I decided to watch the game and will add my late notes for the early morning folks to comment on.
First some interesting meaningless stats:
Only 14 assists for the Pistons
Magic Bench 27-Pistons 15
Magic control the points in the paint 42-28. (including 20 in the paint in the first qtr when the Pistons were still getting off the bus. Pistons scored only 4 points in the paint in the all important 4th qtr as we saw wide open long range jumpers go long and short.
But the lingering question for 2008 is
WTF happen to our interior D??? OK sorry for that question..we have been asking that question ever since Big Ben hopped on I-94 west.
Turkolu penetrated at will believing no Piston could stop him and they obliged by providing him an open lane to the hoop. With 26 pts and 8 dimes, he reminded me of how Pierce was able to the same two weeks ago when he penetrated and either scored or dropped it off to Big Baby. Once again no defense against the pick and roll.
Pistons blow another second qtr lead getting outscored by 10, and hitting only 6-20 shots. In fact after Billups sat, the Pistons managed to hit only one out of their next nine shots. Like Magic announcer and former NBA coach Matt Goukas said at least three times "Flip was crazy for leaving Hayes and Stuckey out there in the second qtr for so long with both Tay and Billups on the pine for almost 8 mins." (Joe was seen later asking for his BB e-mail address in case he needs to offer him a job this summer.)
Now we all want CB to get some rest, but some how or another our offense seems to go in the old Hunter mode with Stuckey out there. Those early season injuries are turning into beottch in terms of developing AJ and Stuckey. How many games dating back and including the Boston game on 1/5, have the Pistons blown double digit leads in the first qtr or beginning of the second?
I am thinking somebody, either Rip, Tay or even
no d Dice need to come off the bench to anchor the second qtr with the youngsters at least for a spell while we get this drop off cured and get Hayes, Stuckey and Max in a cohesive mode. AA and AJ need to get some minutes too just so their development/growth is not stunted.