I wish I could have used this as my HS yearbook quote.........

You have no idea. I switched channels b/c the game was boring, and when i switched back i saw Amir/Afflalo. I thought i was dreaming. Seriously. I had to turn the tv off and on just to make sure.

Joe D definitely said something. There's no other explanation for Flip's schizophrenic rotations.

I like AA out there w/ Rip/Chauncey too.

definitely rust-related. He usually makes those.

Sprocket Cap

Coming off a three game losing streak, the Pistons play a methodical game to beat the Sixers in Philadelphia 86 to 78. Superb play from the starting guards, who account for 40 of the Pistons’ points, and improved play off the bench proves to be too much for the 16 and 28 Sixers.

The Pistons start the game with a clear mission, to share the ball and to avoid long jumpshots. All five starters take one shot each in the first three minutes, a post move each from Sheed and Dyess, drives to the basket from Prince and Rip, and a short jumper from Billups on the break start the game. Only the backcourt actually manages to put the ball in the hoop, but still the intent was fun to watch. The starting guards continue to strike for the Pistons, scoring all 16 of the team’s points in the first seven minutes of the game. Billups then hits his third three of the quarter, but heads to the bench with his second foul at the 2:34 mark. A fairly long stretch of zone defense helps to hold the Sixers in check.

The bench struggles however to finish the quarter with Stuckey and then Maxiell committing the team’s first two turnovers of the game. The quarter ends with the Pistons up by two on a near airball from Stuckey. The Sixers dominate the quarter on the boards 12 to 4, with 6 on the offensive end, none for the Pistons.

The Sixers start the second half pressing and while they don’t produce any steals in the backcourt, the pressure leaves the Pistons little time on the clock to set up their offense and they continue to turn the ball over, giving it up two more times in the first two minutes of the quarter. Fortunately for the Pistons the Sixers also play fast and loose with the ball. Still, they make up the first quarter deficit and only an offensive board and dunk from Amir Johnson pulls the Pistons even at 36 at the five minute mark. The Pistons go back to the zone, and a nice stretch with Stuckey, Affalo, Prince, Maxiell, and Johnson in the game stretches the lead to nine on the back of an 18-5 run.

The Pistons continue their hot shooting in the second and end the half at 58%, on 11-19 from two and 4-9 from three. They make up a good part of the rebounding gap in the second, especially on the offensive end with three more offensive boards than the Sixers in the period.

A 4-0 start by the Pistons in the third continues the run and forces the Sixers to call timeout less than a minute into the period. The wheels come off the Piston’s game after that though and the Sixers respond to Cheeks’ tongue-lashing with a 10-2 run to make the score 64-58 Pistons at the 3:28 mark. The teams trade baskets the rest of the way, with the Pistons adding one point to the lead to finish the quarter at 70 to 63. After scoring 25 in each of the first two quarters the Pistons only manage 20 in the third, with the worst yet to come.

A soccer game breaks out in the fourth quarter as both teams combine to score one point (by the Sixers) in the first three minutes of the period. Stuckey shows he has been listening to Lindsey by coming up both with a very Hunteresque steal and a missed dunk on the run-out. At the seven minute mark of the period the teams have shot a combined one for eighteen for the period, with the sole field goal coming from the Pistons. The Pistons’ lead stays at seven the rest of the way until a Rip free throw ends the scoring for the 30th Pistons’ victory of the season.

The starters end up playing fairly heavy minutes, ranging from Dyess at 35 to Prince at 38. Still, four bench players have ten minutes or more with 26 from the rookie guards and 15 from Amir Johnson. The bench ends up shooting fairly poorly (37%) with a fair number of missed layups, but provide a nice spark on the defensive end and engineer a very nice run in the second.

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"But first, are you experienced? Or have you you ever been experienced? Well, I have."
Jimi

LOL...how true it is. Thanks for another good Sprocket-cap.

If this doesn't prove Flip reads my posts, what does?

Flip came through for us!

The key is for Amir to take advantage of nights like this (which I would say that he did) so that Saunders starts to rely on him. He really does have a noticable impact on the game. True to his previous stats, he was our most productive rebounder and shot blocker tonight. And as anyone who watched will realize, his athleticism keeps the ball alive.

It will be fun seeing Amir and Maxiell have a breakout game as a tandem... ala the goon squad game last year.

Afflalo looks really athletic on offense too. He was displaying the aggressiveness that he had in the early season tonight.

And Stuckey, well, the PG spot is tough. If it took Chauncey 5 years to get it, then it's understandable that Stuck isn't clicking yet.


Overall, it is obvious to me that we have talented bench players with Piston DNA, and the most important thing is the way that Flip conducts. Tonight, he did it right. However, we got off to a great start with CB and Rip hitting shots, which made it easier to do.

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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.

Wonder if the Bobcat experiment with primofabio is over and Flip is now ready to give the A's the minutes needed to get enough experience get the on his "comfy" list.

You know how Flip is...if it worked well in one game or even one quarter, he forgets and reverts back to his old bad rotation habits.

We still need to figure out what to with the old Bobcats so even if the our newbies somehow or another show brilliance over the 3 weeks, we still need somebody to stop the penetration when Turkaloo, James, Labron and Nocioni are ready to penetrate in the 4th quater and Dice and Tay get tired and Flip ain't feeling AJ....

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

Ugliest most unimpressive win of the year......yet the BEST win of the year. Flip said he told Joe that a 4th big was needed......not sure if Joe said, "Gee Flip, ya think....Maybe that kid we gave a frickin contract extension to, that I hyped up all OFF SEASON!!!!!"

McCosky talked him up on his game writeup. So perhaps this is permanant. I hope Flip has the patience to endure some growing pains.
Pistons find their groove


Nice to get the win.