Detroit @ NewJersey
7:30PM

TV: FSN
Radio: WDFN


Notes: 2nd meeting between the 2 teams. 1st game was also on the road for the Pistons.

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Your Comments?
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Let's see if we can end the month on a bang and get Flip top honors again.

seems like just yesterday that writers were talking about how superior New Jersey was to us offensively.

much has changed since our old rivalry.

Jason Kidd....AllStar???? We willl see tonight how he matches up with Smooth....

Will be at the Game tonight 4th row behind Detroits bench...So looking forward to this!!!! Being a Michigander and following these Pistons nearly everyday for 4 years on DetNews and now on this Great Piston site makes me relish this 06 Team. Hey got one extra ticket to sale,,,,any takers hit me back....Hey Lee, Roscoe, Merc,and the rest of the Crew...MUCH RESPECT

couple of tidbits:

If the Pistons win this game, it pretty much assures that Flip gets coach of the month honors 3 months in a row, an NBA first.
The team with the second longest winning streak in the league this year is the New Jersey Nets
Vince on the Pistons, ""Impressive, With a perfect game, you have a chance."
The Pistons are out to win both games at New Jersey for the first time since the 2001-2002 season.
Carter, Kidd, Jefferson and Jackson are all struggling with health issues going into tonights game

Well here we are the last game of the month of January. I had the Pistons going 13-2 for the month and this is one of the games I had them droping. I feel that New Jersey will have alot of fight in them coming off a 4 game losing streak and may pick up a win at the Meadowlands. My Perdiction is New Jersey 96-87.

I hope that I'm wrong of course but it is one of those feeling I have when Detroit strolls in New Jersey this being the last game played in New Jersey.

Chuancey may be slowed with the thigh bruse so we will see how this goes.

Motown, great tidbits! :thumb:

On coach of the month... That would be something if Flip gets that well deserved honor for a record 3 months in a row. Although something tells me that it would be handed down in jest by the league. You know they'd much rather give it to Phil for his brilliant coaching in the now 'Instant Classic' game, where Kobe dropped 81. :doh:

On the winning streak... That's surprising that New Jersey lays claim to the second longest winning streak, thus far this year. With teams like Dallas, San Antonio, Detroit, and even Phoenix. You wouldn't think that a light weight team like New Jersey (yeah, I know they're not as light weight as a lot of other teams in the league, but they're definitely not on par with the elite) could have those bragging rights. Especially when you consider all the injuries they've been going through with their main players. Kudos to them.

On Vince Carter's comment... That's gotta be one of the smartest things that ever came out of his mouth.

On NJ's M*A*S*H unit... On Paper that should definitely add up to an easy Pistons victory tonight. But like they say: "That's why they play the games." Let's see what our boys bring tonight. Hopefully we can put this one to bed early and get our bench some burn time. :nod:

Motown, great tidbits! :thumb:

On coach of the month... That would be something if Flip gets that well deserved honor for a record 3 months in a row. Although something tells me that it would be handed down in jest by the league. You know they'd much rather give it to Phil for his brilliant coaching in the now 'Instant Classic' game, where Kobe dropped 81. :doh:

On the winning streak... That's surprising that New Jersey lays claim to the second longest winning streak, thus far this year. With teams like Dallas, San Antonio, Detroit, and even Phoenix. You wouldn't think that a light weight team like New Jersey (yeah, I know they're not as light weight as a lot of other teams in the league, but they're definitely not on par with the elite) could have those bragging rights. Especially when you consider all the injuries they've been going through with their main players. Kudos to them.

On Vince Carter's comment... That's gotta be one of the smartest things that ever came out of his mouth.

On NJ's M*A*S*H unit... On Paper that should definitely add up to an easy Pistons victory tonight. But like they say: "That's why they play the games." Let's see what our boys bring tonight. Hopefully we can put this one to bed early and get our bench some burn time. :nod:

lucky for us phil and kobe are in the west. i think there are 2 coaches of the month: the Eastern and the Western.:)

:flame: Hey Microwave, I LOVE reading the pregame stats before every game, but I think something needs to be updated. I looked at cnnsi.com's rankings and the Pistons are in first place in the league in home and road records, not second.

Most every game I am in mortal fear of them losing, it's good I'm not their coach or I would burn those starters right out. "Wouldn't it be luv-a-lee" if they beat their franchise winning streak record? The current record is still at 12 games, right?

:flame: Hey Microwave, I LOVE reading the pregame stats before every game, but I think something needs to be updated. I looked at cnnsi.com's rankings and the Pistons are in first place in the league in home and road records, not second.
Fixed JC. Thanks for the heads up. I post them as early as possible and sometimes they aren't "fresh". Feel free to PM Ol' Roscoe if you notice a discrepancy again.

