Detroit Pistons(2-1) @ LA Clippers(2-1) Previous Game Sixers 91 @ Pistons 99 Clippers 94 @ Warriors 86 Streaks Pistons: Won 1 Clippers: Won 1 Head Coaches vs. Garfield Heard/Mike Dunleavy Probable Starters PG: vs. Chauncey Billups/Marko Jaric SG: vs. Richard Hamilton/Bobby Simmons SF: vs. Tayshaun Prince/Corey Maggette PF: vs. Rasheed Wallace/Elton Brand C: vs. Ben Wallace/Chris Wilcox 6th Men vs. Antonio Mcdyess/Shaun Livingston Players to Watch vs. Wallace: 12.0 points, 12.30 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 3 blocks per game Brand: 17.7 Points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.33 blocks per game Injury Lists Detroit Pistons Smush Parker Horace Jenkins Ronald Dupree LA Clippers Kerry Kittles Chris Kaman Key's To The Game <u>Detroit Pistons</u> <ul>Attack the rim and get the frontline going early on. Forcing Elton Brand and Chris Wilcox into foul trouble. Without them their offense will certainly be down Don't slack of defensively, the defense has not be as strong as It is suppose to be so far. Play for the full 48 minutes and don't let up Offensively get everyone involved early, so far the whole Piston starting 5 has averaged double fiqures this year, must stay consistant The bench needs to come in and give energy, scoring and defense. On saturday the Pistons bench was more productive with Antonio Mcdyess getting 12 points 9 rebounds and 5 blocks, Delfino and Hunter also get into the points. Same needs to happen again.[/list] <u>Los Angeles Clippers</u> <ul>Take It to the Pistons frontline and get Elton Brand going early. The best way the Clippers are going to have a chance is for Brand to have a big night. Get one of the Pistons main big men in foul trouble, otherwise the Pistons will control the paint and make It impossible for the Clippers to attack them inside Must hit consistant shots from the outside, If they aren't falling the Pistons will continue to pack It up inside.[/list] Game Prediction The Pistons are coming off a 99-91 win against the Sixers on saturday where 6 guys got into double fiqures and as a team got 13 blocks. The Pistons should have no real problem winning this game, tehy must not think It's an easy game otherwise they could be in for the same kind of threatment as they did in the Raptors game on friday night. Chauncey Billups who is averaging 20 points, 6 rebounds and 7 asssists so far this season, he will again have a clear advantage at the point guard spot which should help in deciding the game Pistons by 13
nice preview. Dyess had a good game against Philly. I'd like too see Delfino start to assert himself on offense and stay consistent on defense. Delfino looked a little more active against Philly and he didn't gamble too much defensively (he actually drew a charge!). the Clippers shouldn't be taken lightly, although i think they'll miss Q.Rich's scoring.
The Clippers are going to have a real tough time. They are missing Kaman and Kittles which will really hurt them. Brand and Maggette can't do it on their own. The Clippers for the most part are not too good on offense especially without Kerry Kittles. With the Pistons suffocating defense killing them I'm predicting an 85-70 loss to the defending NBA champion Pistons.
Like mj18 said the absence of a guy like Kerry Kittles will be felt against the Pistons, he knows them very well because of all the matchups against them over the last two years vs pistons during the regular season and playoffs. And Kittles perimeter shot would definately help to stretch that pistons defense and losen up things around the basket for Brand and open up some lanes for Corey. Also his defense will be missed as well because he does a good job from time to time guarding both Billups & Rip in that Pistons backourt. I really dont think the Clippers have anyone quick enuff to stay with Rip as he runs threw all those screens. So he should have a good night. And Marko Jaric cant stay infront of Billups off the dribble, so if Billups is aggressive going to the hoop. And not settling for the quick perimeter shot all night, like he has a tendancy to do, then he should eat up Jaric. The Wallace boys should be able to nuetralize Brand downlow. So that doesnt leave the Clippers with many options. Pistons by 9-13pts.
This is a horrible game for the Clips to have at this time lol, no Kittles, and no Kaman, which really leaves the team shorthanded. Brand will have a hard time establishing anything against the Pistons indside players, I see him having numbers of 21 points [6-14], 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, and 9-11 from the line. Maggette will also have a hard time, but should be able to get some of the big men or Tayshaun in foul trouble while driving to the basket, but will also struggle a little from the field shooting about 40-42%. Billups should be able to get by Jaric most of the time, and won't have too hard a matchup, but Bobby Simmons should be able to harrass Rip a little. He won't be able to keep up with him, but if he can come up big on offense again somehow it will help, but I think this is his off game. He had 30 points, the 4 points, then 22 points, so this should be his 5 points game. Maybe Dunleeavy could put Livingston on Rip when Shaun is on the floor, he has the quickness and length, but he's weak, still he's actually been pretty good on defense. Wilcox will also have a hard time against the Piston bigs, but should be able to get something going, he needs to box out well to stop Ben from getting O-Boards on him, and as long as he can play decent it will be good. Pistons take this game 94-83
This is great, I didn't think Brand and Wilcox would be able to establish themselves inside, but they're playing amazing, and Magette's line reminds me of Richard Jefferson's a few night's ago with better shoting, and without the same amount of turnovers. This is great!
