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12-24-2005, 12:24 PM
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| December 24th - Merry Christmas! ~ Detroit News ~ Hamilton leads Pistons to sixth straight win Rasheed Wallace, mourning death of cousin, adds 18 points A/P The Detroit Pistons had plenty of reasons to be distracted. Rasheed Wallace was playing less than 24 hours after his cousin was killed in a shootout with Philadelphia police, Richard Hamilton had a bad back and the whole team is looking forward to an NBA Finals rematch with San Antonio on Sunday. All that wasn't enough for the Golden State Warriors. Hamilton scored 28 points and Wallace added 18 to help the Pistons improve to 21-3 with a 97-85 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday night. Detroit has won six straight. Wallace plays through emotional pain After Sleepless Night, Rasheed Suits up against Warriors By Dana Wakiji No one would have blamed Rasheed Wallace if he decided not to play Friday night against the Golden State Warriors. Thursday night, Wallace learned his cousin, Tyree, was killed in a shootout with Philadelphia police officers. Coach Flip Saunders spoke with Wallace's wife, Fatima, Friday and she said Wallace had not slept much of the night. She told Saunders, however, that she expected her husband to play. Wallace decided to play and logged 43 minutes, more than any other Piston. Cousin of Rasheed Wallace killed in gunfight with police A/P A cousin of Detroit Pistons star Rasheed Wallace was killed and a police officer was wounded in a shootout that police said occurred after an undercover drug buy. Tyree Wallace, 22, was pronounced dead at Albert Einstein Medical Center. Sgt. Mike Mitchell, 41, a police veteran, was in stable condition Friday at Einstein with a groin wound. Pistons spokesman Matt Dobek confirmed that Tyree Wallace was Rasheed Wallace's first cousin. Wallace did not participate in the team's shoot-around Friday morning, Dobek said. Wallace, however, was at The Palace in suburban Detroit for Friday night's home game against the Golden State Warriors, and coach Flip Saunders said he was expected to play. Like him or not, Artest sparks plenty of debate By Brian Mahoney A/P Stephen Jackson once ran into the stands to help Ron Artest, so there is no question how he feels about his Indiana Pacers teammate. But one thing became obvious after Artest made, then rescinded, his request to be traded: Few players can spark as many different opinions as he can. While there is no argument he's among the NBA's most talented players, everything else about him seems to depend on who is being asked. Jackson knows which side he's on. He followed Artest into the stands during last season's brawl at Detroit, and still is behind him now. But in the same locker room, there is a differing opinion from Indiana's best player. ~ Detroit Free Press ~ True warriors Pistons honor Dumars, cope with tragedy and stay focused By Krista Latham Did they look past this game? Maybe just a tad, but you couldn't tell from the result. With the Christmas Day rematch of the 2005 NBA Finals with San Antonio on Sunday, the Pistons surely felt like the Golden State Warriors were a warm-up Friday night, the bread basket that's passed around the table before the meat's done cooking. And with one starter, Rasheed Wallace, playing despite learning of his cousin's death the day before, it seemed like an acceptable letdown game. But the Pistons, pros that they are, kept their focus for most of Friday's primer. They never let the Warriors enjoy a lead, not even after rookie Ike Diogu put on a scoring clinic in the second quarter to keep the Warriors' chances alive. Wallace deals with tragedy forward still in the lineup day after cousins that By Krista Latham The bad news spread to Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace sometime Thursday night. His 22-year-old first-cousin, Tyree Wallace, had been shot and killed by a police officer in a shootout authorities said occurred after an undercover drug buy in a Philadelphia neighborhood that evening. Little more than 24 hours later, after sleeping most of the day Friday to recover from a sleepless night before, Rasheed Wallace arrived at the Palace, headphones in place as usual, and suited up at his locker. He started and scored 19 points in the Pistons' 97-85 win over Golden State. Shine's off these Spurs mediocre stretch deflates champions By Mark Snyder Remember how good Sunday's NBA Finals rematch looked two weeks ago? Back then, the Spurs and Pistons were side-by-side running away from the rest of the teams in their conferences. Well, the Pistons (21-3) are still out in front, but the Spurs have fallen off the pace entering Sunday's 12:30 p.m. tip-off at the Palace. Since opening the season 16-3, the Spurs were just 5-3 after Friday's 95-90 win over Toronto. In their last eight games, they have hardly looked like a champion, especially considering two losses were to New Orleans (11-15) and Atlanta (7-18). Christmas