Detroit Pistons (0-0) @ Miami Heat (0-0)

CelticBalla32 · Nov 1, 2007

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November 1, 2007 @ 8:00pm ET
American Airlines Arena (Miami, FL)
Game aired on TNT

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Detroit Pistons
 (0-0)


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Miami Heat
(0-0)


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<h4 align="center">Projected Starters</h4>
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PG Billups SG Afflalo

SF Prince PF McDyess C Wallace


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PG Williams SG Davis

SF Wright PF Haslem C O'Neal


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<h4>Team Stats</h4>
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<td class="strong">Scoring</td>
<td>0.0 PPG
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<td class="strong">Field Goal %</td>
<td>0%
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<td class="strong">3-Point %</td>
<td>0%
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<td class="strong">Rebounds</td>
<td>0.0 RPG
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<td class="strong">Assists</td>
<td>0.0 APG
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<td class="strong">Scoring</td>
<td>0.0 PPG
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<td class="strong">Field Goal %</td>
<td>0%
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<td class="strong">3-Point %</td>
<td>0%
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<td class="strong">Rebounds</td>
<td>0.0 RPG
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<td class="strong">Assists</td>
<td>0.0 APG
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<h4>Preseason Team Leaders</h4>
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<td class="strong">Scoring</td>
<td>Jarvis Hayes (13.6 PPG)</td>
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<td class="strong">Rebounding</td>
<td>Jason Maxiell (8.4 RPG)</td>
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<td class="strong">Assists</td>
<td>Chauncey Billups (5.3 APG)</td>
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<td class="strong">Scoring</td>
<td>Udonis Haslem (11.8 PPG)</td>
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<td class="strong">Rebounding</td>
<td>Udonis Haslem (5.7 RPG)</td>
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<td class="strong">Assists</td>
<td>Jason Williams (3.6 APG)</td>
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<h4>Key Matchup
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Rasheed Wallace vs. Shaquille O'Neal
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It will be extremely interesting to see these two bang inside. Rasheed is certainly one of the better post defenders in the NBA, but holding the responsibility of defending Shaq all night is something he hasn't really had thrown at him much in the past. He'll need to play smart defense, stay out of foul trouble, and help is going to need to do a good job of doubling and making sure Shaq doesn't get too many 1-on-1 iso's on the block.

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<h4>Keys to the Game</h4>
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<ul>[*]Make It Rain: With intimidators like Shaq and Alonzo in the paint, Detroit needs to make sure they move the ball around well and knock down open shots. Miami isn't a particularly great defensive team, especially without Wade, and you can really hurt them with good ball movement. Guys like Billups, Rasheed, and Tayshaun need to make sure they don't go cold tonight.

[*]Help: If you let Shaq operate inside with Rasheed on him by his lonesome, Rasheed will get in foul trouble and Miami will be hard to beat. The help defense has to be there for Detroit. They need to make sure they give Sheed assistance, double Shaq when he recieves the ball, and make Miami's shaky shooters beat them.

[*]Play With a Chip On Your Shoulder: Sure, it's just opening night, but Detroit needs to make a statement to the rest of the Eastern Conference tonight. They need to let everybody know that they can't count them out, and that they can still hang with anybody in the East. Rasheed talked a good game the other day when he downplayed Boston and said Detroit was still #1. He needs to back it up.
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<ul>[*]Get Shaq Going Early: Detroit is a tough defensive team, but you've got to get the big 'fella going right away. When he gets position on the block, which he can do any time he wants, feed him the ball right away. Make Detroit work right away, get some guys in foul trouble, and make sure the perimeter players are cutting when Shaq gets doubled.

[*]"Do Work": Without Dwyane Wade being there to save them at the end of games, Miami needs to do all the little things in order to win games against elite teams. Hustle points, second change points, fast break points, rebounds... the Heat need to make sure they take care of those areas. Miami doesn't have the advantage in talent, with Dwyane Wade on the sidelines, so the only way they can beat Detroit is to outwork them.

