http://www.pistonsforum.com/img/resources/team/DET_3079.gifhttp://www.pistonsforum.com/img/resources/team/vs.gifhttp://www.pistonsforum.com/img/resources/team/MIL_800.gif

Pistons at Bucks
Series 2-0 DET
Saturday April 29th, 2006
8:00pm

The Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
TV: tv20 / ESPN / RSN
Radio: WDFN 1130 AM

BillLaimbeer (http://www.pistonsforum.com/members/143.html)'s Look at this series:

The Milwaukee Bucks will be the Pistons 1st round opponent this year. At 40-42, the Bucks will be the only team in the 2006 NBA playoffs with a losing record.

The Bucks started out the season pretty strong (17-11), but have had losing records in each of the last four months:

November 7-6
December 9-5
January 7-10
February 6-7
March 7-8
April 4-6

Milwaukee depends on Michael Redd (25.4 ppg) for over a quarter of their offense. On any given night, Redd can go off for 40+ points. In the 3 games Redd scored 40+ this year, however, the Bucks are 1-2. The shooting guard is the only position that Milwaukee holds the advantage over the Pistons (Rip Hamilton).

The Bucks have some youth at most key positions and that should prove to be the difference in this series. Point guard T.J. Ford is playing in his first full season. Ford averages 12.2 ppg and 6.6 assists per game (14th in the NBA). Edge: Detroit (Chauncey Billups)

At the small forward, Bobby Simmons is really in his 2nd full season as a starter. His numbers and experience are somewhat similar to Tayshuan Prince, but I'll give a slight edge to Detroit with Tay's all-around game.

The Pistons also have an advantage inside with the Wallace's matching up against rookie Andrew Bogut (good rebounding and FG% numbers) and Jamaal Magloire (3rd season as a starter in the NBA, 9.5 rebounds per game).

The bench production differs a little bit, as far as scoring goes. The Bucks have 8 guys scoring 8+ ppg. The Pistons have 7 guys scoring 7+ ppg. Detroit most likely will use an 8-man rotation with McDyess, Delk, and Hunter coming off the bench.
Defense: The Pistons rank 3rd in the NBA for points allowed (90.1). The Bucks rank 20th, giving up 99.8 ppg.

The Bucks have beaten just about every team in the NBA, including Detroit, Miami, New Jersey, San Antonio, Dallas and Phoenix. With a 40-42 record, the Bucks have lost to just about every team in the NBA, as well.

Season series:
Nov 26: Det 85, @Mil 76
Jan 25: @Det 106, Mil 102 (OT)
Mar 31: @Det 112, Mil 105
Apr 17: @Mil 113, Det 93

Detroit won the season series 3-1, although the Bucks win came in a game when Detroit was resting its starters (Sheed and Rip didn't even dress). The 3 Piston wins were all close games.

For a #1 vs. #8 matchup, these games will be more competitive than most people predict. My guess is the Pistons win the series 4-1. The difference will be Detroit's experience.

http://www.pistonsforum.com/images/picdump/mil042306-1.png
http://www.pistonsforum.com/images/picdump/mil042306-2.png
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~~

Time for the third big X. Bucks start hard but still end up down by five at the end of the first. Then the wheels fall off. I see the biggest margin of any game so far. 108-88 Pistons.

Only scary scenario - Kukoc returns and gets hot, and Stotts finally looks down the bench and finds Gadzuric who rebounds everything Kukoc misses.

Nah...this will be a close one.

Expect Redd to have his best game of the series.

It will still end up in a loss though and completely take out whatever life is left in this team.

Pistons 93 Bucks 88

pistons dominate again.

tHE FAB 5 HAS AN AMAZING STAT. They have an +/- of 476 went they are on the floor. Thats why they need to avg 40 MPG...I love em!

I say Pistons will still sweep this series and Redd will not be a factor. If the Bucks happen to win one game it will be someone other than Redd that is the difference.

Looking ahead to the 2nd round, I heard on a local sports talk station here in DC that a Piston scout voiced that Detroit would rather face the Cav`s instead of the Wiz, not that Detroit would lose to the Wiz but they would produce matchup problems.

