The Pistons are in Charlotte tonight to take on the Bobcats. They’ll be short-handed (Billups, McDyess and Samb are gone, Allen Iverson won’t be joining the team until, well, I don’t know, but not tonight), and considering the Bobcats have strangely been competitive against Detroit in the past, this one might be closer than you’d like. Also, the Pistons will be seeing old friend/turncoat Larry Brown, which is always fun, I suppose.
It’s an early one — the ball tips at 7 PM on Fox Sports Detroit — but as always, leave your thoughts on this crazy day in the comments.
Stuckey is getting the start, predictably.
Once again, the game is blacked out on Buckeye Cablesystem. This is starting to get very annoying.
Anyone have a link to streaming video by chance?
heyy guys… stuck at work.. can someone send the online link so i can watch!! THANX
I love playing bad teams. Makes everything happy. Hopefully A-squared can get 20 minutes tonight.
Let’s hope Herrmann takes overr and makes us forrget about the crrazy day we just had…
adande with a ridiculous write-up on the trade. this guy has just gotten out of control: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=adande_ja&page=IversonTrade-Pistons-081103
really, this was a failure? 6 consecutive ECFs is a failure? 1 title and 1 almost title is a failure? i’ve said this many times: there is only one team in the last decade you’d obviously rather have been than us: san antonio. this was a winning concept that got a bit long in the tooth, and a GM that preemptively afforded himself the opportunity to reload before his older assets completely deteriorated.
seriously, suppose we get boozer end of this season. when was the last time a team with a core on par with stuckey/hamilton/prince/boozer/amir (plus great bench) could walk up to a loaded free agent class and say “hi [insert young superstar] - we’d like to pay you a max contract and guarantee you an NBA title this year. of course, we’ll just sign someone else if you’d rather go to memphis or new jersey - and have fun with mike conley”? apologies for the massive run-on sentence.
adande, i used to love you, but lately you just produce sensationalist nonsense.
blood on j-richs elbow. Rip’s finger nails strikes again?
Wow. Kwame Brown stepping up??
Here’s a brutal live feed… but it’s better than nothing.
http://www.justin.tv/lev_10
The more I see of Kwame, the more I think he can thrive in the limited role we’re going to give him.
Why don’t guys just play for a few million less than they could probably earn and stack a team? Like, what if Iverson was like, “Well, my contract is up but you know what? I love it here. Give me a million and I’m good to go.” If I was a player I’d form a SuperTeam with other good players to have a crazy dynasty.
And Maxiell just ate a baby.
Herrmann behind the back to Sheed for three!
That pass from Herrmann to Sheed was crazy — he reached around his defender to make it happen.
Luckily for parity everywhere, Garrett, Green and Ego tend to be major motivating factors for pro athletes.
stuckey for three! AI who?
Where’s the perimeter D tonight? That’s like the 4th bobcat that they’ve just left standing there for a triple.
This offense really is terribly familiar, no?
I’m a little bit behind… but…
DAMN that JMax jam was more brutal than Dethklok.
FAAAAABIOOOOOOOO!
Well that was a nice way to end the half. TRADE EVERYBO– oh, wait…
it will be interesting to get larry brown’s take on this deal since iverson is the player he’s most closely associated with and he has better insight than most into our squad/organization.
in the meantime, beat some bobcat tail.
Larry commenting on this deal (yahoo):
“Trading Marilyn Monroe for Jane Russell. That’s not bad,” said Larry Brown, who coached the Pistons to the 2004 NBA title and Iverson in Philadelphia. “Joe knows what he’s doing, and I’m happy Chauncey’s going back to Denver and his family is there.”
“Every time I look out and don’t see Ben (Wallace) there I get a strange feeling,” Brown said. “Now not to see Chauncey and Dice, it’s going to be different.
