Time after time the Pistons get into a deep hole in the first 7 minutes. Everybody is testing their jump shots to see if they are "on" that game. These lead to offensive rebounds that lead to fast breaks that lead to a 10 point deficit. Then our guys (Rip and Chauncey) get a bad mind-set and believe they are not "on" that game and they will have to just shoot their way out of it. They usually find their game in the second half but by then we are down by 17, have to fight our way back and lose energy at the end for the loss.

Why can't they ease into the game by making some easy shots first to build up their confidence and then move to the jumpers. We are way too much a jump shot team and there is not need for that. When we are off on the jump shots we lose.

While I'm in a critical mood...why is it we suddenly can't defend the pick and roll and why do we just open up a lane to the basket without any effort to defend it? Mahorn was spot on last night. He said early in the game he would hard foul anybody driving to the hoop and that would slow them down for the rest of the game.

Why did Flip pull Delfino after he alone was doing a good job defending James? We didn't see him again.