Now the perception is around here that the Wiz would upset Detroit in the 2nd round, and Detroit is scared to face the Wiz.

Forget my playoff bracket (I picked the Cav`s over the Wiz) I want the Wiz now.

from jsonline. - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A four-game sweep by the intimidating Detroit Pistons is inevitable, the pundits say. Why even play Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday at the Bradley Center?
"We don't want any part of that," Bucks guard Charlie Bell said Thursday after practice at the Cousins Center. "Nobody's really giving us a shot, and it's a slap in our face.
"We know we have a really good team and deserve to be here in the playoffs. We've got to go out there and prove it, and make this team work a little bit. We need to show everybody this is not going to be as easy as they think it's going to be."

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=419338

Prediction: Pistons 98 Bucks 79

It's knuckle down time.
Ps 93
Redds 80
the line is 6

Now the perception is around here that the Wiz would upset Detroit in the 2nd round, and Detroit is scared to face the Wiz.

Forget my playoff bracket (I picked the Cav`s over the Wiz) I want the Wiz now.
Doesn't matter to me, Dlev. If the Cavs win and you actually run across some idiot who says, "We would have beaten the Pistons...if only we had gotten past the Cavs!", then the only appropriate response is to laugh at his sorry a#$! :heh:

i'm going to this game and if we lose any game this series, it'll be this one. But I think it should be a 7 pt win...I'll be about 15 rows behind the pistons bench--hopefully i get to listen in on some timeouts! :)

Looks like every team in the playoffs wins at least one game out of their series








except the Bucks :noidea: :lock1: !!!

LOL. I love that dancing lock emoticon.

Looking for a close game....till halfway in the 3rd. Pistons 103-92

Will be interesting to see how focused the Pistons are coming out of the locker room. This will be the team's toughest test, I think. If the Bucks don't come out intense, they're done. The Pistons should be poised to take the Bucks' best punch.

CHAT

IS

OPEN!!!!!

Information here, everyone is welcome!
(http://www.pistonsforum.com/news/853-pistonsforum-com-game-chat-debut.html)

124-104 BUCKS!

A loss like that will take the starch out of your pants. I'm happy Stotts let them bomb away late, it's not wise to run up the score.

Will the angry Pistons arrive? Where was Ben? Did Tayshaun actually do anything? Has Sheed been contaminated by Ben's FT shooting? Chauncey sure doesn't look like a MVP candidate!

Gotta come hard next game. Red Wings and Pistons losses, coupled with Matt Millen's annual brainfart makes today ONE TO FORGET!

In seeing this game two things really disturbed me, First was the fact that we established sheed in the post and went away from that after the 1st. The second is our lack of energy on D, after the 1st. I'm of tired of the pistons taking games off. I can definitely understand playing hard and losing that we all know is gonna happen in the playoffs no matter how good you are. But when you are as good as we are, we should be in every single game we play unless of course we give a lackluster effort. Next game we definitely have to establishe sheed, tay and even chauncey in the post who is undoubtedly has a size advantage over Ford. We need to get more points in the paint, and bring detroit pistons' energy on D. If we do these things I don't think a team in the league can beat us in a 7 game series Man but to lose to miluakeed like this has me upset, time to have a beer and relax. Hopefully the real detroit pistons will stand up in game 4,

In seeing this game two things really disturbed me, First was the fact that we established sheed in the post and went away from that after the 1st. The second is our lack of energy on D, after the 1st.

The Pistons threw this game plain and simple. They have done this before. Like losing to the Knicks this year and losing to Atlanta last year so that whats his name, the coach, who was a Piston assisstant could keep his job for a little while longer.

The Pistons want to win the series at home in front of their family, friends and the rest of the loyal fans.

