Stuckey-less Pistons are in Sacramento

As of this afternoon, Rodney Stuckey still hadn’t joined the Pistons in Sacramento. There’s no word on the results of whatever tests Stuckey underwent following Sunday’s unexplained bout of dizziness, but Michael Curry is holding out hope that the second-year guard will join the team at some point during the Pistons’ four-game swing out west.

But hey, even without Stuckey, the Kings shouldn’t pose too much of a threat, especially when you consider they’ll be without leading-scorer Kevin Martin for the next week or so … right? Actually, I’m not too sure. The Pistons lost both of their games against the Kings last year, and over the last 12 years they’ve won at Arco Arena exactly once.

Past performance is not an indicator of future results, sure, but the Kings are tougher than their 3-5 record suggests. Even without Martin, they have an intriguing front court of Brad Miller, Spencer Hawes and rookie Jason Thompson, not to mention a couple of underrated wings in John Salmons, whom I’ve been watching ever since I profiled him last January, and Beno Udrih, who’s grown exponentially since being routinely abused by the Pistons in the 2005 NBA Finals.

Plus, win or lose, we’ll get to read about the game from Sactown Royalty’s Tom Ziller, one of the best basketball writers in the blogosphere existence. The ball tips at 10 PM on FSN — join the rest of your fellow Piston-loving night owls by leaving your thoughts in the comments.

P.S. Rasheed Wallace is a toaster. Order the Free Darko book.

307 Responses to “Stuckey-less Pistons are in Sacramento”


  1. 1 Restructer_It

    We lost twice last year because of Ron Artest; he’s not there anymore.

  2. 2 andyfrombrooklyn

    link?

  3. 3 Quick Darshan

    I’m watching the Lakers/Mavs game. Gerald Greene looks like he finally got his head out of his ass. Great rebounder at his position.

  4. 4 dtownsmosth8ed

    I’m excited to see tay run the point more. I also wanna see AI take over the game more and look for his shot. if not its gonna be a long game again.

  5. 5 Matt Watson

    Ironically enough, Detroit didn’t have Dyess for the game in Sacramento last year, either.

  6. 6 Matt Watson

    Salmons is for real. If it weren’t for Artest standing in his way last year, everyone would already know this.

  7. 7 Quick Darshan

    Charley Rosen called Salmons the only complete player on the Kings.

  8. 8 Primosh

    no link available?

  9. 9 Matt C.

    I already don’t like this… 2-10 our loss to start.

  10. 10 Matt Watson

    Cough, live stream, cough

  11. 11 Primosh

    Thank you.

  12. 12 Matt C.

    2-14… wtf

  13. 13 Jim

    Man, this is ugly. The last 8 quarters have been a way too prolonged shooting slump.

  14. 14 Sean W.

    a.i. needs to start being a.i.

  15. 15 Keegan

    THANKS, MAX, GREAT JOB!!!!!

  16. 16 Matt C.

    8-21. Ouch.

  17. 17 Chris

    rip needs to start being rip

  18. 18 dtownsmosth8ed

    rip is getting tourched on d

  19. 19 PistonsGirl4Life

    This shit is unwatchable… no penetration, no inside presence, no rebounds, everyone standing around confused while rip takes terrible fadeaway jumper after terrible fadeaway jumper…

    I keep promising myself I won’t say this but:

    NICE TRADE JOE…

    jesus…

    ANd don’t bother telling me to relax, I am relaxed, I’ve aceepted my team PURPOSELY became a 6th seed 2nd round casualty….

    *cries*

  20. 20 Dash Rick

    anyone got a link?

  21. 21 Sean W.

    hey . thanks for making a basket rip… first one since n.j?

  22. 22 Dash Rick

    FOUND IT…

  23. 23 Keegan

    Max! You’re giving me all you got, buddy! Great job out there!

  24. 24 TDP

    I think I can say with complete honesty and sincerity that I hate this lineup right now.

    Too bad we weren’t in the West, we could be a lottery team.

  25. 25 Gogol

    I want Blaylock, Afflalo,Herrmann, Amir, and Kwame, please, MC.

