At Miami March 2nd, 8:00 PM
TV - WDIV (Local) NBALP


The Pistons begin March facing the D-Wadeless Miami Heat, in Miami. This will be a very tough month for the Pistons, playing their first of five back-to-backs this month. Three of them on the road.

Miami, the defending champs may find themselves watching the playoffs on TV if they don`t make a serious push in the next few weeks.

If we beat them too bad Riles will make a move. Best not to rub it in.
Ps 91 89
Columbians 81

Lets not assume this will be easy just because our nemesis Wade is out. The Heat beat two pretenders this week without Wade, the Cavs and Wiz and held them to low numbers.

In the just completed Wiz game the the Heat controlled the 4th forcing the Wiz to shoot all jumpers and 3 balls, while SHaq dominated the paint in the first 7 misn of the qtr. Yeah the Wiz were missing Butler and Jamison, but we can't let Shaq get off like that and be afraid to attack him and Zo in the paint.

If Sheed doesn't play, then Flip needs to play Davis and hope that Naz and Max aren't intimidated.

In the just completed Wiz game the the Heat controlled the 4th forcing the Wiz to shoot all jumpers and 3 balls, while SHaq dominated the paint in the first 7 misn of the qtr. Yeah the Wiz were missing Butler and Jamison, but we can't let Shaq get off like that and be afraid to attack him and Zo in the paint.

Watched that game too and the Heat were pretty impressive. 37 minutes for Shaq and 5-7 in the fourth with five boards. JWill is playing quite well too and shooting the ball like someone who actually knows how. They will pass some folks in the playoff hunt if they continue to play like this - all assuming, and it's a big one, that these guys can regularly continue to play these kinds of minutes - 37 for Shaq and Eddie Jones may not work too long.

They are better with Shaq than with Wade.

Wade is more replacable.

Agree with all that has been said. I also saw the Wizards game but let`s not forget, they were playing the Wiz!!

I don`t know why Eddie Jordan chose not to double Shaq. He scored like 12 straight points in the 3rd Q.

Let me be the first to say that not only will the Heat make the playoffs, they will overtake the Wiz and win the division!!

Agree with all that has been said. I also saw the Wizards game but let`s not forget, they were playing the Wiz!!

I don`t know why Eddie Jordan chose not to double Shaq. He scored like 12 straight points in the 3rd Q.

Let me be the first to say that not only will the Heat make the playoffs, they will overtake the Wiz and win the division!!

I knew Miami was too stubborn to bow out gracefully. Wade will be back for the playoffs. Count on it.

I knew Miami was too stubborn to bow out gracefully. Wade will be back for the playoffs. Count on it.


That's what scares me...and if he his favoring the shoulder, don't think Stern won't issue orders to protect his now and future cash cow.

If he can shoot the free throws, he will be parading there cause you know the man isn't afraid to bang and hit the floor...pain in the shoulder or not. what a pisser, ur I mean competitor:crutch:

Would he be allowed to shoot free throws from his wheel chair?

If so, they could still be a threat in the playoffs.

Hello to all. .sorry.... but is problem tonight for Sheed? It will play? Thanks nene

DETROIT BASKETBALLLLLLLLLLLLLL

C'mon pistons! Do your part to deny the HEAT a playoff spot!

McCoskey's DetNews blog post today says that Sheed will not play tonight.

McCoskey's DetNews blog post today says that Sheed will not play tonight. Thanks ! this is a problem for tonight's match. what do you think ?

It's always tougher without him in the lineup, but as McCoskey says, with all the road games and back-to-backs against tough teams coming up this month, there's no need to risk anything if there's a chance he might aggravate the problem even more.

Time to bring out the doomsday device aka Dale Davis.

Ya think J-Max would try and dunk on Shaq??

I can see it now, number 1 play on drsimp12's plays of the week... cbill drives down the lane and leans in for a scoop and finds jmax with a wrap around for a thunder dunk in between zo and shaq. Wade lets out a 'ohhhh' as he half jumps out of his wheelchair....

Well, at least the "lazy sheed society" will know just how good we'll be without him.

I'm headed to a bar with co-workers for an early birthday celebration...I doubt I'll make chat.....

Enjoy all!

Happy birthday!

Chat is open!!!

http://www.pistonsforum.com/misc.php?do=flashchat

That was a horrible half. Shaq just dominated us :eek:

Hopefully something happens here becuase the Pistons are playing horribly and these annoucers are starting to piss me off with their Miami Heat and Shaq love.

