’s shooting the 3.
UTEP - What? Really? I hadn’t heard…
Jarvis es loco caliente!
Rob G - “Small forward Rasheed”
One good thing about the crazy new depth of the frontcourt with Theo is the Pistons can play some big lineups against a teams with a SF that doesn’t penetrate. SF Rasheed can guard Chuck Hayes and Luke Walton but they sure as hell can’t guard him.
I never thought I would hear Tayshaun compared to Usher…
JJJ - read about it here”.
that was a nice drive by Stuckey
Dude, that’s the daggar! This game is OVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good, he needs to rest that ANKLE.
This game is more satisfying than a trip to Little Chef at 3 o clock Sunday morning.
Much as a I missed Amir, hard to fault Flip for sticking with Maxiell today.
Maxiell did play great. Its strange to think that we’re frustrated that Flip isn’t preparing 10 for the playoffs when realistically in the past he’s gone with 7.5-8 players in the playoffs. What a luxury it is to have 1-12 all capable of offering up minutes in the playoffs.
Aight, that was WAY too much fun…… BOOOOYAH! Seriously THAT’s Championship Ball yo.
Dear Pistons, you are forgiven for that debacle vs Philly.
Jarvis making me look like a dumbass, at least for one day. I can’t complain.
I think we’re going to see a 9 deep team in the playoffs, with players like Amir, Hunter, and Herrmann sprinkled in for a change of pace.
And great, ABC decides to stop showing crappy blender informercials just as the Lakers/Rockets game is starting. What the hell? I MISSED MY BABY EATING.
Anyone else think that Bonzi Wells kinda looks like Donatello with that purple headband?
I’m kinda curious about this Houston-Lakers tilt. I’m pulling for the Rockets…
Glenn - I can see it - good with the Bo staff, smart at science, socially awkward - that sounds like Bonzi.
here’s the cool block from Maxiell to Chandler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSideYK7PjI
Paul,
I posted three times that the game was on ESPN2-SD in the Seattle area…
Rob G, you are correct about 9 deep, but trust me Bro, probably not Amir and definately not Herrmann getting any time unless it’s a blowout. You’re looking at Stuckey, Hunter, Hayes, Ratliff and Maximus. It will be interesting to see how much burn Stuckey gets since Flip has Hunter and Dixon as veteran options. Great game today. Good quality, overall team effort. Just about everyone had a good/nice game. No career type nights but this was the true definition of a team win. We actually made it look easy out there. I told you guys yesterday, we are guaranteed to win the ‘Ship this year with our last 2 wins as evidence
Stuckey will be unstoppable once he starts making those layups man. Lets go Pistons!!!!!!!!!
Correction, of course Jarvis had a career type night.
Didn’t see that. My listings had ESPN2 having some college game on, though.
here’s a better quality to download on your computer of the block.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=7QERQU3W
I got the whole game captured in HD. I’ll share it on torrent once it is done re-encoded into smaller avi file.
E-double - you’re right - read what I said - I meant that Amir et al won’t play UNLESS for the sake of a 1-2 minute change of pace - sorry if I was unclear.
Fellow Hoop Heads, I’d strongly advise turning on ESPN for the KU-Texas game. Plus, Fran Faschilla and Ron Franklin are terrific on the mike.
It’s up and down and tons of offense. DJ Augustin is making the leap so far this year. I love Brandon Rush, he’s going to be terrific in the NBA. I was really hoping he’d fall to us in the draft (knee concerns and all), but he’s making himself some serious money lately. He’d be ideal to pair with Stuckey on our second unit. Also, how scary is Kansas? For my money, they have the most talent in the country. Rush, Sherron Collins, Mario Chalmers, Darrell Arthur, and Darnell Jackson are all NBA players and Sasha Kaun might find his way into the league. How good would they be if Julian Wright had stayed? Too bad Bill Self is a horrible in-game coach.
yeah…i had to call the KOMO 4 News desk just to get an answer and she just said it was on ESPN2, but it was only on the SD feed for ESPN2, they had the Northwestern St. on the HD feed.
