Wow, NY broadcast is actually showing the Pistons pregame ceremonies!

Fast and Furious comeback falls short by the Zoo. Joe D still wanting the bench to play more even on this night I guess.

Max had a double-double and Amir nearly had one. Better see a lot of the Zoo crew in the playoffs. Or else. Clearly, Amir wants to use every one of dem dar fouls he's got.

Flip is on borrowed time and he knows it. After last season's playoff DISASTER, any repeat won't sit kindly with Joe D and the other suits up in the rafters.

Flip ain't got much left on his deal. Put up or shut up. If he plays the Zoo crew regularly and the Stones lose, Deter won't complain. Promise.

We lost, but we had a chance to win it in the last minute. Exciting 4th quarter. We were just one stop from having a chance to tie the game, and NY made a forced shot to win it.

The starters came out completely disinterested, doing nothing but jacking up outside shot after outside shot, and missing all of them. Sheed did go inside a couple of times. Billups tried to go inside once or twice, for the game. I guess they just thought this was shooting practice.

And we really lost the game when the completely disinterested starters were put back into the game late in the 2nd quarter, where NY finished a 17-1 run against us.

But that run was started when Flip put both Herrmann and Hayes in the game at the same time. Combined with the very short Dixon, we had precious little defense for a stretch there.

Afflalo started for Rip again, and did ok. Crawford lit him up just like he does everyone, but it was not for lack of Afflalo being right up on him. Crawford just is pretty darn good. Afflalo took a few shots himself and made three outside shots and scored double digits. One time he passed up a shot, resulting later in another brick by Dyess. He should have shot the ball. He was wide open and had just hit three of them. Dixon got a lot of play in this game. I suppose he needs the time too, but we really need to play Afflalo extensively and have him rev up that shot of his.

Hayes did hit a shot from the outside, and scored in closer once. But hey, we could have had Amir at small forward and Theo in the game. (Who did not play in this one.)

Hunter did not play yet again. And again, no press on this. He just seems to be the left out guy. (But I am guessing he is simply not healthy.)

Stuckey did not do well at all until the 4th quarter, missing everything he shot, inside or out. (Mostly going to the basket.) In the 4th, he was getting inside a bit, and scored a three point play in the last minute to make it a tight game.

Amir got his fifth foul early in the fourth, but then just turned his defense up, and never fouled out. A near double double for him. He scored on some putbacks and a couple of post moves. Those post moves are again something the Pistons need Amir to do a whole lot of between here and the playoffs. Amir was all over on defense, and had a key steal toward the end in the comeback attempt. (Not to mention on the floor hustling for loose balls, all over the boards - just everywhere. Once he stopped a three on 1 fast break with his hustle.)

JMAX looked great on the boards, and even hit some outside shots. Maybe his legs are back? Looks like it.

Herrmann did play and was there for that comeback try. (Stuckey, Dixon, Herrmann, Amir, JMAX.) He did not do much though. A layup off an offensive rebound is about the best thing I saw from him.
Samb did not play.

It was surprising that we started four of our regular starters for this rather meaningless game. None of them played all that much, not did any of them do anything of note toward us getting a win. But oh well, I guess having them taking some in game shooting practice is worth something.

One thing that is not happening is Stuckey and Afflalo playing along side one another. Stuckey is ending up playing along side Dixon.

It was bench vs. bench the whole 4th, but NY did bring one starter back later to help preserve their win.

On the greatest five Pistons. Got two from the Bad Boys, Rodman and Zeke. I think it is fitting that a defensive player, Rodman, was named. Bing and Lanier from the old days when I first stated following the Pistons. And the fifth: Grant Hill.

McCoskey argued that Sheed should have beat out Rodman. I say this, sure Sheed might have had the more talent. The more potential. If he had been going imside a ton these last five years for us instead of settling for all those threes, he would have a case. But he did not. And no, he does not deserve the honor over Dennis.

Nice comeback by the zoo crew to make it close on this ceremonial night, but the starters should be embarrased for their play in front of the badboys and other Pistons legends. I know some may call it a meaningless game, and yes the bench stunk it up too in the second quarter, but show some pride to the guys that built the DNA and built the Palace. If I had paid money to go to this game I would have been disappointed for everything that happen after the ceremony.

Zeke threw out a challenge during his speech, could Chauncey's Pistons beat the Badboys? CB said in his speech later: Yeah we would beat yaw!!

Well I am not sure if they were trying to back it up or not, but not counting Alflollo, the 4 pistons starters were a combined 10-42 shooting, with Billups coming out shooting jumpers just as if he was going to prove it on his own. He was horrible...in fact they all were in the first half. I was hoping that the Badboys would suit up and come out in the second half. Sheed didn't appear to care either as he was shooting three pointers as if he was playing horse..

Even the bench was suspect for awhile. Stuckey was trying to bring them back by himself, and was a miserable 4-14 from the field despite hitting his last two buckets. Not to be out done, Dixon was 1-7 from beyond that arc???

No one on the Pistons appeared to play any defense until about 5 and half mins were left in the game and by that time the Legends were in their limos the fans were backed up out on I-75 and the tv audience had switched Tennessee/ Stanford or Dancing with the Stars....The Pistons were down 94-75 with 5:40 left in the game and proceeded to outscore the Knicks 19-2 over the next five minutes until some knick scrub named Mardy Collins hit a prayer with 1 second left on the 24 second clock and 7 seconds left in the game to salt the victory away.

Hope they show up for the next 21 games and win the last one.

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"Once you go Barack, you never go Bak" Mario Cantone 2008

I would have gone with Rodman too Lee... Sheed has the talent, but plays at 75% most of the time and at 95% on the days he is interested. At least Rodman played at 100% ......while with the Pistons anyway. He just didn't show up tonight because he couldn't remember if the address was Two championship drive or Five Championship Drive and was seen later knocking on the door down the street at the end of the game...

Nice writeups guys. I actually lost interest in that game and hung out in chat with the rest of you all there.

Yes some display in front of all the Pistons greats. Isiah ended up stealing the show with his team hustling so hard out there.

At least there was that amazing 20-4 run late in the game by the reserves. When they had it down to 2 Flip still stuck with the reserves which I though was the proper thing to do since they were the ones who got the Pistons back into the game. Many coaches would have put the starters back in.

Sheeds going to be feeling it when his contract expires next summer and the Pistons get him back on the cheap because no other team offers him more than the MLE. Unless of course the Pistons win back-back titles or something.

That full court press looked really nice with the speed of the zoo crew. It looked a lot like college ball in the 4th (in a good way). Relentlessly taking it to the hole, steals, going for every block, diving for loose balls. That was fun to watch.

The 16% from deep really killed us tonight. CB 1 for 5. Sheed 0 for 5. Dixon 1 for 7.

I'm thinking that Flip shouldn't put the starters out there in a group through the end of the season. Too much loafing. Always have 2/3 zoo crew and 2/3 starters. That will be more realistic for the playoffs anyway, since we probably won't ever see 5 bench players at once in a real playoff game.

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"I’ll just say this: We’re not talking to teams about their second- or third-best players." Joe Dumars talking about his plan to get other teams' 4th best players.

I concur TaS..playing a couple of zooz with the starters is more productive than playing all five scrubs together, but sometimes it works out as the zooz play more hustle ball among themselves than they do with a lazy starter in there>>> especially in these so called meaningless games. We still maintain our lead on both the Lakers and Hornets as both lost..but the Spurs gained a half game being idle....