I just listened to the Pistons get beat by 20 pts by the Bucks.
This unnecessary development has me more than worried. How can they lose by 20 pts? If I had made a bet whether this was even possible, I would have lost it. How can the best defensive team in the league give up 20 points? Sigh. Here I am all thinking about the Spurs already, and then this happens. I could see losing by 10...but 20? Two things I don't agree with: 1. RIP staying in the game so long after it was lost and 2. Pistons boasting about their defensive intentions during the playoffs. Stupid. Don't they know how controlling and obsessed about image management the NBA is? :mad:

I don't mind losing a 10 pt game where you fought to make a valiant comeback, but to come out flat in the third quarter and let the game get away from you with uninspired defense and no inside play is enough to put a nasty taste in your mouth.

Cannot give these guys any confidence on Monday. Come out and slam them and put this one away by halftime. If Redd gets his, shut everybody else down..especially that bench of Kukoc, Mo Williams, C. Bell and Joe Smith. Those guys did wonders vs both our starters and our scrubs.

Tay has to establish his inside game by driving to the hoop. He was a non factor on both defense and offense. Did Ben make the trip? I don't recall seeing him out there:ohwell: When Delk comes in he has to go back to do what he does best....shoot. Sheed was the man in the first quarter and then disappeared until the 4th when he stepped up to miss 5 FT's. No FT's from Rip means that he was taking bad outside shots and no one fouled him? With his attitude, the refs may have looked the other way. Lets hope he does not get a suspension for his flagrant elbow...

We had blowout for this series and we normally have one per playoff run, that wakes us up!

Rip looked awful today. Missing open shots badly and not even having a prayer at keeping up with Redd. Even worse is the fact that he was forcing the issue.

I'm starting to worry about that ankle.

Also, I think it's time we bust out some Delfino action if Rip continues to struggle and Delk continues to be invisible on both ends of the court.

Sure this evening the Pistons has endured and ugly defeat , 20 points is many but second me it not have repercussion in these playoff. Monday this figure....will be repaid and will have in field the trues ones Pistons

2. Pistons boasting about their defensive intentions during the playoffs. Stupid. Don't they know how controlling and obsessed about image management the NBA is? :mad:
Bingo. Danny Crawford always calls Pistons games tight, and then to basically say that the players are outsmarting the refs has to be one of the most ignorant things to do.

I see Flip keeps getting mad, but no one is listening. It almost makes you wonder if LB got these guys so tuned out to listening to the coach that Flip cannot be heard.

Chauncey's shot selection and leadership has been crap. We love when he hits the 3, but it seems to be his entire game. His solution when the going gets tough is to bomb. When he can't run a fast break, he bombs. It's shoot the trey and hope to come out looking like a hero.

If you listened to him in the postgame, you were probably disgusted. He said that the Bucks are good and blablabla, and that the Pistons probably needed to lose so they could get back to playing the way they should.

Well, shouldn't the MVP (wannabee) leader have them playing at that level now? Shouldn't he be the one making adjustments, calling the plays and pushing his teammates?

Game 3 of 16 (now at least 17) is way too early to start taking games off. The Pistons worst enemy is themselves, and sadly, that enemy is powerful.

Rip looked awful today. Missing open shots badly and not even having a prayer at keeping up with Redd.

I'm starting to worry about that ankle.I hope just not....i would be terrible to lose Rip:frusty:

When he can't run a fast break, he bombs. It's shoot the trey and hope to come out looking like a hero.



Is it me or does it seem like everytime there is a fast break CB makes a bad decision. He either forces a bad pass resulting in a TO, or does not finish at the rim.

That is one vital part of CB`s game that`s lacking. However, it is not that telling because Detroit only breaks when the opportunity arises, which is not very often, thank God.

This was a giveaway, plain and simple. We do not give up 124 points in a playoff game! OK. I had us in 5 and I will stick to that.

I am a bit worried about Rip's ankle. He doesn't seem as crisp although the whole team played aslept. It was like they were trying a few things out for later.

Well, we know Sheed can post up. Hunter can hit a shot. Evans can hit a shot. Those are some pluses. Doubt if Milwaukee will break 80 points on monday.

"We kind of went away from what we did in the first two games," Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3621/) said. "Why? I don't know."

Really weak, Tay. Really weak. Just like this game. I had the Pistons in 5 and expected them to drop one, but not looking this bad in doing it. I think Ben flat out quit in this one. Just quit. Terrible effort.

