So I was watching the TNT broadcast of the Pistons-Bucks game last night and I was a little perplexed when I saw Rip Hamilton at the free throw line. This was listed under his name: Team Role: Efficient Scorer.

Umm… (head scratch) … How dumb do these people think we are? If we write in and spell his name correctly do we get the free Pistons colouring book? (I think I can stay inside the lines of Big Ben’s ‘fro this time!) This is what TNT should have written under some of the Pistons’ names:

Bogut's Bucks come up short

AUSTRALIA'S Andrew Bogut faded in the second half as his Milwaukee Bucks went down by 18 points in the first game of their NBA play-offs against Detroit.

Bogut, the No.1 pick in last year's draft, had eight points midway through the second quarter, but finished with just 11 in Milwaukee's 92-74 loss to the Pistons.

[Detroit News]

Prince perplexes Bucks
"Tay is really a luxury for us," Billups said. "He is a matchup problem for any team. If a team has a guy as tall as he is (6-foot-9), he's never going to be as fast and mobile as Tay. And if they put a smaller guy on him, he's a great post-up player. He doesn't just score off the post-up, either. He makes plays."

Hamilton plans to start Game 2
"Rip originally said he didn't want two days between games, but now it's a blessing," said Arnie Kander, the Pistons' strength and conditioning coach. "We have to look at the history of this guy: he's sprained his ankle seven or eight times, but he's never missed a game.

"It's the same (like) what he's had in the past. Nothing big."

Bell making noise as a consistent player for Bucks
Bell is not a bit player. Bucks assistant coach Brian James said Bell was the Bucks' best defensive player and second-most consistent scorer in the stretch drive behind Michael Redd. During one stretch, he scored in double figures in 12 consecutive games, including a 29-point outing at Miami.

Bad Boys turn good for fans
Cut-ins of Laimbeer's angry on-court eruptions from back in the day were intermixed with his statements of what not to do. The Palace crowd loved the announcement, drawing hearty cheers and laughs.

[Detroit Free Press]

Prince is Pistons' king of versatility
"I think everyone thought he had the opportunity to be a good player," Saunders said. "I thought he was a good player when I came here, but I never understood how good he was until I saw him day in and day out. His commitment to the game, his commitment to the team, and just how versatile he is."

Pistons Corner: Rip bandaged but should be OK for Game 2
Hamilton was held out of practice to receive treatment on his sore ankle, and Kander said electro stimulation was scheduled to continue all day and night.

But Hamilton can walk on the ankle and bend it, and he also spent time shooting baskets Monday. He sprained it when he landed on Bucks rookie Andrew Bogut's foot in the fourth quarter Sunday.

Rangy Rasheed befuddles Bogut
"When you have a 6-11 guy who can block shots and defend the paint and post up and go out and shoot threes, not just easy threes but quick-release threes, challenge threes, it just opens up the court," Milwaukee coach Terry Stotts said during a teleconference.

[Grand Rapids Press]

DAVID MAYO: Pistons can't be worry-free
But the Pistons saw things in the Game 1 pseudo-blowout, marginally troublesome things, things they haven't seen much during their recent run of playoff excellence.

Things that could leave them as likely to see the Larry O'Brien Trophy as they are to see the late commissioner himself.

[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

Pistons ready to make a run
Auburn Hills, Mich. - The Detroit Pistons are expecting the Milwaukee Bucks to make some major adjustments for Game 2 of their first-round National Basketball Association playoff series and the Pistons think they know exactly where the Bucks are headed.

Into the open court, in an attempt to get their running game on track.

NOTES: Smith knows it's time to turn power up
Despite suffering through an injury-plagued season, the 6-foot-10 forward again finds himself in a position to make a difference. The Bucks need his rebounding ability and defensive presence against Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace, along with his ability to hit the 18-foot jumper and trouble the Pistons in the pick-and-roll game.

Needing a fiery Redd
"I know I'm a target," Redd said. "It's a no-brainer, really, to try and corral me. It's up to us to combat that.

"I don't want to force bad shots. That does nothing but defeat the purpose. I have to get my teammates involved a little more, and we've got to find ways to get me open."

BOB WOLFLEY: It pains "Big Dog" not to be playing
TNT game analyst Jeff Van Gundy said during the telecast of Game 1 of the Bucks-Pistons series that Bucks center Jamaal Magloire needed to upgrade his game in two areas before he can expect to have plays run for him.

"Magloire's role is space eater, rebounder, enforcer," Van Gundy said. "(But) he likes the ball in his hands. He wants the ball more on every team he's ever played for and it's been a constant source of frustration for him. But he's got to handle the ball better, and he's also got to make more free throws to be a go-to player in this league."

[Racine Journal Times]

GERY WOELFEL: Pistons leave mark on Bucks
As Charlie Bell got undressed to go to bed late Sunday night, his wife, Kenya, noticed some nasty scratch marks on his right chest.

“She was wondering what had happened,’’ Bell said.

[Detroit Bad Boys]

A primer for Bucks fans
In exchange, Ian and I collaborated on a post to appear on their site, giving their readers a quick guide to the Pistons, attempting to point out some things that may not be readily apparent to their readers who only see Detroit play a couple of times a year. Even though most of our readers don't fall under that category, we thought you still might want to check it out.

