I was only able to see the final quarter of Friday's win over the Sonics, but thankfully I tuned in time to see perhaps the strangest play of the season:
With the Pistons leading, 83-76, with 4:19 remaining in the game, referee Bob Delaney ruled that new Seattle coach Bob Hill interfered with Rip Hamilton on a three-point attempt. Although Hamilton missed the shot, it was counted as good and Hill also received a technical foul, which Chauncey Billups made to complete a four-point play.
"Over the line, Smokey! I'm sorry. That's a foul."
Hill was furious at the call, and to be fair even Hamilton said that he doesn't think he was touched. But the fact of the matter is that Hill was on the field of play and took his time getting back when Hamilton got the ball -- mind you the picture on the left is after he already moved back a step. That there wasn't actual contact is irrelevant -- there certainly could have been, and you have to draw a line somewhere. Say, I don't know, the sideline.
As for the rest of the game, Ben Wallace set a season high with 21 boards and Carlos Arroyo came up big with eight points, five assists and five rebounds in 13 minutes. Tayshaun Prince let Rashard Lewis score 27 with eight boards, but he helped make up for it with 21 points, 11 boards, three assists, a steal and a block of his own. Against a smallish team, it was good to see the Pistons outscore the Sonics 40-30 in the paint.
For the Sonics, Flip Murray dished out five assists, but he also shot 4-15 from the field. Mind you, his teammates already thinks he shoots too much, with Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis have not-so-quietly campaigned for a trade recently.
Pistons overpower Sonics [Detroit News]
Pistons 97, Sonics 85 box score [ESPN.com]