Pistons @ Heat Preview Detroit Pistons(32-16) @ Miami Heat(21-27) Series: Pistons lead the series 2-0. Last Meeting: Heat 73 @ Pistons 87 Previous Game Grizzlies 78 @ Pistons 80 Heat 94 @ Hornets 70 Streaks Pistons: Won 3 (7-3 in last ten) Heat: Won 2 (6-4 in last ten) Head Coaches vs. Probable Starters PG: vs. Billups vs. Wade SG: vs. Hamilton vs. Jones SF: vs. Prince vs. Butler PF: vs. Wallace vs. Odom C: vs. Okur vs. Haslem 6th Men vs. Atkins vs. Alston Players to Watch vs. Billups: 17.8 Points (.379 FG %, .427 3PT%), 5.2 Assists, 3.7 Rebounds Wade: 15.9 Points (.459 FG %), 4.4 Assists, 4.2 Rebounds, 1.41 Steals Injury Lists Detroit Pistons Tremaine Fowlkes Lindsey Hunter Boston Celtics Rasual Butler Samaki Walker Jerome Beasley Keys to the Game <u>Detroit Pistons:</u> <ul> [*]Contain Dwayne Wade (He is a great rookie and can hurt you if he is allowed to freely play his game) [*]Don't turn the ball over (Any recent losses that the Pistons had could be attributed to sloppy plays resulting in turnovers) [*]Dominate the boards (If the Pistons have an advantage in rebounds/second chance points, the Heat will not be able to keep pace) [*]Get good bench production (The Pistons have some key bench players that can always help the team) [*]Play Larry Brown's style of basketball/Spread the ball around (They need to just keep doing what helped them create the streak and continue this one) [/list] <u>Miami Heat:</u> <ul> [*]Take good shots/Don't rush shots (The Heat need to try to get good looks at the baskets or they will have no chance to win) [*]Guard Hamilton and Billups (They are starting to become consistent on offense again and they will need to be disrupted) [*]Points in the paint (The Heat need to limit the Pistons points and try to score as many as they can themselves) [*]Have good games from Wade/Odom (Both are great players that could hurt the Pistons if they have excellent nights) [*]Try to keep Ben's production to a minimum (Ben is a force that can detemine the game. Just look at the end of the Raptors game and it can be seen how Ben clearly affects the outcome) [/list] PyroManiac's Prediction A more interesting matchup then it would first seem. The Heat have been playing well recently and havin Wade back from injury should help them. The Pistons may be slightly tired because they played two difficult games a few days ago. (Although, the will be more tired when they play NO/Dallas and NJ/Sacremento on different consecutive days) The Heat will need to rely on Wade and Odom for most of their offensive production, so the Pistons will need to focus their defense on these two players. For the Pistons, Billups and Hamilton will be the main contributors, as always. If the Pistons manage to get a lead, then it will be important for them not to collapse near the end of the game. Miami needs to play strong for the whole game and they will be able to stay competitive. Pistons by 6.
This is an easy one. But you can never dought a team out. I say th Pistons by no more than 11. They are just too good of a team than the Heat IMO.
should be a good game. hopefully the pistons can put together 4 good quarters, unlike the past few games. if this game is close, it'll be the pistons beating themselves, imo.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TimFlem:</div><div class="quote_post">This is an easy one. But you can never dought a team out. I say th Pistons by no more than 11. They are just too good of a team than the Heat IMO.</div> This game will not be easy for the Pistons,Heat have been playing very good basketball lately,boosted by the return of Wade,Odom playing a very good all-round game,Butler has been decent on the defensive end.They have quite a few weapons that can hurt D That said Pistons should win this one,my guess by 4
I'm gonna be the wild card who goes for the Heat on this one. With the way they're playing, unless both Billups and Hamilton break 20 points, I don't think Detroit can win this game. Miami by 5.
Miami has an exciting lineup and their backcourt can torment the Pistons' backcourt on offense. I say the underdogs, Heat, by 7.
And Detroits' up, 52-45. It seems big Benny Wallace is pretty ineffective on the glass tonight. Thanks, Lamar Odom.
Pistons win! Crossover: You seriously need to stop trying to annoy me. You didn't think that the Pistons would lose, you are just trying to bug me. Every Piston fan knows it, it was even brought up in the Minnesota thread! Good win for the Pistons, although we got away with that hack on Haslem at the end. I also forget to mention Eddie Jones it my preview. I was going to say that Hamilton and Jones would pretty much cancel out but I forget to write it. I'm glad that the game didn't go into double overtime, the Pistons would have been dead for tomorrow's game against the Cavaliers. Recap and Box Score are coming soon.
I said over 20 for both, and Billups made it. Of course, 7 assists makes up for Hammy's not making it. Good game, and an unfortunate loss for the Heat. I wish Rafer would have made that final shot.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Richard Hamilton sank a tie-breaking 14-footer with 14 seconds left in overtime, and the Detroit Pistons earned their fourth consecutive down-to-the-wire win Monday night, beating the Miami Heat 102-100. The Pistons have won four games in a row by a total of eight points, including two overtime victories. Tayshaun Prince scored a career-high 24 points for Detroit. Chauncey Billups added 23. The Heat may have again lost rookie guard Dwyane Wade, who sprained his left ankle under the Miami basket with 2:22 left in the fourth quarter and hobbled out of the game. Wade, who missed 13 games with a sprained wrist before returning last week, finished with 17 points and six assists. Eddie Jones scored 19 points for Miami. Lamar Odom had his 24th double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Billups sank an acrobatic layup to put Detroit ahead in overtime, then made a 20-footer for a 100-96 lead. But the Pistons committed turnovers on their next three possessions. Odom scored for Miami, and Caron Butler sank a follow to tie the game with 34 seconds remaining.</div> Recap Box Score Just when I started worrying about Prince, he goes and has a career night. Great job by Billups! Hamilton's assists also helped the team come through with a win. Also, proud of Corliss Williamson proving that he is not useless and scoring some important points. Now, for the last play of the game. I'll let Alston take that shot any day. 7 feet behind the 3-point line is no problem, enjoy. For the play before that when they missed the hack by Corliss, it happens. The calls were bad for both teams this game. They still had enough time to get a good shot off, but I'm sure that was not what Stan Van Gundy drew up during the timeout.
Once again Rip came up in the clutch,big shot to break the tie.Dissapointing to see Wade get injuried again.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AllNet:</div><div class="quote_post">Once again Rip came up in the clutch,big shot to break the tie.Dissapointing to see Wade get injuried again.</div> please correct me if i'm wrong, but didn't Wade get hurt in the preseason playing the Pistons?
I don't really want to double post, so check out what I said in the Pistons @ Heat thread in the Heat forum: http://www.justbball.com/forums/showthread.php?p=173734
It's true that there were some bad calls in this game, but the Pistons have put up with the same thing in the past and all that matters is another game in the W column. It seemed like every shot fell for Prince last night, good game for him. The Pistons have been winning really close games lately, and I hope they'll be able to keep that up. It's important, especially in the playoffs, to be on the winning end of the tight games. That was the Pistons' downfall in the beginning of the Nets series.
I am very impressed with Miami even though they lost. To contend with a team with Detroit only shows how much this team competes every night. How clutch is Billups tho... although he did not make the shot at the end of regulation this time... he seems to be the guy with the ball. He is Detroit's verison of Nick Van Exel. If doesn't make the shot it seems, he probably sends chills up the opponets back because it is always a inch away from making it and missing it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ming637:</div><div class="quote_post">Both teams played aggresive, but without Wade at OT Pistons just snuck out of that won in a win.</div> Laker fans would call em lucky. jk.
