Archive for the 'Knicks' Category

Pistons honor All-Time Team tonight

Published by Matt Watson on April 8, 2008 in Knicks and Previews. 40 Comments

Ordinarily, a game against the Knicks wouldn’t be one to get excited about this late in the season. But if you’re a Pistons fan, you owe it to yourself to get in front of a TV at 7pm and tune into TV20 for the unveiling of the All-Time Team. From Pistons.com:

Hosted by play-by-play announcer George Blaha, the pregame ceremony will reflect on the careers of the greatest players, coaches and general managers in franchise history from 1957-58 through 2007-08. Members of the selected All-Time Team will be on-hand for the ceremony that will include highlight footage and memories of these special players and great teams. Honorees expected to be in attendance include Dave Bing, Bob Lanier, Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, Vinnie Johnson, former head coach Chuck Daly, the franchise leader in coaching victories, and former general manager Jack McCloskey.

The Free Press has more details:

The team expects 25 of the honorees to be at the Palace. Three of the 32 are deceased: Dave DeBusschere, Jimmy Walker and George Yardley. And four — Adrian Dantley, Grant Hill, Jerry Stackhouse and Ben Wallace — are playing or coaching elsewhere.

Pistons president Tom Wilson, who was on the nine-member selection panel, said about 20 of the players had at least seven votes and were shoo-ins. The rest came down to debate.

“When you have 25 or 30 guys, there are always going to be people saying, ‘What about so-and-so — he’s my favorite player?’ Or ‘Why did this guy make it?’ ” Wilson said. “It’s inescapable…. But what we came up with is a good cross section of players from the past and the present.”

So basically, it’s going to be a who’s who of Pistons history tonight, all in the same building for the first time since, well, ever. The ball tips at 8pm, the TV special starts at 7 and the on-court ceremony should kick-off around 7:30. I’ll be there for HOOPSWORLD — you can leave your thoughts on the game, ceremony, who got snubbed from the all-time team and who doesn’t belong in the comments.

Where Isiah is still employed happens

Published by Matt Watson on March 7, 2008 in Knicks, Previews and Videos. 136 Comments

The Pistons are in New York looking to bounce back from Wednesday’s loss in Boston (and truth be told, Tuesday’s harder-than-it-had-to-be win against the Sonics). Rasheed Wallace might sit this one out, which would open the door for Theo Ratliff to get serious burn (assuming that he’s up for it).

Game starts at 7:30 on TV20 — as usual, have at it in the comments.

Pistons sleepwalk through Knicks beatdown

Published by Matt Watson on January 14, 2008 in Games and Knicks. 5 Comments

Well, that was freaking ugly. But, as bad as it looked, I do have some good news: it only counts as one loss.

“It’s always one or two games like this a year,” Billups said. “You play 80-something games, 100 games, you’re going to have nights like this.”

Seriously, this was one of those games, a game so bad that there’s really no point trying to take anything from it. The Pistons made mistakes (although honestly, not many: they committed just 11 turnovers) but more than anything the reason for the loss was frigid shooting by, well, everyone.

Tayshaun Prince (0-10) failed to score, Rip Hamilton (1-7) had just three points and Rasheed Wallace (3-9) had only six. You won’t see three starters on this team combine for just nine points in any other game — it just doesn’t happen. As a team, they shot just 30.7%, including 25% and 17% in the second and third quarters, respectively.

Maybe the team was caught looking past the Knicks, or maybe the dreaded “complacency” bug reared it’s ugly head. Or maybe, and this is the most likely scenario, the team simply entered the game on fumes and ran out of gas early. It was their fourth game in five nights, and for whatever it’s worthy their arrival to NYC on Saturday night/Sunday morning was pushed back when the Bobcats game went into overtime. From the Freep:

That fatigue led to some silly mistakes. Prince was called for a questionable inbounding violation when the official said he stepped in before his passed. And twice the Pistons fouled players as they attempted three-pointers.