Defense sucks tonight. What is the deal?? When the p's get time off they get lazy or did they just underestimate the team. national tv too.

Great games from Dice and Flip, good ones from Tayshaun and Rip.

http://static.flickr.com/27/93628583_d301537c0f_m.jpg

Definitely not a pretty game for the Pistons. They just dug a hole too deep in the first half and then they expect to turn it on in the 4th quarter. Flip just doesn't play his pieces right and last minute heroics aside the Pistons got beat like a rented mule tonight. Shaq had a season high game tonight and even Walker looked like an All-Star. The Pistons are going to see Miami again in the playoffs so they'll have to figure out how to beat this team with or without DWade. So has Flip Murray been deactivated since SuperDupe was in on the last play of the game tonight?

I turned the game off after the Pistons played one of their worst quarters of the season in the second quarter, but I guess they turned things right back around in the third. They took the lead with a couple of minutes left, but the execution just wasn't there in the last minute or so, and Shaq got the benefit of a couple of calls to put the Heat back on top. The Pistons almost got a miracle finish to send it to OT as Payton threw one of the worst inbounds passes of all time in the last 10 seconds, but they couldn't get a desperation 3 to drop. This one was lost in that catastrophic second quarter, but having showed some heart in getting back in it, hopefully they can keep that going and right the ship again starting at Memphis tomorrow night.

Those announcers were annoying as hell.

We held them to 85 points even when Shaq had his best game of the year. Why were the announcers so hung up on our defense? They think we would have kept them in the 70's if we would have doubled Shaq?

Maybe their 16% 3-point shooting had to do with the fact that they were being contested.

If Chauncey wouldn't have been so ice-cold, we would have beat them on the road.

Pistons always manage to look bad after a lay-off.

Well we gave the Heat and Wade confidence that they can beat us come playoff time. Yeah they were missing Wade and maybe the presence of a healthy Sheed would have slowed Shaq's first half assault, but the Pistons looked like they were back in game six of last years EC finals during that second qtr.

You can probably trace back and find that 10 of the Pistons 20 losses were due to plenty of uninspired second qtrs . Of course it didn't help that the EC playa of the month CB was 0-10 from the field at one stretch and even though Rip got hot in the third, he was 7-22.

It was nice that we took the lead briefly so we weren't totally outclassed, some of our fans folded the tent, but apparently the players didn't.

Both teams combined for a porous 5 of 40 from beyond the 3 pt arc. With Tay hitting our ONLY three of the game, he should have taken that last three at the end. He probably should have either tried to go around Shaq or stop and pop that jumper with a minute left in the game instead of running over him. That was the key play down the stretch as walker hits the three on the other end to take the lead.

I'm Davis, Nazr, and Maxiell provided the "strength" "finesse" and "quickness" tonight.

I would say "rust" "rust" and "rust".

The first 2 Qs the Heat couldn't miss and we jittery. 3rd Q the ball bounched our way and we got back in the game. Big 3s from Walker kept them in the game.

Those announcers were annoying as hell.

We held them to 85 points even when Shaq had his best game of the year. Why were the announcers so hung up on our defense? They think we would have kept them in the 70's if we would have doubled Shaq?

Maybe their 16% 3-point shooting had to do with the fact that they were being contested.

If Chauncey wouldn't have been so ice-cold, we would have beat them on the road.

That 85 points that we held them too was only the second time all season that we have been beaten by a team that scored less than 89 points. Which means that a 10 spot by Sheed would have been a victory tonight. Oh well the defense is working ...some time anyway. We'll get them tomorrow night.

Tay drives to the hoop, Shaq clearly moves, kind of a jump step to get in front of Tay, then all 350 pounds of him flops like a mound of jello to the floor!

And the refs call an offensive foul!!!!

Now that one play doesn`t make the game, but that was a terrible call.........

Yep, good comeback stalled by the refs. Calls this bad are what lead many many fans to quit watching the NBA, calling it just a tiny step up from the WWF. That totally bogus call on Tay's drive, where Shaq was clear as day inside the circle, was just the start.

What did we learn from this game? Well, Dale Davis can't guard Shaq, but he does as good a job as anyone we have. Webber did not do that bad either. Mohammed is a joke as Shaq just pushes him out of the way with no effort at all.