Is it me or does it seem like everytime there is a fast break CB makes a bad decision. He either forces a bad pass resulting in a TO, or does not finish at the rim.

That is one vital part of CB`s game that`s lacking. However, it is not that telling because Detroit only breaks when the opportunity arises, which is not very often, thank God.\

That is one reason you can make the case for CB not winning the MVP> If he could he would be dangerous and we would have won 80 games. :laugh:
Granted he knows how to run the offense and find the open man in set plays, but both Rip and Tay run the fastbreak better than CB. Even on the alley oops, Rip to tay on the fast break ally-oop or an alley to Ben from the corner works. CB bumbles shots even when he is the lead man on the break because he is looking for the foul first and then the hoop.

Pistons always need a wakeup call - every playoff series. Thats why we have never swept a series with this team. Always take the oppenent too lightly and come out with a lackluster effort.

Bucks were hot and shot over 70% from the 1st quarter on. But if the Pistons had done the basics like playing more D, making free-throws and going inside rather than taking all those stupid 3's it would have been a close game.

Expect the same the next series and the series after that as this team never learns but always comes back.

Rip is not the same. Perhaps if Flip was not so paranoid about losing in the 1st round given his past we could get Rip ready for the rest of the post run. Now I hope this is not going to be one of those injuries that never goes away. Lets hope Clev/Wash goes 7.

With the job Delfino did on Wade would you think that maybe it would have been worth giving him a shot on Redd? What could it have hurt that game?

Only starter that seemed to show up was Sheed. Good job Sheed.

Box Score
(http://www.nba.com/games/20060429/DETMIL/boxscore.html?nav=scoreboardhome)
Video Highlights
(http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/nba/nbacom/recaps/recap_p103_detmil.asx)
NBA Recap
(http://www.nba.com/games/20060429/DETMIL/recap.html)
Play-by-Play
(http://www.nba.com/games/20060429/DETMIL/playbyplay.html)

Flip's Quotes

On the game:
“They kicked our butts in every category they could. They shot the ball extremely well, they rebounded, they ran and defended. As I told our guys, we never got into playing our style of ball. They were much more aggressive than we were. Usually, in any game whoever is the most aggressive team is going to have success. I said from day one against this team, when you have a team that can shoot the ball well, they have a lot of guys that can shoot it, they have the ability at times to give you problems if they get on a roll. They start off the first quarter they start making shots. We played a little out of character. We weren’t moving the ball. Very rarely are we in situation where we have 22 assists to the other team’s 34.”

On Ben Wallace’s early fouls:
“I think what happened is that took some of his aggressiveness away. It took some of our team’s defensive intensity away a little bit. We fell behind and we all tried to make big plays instead of making the easy plays. That’s something that I’ve been preaching. We were trying to make the home run play to get back in it instead of getting into a grind situation. When you play a team and they shoot 61 from the field, 65 from the three point line and end up shooting 87 from the free throw line… They had some open shots, once a team gets on a roll, you can start testing them and it doesn’t matter.”

On Milwaukee’s adjustments:
“I told our guys before the game, the biggest adjustment they’re going to make is the attitude they’re going to play with and how hard they’re going to play. They played with a great amount of energy and got some shots going early and got their confidence going. That can’t change how we play.”


Chauncey's Quotes

On rebounding from the game:
“We just have to come out and do what we do. We have to come out and play defense and make them play defense. We’ll be fine, we’re alright.”

On if losing can be a positive:
“Sometimes losing games like this is a good thing for the team. You don’t want to lose, but sometimes it’s good to get everybody back to doing what we do. Our meat and potatoes is playing defense, making them play defense, getting back to the basics. When you win and it’s coming easy, you try to get away sometimes from the basics. We did that a little tonight, but we’ll be fine.”

On the Bucks:
“They didn’t make the playoffs for no reason. They really should have been the fifth seed. They didn’t and we know that they’re a very capable team. They can get it going and tonight was one of those nights. They showed their potential.”

