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CELTICS (86) @ Pistons (78) {boxscore}

It was an improvement from the last two games versus Boston but it’ll count as a loss just like the other ones.  I hate losses to the Celtics though, they seem to multiply like dog years.

This time I can honestly say it was the Pistons who were their own opponent.  Too many missed shots.  Boston’s defense wasn’t anything extraordinaire last night, the Pistons flat out missed tons of good open looks.  The couldn’t hit shots so they were never able to mount a run.  The Pistons shot 40.5 as a team, but the main culprits were the front court guys.  Tayshaun went 1/7, Rasheed was 5/16 (1/6 from 3pt line), and Dice was 1/8.  When your top three bigs combine to shoot 23% you’re not going to win too many games.

The Pistons also had a problem with giving up extra possessions to the Celtics.

There were some positives though.  The Pistons played with a high level of energy.  The defense looked better.  Curry’s rotations, for the most part, made sense. We got scoring in the paint.  If the Pistons played like this more often there’d be more optimism about this team.

Rip (14 pts) is looking more in tune with his role as the scoring punch off the bench.  He came in and really took his game right to the Celtics.  I have to assume the groin was feeling good seeing Rip run around out there like the Rip of old.

The Maxiell / Perkins dust up: On one hand I liked it.  It reminds me of when this rivalry was raw.  On the other hand it was a bitch move by Perkins.  When a guy is pump faking on a shot and you head lock him and attempt to throw him head first to the court you’re a bitch.

Garnett shoving Max as he was going for Perkins was again, a bitch move.  But, I think we’ve come to expect that from him.  He wasn’t acting as a peace maker he was just being himself and I don’t think it’s speculation but if Jason would have went after him for that he’d done his patented back peddle.

The Pistons (25-19, 13-9 home) will be taking on the Celtics (38-9) at The Palace of Auburn Hills tonight at 7:00 pm est. The game can be viewed locally on Fox Sports Detroit & nationally on .

Celtics’ Snapshot
Road record: 15-7
Last game: 01/28 (Weds) W 100-119 Vs. Kings
Last 10: 9-1
Streak: Won 9
Vs. Pistons: Nov 9th – Celtics (88) @ Pistons(76), Nov 20th – Pistons (80) @ Celtics (98)
Injuries: Brian Scalabrine (mild concussion)

Tonight my two favorite teams in the league are playing, the Pistons and whomever is playing against the Celtics.

The Celtics bring the league’s ugliest team current long winning streak into the Palace looking to extend it to double digits.  It’s no secret, we’ve gotten dominated both times these teams have played and there’s no evidence that says that isn’t going to happen for a third time, but still gotta root for the red, white and Pistons’ blue to pull a complete game out their asses and exact some payback.

One of the many problems the Pistons have had with Boston is their benchies stepping up.  So Eddie House being as hot as Brenda Lynn coming into this game is a bad thing.  House, who averages 8.9 ppg, has scored 23 or more points in three of his last four games off the Celtics’ bench.  We need Dice and Co. to step up.  I want to see Maxiell’s OH-BEAST! mode unleashed and eat Big Baby!

The newest member of the bench, Rip Hamilton, still remains a game time decision with  his strained groin.  If Rip can’t play that should hamper our defense with Iverson not being able to guard either Earthworm Rondo or Ray Allen.

Hopefully Sheed continues his inspired play he’s shown over the last two games.   I’d like to see Curry start Kwame (instead of AJ) to counter Kendrick Perkins so Rasheed can matchup with the Big Burnt Match Ticket, Courageous Kevin Garnett.  Remember Sheed, WWRD?

This game tonight marks the first of a three game homestand in which the schedule makers are attempting to be cute.  You see we’re playing the last three teams (Boston, Cleveland, Miami) that have knocked us out of the ECF in descending order.

ALSO OF NOTE: Celtics have lost 10 of the last 13 (regular season) at the Palace … Celtics are 6 point favorites tonight … Drew Sharp’s glass-is-empty look at the Pistons playoff prospects … Photoshoplifting with RedsArmy … McCosky: Pistons-Celtics matchup has lost it’s luster … Celtics give mascot his walking papers … Rip asks fans to help arson-revaged hometown … Paul Pierce-Pac is only Celtic All-Star reserve …

Bless you Jim Beam Bourbon.  Bless you.