CB had a truly horrible game. Its not just that he missed his first 10 shots, hey, we were suppose to be going inside against Shaq to try to get him in foul trouble. One for 14 from the 3 line. Just think. We shorten those shots up, and make just two of them, we win this one. (That is, if the refs did not decide to go even more nuts.) Bad job by CB running the team, and a terrible coaching job by Flip.

Pretty much anyone could have decided to play JMAX and Dale Davis together in this one. We needed defense badly, and that is our best interior defense combo. No Sheed. Both JMAX and Dale did play, yet this very good combo never happened. Pretty much a planned failure on Flip's part.

Dyess was awesome, never missing a shot and getting 17 and 10. Tay and Rip both got over 20. Good comeback try by the Pistons even though we lost. At least Miami can't walk away from this one with any dignity. Without the refs siding with them, they lose this game to the Pistons after getting a 22 point lead.

Delfino not scoring is not the problem. Flip Saunders refusing to let Delfino do what he does best, handle the ball for us, is the problem. In this game, Hunter was completely useless. Delfino should have been in as the backup point and Hunter should have been a DNP.

Webber firing a three, after only making 2 threes for us so far this season, was a pretty low percentage play there. Yeah, he has not took many threes either. But you can't expect something to work in the clutch that you don't even use in normal game time.

Shaq was pretty much unstoppable, and Miami could have played Shaq and Mourning together if they had wanted to put it in another gear yet. Walker scored 20 for them, and that hurt, especially his inside game. Would Sheed have helped all that much. Not really. Sheed can't guard Shaq either. We simply need a better bench, something we can't have with Hunter being used as the backup point. In this game, Delfino could have been at point and JMAX or Amir Johnson at small forward. Miami could not have stopped either from scoring. This team can beat Miami, it will just take a coach who can coach.

This did look like last year's playoffs a bit, Dre. We just don't match up well with this team because of Shaq and then Wade.

What bothers me is that offensive meltdown yet again against a good team. Our coach is supposed to be an offensive guy but we have no default mode in our offense when things go bad. And bad means that a team knows how to jam up our shooters. Then, Rip and Chauncey try and drive (not their best game). Worse, they go all the way in and get blocked like Rip did against Mourning instead of taking the short gimme. When we get in trouble, we just look lost on offense.

We couldn't go to Webber in the middle as Sheed was out. He is our insurance against the drought. And then, no Sheed down low.

Still, the Pistons did show Miami what they are really up against later.

I don't like the zone at the end. We gave up that open look to Walker which he would not have gotten on the man to man.

Sprocket sez…


Welcome to game seven of the 2006 Eastern Conference Finals. It starts like it ended back in June of last year with Shaq running rampant and the Pistons unable to throw the ball down and hit the floor. It ends unfortunately for Detroit with poor decision making and missed shots that doom an amazing comeback from nineteen down at the half that sees the Pistons take their first lead of the game in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter.

The game starts ugly with the Pistons missing seven of their first eight shots. Dale Davis starting in place of the injured Rasheed Wallace looks like a skinny kid as he bounces off Shaq again and again. Shaq gets everything he wants in the first posting up time and again right on the low block. Neither DD nor Mohammed is able to move him off the box. Despite shooting very poorly the Pistons are only down by one at the one minute mark of the quarter, but a four to nothing Heat run puts them down five at the break. Hamilton and Billups shoot two for eleven in the quarter.

The Pistons toss Maxiell and Delfino into the mix in the second and gain some ground cutting the lead to three before Shaq returns around the nine minute mark. Twenty four of the Heat’s first twenty-six points come in the paint. When Shaq isn’t jamming, the Heat are running and getting easy baskets on the break. With Shaq back in the game, the Heat outscore the Pistons twenty-six to twelve in the remainder of the second to lead at the break fifty to thirty-one.

Hamilton and Billups end the half having shot two for fifteen. Detroit’s 31 points and 28% shooting in the half are season lows for any half this year. The Pistons manage just eight points in the paint to thirty-six for the Heat. The only suspense in the second half of the second quarter is whether Flip’s head will actually explode on the court or whether he will manage to get into the locker room before going atomic.

One halftime interval marked by the continuing idiocy of the ESPN analysts and a serious tongue lashing by Flip later, the Pistons both begin to score and begin to stop everyone in white except Shaq. The Heat manage just eleven points in the third quarter while the Pistons find life and score twenty-six. Detroit’s 28% shooting in the first half goes up to 55% in the third quarter while the Heat’s 54% first half falls to 25% in the third. At the break the Pistons are down by four, sixty-one to fifty-seven and a ballgame breaks out in south Florida.

