Ok here’s another I’ve come across. It’s a pretty sick mix of Theo’s first Piston stint. Watching this one makes me think of some of those Antonio McDyess Denver Nuggets’ mixes.
Two things:
Hope it’s nothing too serious. Will post updates when they become available.
Pistons guard Chauncey Billups had to fly back to the Detroit area Thursday for a personal matter according to team.
Billups is questionable for Saturday night’s game in Los Angeles against the Clippers.There is no word on whether he intends to fly back today, tomorrow or at all.If Billups misses the game, Rodney Stuckey would probably start at point guard for the Pistons. (Detroit Free Press)
This week’s feature is a game saving block by new Piston Theo “The Rattler” Ratliff. This block comes on Jermaine O’Neal while Theo was a member of the Atlanta Hawks, one of the 5 teams Ratliff has been with since being traded from the Pistons back in 1997-98.
This is one of the few flattering YT’s I found for Theo. Being he’s a shot blocker he’s got a bevy of YT’s where he’s “posterized”. You can’t block ‘em all I guess.
I always liked Theo. Hopefully he’s got some game left for the post season and I hope the Palace still has the rattle snake drop! Also, the Clippers, after buying out Sam Cassell, are going to pick up Flip Murray.
LOS ANGELES — It looks like the Pistons will indeed fill their 15th roster spot with a familiar face.
Only it won’t be Dale Davis.
The Minnesota Timberwolves placed veteran center Theo Ratliff on waivers Thursday night after agreeing to a buyout settlement on the remainder of his $11.6 million contract.
If Ratliff clears waivers in the next 48 hours — which is almost a given with his salary — he will sign with the Pistons for the prorated veteran’s minimum ($1.3 million).
Ratliff, 34, was drafted by the Pistons in 1995. He only has played 12 games the last two years, but according to all reports, he is healthy again. After missing most of the season with a bulging disc in his back, Ratliff has played in the previous 10 games with the Timberwolves, averaging 6.3 points and 3.9 rebounds. (Detroit News)
The Pistons (42-15) will be in Utah to take on the Jazz (36-21) Tip off is 9:00 pm est from the EnergySolutions Arena and will be televised locally on TV20
Jazz Snapshot
Home record: 24-3
Vs. East: 15-7
Last game: 2/26 (Tues) L 100-111 @ Wolves
Last 10: 7-3
Last meeting: Nov 25th Jazz (103) @ Pistons (93)
Can we please lift the Utah Jazz curse tonight? We’ve dropped five straight to them and the last time we won in Utah was November 6th, 2002. To make the task even more daunting, the Jazz at 24-3, haven’t lost at home for going on two months. Maybe that’s why, when polled by SI, NBA players listed EnergySolutions Arena as the most intimidating arena in the league (The Palace was #3). The Jazz are the only team in the league with a winning record that the Pistons have yet to beat.
The Jazz handed the Pistons their first Palace loss on the season back in November when the Deron Williams/Carlos Boozer pick-and-roll express came to town. Williams had 14 assists while Boozer had 36 points converting on an unfathomable 85% of his shots. The Jazz amassed 48 points in the paint, an inexcusable number for a defensive team like Detroit. To the Pistons credit they are a more healthy and complete team since then.
Dale Davis or Magloire? Looks like Davis might be the more likely of the two. (What ever happened to P.J. Brown as a possibility?)
The Dallas Mavericks appear to be tops on the list for soon-to-be free agent Jamaal Magloire, according to NBA front-office sources.
Sources told ESPN.com that the 6-11 center is strongly leaning toward signing with the Mavericks this week and that a binding decision could come as early as Tuesday, with the 29-year-old scheduled to clear waivers at 6 p.m.
SLAM is liking the ‘Stonz in their rankings
The team we all saw in Phoenix on Sunday was a straight juggernaut, a brick wall on defense and a relentless machine on offense. And you knew Rasheed would go off; he’s averaging 15 points (44% FGs) and 8 boards on the road this year, compared to 10 points (41% FGs) and 5 boards per at the Palace
Hey ladies, Flip Saunders’ is a biter
“You’ll notice I bite my lip a lot,” Saunders said. “I’ve got a lot of scars and stuff in there.”
