Indiana Pacers(6-2) @ Detroit Pistons(4-3) Streaks Pacers: Won 2 Pistons: Won 1 Head Coaches vs. Probable Starters PG: vs. Jamaal Tinsley vs. Chauncey Billups SG: vs. Stephen Jackson vs. Richard Hamilton SF: vs. Ron Artest vs. Tayshaun Prince PF: vs. Austin Croshere vs. Rasheed Wallace C: vs. Jermaine Oneal vs. Ben Wallace 6th Men vs. Fred Jones vs. Antonio McDyess Players to Watch vs. Oneal: 23 Points (.483 FG %), 1.1 Assists, 9.1 Rebounds, 2.57 Blocks Wallace: 11.6 Points (.490 FG %), 3.8 Assists, 12.2 Rebounds, 2 Steals, 2.8 Blocks Injury Report Indiana Pacers Reggie Miller Jeff Foster Anthony Johnson Detroit Pistons Ronald Dupree Smush Parker Horace Jenkins Keys to the Game <u>Indiana Pacers:</u> <ul> [*]Take good shots (Detroit finally was able to revive its defense with the return of LB, BW, and CB. Minnesota was mostly unable to go inside and could not find a good variety of shots. Indiana will need to spread the ball around.) [*]Try to go inside (Obviously, it is hard to go inside against the Pistons. However, the Pacers cannot allow Jermaine Oneal to not be involved in the offense. They need to get him going and try to build an early lead.) [*]Limit Detroit's bench production (The Pistons are finally regaining some rhythm with their bench. McDyess is playing well and so is Delfino. Detroit's bench will need to be stopped as with some of the injuries, the Pacers do not have as deep of a bench.) [*]Make Billups uncomfortable (Chauncey Billups is having a great year so far. He understands the offense and is spreading and shooting the ball very well. The Pacers need to prevent Billups from splitting their defense. Also, they want to stop him from getting in a 3-pt shooting groove.) [/list] <u>Detroit Pistons:</u> <ul> [*]Have Larry Brown coach the game (Gar Heard=loss. Larry Brown=possible win. Luckily, Larry Brown will coach the game. It sounds simple, but statistics don't lie. With LB, opponents shooting is 41% and pts allowed lower than 80 I believe. Without LB, opponents shooting is 48% and pts allowed about 98.) [*]Have a good game from Rasheed (Rasheed is struggling. Nobody knows whether it is because he is injured or if it is something elese. However, the Pistons need him to not suck this game. He needs to put up solid numbers and continue playing good defense.) [*]SG and SF battles (Hamilton vs Jackson and Prince vs Artest. We should be able to get at least even production between the SG/SF battles. Hamilton is better than Jackson and Artest is better than Prince. If these positions are matched, then the Pistons have more weapons to help win the game.) [*]Play the Piston's style of basketball (Watch the games when Gar Heard is coaching to see what not to do.) [/list] PyroManiac's Prediction Real simple guys. Pistons need to play their defense to win. Our offense is better this year and doesn't have as many horrid moments as I remember from last year. This game is important as the Pacers are the Pistons only real threat in the Central division. It is important to get a good start at the series here. A win would make it 6-3 to 5-3 records (Pacers-Pistons) which definately keeps the Pistons from falling behind early. With Ben Wallace, Chauncey Billups, and Larry Brown the Pistons will be able to show why they won the championship last year. Pistons by 7.
Great preview as always. Although the Pacers have a nice-looking record so far and the Pistons' aren't looking like what the champs should have, this game will be a very close one. The Pacers have lost to teams one would have expected them to win, and so have the Pistons. In this game, O'Neal will have to have a good game against Sheed and Ben for the Pacers to stay in the game. Detroit is very good at protecting leads and the Pacers will have to make sure the score stays close. Detroit has the homecourt advantage here, so they will be the favored team to win, but they won't do it easily, with the talent the Pacers have on their roster. Pistons by 4.