The fourth continues as the third, with Shaq scoring more or less at will while the remainder of the Heat can’t hit anything. Billups continues to struggle, at one point shooting zero for eleven prompting Walton to observe that you’ve got to be really good to go zero for eleven. The Pistons take their first lead of the game at 3:14 on Prince’s twenty-second (and final) point of the game. McDyess also shoots well and his seventh hoop in seven tries about the four minute mark keep the Pistons within one.

Prince commits an offensive foul around the one minute mark of the fourth, only the second charge Shaq has taken all season. On the ensuing play a Walker three pulls the Heat ahead. McDyess is fouled and makes two to knot the score at 80 with 0:56 left. Walker misses, but Shaq jams the miss to put the Heat back on top, perhaps the play of the game. Hamilton misses a fairly open jumper on the next possession forcing the Pistons to foul Jason Williams at the 0:25 mark. He misses one of two, but the Pistons execute badly on the next possession with Webber making a bad pass and then missing a three. The Pistons foul Eddie Jones who hits both to make the score eight-five eighty Heat. Billups is fouled and hits both to make it a three point game with eight seconds left. Prince gets a steal on the inbounds pass and inexplicably doesn’t take a wide open three but passes the ball to Billups who is heading into the lane to get into rebounding position. Billups pulls out and gets off a three but misses, and Dupree knocks the rebound out to Hamilton who misses a desperation three at the buzzer.

On a night when no one can hit a three (the teams combine to shoot five for thirty-nine from three), Shaq’s thirty-one points and fifteen boards are too much for the Pistons to absorb, especially when they shoot 38% for the game including 7% from three (one for fifteen). Prince and McDyess can’t make up for nine for thirty-five (26%) shooting from the Pistons’ guards. Somebody better be mad about this one.

we always play badly when i watch the game at the bar :( sorry guys!

it was annoying watching shaq get free reign to use his body and arms with no offensive fouls called. just a jacked up game all around...what a great start to march!! D:

It was nice that we took the lead briefly so we weren't totally outclassed, some of our fans folded the tent, but apparently the players didn't.

Hey, I resemble that remark...:stooges:

Chauncey's 1 for 11 is built into the offensive system. I do not blame him. The Heat know how to play us. Jam up Billips and Hamilton and rotate quickly. Result: no open jumpers.

Rip and Chauncey shoot anyway or they drive. But they don't pull up for the mid-range. They go all the way into Shaq or Mourning who are waiting there. Rip's block by Mourning in the 2nd is a case in point.

We actually don't have the ball come back to Chauncey so that he would be a weapon. So he shoots on the fly and hence the low percentage in this type of game. And with typical no scoring from the bench a bad situation gets worse.

In contrast, the Heat have trouble with Dyss. Neither Mourning nor Shaq want to go out on him and he can get his shot off vs. the others.

What has helped is using Webber as a focal point. Then, both he and Sheed can post. Without Sheed, we couldn't use Webber that way. obviously, the Webber/Davis combo didn't work.

We will be alright but we need to play smarter and actually have a game plan.

Piston's in the NBA finals for the 3rd year in 4!

the pistons perfectly executed a strategy tonight. this strategy is normally used by lottery-bound teams - play just hard enough to make the game respectable, but then remember to lose at the end.

well, the pistons did that tonight, bouncing miami into the #7 seed AND giving them confidence to keep winning and keeping that seed (or go even higher). if the playoffs started today, the cavs and heat would have to beat each other up in the 1st round. the way chauncey was laughing at the end of the game, you knew he was pleased.

so, congratulations pistons. you exected your strategy tonight perfectly!!

I don't mind this loss. Chauncey was awful. No Sheed (huge against Shaq because it lets him roam the paint against Dale/Nazr instead of play the perimeter against "Chris McWallace"). Shaq played his best game in quite some time. Antoine played out of his mind. Yet we still had a good chance in the end. I can live with it, even without Wade.

Happy birthday!

why thank you sir!

Man, oh man. Would I have loved to have been in chat for this one. Beat like bad ass kid tonight then playing just hard enough to look like you want to win....way to go guys.

You know the Pistons are in trouble when......

