• Chris McCosky of the Detroit News rails on Micheal Jordan’s GM futulity and I love it


  Is it safe to say that as a team-builder, MJ was a great, great player? He ruined Washington, in case anybody forgot, and now he’s making a mess in Charlotte.

• The Pistons are #1 in your hearts and now #1 in the rankings, both NBA.com & ESPN.com
• Fight in the NBA West good for the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics. I agree. It’s no secret that the West has more quality contenders than the East. So let them beat each other up in the playoffs, we only have to beat one of them.
• National pub alert: Really good write up by Sports Illustrated on the Pistons winning consistency


  Death, taxes and DEE-troit, BASK-etball. Same old, same old, without getting old to the crowds at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

• Sorry Automotion, Sacramento’s dance team is my new favorite, unless you can top this.

• It’s a rumor that the Bulls were interested in having Larry Brown in the first seat, but they deny it
• When the Pistons play in Milwaukee on Feb. 20th the Bucks will be honoring “The Dobber” Bob Lanier
• LeBron James says the Pistons and the Celtics are the biggest smack talkers in the league.


  Detroit, we all know that they get flying at the mouth sometimes, but they play great basketball.

• Trading deadline is coming up, does Detroit need to make a move?
• Pistons.com does a good write up on “The Microwave” Vinnie Johnson

The Pistons (37-13) will be in Atlanta to take on the Hawks (21-26). The tip will be at 7 pm est from the Philips Arena. The game can be viewed locally on TV20 Detroit.

Hawks’ snapshot
Home record: 15-10
Last game: 2/9 (Sat) - L 89-108 @ Rockets
Last 10: 4-6
Last meeting: 12/14 Hawks (81) @ Pistons (91)

UPDATE! Rip Hamilton missed Tuesday’s morning shoot-around at Philips Arena due to a gastrointestinal illness believed to be food poisoning. Hamilton is in Atlanta, and the Pistons will re-evaluate his condition before today’s game. Krista Jahnke is reporting that if Rip can’t go Arron Afflalo would start in his place, Flip Murray would be activated because Lindsey Hunter is still in MI battling the flu.

This will be the 58th 4th and final meeting between the Hawks and Pistons this season. The Pistons will be looking to sweep the season series from the Hawks tonight for the first time since the 2000-01 season.

The Hawks are coming off a bad 19 point loss to the Houston Rockets. The Hawks gave up 54% shooting to Houston while shooting 32%. The Hawks struggles were highlighted by no Atlanta starter being able to crack double digits and a season low 10 point second quarter.

Look for the Pistons to jump on the Hawks early like the did with Portland and Charlotte. I am personally looking forward to seeing Rodney Stuckey in his first action versus the young and athletic Hawks.

Amir Johnson / Marvin Williams is an intriguing matchup to look for. They’re both young and athletic with similar builds. Williams has the offensive upper hand but we know how Amir gets after it on the defensive end. Should be fun.

• The Hawks currently hold the 7th playoff seed in the East
• Detroit is 17-9 away from the Palace
• The Pistons, going for their 9th straight victory, are a 6 point favorite tonight
• Also see, Hawks rookies victimized by practicle joke:


  “Jermaine O’Neal and I came into the league together,” [Lorenzen]Wright said. “JO told me that when he was in Portland that Gary Trent, Rasheed Wallace and all them jumped him, took all his clothes, locked him out of his room and then trashed his whole room. And I’m talking about flushing sheets down the toilets, soaked all his clothes and everything.”