Weekly Pistons Observations

Record 1-3

Detroit at Portland(L 102-94)

Recap
Box Score

Detroit at Golden State(W 111-104)

Recap
Box Score

Detroit at LA Lakers(L103-91)

Recap
Box Score

Detroit at Sacramento(L 105-95)

Recap
Box Score

Best Performance of the Week
Jason Maxiell in a come from behind victory against Golden State
14pts 14rebs 5asts 3blocks

Worst Performance of the Week
Rip Hamilton against Portland
5-20 from the field

Guyism “Player of the Week”
Tayshaun Prince
19.3pts 5.8rebs FG 60%

Guyism “Donkey of the Week”
Rip Hamilton FG 37.9% 11 turnovers in 4 games

Notables

*The Pistons gave up 103.5pts/game this week.
*Bench scored 80 pts this week down from 83 in only 3 games last week
*After getting hurt against Portland, Piston starter Antonio McDyess sat out the next three games.
*The Pistons came from 22 behind to defeat Golden State without Dice and Chauncey
*Cheick Samb made his first appearance in a NBA game against the Lakers and played 15 quality minutes. 2 pts, 2 blks, 4 rebs.

Thoughts

This was a terrible week for the Pistons. There is no suger-coating it. The loss to Portland was acceptable although its still a game they should have won. But it took a herculean effort to beat Golden State after falling behind 17 in the first quarter. It was as if the Pistons used up all the energy they had just for that win. They played well against the Lakers for 3 quarters and took a lead into the 4th only to watch it slip away because of turnovers.

But the kicker was the loss to Sacramento. The Sacramento Queens for god sakes. Without Bibby, it looks like a team of has beens. Brad Miller, Artest, and Kevin Martin are good enough players but it should not have been enough to beat the Pistons. You want to know how bad the Kings are. Mikki “Chicken legs” Moore starts. Yes, thats embarrassing for any franchise to claim him as their own.

Rip looked out of sorts this week and there seems to be a chemistry problem with him and Tayshaun. Tay will usually play well when Rip is sitting on the bench but seems less aggressive when Rip is on the floor.

Combine that with Chauncey’s injury and his inability to really do anything offensively, and it was a week Pistons fans will try to erase from their memory.

The good thing about the Dice injury was that it forced Flip Saunders to play Amir Johnson and Cheick Samb. Both of whom played well in the minutes they were given.

A big nod to Rasheed as well who has probably been the best Pistons player these last two weeks.

The Pistons should win the next two games at home against the struggling Knicks and the Sixers but have a pretty big test after that against Utah. With only two games in the next five days, it should be a good time for guys like Dice and Chauncey to heal up with their injuries.