#8) Fans are finding away to be "OK" with losses to a Wade-less MIA team that is threatening to NOT make the playoffs and when down by 3 on the road, coach sonar calls a play that delivers an airball 3 from Webber.


Wait...did I just type a 3 from Webber? A 3 FROM WEBBER??

A FREAKIN 3 FROM WEBBER???:gettinghanged:

There is no argument this side of the instant and simultaneous deaths of Billups, Hamilton, and Prince that makes that a viable strategy. That easily tops the 3 when down one at home...new Low today.

Tay wasn't open for that last three. But pass to the cutting CB?
Webbs eye still hasn't opened all the way.
I still say we get our confidence shooting from deep. Let it rain. Then go inside.

I'm pretty sure the play wasn't designed for Webber. He sort of screwed up the pass to Billups and then he just decided to take it. He probably figured he had a better chance of making it than Billups tonight. There was a lot of time on the clock though, so they should have taken their time and worked it a bit more.

I was pretty mellow going into this game with Wade and Sheed out. I just didn't feel like it meant much. But after listening to those jack-asses babbling on for the first half on ESPN about how great this sub 500 Miami team is, I wanted to win it more than any other this year just to shut them up.


My lingering worry/paranoia this year is just that Webber won't be his effective self against Playoff caliber teams with paint protecting shot blockers and our offense will become jumper happy. Tonight, it looked like our guards were intimidated by Shaq and Mourning.

I've never really seen a coach make it his primary objective in a game to get Shaq in foul trouble. It may be worth it to develop a special scheme early in games to draw as much contact as possible from him. That is probably the only way to truly stop him. Just think if this guy could shoot 75% free throws.

I'll have to side with Hog & FP22 on this one... we don't want to shoot the wad too soon... let them feel like killers for a spell.
No doubt the Heat are better with Wade... however they still have to go thru the Palace.
Chauncey will not play this poorly again.
It's similar to losing to the Wizz... the hunger needs to start around April with these contenders.
We all knew Shaq would dominate... just like when Ben was guarding him... the difference was that Ben would force more turnovers.
Gotta keep some of the strategies in the hip pocket for later.

Anyone thinking the East is a cakewalk is dillusional.

Happy B-day low. As a present I would like to present a cure for one-lositess. Its when you take a typical seasonal road game loss ( by 2 points ) to a hot team and use it as a general analysis of the entire season. The cure - forget about it and move on.

We will get them the next time. For now, let them have their victory as this game meant so much to Pat Riley. Let them think they can beat us and become overconfident.

Another game tonight.

Chauncey will not play this poorly again.
I dunno. He looked like the same impotent PG we saw in the ECF last season.

Shaq-led Heat wins after blowing big lead - 03/03/2007 - MiamiHerald.com (http://www.miamiherald.com/592/story/30099.html)

O'Neal finished with a season-high 31 points, 15 rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes. Antoine Walker added 22 off the bench.
''Word is, they think I'm an old man,'' said O'Neal, 35, who was surprised that the Pistons did not double-team him. ``Pat [Riley] told me this morning to go out and get 30 points. I take it personal when people don't double me. It's against my religion to not double me.''
O'Neal was so aggressive at one point that he played a role in 31 consecutive points scored by the Heat during a stretch from early in the second quarter to late in the third.

He'll be an old man if he had to do a 7game series like this.

I agree with Shaq. Throw a double team at him from time to time, I would take my chances with Fatoine shooting 3`s, or J-Will rather than D-Wade receiving that pass out of the double team.

Looks like the refs are going to let Shaq get away with the same foolishness he is accustomed to. I still can`t get over how a 220 pound Tay can knock over a 350 pound Shaq, the ref should be fined for that call.

And shouldn't there be some requirements about painting in the full charge/block circle? Where Shaw was standing the ref has to make a judgement call about where his feet are based on where the circle would be if it were extended.

@dba - With the Miami Heat, the league likes to make it all judgement calls. ;)

Had some time to eat a nice breakfast and enjoy a coffee before rehashing last night.

Without Sheed to play the pick and pop with Billups, Chauncey gets negated by the physicality of the Heat. Let's face it, CBill is a soft finisher and if people get up in his face, he struggles to see the floor and make decisions.

With Sheed, CB can work the defender and has a passing option.

I was unimpressed with the adjustments, the distribution of minutes and the passion of the Pistons. Riley was playing mind games calling this a big one for the Heat. Someone forgot to fax that memo to the Pistons.

