01-24-2006, 10:49 PM
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| Member+ | | Last Online: Yesterday 10:59 AM Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Flint
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| Re: Pistons @ Timberwolves Tues. January 24th 2006
Very fun game to watch. By the end of the 2nd quarter, you knew two things. One, we were going to win this game easily. And two, we are going to win tomorro night too. Why? The bench played plenty. Arroyo gave CB a good long rest, just under 8 minutes. Just at the end of that 8 minutes, we were down 2. A blown call by the official where Arroyo gots utterly wiped out by one guy while the other cleanly strips him. Hey, call the foul, please. Horrid officiating, constantly in the favor of Minny, kept Minny in this game more than anything. I got a long list. Just trust me though. It was pretty bad.
I see someone (detnew.com board) bemoaned Arroyo passing the ball to Dyess. I wonder if that poster is a bit repentant now. Dyess had one of his best quarters of the year in the 2nd quarter with 12 points. Point guards that get the ball to the shooter are kind of important for that. Arroyo also assisted Evans on his first triple.
Evans had a truly fine game. He did well on all his defensive assignments, especially on Hassle after Hassle was giving Rip fits. And Evans only took those two shots, both triples, and made both. (Yes, he scored more later, but I am mostly talking about shots that clearly helped win this one.)
Why did the bench fall behind at all with Arroyo in the game? Pretty simple. We took Sheed out and put Dyess on Garnett. All the sudden, they had an advantage and hurt us with it. And of course, Hassel got the best of Rip those two times. The point guard can't do everything. He can get the ball up the floor. Check. Get his guys good shots. Check. Play decent defense on his own guy. Check. But he can't defend your man, and he can't hit your shots.
We did the same thing in the 2nd half, sat Sheed while they kept Garnett in. But Ben guarded him this time for one, and two, Minny was in shock from Billups just lighting a fire in the building. About an 8 alarm one.
After going 0-7 with 3 points in the first half, he ends up with something like 27 points, hitting 6 tripples, all in one big bunch at the end of the 3rd / beginning of the 4th. He unabashedly planned to hit the triples as he came down the floor, and the whole darn gym knew it full well. Man he was hot. Anyone think Arroyo is coming in for him when he is like that, forget it.
But those fireworks by CB did not win this one. Not even close. The game was won before CB started launching. The triples just ended it quick. What won it was stellar defense our starters played. They just completely shut down Minny in the 3rd quarter. For the game, we see just why Sheed is so much a better player than Garnett. Sheed can pretty much completely shut Garnett down. What a performance.
Tay was just solid in every way. We needed more rebounding, he got the rebounds. An outside shot, swoosh. How about another. Swoosh. Tay as usualy overmatched them inside, and shut them down on the other end.
Rip hit some shots. And he went inside. A rare game without a triple made or taken by Rip. By the way, Rip tightened up his D on Hassel bigtime in the 3rd, basically denying the guy that good position he was getting earlier.
34-5. Ever so close. I just know that come Friday night, I will be cheering the Pistons on at the Palace for 36-5. Yep, we got to take care of business tomorro night yet. I am not worried. Our starters are well rested and raring to go.
Between Evans and Dyess playing the whole 2nd pretty much, and Arroyo getting a good stint, plus about 4 or 5 minutes of garbage time, our bench played plenty. And they produced. 18 points between Evans and Dyess (or was it 20-maybe Evans got a hoop late in the 2nd?)
One thing kept me very, very interested in garbage time. I wanted to see Amir Johnson get to play. And he did. Darko stole the ball and fed Amir for a dynamite windmill jam. Darko tried to feed him earlier, but the rook was assuming Darko was going to shoot. Anyway, great to welcome Amir Johnson to the team. Man, us fans would be truly entertained if the coach would only play him some. Heck, play him for the fans. This season is looking awful darn good.
Darko took, and made, yet another outside shot. And looked darn good in doing so. McCoskey did us a favor the other day, reporting that Darko was working on his outside shot mostly after practice in those 3 on 3's. I sure like the result. Forget the bust label. 7 footers who can come in cold, for three games over about a week, and hit each outside shot they take, well they don't exactly grow on trees.
I did not get a good look at the play, but I guess Amir had a spectacular block. I guess I will go review that. GO PISTONS!!!!! |