Kevin Garnett, part of the team nominated for sportsmen of the year, really loves to talk.
Love the way Toronto’s Jose Calderon goes back at Garnuttsack.
Similarly, I wish someone would post the vid of KG flapping his gums at our guy Will Bynum the other night to which Bynum simply crosses him up snapping him at the ankles leaving KG to inbound the ball wearing the hoe face.
Link attributive: NESW Sports
Tayshaun led the way as the Pistons dashed the Raptors hopes for their first 4-0 in franchise history. {box score}
So Iverson didn’t make his much anticipated Pistons debut like we may have hoped. There was still plenty of storyline to go around as both teams looked for their fourth win in as many tries. One team was going to walk out of the Air Canada Centre with a blemish on their perfect record.
For a second straight time following “the trade” the Pistons banded together to get a win and keep momentum on the young season. I’ll be honest, with the past as evidence I thought the offense would struggle without out Billups running the show, but the team has really stepped up. In both games since the trade the Pistons have kept the assists north of 20 and the turnovers under double digits.
The Pistons again surrendered a large lead being up by 16 in the third, but have been able to gut it out just like before.
Micheal Curry again went deep into the bench playing 11 guys with everyone keyed in on their particular role. He had enough confidence in guys like Herrmann, Bynum, and Acker to play them in the 4th quarter with the game hanging in the balance. That’s the difference between M.C. and Flip.
Tayshaun played spectacular and made it look easy. Tay scored 27 on 10/13 shooting. Compare that with Toronto’s Chris Bosh who scored 26, but needed 11 more shots and 6 more minutes to do it. Not only that but Tayshaun really didn’t get into his game until after the first quarter. After only attempting one shot in the first Tayshaun promptly went to work in the second scoring 16.
“When I’m out there with [the second unit], I’ve got to be aggressive and make plays for them but at the same time, look for opportunities,” Prince said. “I know that, starting games, we are going to go to Rasheed and obviously try to get Rip involved. If I start the second quarter, that’s the time for me to make some plays and it just so happened that they went in.” -espn
In typical Tayshaun Prince fanshion he didn’t limited his contributions to scoring. Tayshaun also grabbed 9 boards, dished out 3 assists, blocked 2 shots, and 1 steal. That’s an all-star night if I’ve ever seen one.
The Pistons defense is also starting to pick up. I thought Rasheed / Maxiell / and Kwame did a real good job limiting Jermaine O’Neal (3/10 shooting) and Chris Bosh down low. They crowded J.O. and Bosh and made it tough for them all night to the point where the Toronto twosome spent a lot of time barking at the refs. O’Neal ended picking up a tech in the third.
Rodney Stuckey had a solid outing starting at the PG slot. Hot Rod scored 14 and dished out 5 assists while only committing only 1 turnover. Stuck was complimented in the starting backcourt by Rip’s 22 points and 5 assists of his own.
The Pistons were also all over the opposition on the glass again. They outrebounded the Raptors 43-38 with Rasheed (11 points) leading the way with 12 caroms.
GAME NOTES: The Pistons a 4-0 for the first time since the 2005-06 season when they won a franchise record 64 games …the Pistons have scored 100 or more points in all four of their games …Cuzoogle: Raps fall back to earth in loss … Jose Calderon scored 24 for the Raptors … These Pistons join the 1970-1971 team as the only Detroit teams to open the season 4-0 while scoring 100 or more points in each game (mlive) … The Pistons have taken 5 of the last 6 against the Raptors … Multiple teams clamoring for McDyess … Next up the Nets on Friday in NJ …
The revenge of Chauncey Billups? Nah, I wouldn’t call it that. Chauncey had to go from Charlotte to Detroit, then out to Denver. Meanwhile the Nuggets are out in Oakland. Pretty unfavorable logistics.
Newly acquired guard Allen Iverson may not play tonight when the Pistons take on the Raptors in Toronto. Chauncey Billups and Cheikh Samb, two of the Pistons dealt for Iverson, have yet to take their physicals for the Denver Nuggets. Under league rules, no one involved in a trade is allowed to play for his new team until all players involved are cleared to play. -Detroit Free Press
There’s technically still time but then again the Nuggets aren’t expecting to have Billups on the floor until Friday against Dallas so there’s not the same sense of urgency on their part. If the physicals don’t get done that would push Iverson’s Piston debut to Friday in New Jersey.
Here’s Chris McCosky’s less optimistic outlook than the Freep reported:
Denver Nuggets coach George Karl told reporters Wednesday morning that both Chauncey Billups and Cheikh Samb would not be in Denver until late Wednesday night and wouldn’t take their NBA-mandated physicals until Thursday morning
Also: It looks as if McDyess and the Nuggets are still hammering out a buyout, so his physical doesn’t figure in.
