VS Series: 1-0 Pistons LeadDate: Monday, April 23rdTime: 7:00 PM ETTV: TNTThe Palace of Auburn HillsStarting LineupsPG: Chauncey BillupsSG: Richard HamiltonSF: Tayshaun PrincePF: Rasheed WallaceC: Chris WebberHead Coach: Flip SaundersPG: Jameer NelsonSG: Grant HillSF: Hedo TurkogluPF: Tony BattieC: Dwight HowardHead Coach: Brian HillInjuriesNone to report as of nowNone to report as of nowKey bench playersAntonio McDyessCarlos DelfinoFlip MurrayLindsey HunterJason MaxiellTrevor ArizaCarlos ArroyoDarko MilicicKeyon DoolingPat GarrityPrevious game leaders<span style="color:#FF0000">Pistons</span>Points: Hamilton/Billups-22Rebounds: McDyess-9Assists: Billups-11<span style="color:#0000FF">Magic</span>Points: Turkoglu-17Rebounds: Howard-19Assists: Hill-5What the Pistons have to do1. Get Billups and Webber going early2. Get off to another fast start3. Keep the defensive pressure goingWhat the Magic have to do1. Make free throws (Sounds simple, no?)2. Better ball control3. Let Howard do his thing down low more oftenGame previews: Coming tomorrow.Last game, the Magic couldn't seem to hit a free throw. A simple aspect of the game, but a vital one. Meanwhile, the Pistons showed they meant business when they got out to a hot start. They started to slip a little bit towards the end, but the veteran leadership and experience got them through it. I expect Howard to have a monster game, and it will be a close one all of the way through.My PredictionPistons 90Magic 86One more thing.<span style="color:#FF0000">DEEEETROIT</span><span style="color:#0000FF"> BASKETBALLL!!!!!!</span>
Give me a friggen break. That is not a flagrant foul in any way, shape, or form. This is the NBA Playoffs, not the 6th grade girls city championship.
Jameer needs to get more going to the rim like he just did. He is quicker than Billups and can get buy him. Defensively when Billups comes off those screens, they need to switch on defense rather than have Jameer try to come around those screens. If Battie would have switched there on that pick, Billups would not have been able to parade to the free throw line as he wanted, and Dwight would not have had to step up to play help defense, which left Mcdyess by himself.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ReppinTheD @ Apr 23 2007, 07:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Turkoglu is on fire.</div> Yeah he's not rushing it like he was in Game 1. He's staying patient and he's taking good shots. Turkoglu is the only guy doing anything offensively, though. I'd like to see Dwight attack a bit more, and I'd also like to see Arroyo come off the bench and provide a big spark offensively.
I'm happy with the way Turkoglu is doing, and Hill was trying to get involved offensively. Jameer has drove to the lane twice now, which I like, I think he can get into the lane easily on the Pistons if he just asserted himself more. When he drives though, Dooling or someone needs to start to move back to guard against the fast break. They could have just had an easy layup oppurtunity there.Defensively, I am once again going to say switch on screens. You don't have to switch for long, but just switch. Prince just scored off of a weakside screen, and by not switching he had a free path to the basket. This pistons team is going to find that cutter, so they need to switch on screens, both away from the ball, and with the ball to guard against people getting easy paths to the lane.edit- and these refs are going stupid with that whistle. Just let them play, with Wallace, Webber, Howard, Mcdyess and these guys inside it's going to get a bit rough. They are calling alot of ticky tack fouls.