Really impressive outing by McDyess. But he's like a cursed man. He has some big games, but if it comes down to him to take the winning shot or make the winning putback, he chokes. It's like his best efforts in big games consistently get wasted. Just my perception.

1/16 on 3s? CBill is 11 for his last 47 from the arc. That's 24%. Someone needs to tell him to reel it in. He ain't feeling it in 8 of his last 12 games.

On a night when no one can hit a three (the teams combine to shoot five for thirty-nine from three), Shaq’s thirty-one points and fifteen boards are too much for the Pistons to absorb, especially when they shoot 38% for the game including 7% from three (one for fifteen). Prince and McDyess can’t make up for nine for thirty-five (26%) shooting from the Pistons’ guards. Somebody better be mad about this one.
The problem is, no one was mad that I could see walking off the floor except Tay and Dice. Billups was yukking it up about something with his teammates not even 2 minutes after the buzzer.

That whole "Smooth" persona is so annoying. You can be an overconfident jerk when you are Michael Jordan or Shaquille O'Neal, but even those guys along with players like Kobe and KG bring monster efforts when they are feeling the anger and competitive desire to dominate. For CBill, it better come smooth and easy, or he just won't get going. There are days when I hope we don't re-sign him, simply because he annoys me so often. It's not rational, but seeing the postgames hugs and non-chalant attitudes puts me in irrational moods.

I noticed our perimeter defense was also better last year but I think it is coming at the expense of our paint defense. Guys are getting up on shooters and forcing shooters to drive which puts a tremendous amount of pressure on our frontcourt to help close and rotate. With the length of guys like Delfino, Prince and Hamilton we should be daring the Heat to beat us from the outside.

Ball denial. That's coaching. Webber, Davis and Mohammed are not going to run O'Neal ragged on the break. You have to pressure him and make them play on one side of the court. When you play Shaq one on one, and force him baseline, he will eat you up. Make him spin to the lane where help can come and provide back up on the boards.

Had watched the replayed game on local sport channel, what a poor game by both sides where they looked like two slowest teams around the league and I reckoned the total years of both starting 5 were the most senior around the league too. A fan here said that we gotta run Shaq to die at the game, I agreed, but the Pistons was dying too LOL.
The coming West trip will tell what are the Pistons made of, not only the players, coach team as well.

One more thing about playing O'Neal into the lane. You're forcing him to take short jump hooks across his body. With his lack of shooting touch, it's really putting him in a position to shoot 50% or less.

How you play Shaq defensively is a lot more important than the numbers he puts up. Beating him is about getting him in foul trouble and wearing him down. Making him fight for position, forcing him to be a passer, and keeping bodies between him and the hoop at all times.

Larry could play Shaq straight up because there was a commitment to help defense. Putting Davis, Mohammed and Webber on an island is a joke.

Shaq-led Heat wins after blowing big lead - 03/03/2007 - MiamiHerald.com (http://www.miamiherald.com/592/story/30099.html)

O'Neal finished with a season-high 31 points, 15 rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes. Antoine Walker added 22 off the bench.
''Word is, they think I'm an old man,'' said O'Neal, 35, who was surprised that the Pistons did not double-team him. ``Pat [Riley] told me this morning to go out and get 30 points. I take it personal when people don't double me. It's against my religion to not double me.''
.
Its shaq sound bites like those that irk me and sport writers love to hear. I saw one or two double teams on him and it was in the second half right around the time we took the lead. The Pistons let him get off because we had no one who had the ballz to take it to rim and get him in foul trouble. The refs are not going to call any offensive fouls on him regardless of how many times he elbows and pushes his way until to basket. You have to attack him early and force a couple defensive fouls and send him to the bench. Wake up Flip and tell somebody to attack. However if you rely on the outside jumper and they are not falling, you fall right into the Heat's hands. (1-16 from beyond the arc):doh: :brick:
The same thing happen to the Wizards on Wednesday night.

In essense the Heat scored 58 of their 85 points in the paint. When the Pistons give up more than 50 points in the paint, then our interior defense is not doing it's job and it probably means a L. On the other end the perimeter defense was OK with the exception of letting Walker get off.

Hopefully this just gives the heat false hope that they can indeed beat us, but hopefully it doesn't convince wade to come back to secure it.:sssh:

The heat does a good job of containing Billups off that screen roll that starts a lot of the Pistons plays. I hope we are able to adjust to that.

