[box score] The Pistons sent the Sonics to their worst start in franchise history with zero wins
in seven tries, although Seattle showed plenty of fight late to give Piston fans a scare.
The Pistons came out on fire hitting 64% of their shots in the opening quarter to take a 35-20 first quarter lead. The 35 points also marked the team’s best scoring first quarter of the season. The Pistons also played excellent defense in the first quarter showing why they came into this contest with the leagues stingiest defense.
The excellent play continued into the second quarter with Flip Saunders effectively mixing bench talent with the starters. Detroit finished the first half with a 12 point lead, 64-52. The 64 point first half total matched their season high (11/2 @ Orlando).
The third quarter was almost the undoing. It was a case study in the importance of continued attention to execution even when playing with a large lead. The Pistons were leading by 19 with a little over 4 minutes to play in the third when the Sonics started to run and get easy buckets while the Pistons were chucking away from the perimeter. When the quarter ended the Pistons saw their lead whittled down to 8 points.
The Sonics continued to push the Pistons in the fourth and actually tied the game for the very first time at 99 a piece with about two and a half minutes to play. The Pistons were able to hold on for the 107-103 lead due to the Sonics inexperience and youth. The Sonics made mistakes and the Pistons capitalized.
It’s good that the Pistons got the W to open their longest road trip of the season, but they could have blown this team out. Flip Saunders needs to work on keeping these guys heads in the game when playing with a lead. I think it’ll be easier to do when Rodney Stuckey comes back because he’s always looking to get in the lane and force the hand of the defense.
GAME NOTES:
- The Pistons will be wearing their red unis through out this whole road trip
- Antonio McDyess had a doubl-double with 15 points and 15 boards
- Richard Hamilton matched his jersey number with 32 points (3/6 3ptrs) playing all but 7 minutes of this one
- Jarvis Hayes played really well all around off the bench scoring 14 points
- This win gives Flip Saunders 122 Piston wins which ties him with Dick McGuire (1959-63) for third in win totals behind Ray Scott and Chuck Daly
- Does Flip Murray EVER give the ball up on a break?
- Amir Johnson got some early minutes coming in the 2nd qtr. He looked nice on the offensive boards but has to work on the J…ug-ly
- Is it just me or does Robert Swift look a lot like Rocky Dennis from the movie Mask?
- I think I was just as impressed with Jeff Green as I was with Kevin Durant
- The Sonics are one of three teams yet to get a W, the others; Minnesota & Golden State
GAME QUOTES:
Tay Prince on those who say Durant needs to add some lbs:
“Once he gets into a comfort level on this professional stage, then you will see the real Kevin Durant,” Prince said. “He needs to get his (lower body) stronger and work on that area, the outer feature is not the thing here. He’s long and athletic enough to do what he’s capable of doing on the offensive and defensive end. But just the base part of it is huge.”
OTHER RECAPS:
Just when you thought Ronald “Super Dupe” Dupree was going to deliver the Tulsa 66ers to the D-League promise land he leaves ‘em at the alter to sign a 10-day with Seattle for their big lottery push.
The Sonics aren’t that good and no one is pretending that they are. They’re rebuilding with youth and they picked up two great prospects in June’s draft in Kevin Durant and Jeff Green. To the Sonics favor they do play hard (*cough* Miami Heat) and are capable of giving our guys a game and like 