“We had a foul to give at the end of the half,” Saunders said. “And we foul a guy and give him three shots. That’s kind of a synopsis of what we did the whole night.”

The game was pretty much over the moment the Pistons let the Knicks jump ahead on a 15-4 run in the second quarter. That snowballed into an absolutely ridiculous third quarter in which the Pistons set a franchise-low with just 10 points. At least Flip Saunders had the good sense to throw in the towel once he realized there would be no magical comeback. Antonio McDyess led the starters with just 31 minutes, and the only reason he played that long was because he was the only one who actually had a good game (15 points, 6-11 shooting, 13 boards).

Playing the entire fourth quarter, Amir Johnson finished with eight points (3-3 shooting), including a dunk and a free throw with just 13 seconds left that helped Detroit set the franchise-low for points scored in a game. Johnson made a few mistakes (two personal fouls and three turnovers) but is doing enough things well that he’s winning over at least one of the beat writers. From A. Sherrod Blakely’s post-game blog:

It might be time for Flip Saunders to try and incorporate Amir Johnson into being that fourth big man. Amir’s defense needs to get better, but his knack for scoring is just too good to be saddled on the bench.

If Amir’s performance helped convince Saunders even a little that playing Amir a bit more is a good idea, well, that’s what’s called a silver lining.

Random funny story that won’t make you bang your head against the wall: My HOOPSWORLD colleague Tommy Beer was at the game and had a funny story from his halftime blog entry:

Knicks management, and MSG as a whole, has taken a lot of heat (rightfully so) for many of their decisions this season but they got in right tonight. They put the final series of the Giants / Cowboys game on the big screen for the Big Blue fans to watch it live. The PA guys even played the “De-Fense” chant while the Cowboys had the ball and were driving. They actually delayed both teams coming back on the floor to allow everyone to watch Tony Romo’s pick ending the game. Special credit to Pistons Head Athletic Trainer Mike Addenour who was wiping up imaginary wet spots in order to elongate the timeout. The crowd was in full throat when the Giants sealed the deal.

Knicks 89, Pistons 65 box score [NBA.com]
Tired Pistons blown out by Knicks [MLive]
Road trip ends on sour, surprising note for Pistons [Free Press]
Stars of the New York game [MLive]
Ballhype recaps

The Pistons are at the Garden

Published by Matt Watson on January 13, 2008 in Knicks and Previews. 33 Comments

I’m a little too young to remember the 1984 playoffs (let alone the fact that the Pistons’ bench used to be called the “A Team”), but that’s what YouTube is for. The Pistons are at the Garden, and the ball just tipped. As usual, leave your thoughts in the comments.

Zeke and Co. visit Detroit

Published by Matt Watson on November 21, 2007 in Knicks and Previews. 23 Comments

The Knicks have become something of a joke in the media (not that I mind — it certainly makes my FanHouse duties easier), but they get to escape the pressure-cooker that is Madison Square Garden for a quick one-game road trip in Detroit before the holiday.

Two schools of thought for this game: 1) the Knicks mail it in, much like they did last night against the Warriors; 2) they rally around their wounded pride and finally break their seven-game road trip. For the sake of poking fun, I’d like to say the first one will happen, but I honestly have no clue.

The Pistons, meanwhile, will have Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess and back in the fold. And after playing eight of their first 10 on the road, they’re now home for four in a row (and seven of their next 10). See, it all evens out in the end. I’ll be at the Palace tonight, so check out HOOPSWORLD for my pre-game, halftime and post-game observations.

Detroit knocks off Knicks, another 50 wins

Published by Matt Watson on April 10, 2007 in Games and Knicks. 3 Comments

By winning Monday’s game against the Knicks, the Pistons collected their 50th win of the season. At first glance, that may not seem like a big deal. This is a legitimate title contender, right? They’re supposed to win 50 games. It’s something we’ve become accustomed to taking for granted.