“But Allen is really special. If they want excitement in that building they’re going to get it because every time he steps on the court he’s going to try to win the game. And I don’t think you would ever consider giving up Chauncey and Dice unless you were getting something you thought was pretty special.”
It’s All-Amir this quarter!!! WHOOOOOOO!!!, Nature Boy-style!
This is the kind of play from Amir that I hope to see more often.
Herrmann is imprressive as perr usual.
Sheed says, “700 billion dollar bailout… you better believe the bank is open!”
Will Bynum, on display here in the fourth. And Kwame really rebounding well. I know it’s against the Bobcats, but this team is a lot more fun/interesting to watch.
So, Will Bynum … kind of awesome.
will bynum making a argument for more minutes?
Newsflash: the Bobcat’s cheerleaders are kinda slutty.
MP: why… is your mom one? OH! OH!
But not like, “stripper hot,” like the Heat’s. So good for them.
Bynum breaking Felton down easily.
I’m lovin’ me some Kwame Brown when he’s playing like this.
We have a pretty good team, but I think we need to add something. Maybe a Hall of Fame-caliber guard?
Adam: I called Buckeye Cable, and they said their contract with Fox Sports only allowed them to show about 50 of the regular season games. Also, no opportunity to buy league pass this year. Let’s just say I expressed my displeasure. They said they would put my complaint on a list.
So, Walter Sharpe … kind of awesome.
Sharpe just lulled the D to sleep and then dunked on ‘em!!!
That Walter Sharpe dunk is get that same mystique, over time, that Amir’s windmill has attained.
So, did everyone currently on the roster score tonight? How often does that happen?
We’ve got to have the best two Walter’s on one team in NBA history…
That was awesome. I want to see that dunk again.
Deepest team in the league? Easily. However, we’re only 13 deep with Iverson. If we add Dyess back, we’ve still got another slot. Pretty nice position to be in… What should we do with those 14th and 15th positions? Maybe a Dumars/Laimbeer comeback?
Joe: thanks for the info. This blows.
@Matt:
So, Michael Curry … kind of awesome.
Maybe Joe can have a special fan contest for the 15th roster spot…winner gets to spend the season watching Walter and Walter dunk on people from the end of the bench…I’d give a kidney and have a spleen for that easy….
I’d just like to say: way to go Will Bynum!
It makes me feel all fuzzy inside when a Pistons benchwarmer gets an opportunity and makes the most of it.
Also, nice to see the Pistons finally blowout a not-so-good opponent.
SIGN MUTUMBO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111!!1!!@43222342!!
Last Piston to dunk for his first NBA points was Amir… that turned out alright too.
For what it’s worth, Rasheed is posting up a lot more this season so far…
Ok just watched this game on tape. Holy crack smoking christ is this team fun. We haven’t been this athletic in a long time. And we’re kind of athletic and good…not just athletic. I know it’s Charlotte, but we just ran a team out of their own building without our best player (AI or Billups, pick one), playing no one more than 30 minutes.
Loving the rebounding this year also. Amir + Kwame + Maxiell + motivated Sheed is pretty sweet on the glass.
I am LOVING michael curry. I think if we win 60 he gets coach of year…(not saying we’ll get there, just saying i think that wins him the award).
Lastly a lineup I’ve been thinking of: what does Boston do when we put Stuckey, Iverson, and Rip on the floor together? If they have their starters on the floor, how can they guard those guys? I have visions of Iverson or Stuckey (whoever Rondo doesn’t guard) just torching Ray Allen repeatedly…
End gush-fest.
Oh sorry, and the Sharpe dunk was phenomenal, as was the behind-the-back flick Herrmann dish in the first half
Oh one other thing: this could have been a bigger blowout. I thought the officiating was a bit weak (recalling two consecutive plays where kwame drove and got hammered, the prince block on g-wall, etc.). Note Charlotte attempted 35 fts to our 11. And we still won by 18.
Walter Sharpe’s dunk was phenomenal my god!
