<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'></p> A full-house of about 3,000 people – mostly students -- watched as the Pistons warmed-up and scrimmaged for three quarters at their annual open practice at Oakland University’s Athletic Center on Thursday night.</p> Center Nazr Mohammed scored 14 points for the blue team, which won 55-45. Rookie Rodney Stuckey led the white team with 14 points, going 12-for-12 at the free-throw line.</p> All four of the Pistons rookies – Stuckey, Arron Afflalo, Cheikh Samb and Sammy Mejia – wore white headbands with the word “Rook” written on them. My impressions were that coach Flip Saunders is right to be happy with the overall conditioning of the team. For early in training camp, they’re in good shape, even if that still means the legs look a little tired near the end of a scrimmage. The rookies had a few nice moments. Stuckey was able to get inside and get fouls, which as Saunders pointed out afterwards is why they drafted him. He had a little trouble finishing, but that will come. “I love our young guys, man,” point guard Chauncey Billups said. “The energy and the hunger that they have. That’s going to be a big, big part of how good we can be this year.” Jarvis Hayes started the game very hot. He made his first four attempts and most of the time was hitting nothing but net. It was certainly encouraging.</div></p> Source: Detroit Free Press</p>
hahaha, Sheed is priceless.</p> I'm still pissed Jarvis didn't sign with another team. But I still hope he does good here, and from reading this, it seems he's off to a good start. He'll be a good contributor to this team this year.</p>
I think with the strides the Celtics and Knicks made over the summer, the Cavs going to the finals, the big names the Bulls picked up in the draft, the Heat being the Heat, and teams like New Jersey and Toronto finishing strong last year, the Pistons are really a sleeper for the first time since they first got Rip and Chauncey. I really think they ought to be the early season favorites for winning the East, and its this scrimmage that shows why. Which of these guys is really going to be a main rotation guy? Probably none. But if all can contribute a few minutes off the pine, then the Pistons will have depth unmatched by any team in the league.</p>