  26. 26 Quick Darshan

    I’m following the stats on cbssportsline. Seems like a lot of putbacks for the Kings. This means the team is giving up too much penetration. Sloppy offense I can deal with because it’s a new situation. The bad defense in unforgivable.

  27. 27 Matt C.

    I was trying to give it some time before jumping to conclusions, but this is looking like a bust of a trade. We look lost out there, we need a point guard. I thought the trade sounded good at first, but has been all bad since A.I. started.

    With Stucky out, I think we actually need a good dose of Bynum already.

  28. 28 TDP

    I cannot WAIT until A.I. drops 60 and shuts us all up.

  29. 29 Matt Watson

    Gogol: and by Will Blalock you mean Will Bynum, right?

  30. 30 Dash Rick

    So we win two games without Billups, then lose 2 (3?) in a row with AI?

  31. 31 Garrett

    That’s more like it, Kwame. Catch the ball. Dunk the ball. Remember: you’re bigger than everyone else.

  32. 32 Gogol

    This game is so depressing, I’ve got my pistons second round Wills mixed up.

  33. 33 kevin s.

    Tayshaun has had enough.

  34. 34 TDP

    Isn’t Bonzi Wells still a free agent?

  35. 35 Dash Rick

    chest bump

  36. 36 Garrett

    We are now officially the Etroit Pistons.

  37. 37 Dash Rick

    Bonzi who?

  38. 38 TDP

    Just kick the ball into the stands.

  39. 39 Greg

    Defense? :(

  40. 40 Primosh

    This Hawes kid looks impressive.

  41. 41 kevin s.

    Kwame is being owned on the boards by Beno Udrih…

  42. 42 Dash Rick

    Garrett

    Garrett +1

    (sadly)

  43. 43 Quick Darshan

    Okay, let’s hope the second unit can do something.

  44. 44 TDP

    My question is… Will McDyess actually WANT to re-sign? Ha ha.

  45. 45 Quick Darshan

    I’d like to see Curry’s defensive grades for this quarter.

  46. 46 Matt C.

    We have no defense. Every team since A.I. seems to have great defense. We cant get to the paint, and every other team can with ease.

  47. 47 Garrett

    Remember “Hang Time”? Good times… good times…

  48. 48 Dash Rick

    and 1

  49. 49 TDP

    Teddy is on Law & Order now…

  50. 50 Restructer_It

    maybe AI should come off the bench…

  51. 51 Garrett

    AI to Kwame = Stockton to Malone?

    (I kid)

  52. 52 Gogol

    I really hope Iverson’s starting to realize that we need him to be Allen Iverson and not Chauncey Billups lite.

  53. 53 UTEP2STEP

    A.I is carrying us so far.

    RIP has been TERRIBLE since the Denver deal. SUCK IT UP, RIP!

    Also, Hawes is way more athletic than I thought.

  54. 54 Garrett

    I need a Bynum jersey. Nice drive and finish.

  55. 55 Jim

    Bynum is the man.

  56. 56 Matt Watson

    “I really hope Iverson’s starting to realize that we need him to be Allen Iverson and not Chauncey Billups lite.”

    And I hope the rest of the team realizes we need them to be themselves and not every other faceless supporting cast AI had pre-Denver ….

  57. 57 TDP

    Malone. Yuck. Almost as sickening a Title-Chaser as Gary Parasite.

  58. 58 Matt C.

    Thank you, already looks better with Bynum.

  59. 59 Dash Rick

    second the bynum jersey

  60. 60 Garrett

    Our offense is looking disjointed, but it’s working and we’re scoring. If we could just stop them every now and then we’d be in good shape.

  61. 61 TDP

    Kwit it, Kwame!

  62. 62 Laughton

    Watching from 2nd today, AI is looking good no?

  63. 63 Dash Rick

    I think Bynum may be a better at the rim finisher than Stuckey…

  64. 64 Jim

    So we have a team option on Bynum’s contract for next year right?

  65. 65 Sean W.

    Iverson can’t be blamed for the poor play since the trade. It’s ridiculous how bad Rip has been playing, and Rasheed seems to have been invisible as well. It’s great that the role players have stepped up but that’s just not gonna cut it.