Chauncey will wear jersey #7 for the Nuggets. J.R. Smith already wears #1.
The Pistons (3-0) will be taking on the Raptors (3-0) at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre tonight at 7 pm est. The game can be viewed locally on FS Detroit.
Raptors’ Snapshot
Home record: 1-0
Last game: 11/1 (Sat) W 91-87 @ Milwaukee
Like the Pistons, Toronto comes into tonight’s game with a 3-0 record. The Raptors would like to go 4-0 for the first time in team history.
The Raptors perfect start is thanks in no small part to their superstar Chris Bosh (whom the Pistons may be targeting in 2010) who’s averaging 26 points and 10 boards through the first three games.
The Raptors will get the first look at Detroit’s new Answer, and the Pistons will get their first look at a familiar foe in center Jermaine O’Neal was acquired in a trade for T.J. Ford over the summer. J.O. joins Bosh in Toronto’s front court to form one of the more formidable big man tandems in the East.
According to Pistons.com it’s not clear yet if Iverson will be starting, but Coach Curry shouldn’t have any problems getting A.I. onto the court. Jason Maxiell and Kwame Brown should see an added work load with the Pistons being less one big as a result of the trade.
…but Gary Payton doesn’t see it.
Chauncey Billups has said the Pistons second unit is playing better than some teams first units right now and they made him look good today against the Raptors in a Palace Matinée of the potential first round opponent.
The Zoo Crew (or Zoo Squad as ESPN calls ‘em) outscored the starters with 48 of the Pistons 91 total points.
Rodney Stuckey and Jason Maxiell combined for 18 against the Raptors regulars in the 4th quarter to help ice the win for Detroit. Stuck finished with a team high 18 points and Maxy chipped in 14.
The loss puts Toronto is a tie with the 76ers for 6th in the East. Both teams have 2 games left to determine who gets 3rd seed Orlando and who’ll play our Pistons. Toronto owns the tie breaker if it should come to that.
If these two teams do meet up in the first round Tim Legler pretty much says Toronto has to play perfect and utilize all their strengths at once.
[Box Score] Definitely not the same intensity as we seen against the Suns, more reminiscent of the game before the Phoenix game against the Wizards. The Pistons just could never seem to maintain a run. The 15 turnovers and 40.8% shooting had a lot to do with that.
Detroit was again without Rip Hamilton who’s dealing with a sore left hip.
The Raptors, who were 2-8 in their last 10, now have a little something to draw back on if they hold at #7 and meet us in the first round of the playoffs. The Pistons beat Toronto by an average of 15 points in the two previous meetings this season and had lost 10 of the last 13 against the ‘Stonz.
On the glass half full tip we got to see extended minutes for Amir Johnson who played 19 minutes which included the entire 4th quarter. Amir didn’t stuff up his stat line, but he did a good job defending Chris Bosh (21 pts, 6 rbs) in the 4th. Rodney Stuckey found his offense in the 4th when the Pistons were trying to make a last push. Rodney scored 14 of his career high tying 16 in the quarter.
With Cleveland losing to New Orleans the Pistons backed into at least a share of the Central Division crown. One more win would clinch it out right. Chauncey (24 pts, 9 ast) said he and the Pistons aren’t too excited about Central crowns, they’ve got bigger plans:
“Our thing is not the division or the East, but the whole thing.” (Detroit Free Press)
The Pistons (50-20) will be taking on the Raptors (35-35) at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre tonight at 7 pm est. The game can be viewed locally on FSN Detroit.
Raptors’ Snapshot
Home record: 20-14
Last game: 3/23 (Sun) L 109-100 Vs. Denver
Last 10: 2-8
Last meeting vs. Detroit: Jan 15th - Raptors (89) @ Pistons (103)
If the playoffs were to start today the Canadian Dinosaurs would be our opponents, but the way the Raptors have been playing lately may very well drop into the 8th spot. The Raptors have dropped 7 of their last 8. They’ve had bad luck with injuries losing Bosh recently for 10 games with pain in his knee and point guard T.J. Ford is trying to find his rhythm after missing 24 games with a neck injury.
Rip Hamilton is listed in the line up but if he’s not 100% I wouldn’t expect to see too much of him. It’s just not worth the risk with the playoffs right around the corner and the Pistons comfortable with the number two seed. Rip scored 22 in the first meeting with Toronto, and 39 back on Jan 15th.
The “border-line out of control gangsta” is giving good quotes north of the border, but not the numbers to match. Primoz is averaging 4.1 points and 1.4 boards in just under nine minutes since the trade to Toronto. Brezec is currently listed as day-to-day with a sore groin.
The Pistons (28-10) will be hosting the Raptors (20-17) at the Palace. Tip off is 7:30 pm est and can be viewed locally on TV20.
