Detroit Bad Boys - Rockets 105, Pistons 96: Detroit drops season opener to James Harden, RocketsA community of Detroit Pistons fans since 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48119/detroitbadboys-fave.png2012-11-02T00:46:02-04:00http://www.detroitbadboys.com/rss/stream/33482512012-11-02T00:46:02-04:002012-11-02T00:46:02-04:00On what went wrong in Wednesday's loss to Rockets
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<figcaption>Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The Pistons' starting backcourt was terrible in Wednesday night's season opener, especially in the team's fourth quarter collapse. </p> <p>In what might become a reoccurring post here at DBB this year, at least 45-55 times, here is the first installment of "What Went Wrong," in which I go through what caused a <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Pistons</a> night of 'tragic' rather than the preferred 'magic.'</p>
<p>I think it's pretty clear the Pistons were destroyed by <span>James Harden's</span> 37 points and 12 assists in the opener. But the Pistons could have still beaten the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Rockets</a> despite a dominating game from Harden. After all, they led at the half and after the third quarter while Harden was still hard on stuff for the Rockets.</p>
<p>What obviously did the Pistons in was getting outscored 33-15 in the final 12 minutes on their way to ultimately losing 105-96. Rather than sticking with what worked through three quarters, the Pistons went small and started to overcompensate on Harden, allowing him to find wide open teammates. He had five of his 12 assists in the final quarter -- two of which went to former Piston Carlos Delfino, who hit four of his five (5!) three pointers in the fourth.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, <span>Rodney Stuckey</span> and <span>Brandon Knight</span> combined to shoot 0-for-6 in the fourth. If you count <span>Kim English</span> and <span>Will Bynum</span>, who each joined Stuckey and Knight on the floor at some point in the final quarter as part of Frank's <i>brilliant</i> idea to go small, the four shot a combined 0-for-9 with two turnovers. That's <i>really-really</i> <i>bad. </i></p>
<p>For the game, Stuckey and Knight combined to score just 24 points on 6-for-25 shooting with 10 assists and two turnovers. Meanwhile, the Rockets' starting guards -- Harden and <span>Jeremy Lin</span> -- put up 49 points on 19-for-37 shooting with 20 assists and eight turnovers.</p>
<p>The whole fourth was bad for the team, though. Houston outrebounded Detroit 13-3, outscored them 8-0 on second chance points and 9-3 off turnovers. It's as if the younger Rockets turned it on when it mattered most, taking advantage of the Pistons going away from what helped them lead through three quarters.</p>
<p><i>Ed. note - This was supposed to go up early Thursday, but my internet went out & thus, can suck it. </i></p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2012/11/2/3587390/what-went-wrong-pistons-starting-guards-fourth-quarter-rockets-2012Packey2012-11-01T16:46:37-04:002012-11-01T16:46:37-04:00Ratings were up for Pistons season opener
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<figcaption>Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>With a relatively young roster, the 2012-2013 Pistons could be a lot more fun to watch than in recent years. The ratings from Wednesday's season opener suggest more people may be tuning in this year. </p> <p>Before Wednesday night's opener, we provided you with SB Nation's Mike Prada's opinion that <a target="_blank" href="http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2012/10/30/3577792/how-watchable-are-the-pistons">the Pistons are No. 25 in the NBA watchability rankings</a>. That's about where they ranked all of last year in those rankings, too. But nearly twice as many fans were interested in watching the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Pistons</a> on opening night this year than they were last year's first game, according to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121101/SPORTS0102/211010459#ixzz2B0MRxopc">The Detroit News</a>:</p>
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<p>The Pistons' season-opener against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Rockets</a> drew a 4.6 household rating Wednesday on Fox Sports Detroit, which was nearly double last season's 2.88 opening-game rating. The figure was also the highest recorded since the 2009-10 season, said Courtney Welch, Fox Sports Detroit manager of social media and communications.</p>
