<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> January 4, 2007 - 8:00 pm ET<span style="color:#FF0000">Game on TNT</span></div><span style="color:#0000FF">Detroit Pistons</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">(18-11)</span><span style="color:#FF0000">PG</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Flip Murray</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">SG</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Rip Hamilton</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">SF</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Tayshaun Prince</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">PF</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Rasheed Wallace</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">C</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Nazr Mohammed</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Antonio McDyess, Jason Maxiell, Carlos Delfino, Will Blalock</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">(12-19)</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">PG</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Jannero Pargo</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">SG</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Rasual Butler</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">SF</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Desmond Mason</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">PF</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Marc Jackson</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">C</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Tyson Chandler</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Devin Brown, Cedric Simmons, Hilton Armstrong, Linton Johnson III</span> Injury Report<span style="color:#FF0000">DET:</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Chauncey Billups will not play (strained right calf)</span><span style="color:#FF0000">DET:</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Lindsey Hunter will not play (sore right achilles)</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">NOK:</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Chris Paul will not play (sprained right ankle)</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">NOK:</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">David West will not play (recovering from elbow surgery)</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">NOK:</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Peja Stojakovic will not play (recovering from lower back surgery)</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">NOK:</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Bobby Jackson will not play (cracked left rib)</span> Who To Watch Out For<span style="color:#0000FF">Rip Hamilton</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 22.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.3 apg</span><span style="color:#0000FF">Rasheed Wallace</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 12.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.8 bpg</span><span style="color:#0000FF">Tayshaun Prince</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 15.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.8 apg</span><span style="color:#00CCCC">Desmond Mason</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats: 12.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.5 apg</span><span style="color:#00CCCC">Jannero Pargo</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats: 10.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.6 apg</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">As A Starter: 15.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 5.8 apg</span>Rookie Watch <span style="color:#FF0000">DET:</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Will Blalock</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 60</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">1.3 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 1.3 apg</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">NOK:</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Hilton Armstrong</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 12</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">4.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">NOK:</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Cedric Simmons</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 15</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">3.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg</span> <span style="color:#0000FF">Detroit's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#0000FF">Flip Murray</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 6.2 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.6 apg</span><span style="color:#FF0000">As A Starter: 11.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.7 apg</span><span style="color:#0000FF">With Chauncey out and Flip getting the job, of course he has to step up. Chauncey is pretty much irreplaceable, but Flip needs to come in and do a solid job. Let's just be thankful that Paul isn't playing either, which is much easier on Murray.</span><span style="color:#00CCCC">New Orleans/Oklahoma City's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#00CCCC">Jannero Pargo</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">Season Stats: 10.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.6 apg</span><span style="color:#FFCC00">As A Starter: 15.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 5.8 apg</span><span style="color:#00CCCC">Pargo has been putting up numbers in Paul's absence, but not very efficiently. He has to shoot the ball well and limit his mistakes tonight, against a still tough backcourt like Detroit's.</span> <div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#0000FF">Desmond Mason</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Tayshaun Prince</span></div><span style="color:#000000">Tayshaun has been having himself a pretty good year, and Mason has improved (especially his mid-range jumper). This is a good athletic matchup, and probably the best one there is with all the injuries.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/NotesNo CP3, Chauncey, West, Peja, or B-Jax. That's just nuts. CelticBalla's PredictionDetroit should win this one by double digits. New Orleans has basically nothing right now with all the injuries. Sure, Chauncey is out for Detroit, and that hurts, but they are still a good basketball team and a good cohesive unit. They are MUCH more talented than the Hornets active roster right now. This shouldn't be that much of a problem for Detroit. The Hornets are very energetic, however, so expect a couple runs.
Haha - So many colors!!But anyways, great write up.I kinda disagree with you about the double digit win. Detroit always seems to play down to some of their opponents when we aren't 100%. Right now we're playing very mediocre basketball - and I actually think it's going to be a 5 point game kinda thing.
I expect a big game from Maxiell and Tayshaun.I would like more than anything for Amir to get time. Hopefully we're up by 30 going into the 4th. But then Flip would probably play the starters anyway.
I expect a big game from Maxiell and Tayshaun.I would like more than anything for Amir to get time. Hopefully we're up by 30 going into the 4th. But then Flip would probably play the starters anyway.
This will be a fun game to watch, I'm hoping for the Pistons to lose due to my Wizards being near them in the conference standings however they're playing a weakened hornets team with only one of their go-to-guys on the floor, and he's not really even a go-to-guy on offense. This should be entertaining with alot of the Pistons having a good year so far.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ReppinTheD @ Jan 4 2007, 05:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I kinda disagree with you about the double digit win.</div> :winkglasses: I expected a little more from the Hornets, no matter how short handed they were. I am surprised that Bobby Jackson played. When I saw him step into the game, I wasn't expecting that. I thought he was going to be out for another 4 or 5 days.Pargo had some good moments, but again, he didn't shoot the ball well. In my X-Factor section, I said he needed to play efficiently. He didn't do that. Mason missed too many easy ones, Rasual Butler played terrible (and his brother, who talked to Craig Sager during the game and it was aired, is 5'7'' and said he compares his game to Marcus Camby... but he doesn't play in the paint because he's a great 3 point shooter. LOL). Devin Brown had another pretty good game as a Hornet, he's playing well for them. Tyson Chandler also brought a ton of energy, but did nothing offensively (as usual).For Detroit, Rip had a monster first half. He had 20 some odd points at the half. Tayshaun played a pretty solid game himself, but wow... of all the games I have ever watched him play, this was Sheed's quietest game I've ever laid my eyes on from him. Wow. I'll also add that Jason Maxiell is a beast, and GO WILL BLALOCK!!!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticBalla32 @ Jan 5 2007, 03:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>:winkglasses: I expected a little more from the Hornets, no matter how short handed they were. I am surprised that Bobby Jackson played. When I saw him step into the game, I wasn't expecting that. I thought he was going to be out for another 4 or 5 days.Pargo had some good moments, but again, he didn't shoot the ball well. In my X-Factor section, I said he needed to play efficiently. He didn't do that. Mason missed too many easy ones, Rasual Butler played terrible (and his brother, who talked to Craig Sager during the game and it was aired, is 5'7'' and said he compares his game to Marcus Camby... but he doesn't play in the paint because he's a great 3 point shooter. LOL). Devin Brown had another pretty good game as a Hornet, he's playing well for them. Tyson Chandler also brought a ton of energy, but did nothing offensively (as usual).For Detroit, Rip had a monster first half. He had 20 some odd points at the half. Tayshaun played a pretty solid game himself, but wow... of all the games I have ever watched him play, this was Sheed's quietest game I've ever laid my eyes on from him. Wow. I'll also add that Jason Maxiell is a beast, and GO WILL BLALOCK!!!</div>As a Detroit fan - it is my duty to underestimate Detroit - or maybe it was just a pathetic game by the hornets - or a combination of both.Also - I hate Flip Murray.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ReppinTheD @ Jan 5 2007, 03:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>As a Detroit fan - it is my duty to underestimate Detroit - or maybe it was just a pathetic game by the hornets - or a combination of both.</div>It was a combination of both. Detroit can obviously play better than that, but they started feel good about themselves after getting a big lead, and they slowed down a bit. But you guys also didn't have your leader on the floor tonight, so that obviously pays dividends.