[*]Take Care of the Ball: Detroit isn't a team you want to get careless against. They will take advantage of an excessive amount of mistakes. Jason Williams will need to run the offense well, Ricky Davis will need to limit his turnovers, Smush Parker needs to show he's worthwile, and Dorell Wright needs to show that he has a real place in the rotation. If they don't take care of the ball, they'll have a hard time winning this game.
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<h4 align="center">X-Factors</h4>
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 Nazr Mohammed

After a solid start to the year, Nazr turned out to be a big disappointment for He needs to show Flip that he belongs in the rotation, and with Detroit needing to throw multiple bodies at Shaq, he has a real shot at impacting tonight's game.

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 Ricky Davis

Simply put, there's no Dwyane Wade. Ricky D needs to come out and light it up, like we all know he's capable of doing. Miami needs that go-to guy on the perimeter. He should have the advantage with rookie Arrol Afflalo starting at the 2 for Detroit.

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<h4 align="center">Injury Report
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Rip Hamilton: Family reasons.

Rodney Stuckey: Broken left hand.
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Dwyane Wade: Recovering from shoulder/knee surgeries.



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<h4>Prediction</h4>
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<td colspan="2">I was way off on my Bucks/Magic prediction last night, so hopefully I can redeem myself for this one. I think Detroit is going to take this game, despite a good effort from Shaquille O'Neal tonight. I think Shaq is going to work the paint and play hard, but I think the shorthanded Heat are going to lose their home opener. If Ricky Davis can get on a roll, things will be close, but I think Detroit is the better team and will prove it tonight. I also think Afflalo will do an excellent job in his NBA debut.
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Shapecity · Nov 1, 2007

I also like Detroit in this game because of their defense and the fact everyone on the team is a scoring threat. Rasheed Wallace has always defended Shaq well, and Detroit's zone will frustrate Shaq into rushing his shot and committing offensive fouls. The new attention to traveling is also going to slow Shaq down. Shaq always does a little dance with his feet before he makes his move.

pegs · Nov 1, 2007

Great table, CB32. It took a while for all the pictures to load up, probably because I'm on a school computer. When they did load up, everything looked great.

Is Aflallo really getting the start over Hayes, Hunter, and Murray? That's surprising. Especially over Hayes.

Seems to me Detroit has the edge defensively, and it seems they're the better team...but I also wouldn't be surprised with a Miami win. Whichever team does win this, I expect it to be pretty close...I'll give it to Detroit.

CelticBalla32 · Nov 1, 2007

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (peg182)</div><div class='quotemain'>

Great table, CB32. It took a while for all the pictures to load up, probably because I'm on a school computer. When they did load up, everything looked great.

Is Aflallo really getting the start over Hayes, Hunter, and Murray? That's surprising. Especially over Hayes.

Seems to me Detroit has the edge defensively, and it seems they're the better team...but I also wouldn't be surprised with a Miami win. Whichever team does win this, I expect it to be pretty close...I'll give it to Detroit.

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Afflalo is a hell of a player, he does pretty much everything well. He's also a better option to throw at Ricky Davis defensively than the liabilities that have off the bench.

CelticBalla32 · Nov 1, 2007

Anybody else watching this?

Ricky D really got it going in the second quarter, after he came out jittery in the first quarter in front of his new crowd. He just needs to keep rubbing off those screens. J-Will did a terrific job in the first half as well. He played heads up basketball, and although he took a couple questionable pull-up jumpers, he kept the ball moving beautifully. As a team, however, Miami needs to take better care of the ball and stop overdoing it, especially Wright.

Tayshaun put up the quietest 16 points I've seen so far this season, by the way.

Shapecity · Nov 1, 2007

We called it CB32. I only caught the 2nd half, but Miami looks really bad. They have no flow on the offensive end and were counting on one-on-one play to score the ball.

Tayshaun went off tonight. 34 points wow!

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Detroit Pistons (0-0) @ Miami Heat (0-0)

CelticBalla32 Basketball is back in Boston

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

pegs My future wife.

CelticBalla32 Basketball is back in Boston

CelticBalla32 Basketball is back in Boston

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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Detroit Pistons (0-0) @ Miami Heat (0-0)

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CelticBalla32 Basketball is back in Boston

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

pegs My future wife.

CelticBalla32 Basketball is back in Boston

CelticBalla32 Basketball is back in Boston

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

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