What’s impressive, though, is the fact they’ve won 50 games for the sixth season in a row, setting a new franchise record. In fact, in the entire history of this franchise, there have been only 13 seasons with at least 50 wins, and almost half of them have come from this current generation of Pistons.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly not putting the current group anywhere near the pedestal that the “Bad Boys” era Pistons reside on — those guys “only” had five 50-win seasons (1986-1991) but also made it to the Eastern Conference Finals each year in that span, not to mention the NBA Finals three times.

(The Red Wings, meanwhile, can connect both of those generations with their current string of success — they’ve reached the playoffs 16 consecutive years, the longest active streak in all of sports. If you know me, I don’t praise the Wings very often, but that’s damn impressive.)

There’s really no telling how far or long this current group of Pistons will last, especially if younger players like Carlos Delfino and Jason Maxiell continue to develop and if the team is able to hit a home run with a prospect, either with Amir Johnson or one of the draft picks in this upcoming draft. I know I’m not the only one planning out Detroit’s future … but that’s neither here nor there, at least in regards to Monday’s game.

On Monday, the Pistons overcame a sloppy third quarter which saw a 10-point lead not only evaporate but worse yet transform into a 10-point deficit in the span of roughly 10 minutes. Detroit turned on the defense in the fourth, though, and this game was well in hand with plenty of time to spare.

Nate Robinson is a fun guy to watch, but I imagine that’s only true when he’s on the other team. Basically, he’s wasted movement with little production. He’s super athletic and appears to hustle, but he’s also plagued by not having a drop of court awareness or basketball IQ. As it happens, I’m not the only one to make that observation tonight — from the up-and-coming BasketBloom:

It doesn’t really show up in the box score, but almost everything he did would have made a basketball purist cringe: An endless string of failed forays into the paint (with not a single free-throw attempt to show for it). A consistent impatience while pushing the ball upcourt before his teammates could join him to set up the offense. Shots that demonstrated a lack of any semblance of shooting conscience. A complete inability to pass the ball (1 assist). I could go on and on. Suffice it to say, when your point guard takes nearly 30% of your team’s shots, that’s not a good thing.

… and that’s not even mentioning his two most entertaining plays, noted by Posting and Toasting:

On two separate occasions, his folly directly caused Curry to get posterized. One time he saved a ball going out of bounds…directly to Delfino, who rose and stuffed over the big man. Another time he attempted a silly transition three, which got blocked and turned into a full-on facial of Curry by Tayshaun Prince.

Robinson owes Eddy Curry big-time, because he got him on the wrong end of a SportsCenter highlight twice in one night. Curry actually finished with 24 points, which was two fewer than what Tayshaun Prince (12), Rasheed Wallace (8) and Chris Webber (6) combined for, but the Pistons made him work for them: he nailed 12-14 free throws. Detroit front court wasn’t a complete wash, though, as Antonio McDyess came through with a double-double (11 points, 13 boards).

I’d be amiss not to mention Chauncey Billups, who was largely responsible for erasing Detroit’s double-digit deficit in the waning seconds of the third quarter by scoring five quick points, including a long two at the buzzer. That really gave Detroit momentum heading into the final frame. Billups finished with 22 and six assists.

Detroit’s “magic number” for clinching the top seed in the East is now just one — and the Pistons have an excellent chance of putting that behind them on Wednesday when the Magic come to town. Expect the Pistons to take care of business — the Magic are currently seeded eighth in the East, so this is a potential first-round matchup, and the last thing anyone wants is to instill confidence in a team they’re due to face in a seven-game series.

Pistons 91, Knicks 83 box score [ESPN]
A real backcourt contrast [BasketBloom]
Pistons 91, Knicks 83 [Posting and Toasting]

Pistons hope to avoid another MSG barnburner

Published by Matt Watson on April 9, 2007 in Knicks and Previews. 3 Comments

The ball tipped in New York a few minutes ago and Rasheed Wallace was back in the starting lineup. According to A. Sherrod Blakely, Flip Saunders will likely try to limit Wallace’s playing time to the mid-20s and low-30s, apparently because of the hyperextended finger suffered a couple of games ago.