Should be a Pistons win, Indy are still struggling with some injures. They are short on big men right now. Wallace X2 and Mcdyess should cause them alot of problems inside. Artest will need to have a strong shooting game If they are to even stand any real chance.
crap, i just read that Delfino might on the IL. i'm going to this game tonight, so hope it's a good one!
Suspensions coming for Pacers/Pistons players after this one. Ben Wallace got fouled, lost it and shoved a Pacer. Small brawl comes, Wallace was probably ejected, then Artest carries it on and assaults a fan who threw a soft drink. Got out into the stands, just ugly. Game was called off early. NBA will be steaming after this one, it will be interesting to see how many games Artest gets.
Jesus christ!! All out brawl. Pistons fans were being idiotic throwing stuff at the player's. Stephen Jackson was pounding the crap out of someone (couldn't see who it was).
I believe a big blame is on the Pistons fans and Ben Wallace for creating the escalation....ARtest was staying away till he got messed with..
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting OrlandoMagicFan:</div><div class="quote_post">stockon, i agree i was watchin it i was like. OH MY GOSH! IT was just crazy.</div> Yeah, that was the most ugly thing in Basketball I think I've seen ever. Pistons fans are to blame aswell, should be a few arrests for some of the fans in the crowd. They were throwing objects at Pacers when they left the court, courtside Piston fans should be ashamed.
All the fans who A) Threw stuff at the players Threw punches at thte players C) Did anything else disrespeful and rude to the players should get arrested and fined 5,000 dollars or something and depending on what they did should maybe get jail time. I ahvent ever seen anything like that.
really, the foul wasn't even that bad...for someone the size of Ben Wallace...it shouldn't matter to him..o well...pistons just upset cuz they were losing anyways..
Here is the timeline of events... Ron Artests fouls Ben Wallace Ben Wallace overreacts and pushes Artest Artest tries to walk away but Wallace keeps going at him Players seperate them Ron artest goes on the sideline Fan throws a beer at Artest(Damn alchohol) Artest runs into stands and attacks that person Players on both teams rush in the stands Players eventually get brought out Pacers went into locker room while fans threw beers, popcorn, and other condiments at them I wanna say that i really think that Rasheed did a great job at trying to stop it and should receive some recognition
Hahahah I Watched This Game/brawl Live..i'm Lovin Detroit Bas-ket-brawl!!! The Detroit Fans Were Crazy...why Such Sore Losers? Expect Fines/suspensions On The Boxer Ben And Ron Artest And Stephen Jackson ..what's Up With These Thugs With/without Money..first Off It Was Ben's Fault ..that Foul On Him Wasn't Even A Flagrant..but A Dumb Drunk Fan Threw Ice At Artest And It Started The Whole Brawl With The Fans..artest And Stephen Jackson Were The Main Guys Who Would Probably Get Suspensions/fines..i Can't Believe Why Detroit Fans Would Throw Their Beer Even To The Pacer Players Who Weren't Involved And Were Trying To Leave The Building..the fans were trying to help each other out hitting artest and stephen jackson..artest shouldn't have retaliated though..i hope the fat fan and the skinny fan who started the fight would get fines and jail too..
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting OrlandoMagicFan:</div><div class="quote_post">Here is the timeline of events... Ron Artests fouls Ben Wallace Ben Wallace overreacts and pushes Artest Artest tries to walk away but Wallace keeps going at him Players seperate them Ron artest goes on the sideline Fan throws a beer at Artest(Damn alchohol) Artest runs into stands and attacks that person Players on both teams rush in the stands Players eventually get brought out Pacers went into locker room while fans threw beers, popcorn, and other condiments at them I wanna say that i really think that Rasheed did a great job at trying to stop it and should receive some recognition</div> Didn't Stephen Jackson try to attack a fan too? I could've sworn someone was holding him back while he tried to assualt someone.
Stephen Jackson was obviously trying to get Artest out of there, matter fact Jackson was arguing the most with Ben Wallace...but anyways...yeah he got quite involved..