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<p>Of course, a major reason for the increase could be that this season actually started on time and not on the heels of a frustrating lockout. Another reason could very well be the interest in <span>James Harden</span>, who had a lot of general NBA fans' eyes on this game, especially once he started going off.</p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2012/11/1/3587240/pistons-ratings-fox-sports-detroit-2012-season-openerPackey2012-10-31T22:16:00-04:002012-10-31T22:16:00-04:00Final Score: Harden pops off vs Pistons, 105-96
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<figcaption>US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>After being traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder, James Harden showed the Thunder what they'll be missing by going off on the Detroit Pistons in the season opener for 37 points and 12 assists, leading the Rockets to a 105-96 comeback win.</p> <p>In his first game as the "foundational player" of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Houston Rockets</a>, James Harden and his beard made the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Detroit Pistons</a> (and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Thunder</a> GM Sam Presti) all uneasy by dropping a scary good 37 points, 12 assists and six rebounds on them in 44 minutes, helping the Rockets to a nine-point win to ruin the Pistons' home opener of the 2012-2013 season.</p>
<p>The Pistons led after three quarters, thanks to a 23-7 run in the third's final nine minutes, but fell apart during the last 12 minutes of the game, getting outscored 33-15 and ultimately losing the game 105-96.</p>
<p>Harden only scored six of his 37 in the fourth, but he spent much of the final quarter creating open looks for his teammates, like Carlos Delfino, a former Piston. Five of Harden's 12 assists came in the fourth, two of which were to Delfino for wide open back-to-back daggers around the five-minute mark.</p>
<p>Delfino hit five threes in all in the game and was the Rockets' second leading scorer with 15 points.</p>
<p>Brandon Knight was the Pistons' leading scorer with 15 points, but he needed 15 shots and ignored point guardy things to get there.</p>
<p>Here's the <a href="http://www.nba.com/games/20121031/HOUDET/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nbahpgt[0021200006]#Q3" target="_blank">Box Score</a>. The Pistons head out West for six starting on Friday against the Suns. We'll probably have more on the opener and the road ahead later tonight or tomorrow.</p>
<p>[Note by Packey, 10/31/12 11:01 PM EDT ] </p>
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<th class="td-left"> <span>Final - 10.31.2012 </span> </th> <th>1</th> <th>2</th> <th>3</th> <th>4</th> <th>Total</th>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="win"> <a href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Houston Rockets</a> </span></td>
<td>27</td>
<td>28</td>
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<td>33</td>
<td class="highlight">105</td>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="loss"> <a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Detroit Pistons</a> </span></td>
<td>22</td>
<td>36</td>
<td>23</td>
<td>15</td>
<td class="highlight">96</td>
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<p class="foot clearfix"><span class="link-more"><span>Complete Coverage ></span></span></p>
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https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2012/10/31/3583860/pistons-final-score-james-harden-stats-box-score-2012Packey2012-10-31T14:13:13-04:002012-10-31T14:13:13-04:00Game Thread for Pistons 2012-2013 season opener
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<p>A new season begins for the slowly-evolving, increasingly-promising Detroit Pistons. How will they fare against the new-look Houston Rockets that have undergone rapid, drastic development?</p> <p>A new season begins tonight, and with it a countdown. Pistons fans have waited many months for Detroit Basketball, but tonight it will be replaced by a new wait for the impending revelation of a Monroe/Drummond frontcourt. The question of when <span>Andre Drummond</span> will start and when <span>Greg Monroe</span> will slide to power forward has been a top discussion all summer, and it will remain a top discussion until <span>Lawrence Frank</span> gives Detroit fans an answer. The pairing is inevitable. When it happens, it might make for the most exciting Pistons frontcourt since Rasheed and Ben, Bill and Dennis. If you're like me, you're watching it as the top storyline of the season.</p>
<p><b>Game Tips at 7:30 P.M. EST</b></p>