  66. 66 Dash Rick

    Bynum looks like Hunter on D

  67. 67 Keegan

    Wow! Rasheed making things happen in the lane! Novel idea!

  68. 68 Primosh

    We are getting spenced tonight.

  69. 69 Gogol

    I can’t believe people compared Hawes to Miller. Hawes is really remarkably athletic for his body type.

  70. 70 Garrett

    This should be a game where Sheed scores 30. Seriously. Who can guard him on the Kings?

  71. 71 TDP

    This Hawes guy is really gettin’ on my nerves, man.

  72. 72 UTEP2STEP

    @ Sean W.:
    I couldn’t agree more.

  73. 73 Matt Watson

    Random picture of the day: Brad Miller’s daughter being entertained by the Dallas Mavericks mascot as Patrick Ewing checks his BlackBerry in the foreground, taken by yours truly at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. That pic alone was worth braving Las Vegas in July.

  74. 74 UTEP2STEP

    Great, here comes RIP.

  75. 75 TDP

    NOW he’s looking like a 20-year-old KID. Ha ha! (I just realized I may be the only one watching the Kings broadcast.)

  76. 76 kevin s.

    These announcers are inane. It’s a bad idea to try to steal the ball from a guy who already has it? From whom should he steal it?

  77. 77 Matt C.

    I agree, Bynum has been looking better than Stuckey and I want to keep him. He reminds me of Hunter too.

  78. 78 TDP

    It’s more of a philosophical statement, kevin.

  79. 79 Restructer_It

    I’ve never seen anyone hesitate before they move more than kwame brown does.

  80. 80 Gogol

    You know what we’re really bad at? Getting and 1s on fast breaks. We almost never finish those fast break layups on fouls.

  81. 81 Laughton

    Bynum worries me a little with his decision making. Other than that, he is a damn good 3rd string guard.

  82. 82 UTEP2STEP

    Unacceptable

  83. 83 Garrett

    Someone was just yelling at the ref: “You’re a loser, John. A loser. That’s a bad call, Johnny.”

  84. 84 Dash Rick

    ouch

  85. 85 Matt Watson

    That pass was NOT Bynum’s fault. It was actually so good Afflalo didn’t expect it.

  86. 86 UTEP2STEP

    Showbe!

  87. 87 Dash Rick

    AA!!!!!!!!!

  88. 88 Matt C.

    much better with a PG (Bynum)

  89. 89 Garrett

    I REALLY like Afflalo. He just seems like a glue-guy who does good things and makes smart basketball plays.

  90. 90 TDP

    I like the “Spellcheck” nickname best.

  91. 91 UTEP2STEP

    It would be nice to see AA step up tonight.

  92. 92 TDP

    Is anyone else sick of that Garnett commercial? I’m forced to actually momentarily change the channel when it comes on.

  93. 93 Dash Rick

    I liked AI and Bynum together… actually worked pretty well.

    But here is my real question: Why isn’t Sheed CAMPED on the block!????!?!?!

    He could drop 30+ tonight.

    But alas he is Sheed: one of the most talented and frustrating players in the game! Arghhhh!

  94. 94 Gogol

    Bad call, but I’ll take it.

  95. 95 Matt Watson

    Speaking of nicknames … I asked Afflalo about that. He thinks Snowflake is “stupid” but said anything is better than Showbe. Afflac doesn’t really bother him, but I didn’t have the nerve to ask about Spellcheck.

  96. 96 Greg

    Wow nice pass. Glad Prince was paying attention.

  97. 97 Dash Rick

    Bynum is good. Plain and simple.

  98. 98 Gogol

    Whoever’s doing the score graphic on FSD is doing a lousy job tonight.

  99. 99 UTEP2STEP

    Why “Spellcheck?” Never heard that before.

  100. 100 Dash Rick

    Did you see Bynum go for that rebound!?! Does he know he isn’t 6′ 10″?

  101. 101 TDP

    Bynum was on that show back in the day about Chicago high school basketball, wasn’t he? The one that featured Eddy Curry, for the most part.

  102. 102 Garrett

    Where’s Amir?

  103. 103 Garrett

    Will Bynum > Allen Iverson?