Just click the REFRESH/RELOAD button on your browser. I grabbed all of the latest.

Oh yeah, and

CHAT IS OPEN!!

I am completely appalled.

1) Our winning margins have been shrinking, the last 6 games were all pretty close. And guess what, 4 games in 5 nights this week with 3 on the road.

2) Sheed doesn't stop chucking. Dude, you are 1 for 10 from 3pt, STOP.

3) The last play we need a 3, and we run a play for SHEED? WHAT?

4) Are we putting TOO much pressure on Chauncey? The rest of the team plays like crap and its like Chauncey gets fed up and has to start forcing everything, reminds me of kobe and lakers. That might a little harsh on the rest of the team, but still....

This is either an expected result or cause for alarm. NJ always packs the paint and we are forced to play heavy perimeter against them, same thing happened last time we played in NJ but guys were hitting their shots. RJ and VC were off, but Kidd (Leading rebounder!) and Krstic exploded. So it's just "one of those games".

I wasn't terribly impressed with the Refs, but I'd call it typical NBA officiating, so nothing to note.

But the trends are forming and something to think about it.

The game was over in the first half. You could tell our guys didn't have it, especially "Toine Jr." Wallace. Too many shortcuts, not enough movement. When the Pistons make a little run late and then just stop, it's the sign of a tired club. Hopefully the loss will give them the kick in the butt they need from time to time.

I know we fans are as much in love with the whole "best starting five" bit as the press, but there are times when guys just need to be replaced ... like Prince anytime he plays against Jefferson, and Sheed in this game.

This game I could not fight that feeling of a lost and it came big time. Pistons feel in luv with the 3 ball and it got them in the end. Well tomorrow is a bounce back game and it will be atough one.

13-2 is not bad at all I think every month will go about the same, it is just hard when they lose even though you have that feeling for a lost.

Flip still might get the coach of the Month. average of 2 loses a month so far.

A few crazy things about this game. Sheed for one. He flat out could not hit his shots tonight from beyond the arc. But he would not step in a bit. He would not redirect his efforts into the post. One poster got it so right. This is a weak team in the middle. If Sheed did not feel like attacking them in the middle, then he simply should have quit shooting the ball.

Next, Jason Kidd. He could not miss. Kudos for him. Great game. We lost. To a hot shooter. It happens. But then again, when something is not working, a slight adjustment might be helpful. Ben no way could afford to let Kidd open for that 3 ball that killed us in the end. If a guy is killing you all night, man, you don't leave him open.

Ok, back to more crazy stuff. CB was on fire. The kind of fire that typically burns the other team right down to the ground. He could not miss anything. Mr. Bigshot just could not pull this one off all by himself.

Ok, Tay fouled out. And he left early in the 3rd quarter for a real long stretch with foul trouble. Delfino has missed most the last few games with the flu, so really, Evans was about our only option. He comes in for Tay, and gives us what he typically does vs. decent teams. Nothing. He cost us some points by being put on players he could not guard. He missed shots. He did get one routine rebound. Yes, it probably looked quite spectacular as Evans is so short and had to jump so high to get the bound. Any small forward with any height, that is a typical routine rebound. Mo Evans is no substitute for Tay.

Delfino got in the game for a stretch. Nothing much. Looked rusty. Just missed a couple shots. I will be very glad to see him return to the rotation. We had a trend there where Delfino was slowly replacing Evans' minutes. Lets hope it continues.

Arroyo got short stints in both halves. We did just fine with him in, especially on the offensive end. Arroyo got burnt by Vaughn twice, once getting lost around a pick, and once getting beat off the dribble.

Dyess, for the 2nd game now, had a nine point first half. But again also, not much in the 2nd half. Still, I'll take the scoring for sure. Just would love to see him go off for 20 in a game some day. Just like last game, Dyess scored both on outside shots and cutting to the basket.

Rip managed to give us some scoring, but he had a bad shooting night, getting off to an especially bad start. Tay just gave us too little in all, especially be not sticking in the game. Two offensive fouls, quite a rarity for Tay.

Ben, well, he is no offensive threat, so I guess he gets his usual free pass on that score. His defense was fine for the most part. Still mad at him though for not showing on that critical play. Hey, I don't even care if his coach told him to keep just fake showing. Its sometimes better to forget what the coach said. Ben absolutely should have stayed on Kidd on that play.

Oh well, only 11 games in a row. Still the best streak in the league this year. Guess we will have to settle for that. Wow, we heard they were hurting, with all three of their big scorers having one problem or another. Carter even was limping a bit. But their play did not show much of any injuries. Just like us thinking maybe Billups would be slowed by the knee bruise, NJ did not seem to slowed by any injuries at all.

