Pistons vs. Grizzlies Gameday

:langlois:
by Keith Langlois

TV: FSN Detroit (HDTV) | Radio: WDFN 1130 AM - The Fan

Last Meeting: Detroit won 113-103 (December 11, 2007)

The skinny: The Grizzlies come to town with an 8-17 record, third-worst in the Western Conference, yet they’ve won two of their last three games against two of the NBA’s best teams – a road win at Orlando last Saturday and a home win against defending champion San Antonio on Wednesday. Curiously enough, Memphis won both of those games without star power forward Pau Gasol, who has a toe injury and has been listed as day-to-day for a week. In Gasol’s absence, Memphis has gone small – which might be a better fit for new coach Marc Iavaroni’s attack, borrowed from his days on Phoenix coach Mike D’Antoni’s staff. Mike Miller has swung from shooting guard to small forward and Gay from small forward to power forward alongside Darko Milicic, while Gasol’s Spanish national teammate, Juan Carlos Navarro, has stepped into the starting lineup at shooting guard. The success of that lineup has rekindled speculation that Memphis will dangle Gasol on the trade market, where he would still command strong interest despite his statistics suffering across the board under Iavaroni. The Pistons won by 10 last week in Memphis when Miller scored just five points. Gay is emerging as a star, hitting the game-winning 3-pointer against the Spurs, which might also embolden Memphis management into dealing Gasol for salary-cap relief and young assets.

What to watch: Memphis’ shuffled lineup will mean different defensive assignments for the Pistons. Rip Hamilton blanketed Miller last week, but the matchup now falls to Tayshaun Prince. Navarro is a very creative scorer – dangerous from the 3-point line and especially off the dribble – but he was abused defensively by Chauncey Billups last week. If he opens the game guarding Hamilton, expect the Pistons to attack him early and often. The Pistons are coming off an emotionally charged win in an electric building on Wednesday night in Boston, so it will bear watching early if they’re invested in a game against a bottom-feeder they’ve handled with ease of late. Lindsey Hunter bumped knees in the fourth quarter of the Boston win, but should be available for spot minutes. Antonio McDyess went 40 minutes at Boston and didn’t look any worse for wear, but Flip Saunders will probably look for the opportunity to give Amir Johnson or Primoz Brezec minutes – the latter would match up well with Milicic, for example – if it presents itself.

I wonder if Gasol is going to play. I don't think it will matter either way...

Brian Cardinal comes back home!!

I think it will be a fun game for matchups. But any team that has a Darko onboard is a team that's sinking.

Hopefully Maxiell punches him.

Darko crying and the Pistons winning will always go hand in hand. They don't even have to be playing each other.

*hoping for a blowout for some Stuckeyball*

I think the 7 of us should kick MoTown's ass

wait, just noticed that MoTown is one of the 7

that could get interesting

MoTown voted for everything. Always a good course of action.

I think the 7 of us should kick MoTown's ass

wait, just noticed that MoTown is one of the 7

that could get interesting

Motown is predicting a draw?

Darko's stat line tonight: 6 points 2 rebounds 5 TO

He gets the 6 points, gets roughed up a bit, and then lies crumped on the floor crying, possibly in the fetal position.

Seriously, I hope the half full Palace crowd boos the hell out of that stiff.

You'd think a dude from a Slavic country wouldn't be such a little bitch.

I actually wouldn't be surprised if he got the "flu" before the game and couldn't play.

He tells the coach this while clutching his "sprained" ankle.

Dontrelle Willis will be in the crowd tonight...

It would suck if the Pistons had some sort of let down, but I doubt it'll happen.

105-87 (28-24 end of the 1st).

Just put Brezec on him and terminate him and his suffering

http://awfulannouncing.blogspot.com/2007/12/youre-not-going-to-believe-this-woman.html

WTF is the deal with this 5 oclock shit?

Just put Brezec on him and terminate him and his suffering
<---dig the new avatar

Pistons 105, Darko 8 and 7

<---dig the new avatar

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Didn't notice it. GOOOOOOOO BREZEC!

Let him play a couple of games and his popularity is just short of Tom Brady's.

