Game #9: Pistons pop Lakers bubble
Posted by pistonsnation
The Pistons take a unified effort into the Staples center and hand the only unbeaten team their first loss in convincing fashion {box score}
The Pistons opened up the game connecting their first six shot attempts. SWEET. Then they went cold, not scoring for five plus minutes while the Lakers went on a 12-0 run. AWWW. That was it though. The Pistons controlled the game from that point, both offensively and defensively. SCHWEEET!
Everything was working for the Pistons. Another game over 100 points while holding the high powered Lakers, who came into the game averaging 104.7 per game, to 95 points on 42% shooting.
The Pistons turned in another big 3 type performance with Iverson (25 pts, 4 stls), Rasheed (25 pts, 13 rbs), and the Compton Kid Tayshaun Prince (18 pts, 6 asts). The team as a whole shot great going 50.7% from the field, 43.8% beyond the arc, and 85.3% from the free-throw line. The only exception was Rip who went 3/10 with 5 turnovers.
On the defensive side of the ball it was Kwame Brown and Rasheed teaming up to keep the Laker frontline of Bynum and Gasol in check. Kwame and Sheed combined for 23 boards and 35 points to thier Laker counterpart’s 19 and 23.
Kwame’s 10 point, 10 board double-double (3 asts, 1 stl, 1 blk) was definitely his best performance so far in the Pistons red, white and blue. K-Brown’s 28 minutes were just what the doctor ordered against the Lakers big front line. Kwame must now maintain this level of augmentation to the front court with the likes Shaq, Big Z, and Perkins in the immediate future to reward Michael Curry for rewarding him.
“It felt great,” said Brown. “I anticipated a big game and I was excited to play all day and I couldn’t sleep.
“So it’s definitely great to get a win a place that traded me.” – Free Press
Not even Kobe Bryant could save the Lakers from Detroit Pistoning away at his ball club. Kobe scored 29 points, which is MVP respectable ONLY if it doesn’t take 30 shots to get. The Pistons focused on making the Kobester give up the ball by crowding with multiple defenders every time he got a touch. Kobe returned the favor by having an atrocious shooting night missing 18 of those 30 shots he took (2/7 downtown).
GAME NOTES: Hater in the house … The Lakers have dropped eight of their last 10 games against the Pistons … ESPN video recap … the Pistons go 3-0 against California … Sheed Chin Music … N4S recapper… Allen Iverson passed Elgin Baylor for 19th all-time on the NBA career scoring list … L.A. Times recapper … plenty of Hollywood types on hand to see the Lakers first loss … Chauncey and the Nugs punk the C’s in Beantown …
This entry was posted on Saturday, November 15th, 2008 at 11:09 am and is filed under Game recap, Lakers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
“Kwame must now maintain this level of augmentation to the front court with the likes Shaq, Big Z, and Perkins in the immediate future to reward Michael Curry for rewarding him.”
I loved how during Sheed’s halftime interview on ESPN, though the Pistons were only up 9, Sheed was already looking past the win over the Lakers and worrying more about dealing with Phoenix’s front line than about dealing with Gasol and Bynum.
His response to a question about the second half was something like, “it’ll be fine, but I’m not looking forward to Sunday.”
Let’s see how Pistons small ball works against Amare and Shaquille.
(And FWIW, Shaquille came to play last night against Sacto. Big numbers.)
—–
And there was another role player hero besides Kwame last night. Give it up for Arron Afflalo.
I’m new to Pistons’ fanhood, coming over in the Bubbachuck trade, and I’m just learning that there are two “L’s” in Afflalo, but he played a kickass game against Kobe Bean.
November 15th, 2008 at 12:24 pmWe’re glad to have you Petey, I’ve enjoyed your contributions.
Afflalo did do a great job on Kobe last night. He played him tough last year as a rookie as well.
Sheed was calling Arron “Showbe” last season because being from LA Kobe was Arron’s favorite pro.
BTW readers Bubbachuck = AI
[...] Last game: 3/24 (Tues) W 107-89 @ Thunder Vs. East: 18-7 Last 10: 8-2 Streak: Won 3 Vs. Pistons: Nov 14th: PISTONS (106) @ Lakers (95) Injuries: Andrew Bynum (knee – [...]
March 26th, 2009 at 5:18 pm