Krstic had a fine game for NJ. Thats because we shot threes all day. His fine game should never have happened. He should have been on the bench with foul trouble.

Cliff hurt us with a couple of shots. Man, we could use him to guard Duncan for us. He can do this effectively and pull Duncan away from the basket on the other end. That and get EC to come back to guard Shaq. We lose Evans, Davis and Maxiell off the playoff roster to make room for these two and Hunter.

Despite all of the problems we had tonight, I still think that if Tay gets that call with 50 secs left, we probably win the game. He should have been shooting 2 for the lead.

Also, Sheed was taking a lot of 3's, but they were more open than Chauncey's were. He should have been able to hit 3 of 11 and again, we would have pulled it out. On the other hand, CB probably shouldn't have been 6 for 6 in a fair world either.

Oh well, another streak ends and a new one begins.

I want to know what Flip's instructions to the team were during TO's tonight. Was he telling them to keep stroking 3's and they'll fall eventually? Any idiot could see the lack of post game...what was Flip telling them?

Sheed could have pounded the Nets inside and should have, considering he couldn't hit the side of barn from outside...and couldn't last game either.

Flip may be the weakest cog in the Piston geartrain.

Ok, I have been pushing the 3-ball this year but this was a bust. Sheed was way off and they should have gone done low. NJ is weak in the middle. Teams are starting to understand and get into our offensive sets. We need to go down low for variety. Right, we got nothing from Evans or Delfino which might have helped. But we haven't really been playing that well while winning lately and it finally got us. Not to worry. We could hold NJ to 75 points if we had to.

I want to know what Flip's instructions to the team were during TO's tonight. Was he telling them to keep stroking 3's and they'll fall eventually? Any idiot could see the lack of post game...what was Flip telling them?

Sheed could have pounded the Nets inside and should have, considering he couldn't hit the side of barn from outside...and couldn't last game either.

Flip may be the weakest cog in the Piston geartrain.

Loss #6 and it is all Flips fault!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fire Flip and hire the washed up Bob Weiss! Get real yes the outside shots were not falling so blame Flip??? I did not see him out there chucking up bricks. What happens when we lose 2 in a row blame Joe?????

Nobody’s shot but Chauncey’s was falling Rip was 8-24, probably his worst shooting night all year. Tay was 3-11 not his usual .451% self. Mo was 0-4 Delfino was 1-4, and Arroyo was 0-0 but yeah I guess its time to get off the Pistons bandwagon after 1 night of horrible shooting. I hear the Suns are doing well without Amare, Nash is a MVP candidate again.

I had no energy tonight either. probably wont have it tomorrow. But we wont miss 2 in a row like tonight. Look for adjustments on the offensive boards and half as many three's. Sheed should never be taking more tahn 5 three's a game, but the pick and fade is such a good play. We need a break in february. I see a potential 11-2 month, but if we rest our starters to about 32 MPG, I'd be satisfied with 8-5 (THe losses at Miami,Cleveland, Indy and Chicago and home to the Clippers)...HOWEVAH..I cant see us not accepting the challenge of Miami, Indy and Cleveland, so 10-3 monthand 47-9 record...WOW!!!!

Oh Well.


Getting to the point where you know the team has to lose eventually. They did tonight.

Time to start another run.

sheed's last 2 games from 3-point land:

2 for 11
1 for 11

total: 3 for 22 (13.6%)

what's disappointing about this loss is that we own them in the post, and if sheed changed those 11 3-point attempts to low post shots, we'd have won the game handily. new jersey blows - we were lazy and couldn't shoot for shiznit, yet were only down 2 with a couple minutes to go. delfino didn't play well and tayshaun stunk. chauncey and ben were the only ones played solid and with any desire to win the game.

but with that said, i think the pistons deserve to take a couple games off per month with the way they're winning, so this one can slide.

C'Note said, "When Sheeds head is right in the game we are unstoppable".
Nets were very hungry and brought everything. VC, Kidd and RJ is a very sound backcourt and swing. Maybe as offensively good as ours.
But Kidds days of dancing in the ECFs is over.

what's disappointing about this loss is that we own them in the post, and if sheed changed those 11 3-point attempts to low post shots, we'd have won the game handily.

Exactly...this loss was avoidable.


Loss #6 and it is all Flips fault!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fire Flip and hire the washed up Bob Weiss! Get real yes the outside shots were not falling so blame Flip??? I did not see him out there chucking up bricks. What happens when we lose 2 in a row blame Joe?????

Whooah...hold-on there! Don't put words in my mouth. I never said anything about firing Flip...but after watching a chimney's worth of bricks get chucked over the first 3 qtrs, why didn't he make any adjustments for the 4th?