So it was a pretty decent half for the Magic, down by only 3 at the half, which I am happy about.A few things I liked for the Magic:Turkoglu is doing a good job offensively, 7 of 7 from the field which is really good. He kept it close in the first quarter when no one else was really producing offensively.Grant Hill and Carlos Arroyo were the main factors for us offensively catching up in the second quarter. Arroyo was running the offense well, and getting into the lane pretty well. I was happy with his performance. Grant Hill in the second really turned it on. He is getting to the rim, hitting the mid range shots off the dribble, running the break with Arroyo once or twice, and setting a couple of people up with his passing. His veteran leadership was on display there, I was very impressed with that second half quarter by Hill.Defensively we did a good job when we stayed in man during the second quarter. They had a hard time against us there.Some things I didn't like for the Magic, and need to be worked on: No boxing out on the defensive boards. The Magic should have position, and be putting bodies on Prince, Mcdyess, Wallace, Webber and these guys. They are getting extra scoring chances on offense, and that is going to hurt us if we do not stop it.Stay out of that 2-3 matchup zone, they have gotten nothing but open oppurtunities when we run that, from both inside the arc and outside. I hate zone defenses anyways, and they have gotten alot of their offensive boards from that.Keep ahold of the ball, we only have six turnovers which is good. However both Ariza and Milicic dropped the ball, or lost control of it when they had easy shots close to the basket in the lane. Milicic should have finished on that dunk, and Ariza should have been able to hold onto the ball off of that pass and lay it in. And once again, switch off screens defensively. Don't have to stay on them, but hold the guy up long enough to not let them waltz around wide open off of a screen. The Pistons set good screens so it's going to be hard for Turkoglu and Nelson and them to come around screens easy and catch up.Overall though, I am happy with the team. They are attacking the basket, and not playing scared for the most part. Keep it up, keeand attacking the rim, and playing tough defensively and we will can win this game.edit-- and the refs are handing out fouls like candy, especially to Detroit here in the second half so far. They have been called on some really picky fouls by the refs, they need to lay off that whistle. We are here to watch the players, not these refs blow their whistles.
I love how aggressive Hill has been tonight, he has really been going hard all night long and he's not showing any real signs of fatigue. He has kept Orlando in this game, but they really have to buckle down on the perimeter defensively. EDIT: Excellent block to close out the 3rd by Hill.
I also love the way Arroyo has played, the offense has been much better and much more crisp than when Nelson has been in. I think Arroyo needs to stay in for the rest of this quarter.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (valo35 @ Apr 23 2007, 09:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I also love the way Arroyo has played, the offense has been much better and much more crisp than when Nelson has been in. I think Arroyo needs to stay in for the rest of this quarter.</div> Yeah in the 1st quarter, I said that I wanted to see Dwight attack and Arroyo bring a big spark off the bench offensively. Dwight has been pretty nonexistent, but Arroyo has done a very nice job. Nelson has just had an off day. Regardless, Detroit has all the momentum right now, they are looking to virtually close this thing out within the next few minutes. Hopefully Orlando can make another run.
It looks all but over for the Magic down a lot to a little...I just don't think Orlando has a chance to even take a game..Detroit has so much experience and just are flat out better...
Dwight Howard has been erased from this game - 4 pts only!Carlos Arroyo is the biggest flopper ever.That was a really nice dunk by darko (given, he was wide open)Keyon Dooling is pretty dam sweet. Grant Hill is playing great.Pistons are looking bored.Can't wait to end this series.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticBalla32 @ Apr 23 2007, 08:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yeah in the 1st quarter, I said that I wanted to see Dwight attack and Arroyo bring a big spark off the bench offensively. Dwight has been pretty nonexistent, but Arroyo has done a very nice job. Nelson has just had an off day.Regardless, Detroit has all the momentum right now, they are looking to virtually close this thing out within the next few minutes. Hopefully Orlando can make another run.</div>Orlando has gone on a small run, keyed by Dooling and Darko there. With Hill back on the court, I would like to see Arroyo back in because them two was really working well off of each other in the 2nd quarter and having good chemistry I would like to see that continued. Have a lineup of Howard, Darko, Turkoglu, Hill and Arroyo on the court.And I love Billups floor leadership and how it seems to be him to hit the shot to answer every run the Magic try to put together. That three just then was cold, and put a halt to any energy we might have gotten from the three on the other end.
That's enough to piss you off, That lucky ass three just killed us, and then Nelson turned the ball over at the other end. Down by only 7, and a good defensive possession, then that happens.
WTF is Howard doing, down by only 6, we got the ball and he has to do that. That could have put us down by only 4, now we are down by 9. What a stupid foul, I can't believe he did that.
Its game over. I wanna get this series over quick - this is child's play for the Pistons right now - we're just toying with the magic here.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (valo35 @ Apr 23 2007, 09:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>WTF is Howard doing, down by only 6, we got the ball and he has to do that. That could have put us down by only 4, now we are down by 9. What a stupid foul, I can't believe he did that.</div> Of all the time I've seen Dwight Howard play, this was one of his worst games. He was bothered early and couldn't finish, then he just gave up. He didn't attack offensively at all in the 2nd half, he's not gonna intimidate Detroit like he does to other teams, and he didn't even get TO the line. Dwight does this quite often, actually (he'll take 14 shots one night then 6-7 the next). Even if he's not making anything, he HAS to be aggressive at all times... especially in the playoffs. I'm very disappointed in Dwight.