Ok, we blew out a contender, none of the starters played more than 36 minutes, the bench chipped in with like 50 points. Can we all cut these guys some slack for a day or two?
don’t open that can of worms, Taco…
Looks good, HB. How big would that file end up being? I’ll probably try to pick it up. Will you post a link later, or what?
And good GOD. I try to watch the Hornets as much as I can, since Chris Paul is among my favorite players. Lobs from Paul to Chandler will occasionally get broken up, but almost never when Chandler has the jump on a guy. Maxiell hadn’t left the ground while Chandler was nearing the top of his jump, then WHAM. Classic.
“Paul M” Should be no more than 900mb total for the whole game. It should be better this time than my previous torrent of the Pistons/Suns game where the sound was out of synch.
I’ll post it when it is ready.
KU-Texas has been a freaking awesome game so far. I like KU but I also like Georgetown. Should be a great tourney.
One thing I have noticed is that Hayes often starts to get on a roll, and the gets yanked, or they stop looking for him once he has missed one. I don’t know that I am entirely sold on the special value of a streak shooter, or that Hayes actually is one, but if they are going to use him as such, they need to let him play his rush.
Great coaching job by Flip.
We were able to constantly get Hayes open due to the Hornets overplaying.
Our double teaming of Paul definitely slowed him down more than the injured? ankle.
Here’s the torrent of the game in widescreen HD about 803 mb, please leave the torrent opens once you’re done downloading…thank you
http://www.mininova.org/tor/1247652
torrent automatically loads spyware.
Emule is far better
Is it safe to say that now when Pistons fans refer to “the block” that they will be talking about Maxey instead of Tay?
Anyone know how I can watch these games?
i appreciate the donwload and all, but is Myp2p avail?
I don’t think a first quarter regular season block will ever replace Tay’s block as “the block”. In fact I don’t think any block will ever replace Tay’s block as “the block”.
Yeah, Prince’s block was a crucial play in the playoffs. This, while awesome, just made Tyson Chandler cry.
Yeah…maybe if Maxiell does that in Game 7 of the finals against Pau Gasol…
that block was insane… not as important as Prince’s block BUT better considering that their alley oop plays pretty much stopped after that statement was made.
Just read the Hornet 24/7 link’s blogpost on the game for fun. In general, it’s not a bad blog, but they rated their bench as better than the Pistons. I’m sorry, but that’s borderline insane. The Hornets’ only credible NBA players on the bench are Bonzi, Julian Wright and maybe Jannero Pargo. Those three are anything but consistent and the rest are either really bad or hustle players at best. I don’t know how they can compare to a bench that has solid to great contributors at each spot.
I guess the point is driven further home when you consider that Hayes outscored their bench by seven.
Being 100% fair though Jarvis outscored the USC Trojans Football team by 7 tonight, I kidd but WOW that’s gotta be at least CLOSE to his career high.
James B.: “Yeah…maybe if Maxiell does that in Game 7 of the finals against Pau Gasol…”
Have some faith! We’ll close it out in five
Haha! I hear ya Mike Payne, I’m just sayin thats the only way maxiell would ever take over the role as the Piston with “THE BLOCK.” Anything less and it would still have to be all Tayshaun.
Plus JMax would have to end up three rows into the fans. And he would have to block a guy who goes on to a broadcasting career where once every five games his colleagues bring up the block on national television, and then the guy would have to say, “It was goaltending! It was goaltending!”
Tayshaun’s block was the best I’ve ever seen and maybe the most amazing play I’ve ever seen in sports period. The fact that every Piston fan was like “Oh NOOOO!” when Reggie Miller was about to make that crucial layup and then out of nowhere, it’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s 11′6″ up on the glass, it’s TAYSHAUNOMFGPRINCE! As high as Tayshaun leaped that’s how high you felt inside. It was a beautiful thing.
By the way, I don’t know Georgia’s tournament chances (I know the SEC sucks), but if Jarvis is really getting motivated by their play, we better hope that they do well.
ha yeah…i think they play xavier first round but I’m not sure about that…I know they’re not a 16 seed, I think they’re 11.
just secured my Wizards’ “dream seat” tickets to sit at the end of the Pistons bench for next Sunday’s game here in Washington…
Of all the autographs I’m going to try and get, I will definitely push to get my “Jason Maxiell eats babies” shirt signed by the babyeater himself…
keep your TVs turned up, for every missed free throw your boy here will be yelling “ball don’t lie!”