The Pistons let him get off because we had no one who had the ballz to take it to rim and get him in foul trouble. The refs are not going to call any offensive fouls on him regardless of how many times he elbows and pushes his way until to basket. You have to attack him early and force a couple defensive fouls and send him to the bench. Wake up Flip and tell somebody to attack. However if you rely on the outside jumper and they are not falling, you fall right into the Heat's hands. (1-16 from beyond the arc):doh: :brick:
I was thinkin the same thing last night. I've seen it a number of times...Shaq gets pretty much neutralized for the game when he picks up a few quick fouls in the 1st. Flip Jr plays with some reckless abandon...Sr should have put him in to drive on Shaq...he shoots a decent 70% from the line.

You're right about the non-calls Shaq gets away with...those are mostly while bumping the big men underneath. But that big ole body can't adjust fast enough to draw many charges. His downfall is when he has someone running at him. Yeah...he's intimidating, but you have to ATTACK his weakness. Right-on about the ballz. Sr doesn't have enough brains or ballz to get creative when the poop hits the fan.

I was thinkin the same thing last night. I've seen it a number of times...Shaq gets pretty much neutralized for the game when he picks up a few quick fouls in the 1st. Flip Jr plays with some reckless abandon...Sr should have put him in to drive on Shaq...he shoots a decent 70% from the line.

You're right about the non-calls Shaq gets away with...those are mostly while bumping the big men underneath. But that big ole body can't adjust fast enough to draw many charges. His downfall is when he has someone running at him. Yeah...he's intimidating, but you have to ATTACK his weakness. Right-on about the ballz. Sr doesn't have enough brains or ballz to get creative when the poop hits the fan.

Now LB would have recognized Shaq's weakness as he did in the 04 Laker C'ship series and the 05 Heat ECF series and sent somebody in there to make Shaq work enough to get in foul trouble, but so far Flip Sr hasn't mastered it in the games that counted.

I agree with the strategy of trying to get Shaq in foul trouble as early as possible. It may not work, but I would like to see a relentless game plan that focuses on it. You would have to create as much contact with Shaq as possible. He's taken 2 charges this year. If he successfully takes 5 against you, then maybe the strategy isn't working.

Send the guards at him and make sure that they hit body to body. Put in Dyess and Sheed together and go to whichever one Shaq is guarding. Have them pump fake and initiate contact.

I agree with the strategy of trying to get Shaq in foul trouble as early as possible. It may not work, but I would like to see a relentless game plan that focuses on it. You would have to create as much contact with Shaq as possible. He's taken 2 charges this year. If he successfully takes 5 against you, then maybe the strategy isn't working.

Send the guards at him and make sure that they hit body to body. Put in Dyess and Sheed together and go to whichever one Shaq is guarding. Have them pump fake and initiate contact.And think about the energy he'd have to expend to draw those charges...that makes him less effective on the O end. You have to wear him out early and not let him get comfortable. His lack of presence on the floor after early fouls gets in the heads of his teammates as well.

At least Tay kneed him on that flop. Only not wicked enough.

And think about the energy he'd have to expend to draw those charges...that makes him less effective on the O end. You have to wear him out early and not let him get comfortable. His lack of presence on the floor after early fouls gets in the heads of his teammates as well.


Ok so it is settled now. The next time we meet the Heat, the game plan is to go after Shaq in the first six minutes, get him in foul trouble and make him uneffective. (Wade or no Wade). If it's in the playoffs Pistons got to win the first and last game:sssh:

Ok so it is settled now. The next time we meet the Heat, the game plan is to go after Shaq in the first six minutes, get him in foul trouble and make him uneffective. (Wade or no Wade). If it's in the playoffs Pistons got to win the first and last game:sssh:Yeah...but who's gonna clue Flip into 'his epiphany'? lol

Yeah...but who's gonna clue Flip into 'his epiphany'? lol

The players don't listen to Flip anyway, so this classified info will need to get to Porter, so he can put a bug in the players ears..

Someone who has courtside seats or knows somebody that does should tell them to explain this to him in S-L-O-W detail or better yet write it down. After all, he does listen to the fans . . . :)

Ok so it is settled now. The next time we meet the Heat, the game plan is to go after Shaq in the first six minutes, get him in foul trouble and make him uneffective. (Wade or no Wade). If it's in the playoffs Pistons got to win the first and last game:sssh:

As long as we win the last one, we'll be alright.