Via ESPN:
The Pistons have an eight-game win streak at home against the Raptors. The last time the Raptors won in Detroit was in April, 2003.
Vince Carter, Rafer Alston and reserve Pistons guard Lindsey Hunter were all a part of that Raptors team led by Lenny Wilkins. Danny Manning was even playing for the Pistons and ESPN’s very own Rick Carlisle was the Pistons coach.
Raptors’ Snapshot
Road record: 10-9
Last game: 1/13 (Sun) W 116-109 (2OT) Vs. Portland
Last 10: 5-5
Last meeting: Jan 4th - Pistons(101) @ Raptors (85)
Carlos Delfino will be making his first trip back to the Palace for the first time since being traded over the summer. Carlos will also get to reunite with his gold medal winning Argentinian teammate Walter “Crazy Hands” Herrmann.
Raptors HQ was again kind enough to include PN in as part of their preview query as to the current state of our Pistons and in return I asked them about how Carlos (or ‘Los as he been known in certain circles) is fitting in with the Raps.
Q? -Your impressions of Carlos Delfino. How he fits in now and for the future?
RaptorsHQ: Interesting you asked about Carlos as he was a huge reason the Raptors eeked out the double OT win yesterday. Delfino is really the only player Toronto has from the SG-SF spot who can create his own shot off the dribble and get to the rim, and he’s probably the Raptors best on-the-ball defender from that spot (with Anthony Parker being a close second.) When he gets the minutes, he’s usually quite productive and has played above many fans’ expectations prior to the season. The problem is, that when he gets minutes he and Jamario Moon have similar games and with Moon’s emergence, Delfino is not getting the PT he got earlier in the season unless the Raptors go small and he and Moon are on the court at the same time. The other issue is that with TJ Ford hurt and Jose Calderon moving into the starting unit, the Raptors second unit is really struggling. The hope though is that Sam Mitchell will use Delfino more as an orchestrator on offense because of his ball skills. Juan Dixon and Darrick Martin just ain’t cutting it.
In the end I think this is one of the rare trades that worked out well for both teams. Delfino is being able to use his talents better with Toronto, and Detroit cleared room for impressive rookies Stuckey and Afflalo, both of whom probably are better fits in the long run.
With a game everyone and their brother is looking forward to tonight at the Palace Vs. the Celtics it would have been easy for the Pistons to look past the Raptors but true to their word the Pistons kept their collective focus on the task at hand and secured the team’s league leading 11th straight win.
By half time the Pistons had a 13 point lead but behind big nights from Andrea Bargnani (25 pts.) and Chris Bosh (23 pts. 16 reb.) the Raptors had the lead cut to five going into the fourth quarter.
You’d figure that with only a five point cushion it’d be Mr. Big Shot leading the team into the fourth quarter right? Nope. It was the rook Rodney Stuckey in only his 8th game back from injury who was was handed the reins with a winning streak on the line, and he didn’t disappoint. He sandwiched two steals around a Jason Maxiell basket and just like that the Pistons were up by eleven and and the Raptors were deflated. All that was left was Chauncey “The Closer” to come in and manage the the win.
Also big in the fourth was the defense of Jason Maxiell. Bargnani had 25 points when the fourth quarter started and that’s the same number he ended the game with, missing the one shot he attempted in the final quarter.
Does 16 points still count as a blowout? With the exchange rate it’s actually a 16.0192 point win if that helps.
The Pistons (25-7) will be taking on the Raptors (17-15) at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre tonight at 7 pm est. The game can be viewed locally on FSN and nationally on ESPN.
DYK?: With a win tonight the Pistons will have played & beaten every Eastern Conference team not called the Chicago Bulls.
Raptors’ Snapshot
Home record: 8-6
Last game: 12/31 (Mon) W 97-92 @ NOH
Last 10: 5-5
Injuries: Jorge Garbajosa (left ankle), T.J. Ford (left arm stinger)
The Raptors will be playing their first game of 2008 tonight, it’s also their first home game since losing to the Celtics at the Air Canada Centre back on December 16th. This will also be the first time the Pistons face former Tayshaun sub Carlos Delfino since trading him to Toronto back in June for a couple of 2nd round picks. Carlos has been a solid contributor off the Raptor bench scoring 9.2 ppg and pulling down 4.9 rpg averaging 25 minutes. The Pistons will have to fight the temptation to look past this game to their showdown with the Boston Celtics at the Palace on Saturday.
Also see Raptors HQ who were kind enough to ask me about the match up yesterday only I was away from the computer most of the day. Next time guys!
The Pistons are in Toronto tonight, here’s a some highlights from former Piston Carlos Delfino now with the Raptors.
Roll film…