  104. 104 TDP

    “Spellcheck” originated on this site, did it not? Don’t get it, though? A-R-R-O-N A-F-F-L-A-L-O.

  105. 105 Gogol

    AI was totally fronting Mikki Moore there. Definitely.

  106. 106 TDP

    Margins got me on that one.

  107. 107 Laughton

    Defense is really sloppy. Too many breakdowns.

  108. 108 UTEP2STEP

    Bynum is like the guard version of Maxiell. Explosive, but I think he might be most useful in spurts. A baby, baby-eater if you will.

  109. 109 TW

    Stop. Herrmann time.

  110. 110 Dash Rick

    i really like the bynum/ maxiel comparison! indeed!

  111. 111 Restructer_It

    i agree TW

  112. 112 Matt Watson

    The nickname “Spellcheck” made its debut in the DBB comments by kevin s. moments after the Pistons drafted Arron Afflalo.

  113. 113 kevin s.

    “Afflac doesn’t really bother him, but I didn’t have the nerve to ask about Spellcheck.”

    You called him a duck and a snowflake, and this was the one that had you nervous?

  114. 114 UTEP2STEP

    Thanks for bringing me up to date on that one. I like it.

  115. 115 Greg

    I really hope Curry doesn’t already start forgetting that Fabio is good. We really don’t need him riding the bench again.

  116. 116 Restructer_It

    The top three stupidest nicknames i know are owned by afflalo.

  117. 117 Gogol

    Come on, George. “Don’t look now, but the Pistons are within one!”

  118. 118 Garrett

    Oh wait, there’s Amir! Getting a foul in the backcourt! WTF?

  119. 119 UTEP2STEP

    Tay really seems to thrive in this free-flowing offense. I’ve never seen him be so consistently aggressive over a few games before.

  120. 120 TDP

    Amir of the Desert!

  121. 121 TDP

    Beno only had six?

  122. 122 Gogol

    I like this John Goble guy. He’s like the anti-Crawford.

  123. 123 Matt Watson

    Not “owned by,” but “bestowed upon” Afflalo. If he had his druthers, I get the vibe he’d like no part of them.

    Speaking of nicknames … what’s up with Mason introducing AI as “Allen ‘The I’ Verson.” He’s “The Answer” or “AI”. Calling him “The I” makes no sense.

  124. 124 TDP

    Who else regrets letting Mikki Moore go? Ha ha.

  125. 125 Restructer_It

    We need him to help put the ‘I’ in team…

  126. 126 Matt Watson

    (Here’s the Pistons intro from AI’s home debut if my Mason comment doesn’t make sense)

  127. 127 Quick Darshan

    Have a feeling the Pistons are going to have a third quarter like the first.

  128. 128 Sean W.

    Yah … I wasn’t too keen on that I-Verson introduction either. Well considering the way that half started I’m happy with the score right now.

  129. 129 Garrett

    Iverson on the Pistons reminds me of when Gasol went to the Lakers. Someone on here posted a hilarious hypothetical conversation between Kobe and Gasol that basically said, “Pau, don’t try to be nice and blend in. Do what you do, score all your points and get your rebounds and we’ll be a better team.” AI needs to do that.

  130. 130 Laughton

    Nice finish to the half, AI is looking better and even Rip has improved.

  131. 131 UTEP2STEP

    Didn’t like the Iverson intro either. I don’t get it.

  132. 132 Michael

    I only caught the last 6 minutes of the 2nd half, but the Pistons didn’t look half bad. If they can keep that up the rest of the game things should go quite well.

  133. 133 Garrett

    I found it, so now I have to cut and paste just because I think it’s funny (and it seems kind of relevant). By Kevin Sawyer:

    Pau Gasol: I just want you to know, I’m not about stats. I just want to win.

    Kobe Bryant: No, no, forget all that… Just score 30 points.

    Pau Gasol: What?

    Kobe Bryant: I make it easy. Trust me.

    Pau Gasol: Typical American arrogance. Reminds me of Damon Stoudamire.

    Post-game conversation in the Laker locker room

    Pau Gasol: Wow, you were right. That WAS easy.