Why do sportswriters keep picking the Bobcats to make the playoffs? This team is awful.
“Lastly a lineup I’ve been thinking of: what does Boston do when we put Stuckey, Iverson, and Rip on the floor together? If they have their starters on the floor, how can they guard those guys?”
Rondo on Iverson and Pierce on Stuckey. Let Rip get is. How do we guard Pierce with that lineup? I don’t think we have to resort to weird lineups to beat the Celtics, as we remain a superior team, but I’ve beaten that gong before.
Hey Kevin, meant to say thanks for the post on the trade earlier.
Can Pierce stay with Stuckey? In any event, I was envisioning going small there: Stuckey, AI, Rip, Tay, Sheed. So Tay on Pierce. Which probably just means they play Tony Allen. So they go Rondo on AI, TA on Stuckey, Ray Ray on Rip, Pierce on Tay, KG on Sheed, and all is right with the world.
Also, agree to disagree re: our superiority to Boston. They were phenomenal last year.
Nevertheless, forcing them to take a Powe or Perkins off the floor in favor of Tony Allen seems like a good thing…
Adam:
Yes it does. I’m now curious about how I’m going to know which games they will actually show. The game tonight was listed as being on in the cable channel guide. But, of course, the game wasn’t on.
Oh well, glad to hear Detroit won anyway.
Honestly, this team by itself is a pretty solid club. As long as Iverson doesn’t drop a cherry-bomb into the chemistry, I envision only good things. I’m worried about our frontcourt depth, though. We’re only 4 deep, which is never a good thing.
However, the players seemed really, really down after a dominating win, so maybe they’ll mutiny against AI in protest or something.
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Check us out sometime….
detroit4lyfe.blogspot.com
I question your use of the word “turncoat”, Matt.
I don’t see why anyone would expect the Pistons to be happy-go-lucky about this trade. Sure AI brings in a hunger all his own, but McDyess and Chauncey were a huge part of this team in the locker room and knowing that Dyess has little to no shot at winning a ring now, and will have to finish his career in Denver has got to put a sour taste in everyone’s mouth (fans and players combined).
I’m sure they’ll be happy with winning a championship this year, but not having Dyess on the team will make it all too bittersweet.
g: it’s not a perfect fit, but LB was awfully selfish/traitorous with the whole “interviewing with Cleveland during the ECF” bit in 2005, followed by “I’m going to squeeze Mr. D for every cent possible even though I’m the one who doesn’t want to coach this team anymore” act in the summer.
Yeah, it’s going to be real exciting watching AI get beat on defense, get the ball, then proceed to take it himself to the hoop, only to miss the layup, about 6-7 times a night.
First game i got to watch this season, and am impressed. Cats look bad. Just sloppy (although, i’m sure we had something to do with that). Still not sold on Amir. Still think Kwame brings something to the table that no one else on the team can. Don’t think tay’s making the all star team this year. Bynum made me a believer last night. Knew hermann had more talent then flip let him show last year. Sheed is still the most entertaining player in the L, and love that he’s on the pistons. Stir in some AI, and we’re the team to beat, no kidding.
Craig,
Of the three games you could have watched this season, you get to see the one where Amir puts up 12 and 6 and you still think there is not much there? Then you follow it up with a Kwame has intangibles line? Talk about traitorous…
@ Sheed’s entertainment: The on the floor temper tantrum he threw in the second half was HYSTERICAL. We watched it at least 5 or 6 times. He looked like a big ole toddler who just got socks for christmas.
James, Amir looked awkward. His hustle was evident, but when he had the ball, I wasn’t too confident good things were going to follow. It’s not that I don’t like him, but I’m waiting to see the “chandler/KG” potential that is slobbered about on this site. As for Kwame, 9 boards, in limited minutes are all that I expect. And the intangibles that i was talking about are the 6-11, 270, not his lack of concentration with the ball in his hands. The sheed rant was classic.