It came much closer with double OT and Pistons 99-96. I think Clippers did good and Marko Jaric sucked and lost the game for Clips. Get rid of him please...!!!
I didn't think it would be this close with the team missing so many players, but it was a nice game, I was impressed. Bobby Simmons had his off night like I predicted, so he should be back with a good game next game.
gritty game by both teams at the end. i'm still waiting for Delfino to come into his own. during the regular season, i've seen him go for 4-5 spectacular dunks, but get them blocked. a few could have been fouls and if he starts throwing some of them down, he could add a lot of excitement. anyways, back to tonight's game...it was fitting that the end of the game was decided by big defensive plays. two great blocks by the Wallaces and a huge steal by Lindsey. good stuff.
btw, in all 4 games this season, EVERY Piston starter has scored in double digits. Amazing testament to how this team shares the ball and comes with a balanced attack.
Pistons really need Larry Brown back, with him not there they are starting to get trigger happy and continue to look down on teams. They seem to slack off like they did in the 4th quarter after blowing a 9 point lead. That seriously needs to stop. The defense is still not as good as It should be, mainly due to Brown still not being on the sidelines.
^Agreed. Gar Heard is just not vocal enough to run this Detroit team to its full potential. Usually during a game you would see LB yelling at the players or the refs, Gar Heard just stands there silent with no expression. Once LB comes back you will see a different Pistons team. BTW did anyone see Shaun Livingston play last night? I know his stat line was not the greatest but just watching him you realize that he is going to be a special player in the league. I know it's been said before but he handles the ball like he is 6'2. You don't realize that this kid is so tall.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">BTW did anyone see Shaun Livingston play last night? I know his stat line was not the greatest but just watching him you realize that he is going to be a special player in the league. I know it's been said before but he handles the ball like he is 6'2. You don't realize that this kid is so tall.</div> He just needs to learn how to run the offense, and improve his decision making, he's still not got that part yet, but the ball is on a string to his hand, he's a very good ball handler, and he's also very quick. I hope he learns it soon because I'm losing a lot of patience with Marko Jaric
Realistically, the Clippers should have pulled that game out in the 2nd ot, being up 4 after the Marko Jaric 3 pointer. It was a little over a minutes left in the 2nd OT, and both Prince and most importantly Hamilton was fouled out. But they did a poor job of getting up good shots after they went up 4, Jaric took a long jumpshot. Brand took a long jumpshot. And then after Billups put the Pistons up by 1 by making the 2 free throws, that last Clippers position was just horrible, Maggette almost got a 5 second call trying to inbounce the basketball,but luckily for the clippers he got the timeout right before. And then Wilcox & Maggette both got there shots blocked on the same possesion. But for that last minute and some change of the last OT the Clippers never got anything going toward the basket. But I think they can build off this type of performance cause the effort was definately there, cut out a few mistakes here and there and the Clips pull out a victory. Bobby Simmons might have actually learned something from getting schooled by MJ in practices a 2 years ago, he is actually starting to look decent. I figured it would never happen for him after he came out of Depaul. Good game to watch since there was really no other games to watch except the Jazz continue to beat up on the struggling Nuggets.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">But I think they can build off this type of performance cause the effort was definately there, cut out a few mistakes here and there and the Clips pull out a victory. Bobby Simmons might have actually learned something from getting schooled by MJ in practices a 2 years ago, he is actually starting to look decent. I figured it would never happen for him after he came out of Depaul. Good game to watch since there was really no other games to watch except the Jazz continue to beat up on the struggling Nuggets.</div> MJ said Simmons is a player that could be good, but Simmons just doesn't have the talent to really be a "very good" player, but I like him because he's a tough guy and plays hard, and can be a decent player. You're right, mistakes killed it down the stretch, but s'all good, the Clippers just need to play hard. I wasn't the biggest fan of Q-Rich, and I'm actually happy he's gone, Simmons is obviously a much better defender, but without him in the lineup, the team is defending better, and he's not out there chucking up stupid three's.
Great game, I was actually watching it from Philly on Comcast's free NBA ticket preview that end today's on the 9th. The thing that blows is that the 4th quarter had just ended and then the preview ended. But I can't get mad because I work for the company.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post">He just needs to learn how to run the offense, and improve his decision making, he's still not got that part yet, but the ball is on a string to his hand, he's a very good ball handler, and he's also very quick. I hope he learns it soon because I'm losing a lot of patience with Marko Jaric</div> Same here, Marko Jaric looked like he was sh-ting bricks against the Pistons. He was passing up on open shots and when the shot clock was running out and couldn't find an open player he took some awful shots. I bet all Clippers fans were thinking "get this scrub off the court and put in livingston!" Anyways the Pistons had some great blocks towards the last minute of the 2nd OT. That shattered their confidence and sealed the game imo.