A few things:
I was at Conseco for “the block” and I was fortunate enough to be sitting in the 2nd deck behind the basket the Pacers were defending in the 4th quarter.
From that angle, as Reggie got about half way in between halfcourt and the three point line, you could really see Tayshaun (off camera obviously) closing the gap. My friend and I realized around that point that if Reggie didn’t dunk it, he might be in trouble. Then, BOOYA. Needless to say, I did celebrate the Pacers’ msifortune by pointing and laughing at the little girl sitting nearby, but it had to be done. It HAD to be done.
This also spawned a particularly fun catchphrase of “Cheryl would’ve dunked it.” It also spawned a subsequent sign I brought to Conseco which read “It’s Miller Time!” and then underneath was a large photo of the block.
Georgia is #14 against #3 Xavier in the West Region. Don’t get me started on the NCAA’s screwjob sticking the #24 ranked and #22 RPI Indiana Hoosiers with an indefensible 8 seed (against a solid #9 Arkansas) in UNC’s bracket. Thanks for ANOTHER death sentence, Myles Brand.
Also, I figured no one would, but how am I the only one who wanted to comment on Jarvis’s DEFENSE in the second quarter as well? Apparently the Hornets thought Bonzi on offense was a mismatch for Jarvis on defense. Well, Jarvis shut down Bonzi on 3 consecutive touches, including a steal. The scouting reports on Hayes playing “average” defense are far from the truth. That guy is a GOOD defender. He’s not superior, but he is definitely good. And yeah, his shooting was nasty yesterday.
We match up well against the Lakers. We always shut Kobe down even when they win. I’d give it to us in 6 games if it ended up being the NBA Finals.
Nice to see people backing off Flip and the ledge too. I have been saying this for most of the season now, but all’s well in Pistons land come win or loss, until the ECF presumably.
Well put on all points, LB. Boney, I’ll be in the Verizon Center as well - but up in them nosebleeds. The last game I had great tickets - I could see the blood dripping from JMax’s fangs - but this go round it’ll be big screen time…
Rob, I’ve got 2 extra tix if you want them… email me if you want them mindofboney@gmail.com
oh, nevermind you already have them! if anyone else wants them, let me know..
^^ hey what kind of tickets are they. If they are Pistons tickets then i would LOVE to have them
LET’S GO PISTONS AND LET’S GET THAT SHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2007-2008 IT’S OUR TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ALL BOUT DETROIT BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tickets for the Detroit game this coming Sunday, in Washington DC.
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080317/SPORTS0102/803170384/1127
Pretty funny story from the detroit news in the sidebar.
Boston isn’t looking too good against San Antonio tonight… They only put up 11 points in the first quarter.
“Needless to say, I did celebrate the Pacers’ msifortune by pointing and laughing at the little girl sitting nearby, but it had to be done. It HAD to be done.”
The NBA, where harsh lessons on why its a BAD idea to have a schoolgirl crush on Reggie “Punk Ass” Miller happen.
Seriously LB if that 4really happened you’re my new hero. Serves the little twerp right for being a Pacers fan.
They’re going to Cassell a whole lot, and it’s working. Vaughn wasn’t doing very well against him, to be fair… but Cassell is an insanely craft player. Billups seems like just the player to be able to handle him, though…
http://www.basketball-reference.com/fc/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&p1=cassesa01&p2=billuch01
God. The announcers for the Spurs are atrocious. 1:43 mark, 2nd quarter. Bowen gets a handful of KG’s jersey. They call a foul on Bowen. The announcers are livid. “KG’s grabbing Bowen’s jersey!” They show the replay - it’s exactly the opposite. But the announcer just sticks with it. “The refs just gave the Celtics two points.” Just terrible.
Paul is an amazingly fast healer.
His ankle went from 50% yesterday against us to 37 points and 13 assists in 42 minutes tonight against the Bulls.
Maybe it was the Pistons defense that caused both of his ankles to be at only 50% yesterday.