BTW, here’s that chicks MySpace page

No Tayshaun, but I’m glad Mr. Big Shot got the recognition he deserves.

Denver Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups was named a Western Conference reserve for the 2009 NBA All-Star Game, the league announced today.

Billups was voted to the team by Western Conference coaches. Billups, whom the Nuggets acquired from Detroit via trade on Nov. 3, is averaging a career-best 18.8 ppg (including 19.0 ppg with Denver), 6.5 apg and 1.45 spg through 44 games this season. He is shooting .387 (89-230) from three-point range and .903 (262-290) from the free-throw line (seventh-best in the NBA).

The Denver-native and 2004 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player will be making his fourth NBA All-Star appearance and first as a member of the West. He has been selected as a reserve in each of the last four seasons. -Nuggets.com

From A. Sherrod Blakely on milve:

AUBURN HILLS — Richard Hamilton was told that the groin injury that kept him out of eight games might linger.

Turns out, those folks were right.

Hamilton said the injury has bothered him for the past few games, but the pain became more intense early on in Detroit’s 98-89 win at Minnesota on Wednesday.

A decision on whether he will play won’t be made until shortly before tip-off.

“Mentally, I’m going in saying that I don’t want to miss that game,” said Hamilton, who did not practice on Thursday. “It’s tough. We did a lot of treatment today. Hopefully it will feel better tomorrow.”

Two ways of looking at this:

1) Rip is just starting to find his groove as a 6th man and we could really use his offense against Boston.  Plus you’d like Rip in there against Ray Allen for the slice factor.

2) The bulk of the 7 game win streak was done while Rip was out dealing with this same groin injury.  Although they were wins by the slimmest of margins, they were wins.

Also, If he can’t play that has to erase any inkling that Curry might have to play that 3-guard crap against Boston.   Hopefully he wouldn’t anyways, but you never know.

If you’ve been checking into the Page2 you’ve probably realized three things: 1) I enjoy vector drawing 2) I’m a fan of the He-Man cartoon series 3) I’m slightly perverted…but probably no more than you, ok?

For everything else, like some behind the sceney type stuff that went into this drawing is after the jump (more…)

DETROIT (98) @ Minnesota (89) / boxscore

Last night was one of those glimpses to how special Rasheed Wallace can be when motivated.  After going away from Sheed against Houston the Pistons rode his back late in the fourth to cool down the Timberwolves.  Rasheed scored 10 in the fourth to lead a late rally and the Pistons were finally able to pull away from the Wolves.

“Getting in the car with ‘Sheed and letting him drive,” was how Allen Iverson described Wallace’s performance. “He put us on his back and carried us.” -Freep

Quite a stat night for Wallace finishing with 25 points (tied season high), 10 rebounds, 5 steals and a block.

Al Jefferson was making Rasheed look old on defense for most of the game but in the fourth it was Rasheed’s (along with Mcdyess) defense that was a difference maker.  Big Al had 22 points going into the fourth quarter…he finished the game with 24, going 1/6 from the field.

In typical Pistons fashion they got off to a hot start opening the game 12-2 on Minny, but let the  Wolves not only back in but ahead by a bucket by quarters end.  The two teams traded baskets through the half.  Half way through the third the Wolves had a double digit lead and it was looking like they were going to work the Pistons in the paint until the game ended.  That was until etroit got their D back.  They closed out the game with a 19-5 run, holding the Wolves to 17 (on 6/18 shooting) fourth quarter points.

GAME NOTES: The Pistons have won their last 4 in Minnesota … Anyone else really like the look of the Wolves court? … Sheed now has 11 double-doubles on the season, 1 more than all of last season … Dice 14 points, 10 boards … Kevin Love 17pts / 10rbs / 0 rookie games … Detroit about to face the Ghosts of Pistons past … Pistons doing great (in jersey sales) after adding Iverson …Stuckey 14 pts / 6 asts …