It was a barnburner the last time the Pistons played at the Garden — the Knicks won in three overtimes 151-145. Rip Hamilton had 51 points (his finale two) — more than he’s had in his last three games, combined. The Knicks have lost a lot of key players to injury, though, and have won just two of their last 10 games. Here’s to hoping Detroit doesn’t make this more difficult than it needs to be.

As usual, thoughts –> comments, etc.

Marathon match: Knicks over Pistons in three overtimes

Published by Matt Watson on December 28, 2006 in Games and Knicks. 16 Comments

Knicks win against the Pistons

Last night’s game with the Knicks wasn’t supposed to happen. I’m serious. This was just another midweek matchup against an allegedly bad team. Detroit was supposed to come into Madison Square Garden, punch in for 48 minutes and leave the building with a win.

On paper, this game had all the appeal of sandpaper. Maybe you planned on catching a few minutes of it when House went to commercial, maybe you hoped to see some highlights later in the evening or maybe you figured a glance at the box score (and a visit to this blog) the next day would tell you everything you needed to know about the game.

Whatever the case was, I’m willing to wager that not once did you consider that this “boring” Wednesday night matchup between the Pistons and Knicks might become something fans will still be talking about 10 years from now. But it was.

151-145. Three overtimes. Two buzzer beaters. Fifty-one points from Rip. Two-hundred ninety-six points scored. And in the end, one heartbreaking loss. But above all, one hell of a game.

It wasn’t quite Suns-NetsDecember 8, 2006: Suns 161, Nets 157 from earlier this month, let alone Pistons-Nuggets from ‘83December 12, 1983: Pistons 186, Nuggets 184, but it was still one of the most remarkable regular-season games I can remember watching.

Things were close the entire game, and even though both teams ripped off impressive runs at various points, the other team always found a way to cut things close by the end of the quarter: the score was always tied or within one point at the close of the first six periods of play. Continue reading ‘Marathon match: Knicks over Pistons in three overtimes’

Pistons at Knicks — Remembering Chris Dudley

Published by Ian Cameron on December 27, 2006 in Around the Internets, Knicks and Previews. 67 Comments

Chris Dudley. Need I say more?

With the Pistons in New York to face the Knicks tonight, what better way to say “huh…” than to celebrate the life and times of Chris Dudley. Why does Dudley merit celebration, you ask? Is he dead, you wonder?

No, no, no. Not at all. Chris Dudley is far too smart to die — he went to Yale, after all. No, I just figured that if they are going to make a movie out of Mark Eaton’s life… oh, you didn’t hear? Anyways, I figure that if Eaton is movie-worthy, then Chris Dudley should at least have a post dedicated to him, right? I mean, what the hell else is so interesting about tonight’s matchup against the brawl-depleted Knicks squad? (That’s a rhetorical question.)

Besides, Dudley’s got great taste in coaches:

Rick Philbin: Who was your favorite/best coach in the NBA?
Chris Dudley: From an X’s & O’s standpoint and managing players, it was Chuck Daily. There are many coaches who are good at the X’s & O’s and there are some who are considered a “player’s coach” but very few can do both as well as Chuck.

So, per usual, leave your pre-, in-, and post-game comments in this thread as the Pistons aim for 6 in a row tonight against the Knicks. And when David Lee comes crashing into the lane to grab a board — or similarly, when David Lee clanks a couple of free throws — think of Chris Dudley. Because someone should.

Interview with Chris Dudley [Children with Diabetes]

Offended Bobcats upend Pistons (and a weekend recap)

Published by Ian Cameron on December 4, 2006 in Around the Internets, Bobcats, Games and Knicks. 4 Comments

There are very few things that I enjoy on a Monday morning.

One is my customary six cups of coffee. Another is seeing the Lions steadily improving their draft position while side-stepping total embarrassment. And definitely amongst the Pantheon is seeing Matt’s customary 4-in-the-morning “Pistons go two for the weekend” post. Well, I’m on cup number four; the Lions still suck just enough to lose close games to good teams; but unfortunately, the Pistons’ gaudy 8-game win streak was haulted last night by those pesky Charlotte Bobcats, 97-89, negating the “two-fer” post.

