02-09-2008, 12:44 AM
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 | Retired from Forum | | Last Online: 02-22-2008 10:45 AM Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 5,363
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 Re: Portland Feb. 8th, 8:00 PM
From nba.com/Pistons Quote:
Big-Time Bursts – Amir Johnson’s highlight reel wouldn’t take long to play – not so much because his playing time is limited, but because his best moments play out in a nanosecond. Example: Chauncey Billups misses a free throw late in the first quarter, but Johnson scoots around Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge like he’s got a booster rocket strapped to his backside for an easy tip-in. It’s that type of explosive athleticism that makes Johnson an effective player now even though he remains a raw product in so many areas. He had other moments, too – blocking a Jarrett Jack shot and catching it in mid-air and taking a too-high lob pass from Stuckey that hit the backboard, gathering it in and hanging in the air long enough to slam it home. Johnson finished with 10 points, six boards, three blocked shots and two assists.
SAUNDERS: “The most impressive thing he did tonight was when he dove on the floor for a loose ball. That was impressive. He can do things athletically; we all know that. When a guy dives on the floor like that, it shows he’s really in tune to playing and he’s given up his body. For me, what he’s done over the last two weeks, that impressed me as much as anything.
Rod The Bod – No, not Stewart – Stuckey. What’s been especially noticeable over the past few weeks as Stuckey has grown in confidence and begun taking the ball to the basket more assertively is what a physical mismatch he is for the majority of point guards. In the recent home stand, guards like Jordan Farmar, J.J. Barea and everybody Portland threw at him on Friday night has bounced off Stuckey when he gets into them and draws contact. As he learns the nuances of leverage and timing, he has the physical tools to be a devastating weapon near the basket against overwhelmed opponents.
STUCKEY: “Just being aggressive. That’s what I am; that’s what I do. When I’m in there, I just try to beat my defender. And if I beat him, I beat him.”
STUCKEY: “Me and Amir are going to be here for a long time, so we’ve got to get that chemistry going as soon as possible. The more we get playing with each other, the better we’re going to be.”
| PISTONS: Pistons 91, Portland 82  |