game lacks TV hype By Krista Latham This week, NBA commercials panted over the Christmas Day matchup between the Lakers and the Heat, and then mentioned, oh, by the way, there's this other game before it, the one between the league's two best teams.You know, a rematch of last year's NBA Finals, San Antonio vs. Detroit? But it's no biggie. "When I came here, a lot of the players told me it'd be like that," coach Flip Saunders said. "We float under the radar a lot. So I think that's fine with us." Such is life when you're anti-drama, anti-ego teams from non-sexy locales such as the Spurs and the Pistons. ~ The Oakland Press ~ Focused Pistons Hamilton, Wallace lead way past Golden State By Dana Gauruder Rasheed Wallace played with a heavy heart. Richard Hamilton played with a little chip on his shoulder. Together, they made sure their team did not look ahead to their biggest game of the season to date. After dealing with a family tragedy over the previous 24 hours, Wallace played a gamehigh 43 minutes and scored 19 points in the Pistons' 97-85 win over the road-weary Golden State Warriors on Friday night. Detroit's sixth consecutive victory and 12th in the last 13 games improved its leaguebest record to 21-3 heading into the Christmas Day showdown with San Antonio. Piston plays after cousins death by Dana Gauruder Until Rasheed Wallace walked into the locker room of The Palace of Auburn Hills about an hour and 20 minutes prior to the Detroit Pistons' tipoff against Golden State on Friday night, there was some question about whether he would play. Wallace's 22-year-old cousin, Tyree, was shot to death by Philadelphia police during a gun battle Thursday night. Police allege that Tyree Wallace, a student at Arcadia University in Glenside, Pa., pulled a gun on an undercover officer when the offi cer tried to arrest him for selling drugs. A police officer was wounded in the shootout. Rasheed Wallace had a sleepless night dealing with the family tragedy. He missed the team's shootaround Friday morning. Hunter taking his time to return By Dana Gauruder Don't be fooled by the limp and the slow shuffling of his feet. Lindsey Hunter may look like he's still a long way from returning to action, but he's practicing at full tilt. Hunter, who had arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle Nov. 5, should be back in uniform next month. "For a playoff game, he's probably back tomorrow," Pistons strength and conditioning coach Arnie Kander said. "That's how good he looks in practice." With the team off to a franchisebest start, there is no need for to rush back. He wants to be in top physical condition before he starts playing again to reduce the risk of having a setback. ~ The San Francisco Chronicle ~ A silver lining Diogu posts big numbers in latest loss By Janny Hu At a time when so many things weren't working for Golden State, the Warriors stumbled upon something that did Friday night. Ike Diogu. The Warriors' rookie took over the offense by scoring 19 of his team-high 27 points in the second half against Detroit. He posted up Ben Wallace and spun past him for a reverse dunk. He faced up Rasheed Wallace on the right block, spun, and hit a turnaround jumper. His performance wasn't enough to avoid a 97-85 loss at the Palace of Auburn Hills, but it was enough to spin the Warriors' offense 180 degrees. Suddenly, the Warriors had somewhere to go with the ball. Someone giving them an inside presence. ~ Inside Bay Area.com ~ Diogu only bright spot for slumping Warriors Rookie's 27 can't stop 4th straight loss By David Birkett If not for rookie Ike Diogu, Golden State's five-game road trip might have been almost a total loss. In and out of the rotation since his return from a hand injury a month ago, Diogu scored a career-high 27 points and tied a career high with seven rebounds in 32 minutes Friday, but the Warriors still lost their fourth straight game 97-85 to the Detroit Pistons at The Palace. Golden State (14-13) has lost seven of its past nine to fall to fourth place in the Pacific Division after toying with first much of the first six weeks.   |
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12-24-2005, 12:55 PM
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| Marks Stein's holiday wish list |
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12-24-2005, 01:54 PM
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12-24-2005, 03:55 PM
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__________________  |
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12-25-2005, 11:19 AM