That’s one result of having two rookies among the team’s top eight players. Go nine deep, and there’s forward Amir Johnson, who is technically in his third year but is getting playing time for the first time.
Former Piston Jon Barry knows what time it is
“Did I miss something, or does the West now get six teams in the NBA Finals?” Barry, who is an ESPN analyst, joked. “They’re only going to have to play one team from the West, I know the Pistons are going to match up well against any team. They can grind it out, they can play up-tempo, you name it. I don’t think there is anything this team (the Pistons) lack right now.”
“The first to the 15th guys make you feel like family. But no playing time, man. No playing time. I was just looking for a chance, and I didn’t get it. In a month-and-a-half, two months, all I got was garbage time. That’s not me man. I’ve been a starter in this league, I know I can play, so I’m not going to sit on the bench. I guarantee you that. I am not going to sit on the bench.”
[Box score] You got the feeling watching this one that it might have saw a couple of overtimes because it seemed like neither team could pull away. The game saw 22 ties and 19 lead changes. Luckily the Pistons did pull away after J.R. Smith wasn’t able to convert on free throws that would have tied the game after being fouled by Chauncey on a three pointer with 6.5 seconds to play in the game.
So, if you’re keeping track the Pistons have won three straight after losing two straight on the heels of winning 10 straight. Pretty streaky guys.
Denver native Chauncey Billups (8 asts, 7/7 FT), Tayshuan Prince (9 asts, 6 rbs) and Rip Hamilton (6 asts, 8 rbs) all scored 20 points a piece. All Piston’s starters scored in double figures with Antonio McDyess recording a 16 point, 13 rebound double-double.
With the starters getting a lot of rest courtesy of blowing out the Suns the day before in Phoenix, they had the fresh legs to hang on and eventually finish off Denver. That’s not to say the Zoo Crew didn’t put in work and provide energy, but it was the main guys closing out the game for the ‘Stonz.
How unnatural does this pic look? Makes you wish it was photoshopped, but sadly it’s not. I got used to Ben in the Bulls red and black pretty easily, but this is stomach turning. He’s not even wearing his trademark 3 (that’s being worn by Aleksandar Pavlovic).
Big Ben put up pretty respectable numbers in his first game as one of King James’ pawns. Wallace had a 12 point (5/6 FG), 10 board double-double. He also had a pair of steals and a block in a 89-109 win over the Grizz. It was Ben’s first double-double in 21 games (sorry Chi fans).
We’ll get our first look at the new-look Benny Paychecks on March 19th when the real Pistons travel down to C-Town to take on Dan Gilbert’s bizarro Pistons.
More interesting though might be the game on March 6th when the Cavs go to Chicago to take on the Bulls where Ben got booed as a member of their own team. Some are even calling him the biggest bust in Chicago sports history. Thankfully it’ll be nationally televised game on TNT.
The Pistons (41-15) will be in Denver to take on the Nuggets (33-22) Tip off is 9:00 pm est from the Pepsi Center and will be televised locally on TV20
Nuggets’ Snapshot
Home record: 22-6
Vs. East: 16-8
Last game: 2/23 (Sat) L 109-115 @ Bucks
Last 10: 6-4
The Nuggets are currently tied with Golden State for the 8th and final playoff spot in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, where as if the were in the East they’d be in 4th. The Nuggets are currently on a two game slide losing after a couple of frustrating games, the first in Chicago and then in Milwaukee. So, you have to assume they’re happy to be back at the Pepsi Center. The Pistons will be looking to hand the Nuggets their season high 3rd loss in a row.
The Pistons have averaged 121 points in their last two wins.
Detroit swept the season series with Denver last year.
Michael Chow / AP
[Box score] That picture pretty much sums it up, a 30 point blow out. It’s going to be hard for Phoenix to really gauge how the Shaq experiment is working out from the first three games they’ve played with him in uniform.
Great effort from start to finish for the Pistons. I would have never predicted all the rest the starters would be able to get in a game against the Suns, in Phoenix no less.
Good read on why Grant Hill decided not to return to the Pistons.
Sorry I don’t have much time for this recap, but you might also want to check out:
