PistonsNationBlog.com - Detroit Pistons News & Views

[Cle 113 Det 101] At this point your guess is as good as mine.  The Pistons got embarrassed by a struggling Celtics team in Boston, then turn around, fly home, and nearly pull one out against the team with the league’s number one seed.

The final score sees the Cavs winning by a dozen points, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.  The Pistons played Clelveland tight the whole game.  The game was tied 21 times and there were 10 lead changes.

The Pistons had LeBron James managed through the first half of basketball only giving up 5 points to soon-to-be #6, but he got loose in the second.  He ended the night with a 29/12/12 triple-double.  A couple of those points he didn’t earn though.  LeBron got a continuation call on a layup after being fouled by Tayshuan Prince just inside the 3-point line.  I don’t even think he was expecting to get that call by the cute little layup he flipped up.

LeBron also “officially” recorded a block, but I’m nullifying that myself.  It was a goaltend.  So Will Bynum actually had 14 points to go with his 4 assists and 3 rebounds.  Check out the video.  I think the refs were just to caught up in the King’s glory.

Mad respect to Tayshaun Prince last night.  After taking a Jason Maxiell running knee to the back in Boston Tay played 44 big minutes giving the Pistons a much needed 15 points, 8 assists, and 7 boards.

Including Tayshaun and Bynum, the Pistons had six players in double figures.  Rip led the way with 24.  Jonas and Max scored 10 a piece with Jason grabbing a game high 15 rebounds.  Charlie Villanueva gave the Pistons 16 off the bench making all three of his triple attempts.

GAME NOTES: Refs = all the King’s men … Wilcox / Atkins / Summers -DNP CD … The 3-point shooting of Mo Williams (20 pts) and Daniel Gibson really hurt the Pistons late in the game … Ben Gordon 1-6 shooting … Stuckey practicing hard, closing in on return date …

Happy St. Patty’s Day!

The Pistons (23-44, 16-18 home) will be hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers (52-15) Tip off is 7:30 pm est from the Palace of Auburn Hills and will be televised locally on Fox Sports Detroit, and can be heard on 97.1 fm.

Cavs’ Snapshot
Road record: 23-11
Last game: 3/14 (Sat) W 93-104 vs. Celtics
Last 10: 9-1
Streak: Won 3
Injuries: Shaquille O’Neal (thumb: out indefinitely), Antawn Jamison (knee: day-to-day), Sebastian Telfair (groin: mid-march)
Vs. Pistons: Nov. 25th Det (88) @ Cle (98) / Mar. 5th: Cle (99) @ Det (92)

The Pistons are really bad, the Cavs are really good BLAH-BLAH-BLAHA.  I’m posting this picture of my all-time favorite Cavalier in place of a proper game preview.

Ok, so you’ll have to skip ahead to March 22nd -when the Cavs can “officially” sign Ilgauskas- for this to be a completely accurate depiction of events.  Sorry.  I grew impatient.

The lesson here, when things aren’t going your way take it out on Cleveland. Ahhh. Much better now.

Such a scary scene.  Rodney Stuckey on the floor in front of the Pistons bench during a third quarter timeout.  Then the stretcher coming out to to rush an unconscious Rodney to the back the arena to an awaiting ambulance.  Just one day after the sporting world remembered the 20 year anniversary of Hank Gathers who collapsed and died on the college basketball hardwood.

It’s reported Rodney had a seizure, some reports terming it a ‘violent seizure’.

AP photo

I hope it’s awhile before I see Stuckey on a basketball court again.  He needs to get right.  Run every test there is to run.  It’s not every day you see and athlete carted away unconscious wearing an oxygen mask.  Don’t take any chances.  First place, last place, it doesn’t matter.  That man’s health trumps all basketball storylines.  Stuckey is a father before he’s anything else.

At last report from a Cleveland clinic near the Quicken Loans Arena  Rodney was conscious, breathing on his own, and his vitals were normal.  He will stay overnight for observation.

Pistons’ Stuckey suffers apparent seizure during Cavs game [Detroit Free Press]
Pistons’ Stuckey collapses during timeout in NBA game [Bloomberg]

In November of 2008 Rodney Stuckey went down to his knees at center court at halftime of a game against the Celtics due to dizziness that was said to have been brought on by allergy medication.

Players join at center court to pray for Rodney (REUTERS)

Hey morons, let's party!

The Cavaliers and their fans will attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people wearing Snuggies errrr “fleece blankets” errrr backwards bathrobes.

The big event is set for none other than the nationally televised ESPN game on March 5th against our Pistons.  How nice of them to allow everyone to watch as they turn the Quickens Loan Arena into the world’s largest tool shed.  I’m sooo glad this is one “event” that doesn’t have it’s roots in Cleveland’s Detroit inferiority complex.

source

The Pistons (5-9, 3-2 home) will be hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers (10-4) Tip off is 8:00 pm est from the Palace of Auburn Hills and will be televised locally on Fox Sports Detroit, and can be heard on WWJ 950.

Cavs’ Snapshot
Road record: 5-2
Last game: 11/21 (Sat) W 91-97 vs. 76ers
Last 10: 8-2
Streak: Won 2
Injuries: Leon Powe (out: knee)

Although the losing streak remains the western road trip is behind the Pistons.  It’s time to take what they learned about team work and giving consistent efforts for 48 minutes and use it to get a Thanksgiving-Eve win over the Cavs at the Palace.

Shaquille O’Neal (11.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg) will be making his return not return tonight after missing the previous 5 games with a strained shoulder.

Jonas Jerebko gets the assignment of guarding LeBron James (29.4p, 6.8r, 8.1a) tonight.

“I can’t guard him by myself. I got to get some help in the lane,” Jerebko said. “We are going to do a good job defending him and I am going to do a good job with my defense too.”

This will be John Kuester’s first crack at the team he masterminded on the offensive end, helping them to 66 wins in 2008-09.  Watch for another former Cav, Ben Wallace, who kinda has a grudge against his former team for thinking he had nothing to offer come crunch time.

ALSO OF NOTE: Cleveland allows the fewest points in the paint (34.1) … Pistons trying to avoid 6 game losing streak … Cavs are a 5 point favorite … Bynum gets love, Stuckey gets none … RIP Abe Polin …  HAPPY THANKSGIVING! …

This is from commenter TDP over at DBB:

Ben wore #30 when he was in Washington and #4 in Orlando and with the Cavs last season. Since wearing Pistons #4 is out of the question, it sure would be funny for him to take That Other Wallace’s number. No need to make new jerseys.

I love it. Hey, it’s a tough economy. Gotta cut corners where you can.