On the Bucks playing like the Pistons in the first two games:
“They really did, 30 something assists. They definitely played like we played the first two nights. They have some deadly three point shooters. When you let those guys get 30 some assists, you know at least 15 to 16 of those assists are going to lead to three pointers.”

Gameflow (available sometime Sunday April 30) (http://www.popcornmachine.net/cgi-bin/gameflow.cgi?date=20060429&game=DETMIL)

Last time our current team ( over the past 3 seasons ) lost by 20 or more was only 1 time in game 2 of the Finals against SAN.

Previous 1st round losses were by 4 points to the Bucks in 04 and an 11 point loss to the Sixers last year.

Pistons have to deal with this loss and finish it in 5.

Let's hope the Pistons are just a little bit embarrassed. They should be. I'm still blown away, actually. It was like the two teams switched places between Games 2 and 3.

what a shameful loss. They played like scrubs.
NO defense by CB and Ben. Ben's worthless without his usual D as he has no O. I expect him to respond in his old manner with a 15+ rebound game and heart.
I hope all of the players (except Hunter and Mc Dyess) know how bad they played. I mean, losing by 20 in the playoffs against a bunch of scrabs while considering themselves as a legitimate contender is just sad.

The Bucks aren't total complete scrubs but I really didn't believe they could roll us by 20 in the playoffs,the time we've been playing for all season.In fact I didn't forsee anyone beating us by this much.Well time to man up.Just one game need to put it behind us,Pistons in 5.

Embarrassing loss. Can anybody explain why a championship contending team can get blown anyway in the playoffs by an 8th seed? This is not the Spur or Mavs. Not that it would be excusable then either.

In the playoffs the team should be primed for all games. I hate it when CB comes out in post-game comments like " we know what we have to do". Why didn't you do it?

I would like to point out that I did call this to be a twenty point blowout. Yeah, I took the Pistons, but who's perfect?

Kukoc scared me before this game and he still scares me now. He's too big and too wiley for TP.

Un-gentle Ben: "Long jump shots lead to long rebounds and those lead to their fast-break points. We have to get back to playing our game, forcing them to defend all five of our players."

I agree with that. But make your FTs, Ben.

Of course I go to the game and we F'ing lose. Poor outing all around. No one played well. Sheed had 11 in the first 6 minutes and only 15 for the game?? Lindsey needs to have Sheed post up when he's in the game because Lindsey shouldn't be shooting as many shots as he had to shoot last game (and why so many with the shot clock running down???) WTF?

Admittedly the bucks shot the lights out, and I expected us to lose this game...but figured we'd at least have a proper effort. Ah well...on to game 4. I don't see why so many fans are panicking about one loss...relax. More than a 5 game series here folks.

I think dale could have been useful when ben got those 2 fouls. We had no problem offensively, but we needed Defense and paint points.

To me its plain and simple we came out flat and the Bucks flattened us. In all of our analysis and breakdown of games against different teams under different circustances there are certain things we need to do to beat really anyone in this league. First and foremost is that we need to bring Detroit defensilve intensity to every game that we play in the playoffs. The next is for to establish both Tay and Sheed in the post early on in all games. The next thing which is probably the most important is we need to stop being so overconfident and expecting teams to just bow down to us because we are the pistons. This is not rocket surgery (combination of brain surgery and rocket science). All of us who watch this team know what the keys are we just need to go out there and take of business. Go Pistons!!!!!!!!!!!

i knew we were in trouble when we hit 4 of 5 three-pointers early...every time we make shots like that we take the rest of the game off. 8 of 16 is good at halftime, but 3 of 12 after that...yuck. and chauncey missed 2 wide-open ones when we were trying to comeback.

not sure why we stopped going to sheed. he's unguardable and was playing out of his mind...sure there was a timeout but go right back to sheed and see if he can continue.

dunno what happened to ben but as soon as he got his 2nd foul and we took him out, not only did we stop playing well, but he stopped playing well when he got back into the game.

oh well, as long as we win tonight we'll take care of business at home for game 5. my buddy before the game said he thought game 3 is the one we'd most likely lose...guess he was right.

Was rip's elbow to Redd that bad? I missed that part.