ALSO:
USA Today readers pick the Pistons; Banged-up Bucks;
Rip Hamilton expected to play in Game 2;
Looking at Ben Wallace's place in history

[CBS Sportsline]

Pistons Report: Getting inside
The Pistons head into Game 2 of their Eastern Conference series knowing they can make Milwaukee sharpshooter Michael Redd look mortal. Redd, one of the league's premier shooters, had all of his sweet spots snatched away by Richard Hamilton and his pesky teammates during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

[Sports Illustrated]

KELLY DWYER: Opening salvos
Ruminations: Holy crap, Detroit is good.

Looking at Ben Wallace's place in history

Watching Ben Wallace perform game in and game out, it's easy to sometimes take him for granted, but at least one fan is ready to consider his accomplishments in a historical perspective. Terry Brown of BootlegSports.com writes:
Back in 1961, the average height of the NBA?s starting centers playing against Wilt and his Philadelphia Warriors was [...]

Rip Hamilton expected to play in Game 2

Any Pistons fans who caught the end of Sunday's game against the Bucks are likely concerned about Rip Hamilton's sprained left ankle. Fortunately, though, the Pistons caught a break with the schedule, giving Rip three days to rest up. From the AP:
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Behind the closed blinds of the Detroit Pistons' training [...]

Banged up Bucks

Now that we know Rip is going to play, what about some of the banged up Bucks? From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:
[Bucks coach Terry] Stotts said Kukoc would remain out of the Bucks' lineup for Game 2 on Wednesday, after suffering a back injury in practice last week.
"We're hoping to have him Saturday," Stotts said, referring [...]

USA TODAY readers pick the Pistons

Last week, USA TODAY's David Dupree asked his readers who they thought would win the NBA Finals. The emails piled in, and in the end the vast majority picked the Pistons:
The Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs will meet in the NBA Finals for the second consecutive season, according to USA TODAY readers responding [...]




Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Saunders on WDFN: Expect Pistons to slow down, play better
Flip Saunders joined the Jamie and Brady Show on Sports Radio 1130 Detroit to preview Game 2. He says Rip Hamilton's ankle is fine, but when asked if the team is in "playoff mode" already, Flip says not in Game 1. Click here to listen to the full interview.

"I thought that we really played, at times, really out of character, as far as in Game 1. We took a lot of quick shots, and didn't move the ball as much as we had during season. I think that was that, what I call 'anxious anxiety.'

[click date for more and audio link]

Motown Soundtrack: Cruisin’
By Adriano Albuquerque

After three months of simply playing enough to win and complaining about how long it still took for the playoffs to begin, the Detroit Pistons finally opened their postseason this Sunday… By playing the exact same way as they were during the past three months.

Think they’re gonna play much harder against the Milwaukee Bucks over the next two weeks of Eastern Conference first round action, as they have their first injury alert of the year with Richard Hamilton spraining his left ankle? Think again.





Memphians ranked among most avid NBA fans

An analysis of professional basketball fans found that Memphis is among the top five best markets for NBA fans.

Scarborough Sports Marketing, which provides in-depth information on American sports fans, said that 17 percent of Memphis adults call themselves "avid" NBA fans, meaning they are "very interested" in the NBA . Memphis placed fourth on the list, tied with Detroit.

San Antonio topped the list, where 33% of adults said they are avid fans. In Sacramento, Calif., 19 percent are avid fans; and 18 percent said they are avid fans in Indianapolis.

The San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons have won the last three NBA championships, while the Indiana Pacers went to the NBA finals in 2000. The Memphis Grizzlies are in the midst of their third consecutive playoff run and the third in team history.

[I've got a weak spot for the Grizz franchise. We were proud to have them in Vancouver. It's too bad the NBA didn't bring all of it's marketing resources to the party or they might have stayed.]



Two particular stats are best title predictors
by David DuPree

The Detroit Pistons finished the regular season with the NBA's best record, which gives them a huge advantage in the playoffs, both from strategic and historical points of view.

Over the previous 10 seasons, the team that entered the playoffs with the best record has gone on to win the NBA championship six times. The other four made it to the conference finals.

The Pistons also have been assured of home-court advantage for as long as they remain in the playoffs — and they had the best home record in the regular season, 37-4, three games better than San Antonio and Dallas.

[Detroit Bad Boys]

Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn preach civility

The following quote in Monday's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel peaked my interest:
[Rasheed Wallace] spent timeouts giving ex-Bad Boy Rick Mahorn righteous grief for a really funny spot Mahorn cut with Bill Laimbeer.
Considering our love of all things Bad Boys around here, the comment was intriguing (especially since the story got no immediate play in the local [...]



New Rasheed Wallace GuaranSHEED Desktop Wallpaper

New Rasheed Wallace Wallpaper located in the Wallpapers section of the website. Available in Widescreen and Standard resolutions.

Of The Oakland Press

AUBURN HILLS - Looking at Tayshaun Prince, with his gangly physique, it's easy to make the mistake of thinking he's fragile.

Rip should be ready for Game 2

By DANA GAURUDEROf The Oakland Press

AUBURN HILLS - Pistons Nation can exhale. Though Richard Hamilton did not practice Monday, he was ready for action.