At least Darko will get more rebounds vs. the Pistons tonight than Ben Wallace will against the Celtics.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b40/UxKa/MIRW10410170106.jpg

What the hell IS this thing?? Surely I should not be holding it!

lol, Mark Madsen.

omg stuckey gonna see some action tonight omg

RStuck will get some time according to Flip

RStuck will get some time according to Flip


are you sure?? I missed the pre-game

Thats what the sideline guy said when George sent it to him right b4 the game.

Thats what the sideline guy said when George sent it to him right b4 the game.


Good stuff.

Tay has already more than tripled his scoring output from the Boston game...

The defense has been rock solid so far. Good to see, after a win at Boston which you think there could be a small let down from.

I'm really liking Afflalo as of late.

Brezec has his headband on, so it looks like he'll be getting some acshin.

AA knows RStuck is ready to play. Not that they're competing against each other, but it might be a good thing for AA to show that he has made some progress with all the PT he's had.

OMG IZZO IN THA HOUSE!!!!11

was that the D-TRAIN!?!!?

so we've seen Maxy, Lindsey, AA and Jarvis...


but no Stuckey :(

According to that metro reporter Ryan Fields, Flip plans on playing Stuckey towards the end of the half.

Hopefully right at the end of the half and again at the end of the game.

God, Maxy is being too agressive, 3 fouls, not even 10 minutes

kind of random to see Amir in a close game...but whatever, I'll take it

I don't like Izzo. Doesn't have anything to do with MSU, just don't like him.

Izzo's got a cool garage sale coat

If I were guarding Mike Miller, tell me he isn't the type of guy who you just want to punch in the balls...

He's the guy you want to elbow in the throat.

KOBE. Where that left arm follow through on his shot, just happens to land on the bridge of the nose or in the throat of the guy standing over there.

LOL @ Gay

LOL, what is up with Gay not being able to make open dunks vs. the Pistons?

I kind of feel for the man

Well, he was smiling, so at least he has a sense of humor about his inability.

This really does look like the Pistons of old. Playing D and getting the easy hoop on the break off of the TO.

Notice Gay is playing pretty hard right now. He knows he'll be on SC tonight with LC announcing. So he has to make up for that embarrassing shit earlier.

The Billups' pumpfake: most lethal move in sports.

Yep, they know he can rise on up, so they have to get on that early.

End of the half, no Stuckey still.

Did you see Gay after the buzzer sounded? He missed another dunk. LOL

http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C4&Date=20071220&Category=SPORTS03&ArtNo=712200436&Ref=AR&Profile=1048&MaxW=275&MaxH=300&border=0 > http://alltalksports.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/jordan.jpg

Darko INTIMIDATED by Rip. Fucking LMAO

What's it going to take to get Hermann in a game?

LMAO @Gay

LMFAO @ GAY!!!!!!!!1

That has to be the funiest shit I've seen in a game in a while.

Blaha is even chuckling ...and Kelser

oh my gosh I can't stop laughing.

He is going to be on SC especially if its a slow sports night

If there isn't a montage on SC tonight showing all 4 of Rudy's missed dunks, I'll be mad.

Me either

That is great stuff

It sounded like Blaha was kind of have a hard time finishing that one sentence...chucklin

If SC still did those Not Top 10 Plays they used to do on Fridays (dunno why they don't anymore), there's no question Gay is #1. Unless Mark Dantonio quotes The Bible and falls off his roof putting up Christmas shit or something...

Put Rudy in the Slam Dunk Contest!!!

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/5462/64964894si8.jpg

We need to get up 20 for Hot Rod Stuckey time

He's got the jumper, but not the dunking ability...

That really was a nice play by AA

for the love of gawd, put in Stuckey at least.

I love Afflalo.

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/5462/64964894si8.jpg

It does appear he is coming in a tad low. I hope SC does show the montage because I can't see the game.

for the love of gawd, put in Hermann at least.

Isn't he still inactive?
If he is, do us all a favor and STFU. lol

I never said that.
you

Damn, AA just dissed Flip. LOL @ Flip. Can't get no love from players.

How in the... fuck did you do that without showing the edit text.

Ryan Field (or Fields, whatever the hell his name is) should be shot in an open field for providing false information.

Here he comes

Isn't that him at the scorers table?

Ok, here he is.

Stuckeybuns!

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBREEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZECCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCC!!!!!!!!!

Oh, fuck Stuckey. BREZEC!