Yes, Charlotte added the Pistons to their premiere pelt collection, which already includes wins over Cleveland, San Antonio, New Jersey. For a team that has only won five games on the year, they do tend to save their best for the best. How’d they do it?

The Irish Assassin

    The Irish Assassin

The main Bobcat weapon against the Pistons? Again, one Matt Carroll. Carroll, with 16 points last night, is now averaging 16 points on 65% shooting in two games against the Pistons (well above his season numbers of 6.7 and 48%). For good measure, the Bobcats added 18 and 17 from former first-rounders Emeka Okefor and Sean May (respectively), but it was Carroll who came to kick ass and chew bubble gum (and was almost out of gum). Carroll, after a short time learning what a microphone was and how it worked, had this to say in his public speaking debut:

“Tonight I came off screens looking to shoot the ball and the big guys set some good screens and the guard we’re getting the ball to me at the right time.”

Enthralling. (And to make matters worse, he attended Notre Dame.)

    R-E-S-P-E-C-T

In addition to their heightened level of play, it seems the Bob-kitties’ level of sensitivity was kicked up a notch for last night’s matchup. From the Detroit News:

“That team (the Pistons) did not shoot-around today,” Bobcats guard Brevin Knight said. “We take notice of things like that.”

I have to admit, my first instinct after reading this quote was to poke fun at Charlotte for their hyper-sensitivity. But as a fan of the Pistons, it would be pretty hypocritical of me to do so. After all, it was the Pistons back in aught-4 who put their own spin upon the “disrespected underdog” tale, defeating the Lakers to win their third championship. And I had no problem revelling in “shock the world” tactics then. So be it.

    T-I-R-E-D

As for the Pistons, Sheed continued his quest for world domination, leading Blue in points (19), boards (8), and blocks (2). Rip Hamilton, held scoreless in the first half (mainly due to foul trouble), redeemed himself with 17 points in the second half. But there wasn’t nearly enough offense to stay with the Bobcats; the Pistons shot not-quite 41% from the field and less than 24% from 3-point range (Sheed, Tay, and Chauncey combined to go 2-15 from beyond the arc) and generally looked a step slow all night.

Flip Saunders refused to blame the schedule for the loss in today’s Free Press:

“I don’t know if our tank was empty, but I know we played empty,” coach Flip Saunders said. “We didn’t play with the sense of purpose that we needed.”

That’s cool that Flip is still working on his “hardass” image, but one glance at the schedule — which includes games in Miami, Detroit, and Charlotte in four days — suggests that this loss could very well be a “schedule loss.” And if that is the case, aren’t you glad it was to the Bobcats rather than the Heat? Moving on.

The Pistons withstood the Knickerbockers’ best punch on Friday night, but they still stood at the final bell. In their eighth straight victory since starting the season 3-5, the Pistons fought a balanced offensive attack from the Knicks with hot shooting from three of their could-be All-Stars. Tayshaun Price tied a career high with 31 points (including 6-7 from three). And Rip Hamilton dropped in 26 (including a perfect 11-11 from the line). But Chauncey Billups had possibly the stat line of the night, with 22 points (on 8-9 shooting) and 16 assists. Chauncey, who was not happy with his struggles against the Heat the night before, took to punishing all eight of the Knicks’ point guards.

Meanwhile, Sheed, countered a poor shooting night (6 points, 3-12 from the floor) with 15 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1 technical foul. Silently, Sheed has a real chance of averaging a double-double for the first time in his career, and the case can be made that he is the Pistons’ MVP this season.

Charlotte 97, Pistons 89 box score [ESPN]
Charlotte 97, Pistons 89 recap [ESPN]
Win streak finished at 8 [Detroit News]
Charlotte 97, Pistons 89: Charlotte slashes Pistons’ win streak [Detroit Free Press]
Pistons 108, Knicks 100 box score [ESPN]

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