The Pistons started the month of December by blowing out the Bucks and that’s how they ended it in yesterday’s New Year’s Eve Palace matinée. In front of the 200th consecutive sell out crowd at the Palace the Pistons treated their fans to a display of dominance for the ages handing the Milwaukee Bucks their 3rd worst loss in franchise history.

There were a couple of bad omens for the Bucks right from the start. Three of their first four possessions were turnovers. They coughed the ball up 9 times in the first quarter alone with the Pistons converting 8 points off those turns. The Bucks were held to 39% shooting only scoring 15 points while the Pistons were connecting on 55% of their shots and doing a great job of sharing the rock racking up 9 assists in the quarter.

To compound the Bucks problems Rip Hamilton was Sénior Perfecto in the opening quarter scoring 8 points on 4/4 shooting. This was a trend that stayed with Rip the entire game with him going 9/10 (2/2 3ptrs, 2/2 FT) on his way to scoring a game high 22.

The Bucks continued to turn the ball over in the 2nd. They ended the half with 14 turnovers with the Pistons converting 19 points off those turnovers which is the margin the Pistons lead by at half time.

Jarvis Hayes continued his recent bad slider induced hot shooting. Jarvis shot 6/9 scoring 14 in his 17 minutes off the Pistons bench.

After the half the Detroit continued “Pistoning” away (term credit: IndyCornRows) at the hapless Bucks. You know it’s out of hand when Chauncey Billups dunks on a break away as part of a dunk total contest with rookie Arron Afflalo.

“I had to do that, because a lot of the rookies probably didn’t have TVs yet the last time I dunked,” he said after the game. “We still have no evidence that Afflalo can even do it.”

Michael Redd is a 23 ppg scorer and was averaged 34.5 in the Bucks previous two games but Detroit held him to just 18 which is actually an upgrade over the 11 he hung in the books back on the 1st.

The bench or the “Zoo Crew” as Billups calls them didn’t let up on Milwaukee. They combined for 47 points. Everyone on the Pistons bench scored, and only Primo Brezec scored less than 6 points.

“They’re like caged animals out there, and it’s just so much fun to watch,” Billups said.

Game Notes:

• Rip Hamilton needs 5 points to surpass Gene Shue (8,034 points) and move into 10th place in franchise history in scoring
• Rip on Chauncey’s dunk:“That dunk was so old school. He was telling all the young guys he can dunk. They should’ve given him a technical for hanging on the rim that long. He told me, ‘I’ve got to let all the cameras get all their snap shots in and let them know I can still get up there.’ ”
• Flip Saunders was right. Primo Brezec is borderline out-of-control. The “gansta” dove for a loose ball with 28 seconds to go in a 45 point blowout. I’m just glad that maniac is on our side.
• This was the 200th consecutive Palace sellout, but we still have a ways to go for the record.  The Palace sold out the first 245 of its history
• This was the Pistons biggest win since a 52-point victory at Boston on Jan. 31, 2003.
• The Pistons finished December with a 15-2 record, the winningest December in franchise history. The 2005-06 team went 13-2 while the 1988-89 Pistons had the highest winning percentage for the month when they went 11-1. The Piston record for any month is 16 (16-1, March 1989).
• With the Trailblazers 13 game winning streak ended by the Jazz yesterday the Pistons 9 game streak is the longest current winning streak in the NBA


[Box score] munchies:

• The Pistons shot 58.4% for the game, just shy of a season high on 58.9% (11/2 @ Orlando)
• The “Zoo Crew” outscored Milwaukee’s bench 22-47
• Every Piston had a + +/- stat. None lower than +7
• Chauncey: 13 pts-12 ast double-double. ZERO turnover in 24 minutes
• Dice 10 point 10 board double-double
• Walter Herrmann 8 points in 6:39 of play
• Stuckey: 6 points, 7 assists
• 33 team freak’n assists
• 53.3% behind the 3 pt line
• Free throwing: MB 57.7% / DP 76.2%
• Turnovers: MB 21 / DP 12 - The Pistons got 30 points off Milwaukee turnovers
• 0 ties, 0 lead changes
• Yi Jianlian had a -30 +/-
• Tough night in front of the friends and fam for Flint native Charlie Bell who went 1/8 scoring 4 points

Also see:

• Detroit Free Press: Rip leads another blowout as Pistons end ‘07 with 9th straight win
• Detroit News: Pistons pummel Bucks
• ESPN: Pistons extend win streak to nine after clobbering Bucks by 45
• Pistons.com: Pistons 114, Bucks 69
• Brew Hoop: Pistons 114, Bucks 69: Recap