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| December 25th - Merry Christmas PF.com! ~ Detroit News ~ Pistons, Spurs meet again They aren't in ABC's main event, but teams bring NBA's best records into the Finals rematch. By Chris McCosky On one hand, the Pistons are well aware of where this game fits into the big picture. "We know you can't win a championship in December," Ben Wallace said. "We've been there before." On the other hand, it's the kind of challenge for which these players live. "I know I am looking forward to it because they are the 'other' best team in the league," Chauncey Billups said. "Of course, you want to play against the best. We've gotten off to a great start, and so have they." Pistons vs. Spurs. It might be the 'B' game on ABC's docket -- the Lakers-Heat game is at the top of its Christmas Day marquee -- but it's a matchup of the two best teams in the NBA right now (the 21-3 Pistons vs. the 21-6 Spurs), a matchup of the last two NBA champions, a rematch of last season's NBA Finals and possibly a preview of this year's Finals. ~ Booth Newspapers ~ Pistons, Spurs game overshadowed by Heat, Lakers melodrama By A. Sherrod Blakely Just imagine boxing greats Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, in their prime, being the undercard to a couple of underachieving light heavyweights. That's what the NBA's two best teams, the Detroit Pistons (21-3) and the San Antonio Spurs (20-6), are dealing with today. Despite their having played in the NBA Finals last season, and coming into today's game with the best records in the NBA, most of the attention leading up to today's nationally televised doubleheader has been on the game that pits the Miami Heat (15-12) against the Los Angeles Lakers (15-11). ~ San Antonio Express News ~ Spurs-Pistons as compelling as it gets By Mike Monroe The Spurs and Pistons match up today on national network TV as ABC kicks off its coverage of the 2005-06 season, so expect to see lots of replays of the key plays of Game 7 of the 2005 NBA Finals, plus a few of Robert Horry's game-winning 3-pointer in Game 5. The Pistons have the best record in the league, the Spurs the best record in the West. Most everyone who really understands what it takes to win in the playoffs anticipates a rematch in the 2006 NBA Finals. In fact, a rematch next June may be only the start of something bigger. Check the Spurs' and Pistons' rosters and what ought to strike you is the fact nearly all the key players are locked up at least through the 2007-08 seasons. One notable exception is Ben Wallace, but he already has hinted he doesn't intend on going anywhere else when he becomes a free agent this summer. A less notable exception is Nazr Mohammed, who occasionally has looked replaceable through the first 27 games of the Spurs' season. Spurs (21-6) at Pistons (21-3) Spurs scouting report: The Spurs have lost four of their past five games at the Palace of Auburn Hills, including the playoffs ... Four of the Spurs' past five opponents have shot at least 45 percent ... Tim Duncan is shooting 58.5 percent in the past three games ... Rasho Nesterovic has made 16 of 24 shots the past four games ... Bruce Bowen has made at least one 3-pointer in 17 consecutive games. Spurs injuries: Manu Ginobili (sprained right mid foot) is out. Spurs projected inactive list: Ginobili. Pistons scouting report: Detroit has won six consecutive games after beating Golden State 97-85 Friday night ... The Pistons have become a more prolific offensive team under new coach Flip Saunders. Their scoring, field-goal percentage, assists, free-throw percentage and 3-point percentage have all improved from last season ... Detroit is 8-1 at home, averaging 108.2 points while holding its opponents to 93.2 per game. Injuries: Lindsey Hunter (left ankle surgery) is out. Projected inactive list: Hunter, Alex Acker and Amir Johnson Spurs return to Palace of dreams By Johnny Ludden As the din in the Palace of Auburn Hills began to peak, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich shooed Robert Horry onto the court with one order: Let fly. The Detroit Pistons had already evened the NBA Finals at two games apiece, and were now poised to take control of Game 5. Midway through the third quarter, they had begun to methodically erase the Spurs' seven-point lead. Horry had spent most of the first eight minutes of the second half sitting on the sideline. His first-half performance had consisted of two turnovers, an errant hook shot, a layup swatted away by Pistons center Ben Wallace and another blown point-blank attempt. |
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12-26-2005, 10:19 AM
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| Pistons spoil Spurs' Christmas by Dana Wakiji / The Detroit News AUBURN HILLS -- It doesn't matter who the opponent is, the Pistons are all business. After outrebounding the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, 57-30, and outscoring them, 85-70, the players remained low key. "It's just another win on the record, no significance, just another win," said Chauncey Billups, who led Detroit with 20 points. Detroit 85, San Antonio 70 - Just an appetizer Krista Latham / Free Press Sports Writer .... Sunday's 85-70 whipping of San Antonio, the team that topped the Pistons for last season's NBA title, sure seemed like validation, as if the previous 24 games were just the evidence and this one finally hammered the truth home that, yes, this is the best team in the league. Not