WATCH AND LEARN!

Night of the draft:
Stuart Scott: "Who is Rodney Stuckey?"
Rodney Stuckey: "It's me"

Now he has a chance to prove it!

Way to pick your nose during your NBA entrance! hellzyeah for two

Did you see that pass

lol saw that too eray

Brezec with a great pass though

Zero starters in the game. It seems like that never happens even when up by 20.

That's because we're up by ONLY 22!

Brezec with some good D

Hopefully this doesn't get too garbage timeish

4th quarter slaughter...no Flip? omg wtf

Murray's not in, so...

lol @ Kelser during the Gay highlights.

"OH, MY BAD!"

Jarvis had a flip murray moment when he took the ball up the court w/o kicking it to the pg trying to get his own shot.

Not that it's all important but the game is on cable here (most likely due to 2 Spaniards on the team). I'm here with friends and while I'm still coherent a couple of things:

1. The cable company here decided to play game 6 88 vs the Lakers. Aside from how amazing it is in Barcelona to show the 3rd quarter to friends who never knew what happened (and only know Isiah as a player) they actually had it all with the original announcers. Did everyone my age remember that Raferty was doing the play x play(EDIT: I meant color)? I had totally forgotten that. Anyway, I was wondering, other than clips on Youtube if you all knew other ways to get classic Pistons games.

2. Another reason I'm just an armchair (everything)...I wanted Joe to get a big man with the second pick and wasn't too happy with Afflao. I definitely think I was wrong with that one. I'm thinking at worst in the future he's looking like a very steady 3rd guard. Am I showing my (lack) of knowledge and/or showing how much I've had tonight? Or do other, more knowledgeable fans see that too?

Amir slamjam!

Brezec needs to stop being selfish, thinking only about teammates.

Can we trade Brezec and Hermann for underused Hakim Warrick?


Also Affalo has been damn near the PG. Great passes all game.

I had to take out a few German mortar teams and I missed part of the game.

Looks like AA is going to be interviewed

FWIW my friends (one of whom I've already given a Pistons jersey too) were impressed with the Pistons tonight. The best translation would be that they thought the Pistons just took care of business and were impressive in doing it.

Can somebody photoshop an image of Arron Afflalo's head onto Mel Gibson in Bravehart for me? I'd also like to have him say, "THEY CAN'T TAKE OUR FREEDOM!!"

This was seriously a laffo game

Yeah, that second half was ridonkulous.

I gotta admit, i haven't seen our bench finish off this many games and ice them as well as they have in awhile.

Well, Memphis didn't appear to have much fight in them...

Ryan Field appears to be in awe of the shirtless Stuckey in the dressing room.

I gotta admit, i haven't seen our bench finish off this many games and ice them as well as they have in awhile.

Well just look at our depth chart, this team is stacked with talent.
Jarvis, Aaron, Stucky, Hunter, Max, Amir, Samb, Brezec, Flip, Herman.
This bench is far better than the championship year.

It's weird, in one way or another you can make a case for each of the ten bench guys to get some burn on a given night. Definitely haven't been able to say that.

The Darkness:

2 points, 4 rebounds, 4 turnovers

Nazr > Darko

MailMan TimBeau for Avatar of the Year late entry?

Primoz Brezec looks like he's 17...

Hopefully Maxiell punches him.
Max wouldn't ever punch Darko. He'd eat him. We all know he loves the taste of babies.

2. Another reason I'm just an armchair (everything)...I wanted Joe to get a big man with the second pick and wasn't too happy with Afflao. I definitely think I was wrong with that one. I'm thinking at worst in the future he's looking like a very steady 3rd guard. Am I showing my (lack) of knowledge and/or showing how much I've had tonight? Or do other, more knowledgeable fans see that too?
I actually just posted something about this in another thread. Everyone was calling for a big man or at the very least a SF with that second pick. Everyone was disappointed that we took another guard. But AA has shown that he was a great pick. I'd love to see us keep him around for a long time as our 3rd guard (4th until Stuckey becomes a starter, which will happen eventually because Billups and/or Rip around going to be around forever)

Max wouldn't ever punch Darko. He'd eat him. We all know he loves the taste of babies.

[smilie=smug.gif]

MailMan TimBeau for Avatar of the Year late entry?

I second this!