IMO Flip has had to do very little to get this team to where it's at this season...last night was an opportunity for him to show his stuff...and he blew it. Again...this loss was avoidable.

Oh Well.


Getting to the point where you know the team has to lose eventually. They did tonight.

Time to start another run.

exactly. The Pistons will adjust.

Before anyone gets too down on Sheed, you gotta remember that he's not refusing to go into the post, these are the plays called for him by Billups/Flip.

I'll agree his shooting has been terrible and he's taking way too many 3s, but the lack of post work falls squarely on the shoulders of the guy who designs the offense and the feller running the point.

Sheed hasn't been a premier post player in almost 5 years. It's just not his game anymore. On the other hand, we have Ben Wallace who is ugly in the post, but probably could have fouled out Krstic with his explosiveness to the rim.

System needs tweaking. Only one loss. It was going to happen sooner or later. Remember, the greatest season record was 10 losses. We still have a shot at that. Not that I think it is important in the least.

A little curious to know why Lindsey and Dale are not getting run now that we are "officially" in the second half of the season. I can understand the Darko experiment coming to a wind down, and Arroyo's minutes getting shortened, but not because the starting 5 are being overplayed. It should be because time is being shared with the playoff pieces.

I'm also wondering when Tay is going to step up and be a factor...

Flip seems to rely very heavily on Billups, Rip and Sheed for a spark. I don't think through 43 games that he has found a spark on the bench. A "Microwave" so to speak. And I think we have at least one or two.

just a question of time- CB took over the last games and won them on his own. With ALL of the Pistons struggling, we are LA- like.
I start getting angry about Tayshawn. Inconsistent as hell, average defense, not making his shots. I thought he'd improve but after 4 years at college and 3 in this league it seems he has hit the roof.
I hope he'll prove me wrong

Here is a nice little nugget from "Woody" during last night's Game Chat.

Well, at the Gold's gym where I workout, one of the employees played for Flip!!

He was a teamate of Patrick Ewing on the Georgetown team with David Wingate. He played briefly for the Pacers, then in Europe, and then in the CBA for Flip.

He likes to talk hoops so we discuss Flip's stlye all the time. He said the players all loved to play for Flip, but Flip is all about winning, not babysitting the 10th man. Need I say more??

NBATV Video Highlights from the game

**LINK** (http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/nba/nbacom/recaps/recap_657_detnjn.asx)

I just realized that the Pistons got beat in all 4 quarters yesterday. When was the last time that happened?

Whooah...hold-on there! Don't put words in my mouth. I never said anything about firing Flip...but after watching a chimney's worth of bricks get chucked over the first 3 qtrs, why didn't he make any adjustments for the 4th?

IMO Flip has had to do very little to get this team to where it's at this season...last night was an opportunity for him to show his stuff...and he blew it. Again...this loss was avoidable.

It does seem that with the multi-volume offensive playbook famed in song and story to work through they might have tried something other than CB and 'Sheed playing a two man game outside the three point circle.

But, as all have said, it's only one game and by golly they are still 37 & 6. It does make tonight a test of character and will though, and I think they've got that in spades.

we needed to lose that game. the last 3 games we snuck by even though the pistons didn't play to their level. this loss should get them back on track. they pound there opponents after a loss.

Micro, your comments are right on. We need to tweek what we are doing a little bit. Ben and Sheed could have fouled out kristic. And Sheed should not be used exclusively outside. When we are not hitting, this team has other ways to win. I have been noticing that teams are starting to get into our sets and even laying on the three. Nothing we can't correct.

On league pass, I got the NJ telecast. When they were talking to Vince Carter before the game, he mentioned that part of their strategy was to get the Pistons in foul trouble. And it worked.

I think that is a strategy that the Pistons should use way more often. Especially against guys like Shaq. Make sure that you initiate some contact and let the refs make those 50/50 calls against a dominant player. Have a guy like Evans (b/c it doesn't matter if he fouls out) drive at him over and over.

I just realized that the Pistons got beat in all 4 quarters yesterday. When was the last time that happened?

TaShawn, I brought that up last night on the DetNews forum. So far it has not happen anytime this season. (regular or preseason.) You would have thought that with the 37 point loss to the Mavs we would have got outscored in every qtr, but the Pistons actually won the second qtr of that game. In last night's 7 point loss, the Pistons lost each qtr by 3 points or less.

If 3 of Sheed's 10 missed threes had hit, this may have been a 2 point victory for our boys. Or if he had just taken half of those shots from the inside and scored 4 hoops, we'd be going for number lucky #13 tonight, and could have possibly stretched this streak out to 24 games until we ran into the Cavs on a back to back at the end of this month.