that the Pistons would ever admit that. Ben Wallace controls the rebounds and Pistons win again A. Sherrod Blakely / Booth Newspapers AUBURN HILLS -- Ben Wallace is usually in a giving mood. But there are times when he can be, well, a bit greedy. Sunday afternoon was one of those moments, as Wallace grabbed most of the game's missed shots in Detroit's 85-70 win over the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs. Pistons give Spurs an "L" for Christmas Brett Edwards / The Association As predicted earlier this week, the Pistons dominated the Spurs in this Christmas day rematch of last year's Finals. DET simply wanted this game more, and showed it by outworking SA on nearly every possession, holding them to 70 points (including a franchise low 8 in the first quarter), and out-rebounding them 57-30. |
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12-26-2005, 10:55 AM
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| December 26th - A big thanks to Lanierfan for posting the articles this morning.  So don't forget to check out his post right above this one folks, for the rest of the day's articles. Here's a few more of todays articles. ~ Detroit Free Press ~ McDyess gets some back against Spurs By Krista Latham and Chris Silva No player can suffer a Game 7 NBA Finals defeat and walk away with his spirit intact. But of all of the Pistons who felt that agony last summer, no one's wounds cut as deep as those of Antonio McDyess. Last June's tilt with San Antonio was McDyess' first real playoff run, let alone his first championship series. To get within minutes of winning a title and fail is a feeling he'll never shake. "I won't ever forget about it," he said. "That was my first Finals, and to lose like we did, it's going to stick with me the rest of my life, I feel." So that explains his extra effort Sunday, when the Pistons played the Spurs for the first time since the series. McDyess had a double-double off the bench, scoring 10 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Wallace's 21 rebounds key victory By Chris Silva Except for his socks and shoes, Ben Wallace had just finished dressing at his stall as he turned around, sat down in his black leather chair and started fielding questions from reporters in a nearly empty locker room. Since Wallace isn't one to elaborate on his own play, the first few questions seemed to be icebreakers. One reporter asked Wallace if the game against the Spurs -- an 85-70 victory -- had the same defensive, grinding feel that last year's NBA Finals between the teams produced. "Nah," Wallace replied. "It's December." ~ Booth Newspapers ~ McDyess tries to overcome disappointment of losing in NBA finals By A. Sherrod Blakely All summer, Antonio McDyess couldn't quite shake the pain he felt following Detroit's Game 7 loss to San Antonio in the NBA Finals. He says that game and the pain it left him feeling won't ever be forgotten. "That was my first (NBA) Finals, and to lose like we did ... that's gonna stick with me the rest of my life," McDyess said. McDyess left that same San Antonio team with something to remember on Sunday, turning in arguably his best game of the season in helping the Pistons defeat the defending NBA champion Spurs, 85-70. ~ San Antonio Express News ~ Pistons outrebounded, outwork Spurs in victory By Johnny Ludden In the end, after Antonio McDyess turned one more offensive rebound into another Chauncey Billups 3-pointer, after Ben Wallace flushed yet another put-back dunk, the Spurs smiled, wished their hosts a Merry Christmas and headed home. The Detroit Pistons didn't strip the Spurs of their holiday spirit Sunday afternoon before 22,076 fans at the Palace of Auburn Hills, but they took just about everything else from them. Rebounds. Loose balls. The game. In pounding out an 85-70 victory over the NBA's defending champions, the Pistons won the same way they did when pushing the Spurs to a decisive seventh game in last season's Finals. With defense, grit, timely shooting and, most of all, muscle. |
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12-26-2005, 12:50 PM
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| this guy is incorrect in the 'The Assocation' link with this statement: "Best part of the game was near the end, when Pistons fans started the college basketball "O-ver-RAT-ed (clap, clap, clap-clap-clap) chant at the Spurs. Very funny to hear that in the NBA." how does he not know of the "fire millen" chant by now? cause that's what they were saying heh. |
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12-26-2005, 06:38 PM
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| ~BlogMaverick.com~ Back to backs in the NBA (Not exclusively about the Pistons, but an interesting team-by-team breakdown of just how much harder it is to win the second game of a back-to-back. This year, only Detroit, Minnesota, Memphis and Chicago have winning records, with 2 of the Pistons' three losses coming on the back end.) |
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