<p><a href="http://www.tiqiq.com/Tiqiq/SingleEvent.aspx?BrandID=TiqiqHomePage&PublisherID=1011023&EventID=5399332449&TiqiqTicketSourceFilter=&IncludAllGames=0&utm_campaign=Argyle%2BSocial-2012-10&utm_medium=Argyle%2BSocial&utm_source=twitter&utm_term=2012-10-31-09-49-45" target="_blank"><b>Tickets</b></a></p>
<p><b><a href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Houston Rockets</a></b>: 0 - 0 (0 home - 0 away)</p>
<p><b><a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Pistons</a></b>: 0 - 0 (0 home - 0 away) UNDEFEATED!!!</p>
<p align="center"><b>The Situation</b></p>
<p>At this time last season, the Rockets featured a starting lineup with Kyle Lowry, <span>Kevin Martin</span>, <span>Chase Budinger</span>, <span>Luis Scola</span> and <span>Jordan Hill</span>. Tonight, the completely new-look Rockets features <span>Jeremy Lin</span>, <span>James Harden</span>, <span>Chandler Parsons</span>, <span>Patrick Patterson</span> and <span>Omer Asik</span>. How does one acquire the most hyped player in 2011-12, a top 3 shooting guard, a beastly-productive 7-foot center and four promising rookies in one off-season? It's really simple, actually-- stockpile picks and prospects while maintaining cap flexibility.</p>
<p>That cap flexibility gave Rockets GM Daryl Morey a chance to punk New York and Chicago by providing lop-sided offer sheets to Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik that the <a href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Knicks</a> and <a href="https://www.blogabull.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Bulls</a> could not match. Had they tried to match, they would have paid tens of millions in luxury tax once those salaries jumped from $5M/yr to $15M/yr. Sure, Lin and Asik are not worth $15M/yr, but if you average their deals out across the three year term, they're making about $8M/yr. a piece. If they don't work out, Morey is only on the hook for three years and he'll have two max-level expiring deals to shop to those same luxury tax teams that he punked in the first place. In a word, brilliant. It's hard to see a scenario where the Rockets lose here even if his new players underperform.</p>
<p>Then there's Morey's most recent acquisitions, having picked up James Harden, <span>Cole Aldrich</span> and <span>Daequan Cook</span> by shipping out Kevin Martin, some 2013 first rounders and assorted second rounders. Morey publicly explained his strategy this summer-- to stockpile a bunch of assets and picks with the aim of swinging them for a star player. In James Harden, Morey now has that.</p>
<p>You might want to pencil in Morey as Executive of the Year. If the Rockets make the playoffs, that award might just be a lock.</p>
<p>Fortunately for the Pistons, if you want to pick a time of year to play this new look team, it's right at the beginning when growing pains are still in effect. Harden hasn't played a single game with the Rockets yet, and if it takes this young team a month or two to really gel, Detroit has a chance to open up the season with a win.</p>
<p align="center"><b>Keys to the Game</b></p>
<p><i>Perimeter Defense / Passing Lanes</i> - Jeremy Lin is a turnover machine, and tonight will be the first NBA game he has played with James Harden. Force the issue here, stay active in passing lanes and the perimeter when Lin/Harden look to drive. The more Houston is forced into turnovers, the more Detroit can get out in transition and pick up easy <strike>baskets</strike> Drummond Alley-Oops.</p>
<p><i>Keep Asik Out of the Box</i> - In limited minutes behind Noah in Chicago and in steady burn during the preseason in Houston, Asik has been a rebounding machine. Greg Monroe should work to keep Asik away from the glass on defense and Drummond should do what he does on the offensive boards. If Detroit can limit Houston's second chance opportunities and push those aforementioned turnovers, this game could fall to the Pistons.</p>
<p><i>Feed the Moose / Start the Bull / Free the Swede</i> - You're going to hear this refrain quite often until these wishes are fulfilled. Greg Monroe deserves to be the #1 or #2 option on offense alongside <span>Rodney Stuckey</span>. Andre Drummond earned himself a starter's role in the preseason, and the countdown begins now until he receives his prize. As <span>Tayshaun Prince</span> continues his expected decline, more reasons arise to start Jonas Jerebko at small forward. Do this, Larry Frank.</p>
<p align="center"><b>Question of the Game</b></p>
<p>How much playing time will Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond see in tandem on opening night, and how effective can they be? The story of the season starts in a matter of hours...</p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2012/10/31/3581492/detroit-vs-houston-pistons-open-season-at-home-against-the-rocketsMike Payne