    Kobe Bryant: That’s right. I’m Kobe @#%$^ Bryant. Also, I knit you this sweater at halftime.

    Pau Gasol: It’s beautiful.

    Kobe Bryant: (Disappears in a puff of purple smoke).

  134. 134 JackDutch

    maybe someone should have looked at tape of that spencer hawes kid.

    i second ks, matt. i would be more offended by snowflake than spellcheck.

    just got home from work. glad i missed that first Q. if we can’t beat this kings, we are in sorry shape.

  135. 135 Sean W.

    In other news…

    LBJ scores 41 points tonight for 3rd time in 4 games to go along with his 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals.

    Ben Wallace’s line? 4 rebounds and 0 points in 20 minutes. Still missing that guy. :S

  136. 136 TDP

    I thought Damon Stoudamire puffed the purple smoke.

  137. 137 Sean W.

    P.S. Ben is actually making more money this year than Lebron….

  138. 138 Matt C.

    I rather have been down early then tie at the half, than lead earlier and be tied at the half. Gives is more reason to fight it out.

  139. 139 TDP

    That was pre-Iverson. The Pistons being up 15 and losing the lead before halftime… possibly a couple times.

  140. 140 Michael

    Actually, is this the first bad first quarter we’ve had this season? Usually things have started going downhill sometime in the second.

  141. 141 Keegan

    Holy crap, when does Ben’s contract expire?

  142. 142 UTEP2STEP

    “That’s right. I’m Kobe @#%$^ Bryant. Also, I knit you this sweater at halftime.”-Hilarious!

  143. 143 Garrett

    So Moore just shoves Amir into the backboard stand and nobody says or does anything? Hmm.

  144. 144 Dash Rick

    Amir is like a big kid… wait, he IS a big kid…

  145. 145 Garrett

    Blaha was livid. For a second or two.

  146. 146 Restructer_It

    I think tay went and got a haircut from his old compton barber.

  147. 147 UTEP2STEP

    Love Blaha calling out the ref.

  148. 148 Garrett

    Haha! Blaha just described John Gobel is, “Out of control,” saying, “I don’t know what’s up with him.”

  149. 149 Keegan

    Blaha’s pissed! Normally, he stays pretty composed.

  150. 150 Sean W.

    @Keegan: Ben still has 2 years remaining (this year and next) on his current contract at 14,500,000 this year. Lebron has the same amount left making just over 14,000,000 million this year. Ridiculous isn’t it?

  151. 151 Garrett

    Blaha is ALL OVER Gobel (or however you spell his name). Fantastic!

  152. 152 Laughton

    Refs killing this for me!

  153. 153 Dash Rick

    Blaha is ALL OVER Gobel! Hilarious! They just keep coming… even as I type this. “We’re in his world”.

  154. 154 UTEP2STEP

    I’ve never heard Blaha so blatantly agitated, It’s AWESOME!

  155. 155 Greg

    Cool, we get comprehensive correspondence on the calls now.

  156. 156 Garrett

    Whoa Dash Rick! We are part of the Pistons collective.

  157. 157 UTEP2STEP

    Blaha is stopping just short of making a Donaghy reference here.

  158. 158 Sean W.

    “Hey, somebody else blew the whistle”

    Lol… nice Blaha … nice…

  159. 159 Dash Rick

    Garret… Indeed! Blaha is just awesome tonight. Hope we actually win.

  160. 160 Garrett

    That was a man’s rebound by Brad Miller off that Iverson missed 3. He tossed Amir.

  161. 161 Restructer_It

    hopefully he doesn’t get so worked up he references gobel’s leadership to hitler…

  162. 162 TDP

    The ball, in fact, does not lie.

  163. 163 UTEP2STEP

    It really is getting chippy tonight. Also, Rip is killing me tonight.

  164. 164 Dash Rick

    Sheed’s pass was lovely.

  165. 165 JackDutch

    there is no quickness to this team. everyone’s playing so tentative. i’ve never seen so many fadeaways. people cut to the basket, get the ball, and then almost wait as if to see what’s going to happen next.

  166. 166 TDP

    Brick City, PA

  167. 167 JackDutch

    i can’t believe rip was only good because of chauncey. is that what he’s trying to prove?

