[box score] The Pistons added a third straight blowout victory to their 2007-08 season resume. Much like the night before, the Nets didn’t play bad, they were just no match for the Pistons. Detroit is in a groove and with the four games in 5 nights it probably couldn’t have come at a better time.
Both the Pistons and Nets were on the second night of back-to-backs, both winners, although the Nets had to take it to overtime to get past the 76ers.
The first quarter ended with the score knotted at 27. The Pistons then used the second quarter to pull away for good. They started the quarter on an 8-0 run with the Pistons’ D holding New Jersey scoreless for the first five minutes of the quarter. They then ended the quarter on a 7-0 run.
Rip and Maxiell were the big stories of the first half. Maxiell got in early because of foul trouble to Antonio McDyess. Max was reeking havoc again. For the half he had 12 points, 9 boards, and 2 blocks. The Pistons as a team really made a commitment to rebounding early. They had 23 in the first half, 11 of which were offensive. Rip is further distancing himself from his slump. Hamilton scored 13 points on 6 of 9 shooting in the half.
The Nets came out of halftime looking to make a run at Detroit. Richard Jefferson was scoring, Vince Carter scored 13 in the quarter and Jason Kidd dropped 9 dimes. All that and they still were outscored by 10 in the third.
All that was left for the final quarter was the bench to come in and hold it down, which they did. Against Milwaukee it was Flip Murray leading the bench charge, in this game Jarvis Hayes had the hot hand scoring 12 in the quarter.
GAME NOTES:
- Pistons outboarded NJ 34-38. Detroit is now 9-1 for the season when they win the board war.
- Jason Maxiell: 18 pts, 11 rebs(6 off.), 3 blks, & about a dozen basketball welts.
- 6 Pistons’ scored in double figures
- Second straight game that all Pistons who entered the game scored
- Chauncey 18 points 9 dimes
- Rip scored a team high 19 points on 8/12 shooting in 34 well politicked minutes
- Pistons with 7 blocked shots
- Detroit shot 56.3%
- Amir Johnson was agressive, maybe a bit too aggressive. He picked up 5 fouls in just under 10 min of play
- Jason “Whitesnake” Kidd had 16 assists
GAME QUOTE:
Lawrence Frank on Maxiell’s rampage:
“He changed the game. You look at the extra possessions toward the end of the first half – six offensive boards – and his ability to finish. I think that he was the game changer. I think that the second unit was good, but specifically Maxiell. The energy that they brought changed the whole tempo of the game.”
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