| Re: Toronto Jan 15 7:30 PM
Sprocket Cap
Behind 39 points from Rip Hamilton on 73% shooting and perhaps Antonio McDyess’ best game as a Piston (9 points, 13 boards, 7 steals, 2 blocked shots, zero turnovers) the Pistons bounce back from the debacle in the Big Apple to wallop Toronto 103 to 89 at the Palace.
The Pistons start the game tentatively and it looks like a baseball game through the first four minutes with each team only putting up four. The teams trade baskets until Toronto is forced to call a timeout after two threes from Rip and a Sheed dunk just after the four minute mark. Toronto goes small and ends the quarter on a Calderon personal 6-0 run to pull within two at 20-18.
Billups open the second with his own personal 7-0 run off a three and four free throws to put the Pistons back up by eight. The Pistons go small to match up with Toronto and the game starts to slip away. The Raptors outscore the Pistons 11-2 over the next seven minutes behind three 3s and a free throw from former Piston Carlos Delfino. Rip hits his third three of the game to push the lead back to five, but back to back Pistons turnovers allow Toronto to come within one at 51-50 at the half. Delfino, playing power forward much of the time, scores 14 of Toronto’s 32 points in the second.
The third opens with the Pistons kicking butt and taking names. A Billups three and a fast break bucket force Toronto into a timeout a little over a minute in the period. Rip breaks free after the timeout (8-10 at this point) to push the lead back to ten and force Toronto’s second timeout of the half. This time when Toronto goes small the Pistons stay big and slowly begin to expand the lead, all the way to 75-57 when Toronto sends in the third string. An 8-2 Toronto run keyed by two baskets by Nesterovic and four points from Moon ends the quarter with the Pistons up by 12.
The Pistons just get stronger in the fourth, answering every Toronto push, most often by a Hamilton basket. Rip finishes with 39 points in 38 minutes on 16-22 shooting with five threes, four boards, and six assists. McDyess plays 34 minutes and Billups and Sheed 31. Prince ends the night with six points in 29 minutes. The Pistons shoot 50% for the game including 62% from three with 29 assists on 38 baskets.
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"But first, are you experienced? Or have you you ever been experienced? Well, I have."
Jimi |