  168. 168 Laughton

    Amir is damn tenacious. Tenacious D!

  169. 169 Sean W.

    Rip is doing his best A.I. impression lately. Arm sleeve, jumping in passing lanes, and low field goal percentage.

  170. 170 UTEP2STEP

    Heard that, Brick City. Needs to go see Dr. Rahmani again or something…….

  171. 171 Garrett

    Random comment from the crazy Justin.tv chatters:

    11:40gonzalma:Afflao is not too much different than obama

  172. 172 Restructer_It

    Curry must be punishing herrmann for stopping by hollywood looking for a movie deal.

  173. 173 Garrett

    What does that even mean?

  174. 174 UTEP2STEP

    Restruter_It-lol

  175. 175 Matt Watson

    I don’t buy referee conspiracy theories … but of the league’s 65 officials, Palmer, Wunderlich and Goble all favor the home team against the spread this year. Sample size makes this irrelevant, but since I bothered to look it up I figured I’d pass it along.

  176. 176 Dash Rick

    We need Bynum…

  177. 177 Restructer_It

    I have no idea why amir doesn’t play 30+ minutes a night.

  178. 178 TDP

    Quincy Douby is Acie Law’s twin brother?

  179. 179 Garrett

    Tay’s running hook is a force to be reckoned with.

  180. 180 Michael

    You don’t have to be a conspiracy theorist to notice that officiating in the NBA is consistently bad.

  181. 181 Dash Rick

    BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  182. 182 Sean W.

    Seems these guys are finally starting to learn how to catch A.I.’s passes..

  183. 183 TDP

    A hightlight!

  184. 184 Garrett

    Beno just Bynum’d Sheed!

  185. 185 Primosh

    Someone needs to guard my fellow citizen Udrih….and we’ll be ok.

  186. 186 UTEP2STEP

    Here’s a random comment for everybody:
    Watching Ryan Field do a side story involving Micheal Phelps makes me want to vomit.

  187. 187 Michael

    Great defense, but they’ve got to finish it off with a rebound.

  188. 188 Restructer_It

    While phelphs is competing in the olympics — Go USA

    Any other time — scUM

  189. 189 JackDutch

    way to box out, tay.

  190. 190 Restructer_It

    He has the fire in his eyes just reminded me of beerfest: ‘he has the eye of the jew’

  191. 191 JackDutch

    why is iverson on salmons?

  192. 192 Garrett

    Who is this Jason Thompson and why is he walking to the rim for lay-ups?

  193. 193 Restructer_It

    Jason Thompson trying to show he wasn’t the worst pick in the draft…

  194. 194 Quick Darshan

    Is Jason Thompson good or are the Pistons just making him look that way?

  195. 195 Sean W.

    Anyone else hear the idiot in the background through Blaha’s mic?

  196. 196 Primosh

    Bring in the Herminator!!

  197. 197 Quick Darshan

    Okay Stones, time to steal one.

  198. 198 Garrett

    I think for my fantasy team I’m just going to see who the Pistons are playing that week and add a random scrub to my lineup. They’re sure to average 18 and 7 against us. Damn it.

  199. 199 JackDutch

    thompson’s actually been incredible so far this year for the kings. they have some really good young players, and we haven’t even seen donte green.

  200. 200 Primosh

    “Anyone else hear the idiot in the background through Blaha’s mic?”

    Yeah he’s so freakin annoying..all game long..blah, blah

  201. 201 Quick Darshan

    Five in double figures for the Kings.

  202. 202 Gogol

    nown for his size, ability to rebound, amazing ball-handling skills for his size and position, his mid-range jump shots, ability and will to run the floor, his immensely unselfish attitude and his passing ability, Jason Thompson’s strengths are extremely clear to all of those people who watch him complete in the sport of basketball. Unfortunately for Jason his weaknesses are obvious as well. Jason Thompson often settles for shots that are less then ideal, is a poor defender in all aspects, and often lacks toughness and strength underneath the basket, he will need to improve on these components of his game in order to be a star in the NBA.

  203. 203 Matt Watson

    Will f-ing Bynum. Nice.

  204. 204 Gogol