http://www.wtfdetroit.com/miscpics/game65pistonsvsbobcats.jpg


After failing to beat the team with the NBA's second-worst record in their last game, the Detroit Pistons will try to secure a winning road trip as they visit the team with the league's worst record, the Charlotte Bobcats.

Detroit lost to New York 105-103 on Friday after beating Toronto on Wednesday to open the three-game trip.

The Knicks are 19-45, while the Bobcats are 18-48.

The Pistons led by as many as 16 points in the first half against New York and made 22 of their first 33 shots. But Detroit lost momentum when Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton were both ejected in the third quarter.

"Rasheed went out, and then not far after that was Rip," said Chauncey Billups, who led Detroit with 24 points. "It was kind of downhill. They got a little confidence going. The Knicks got back into the game and they came out victorious."

Wallace picked up two technical fouls for arguing with the officials while Hamilton threw the ball the length of the court, hitting the top of the shot clock, after being called for an offensive foul. He was immediately ejected.

"I think Rip was frustrated," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "He threw the ball at the other end of the backboard in frustration. I don't know if he should have been thrown out of the game. At that point it was a pretty heated situation for both teams."

Detroit's magic number to clinch the Central Division remained at two, and Saunders is still three wins shy of tying Larry Brown for the best record by a first-year Pistons coach. Brown went 54-28 in 2003-04.

Detroit is 4-4 in its last eight games after a 47-9 start.

The Bobcats have lost three in a row, a streak that began with a 94-78 loss to the Pistons last Sunday.

The other two losses came in a home-and-home with the Wizards, including a 107-99 defeat Wednesday that Washington began with a 12-0 run to start the game.

Jumaine Jones scored 25 points and Bernard Robinson had a career-high 21 for Charlotte, which cut the lead to single digits in the fourth quarter, but couldn't overcome the Wizards.

"We always keep fighting -- not just against these guys," Charlotte coach Bernie Bickerstaff said. "We cut the lead to six at one time, but my concern is that we get open shots and don't make them. It is that simple.

"That is what life is about in the NBA, you have to make the open shots."

The Bobcats are last in the league in shooting at 42.7 percent from the field.

The Pistons have won all three matchups with the Charlotte this season.

Official Game Chat
Starts: 7:30pm EST

Requirements:
1. You must be a registered member of WTFDetroit.com (click here to register (http://www.wtfdetroit.com/profile.php?mode=register))
2. Get the latest version of Flash for your computer (http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer)

Click here to enter CHAT (http://www.wtfdetroit.com/chat/flashchat.php)
(please be aware that the chatroom is logged and monitored, and any funny and/or incriminating stuff you say will most likely be posted here)
[smilie=dance.gif]

This is how the game will play out:


We'll jump out to a huge lead (somewhere from 14-20 points)

Some time before half time, we'll start to coast, and we'll go into half time with a 6pt lead while being out hustled and out rebounded

We'll be on fire in the 3rd, but we wont be able to stop a 3rd grade rec team on the defensive end

In the fourth we'll keep it close continuing to float until about the 5 minute mark when because we're tied for HCA we'll attempt to go for the kill

But after staying close all game, the bobcats will think they have a chance, and they'll continue to fight back and it'll be close until we close out the game behind Chauncey Billups' Freethorws

And during this entire seen, Delfino gets No PT, Mo Evans goes 0-6 from 3 range and does nothing but stand in the corner. And Flip will just stand by the scorers table and watch the game and forget to coach.

I think we'll blow these kids out and certain people will point to the results and say "see I told ya so"...

I think we'll blow these kids out and certain people will point to the results and say "see I told ya so"...

Kilo thinks we'll blow someone out [smilie=anxious.gif]



*waits for world to end*

Sheed and Rip drop 25+ tonight to blow of some steam.

The perfect team to face when your pissed is...ding ding ding the bobcats.

we go up by 10 but falter the lead in the second on the back of too many jump shots and our declining defense. lose 101-95

How often do you get a chance to play the team with the worst record in the NBA two nights in a row? It will be interesting to see how they respond tonight.

I would expect Sheed to put on a show tonight, seeing that he's pissed, rested and playing in front of the hometown crowd. Hopefully that doesn't entail jacking up 10-12 threes.

If we get out rebounded by Brezec, Ely and Voskuhl, it might be time to push ye olde panic button.

We're 3-0 against them already this year, so it really shouldn't be a problem. If we do lose, the first one here to claim "scheduling loss" deserves to get shot dead.

If we do lose, the first one here to claim "scheduling loss" deserves to get shot dead.

Or at least banned and dildoed...

Win or lose, someone will bitch about Flip Saunders.

And you'll bitch about Ben Wallace.

124-78

118-66

95-87

The Pistons win and it is completely unsatisfying.

Chauncey is our leading rebounder thus far, and this team has completely forgotten how to play defense.

This is the tail-end of the season, these guys need to get their shit together.

52-13

Only 6 road games left for the season, should be easy to get back in the groove now.

If we win 3 of them, it'll set a new franchise record.

7 of the next 9 games are at home, and against quality teams (Miami, Dallas Phoenix). This is a perfect time to get back into playoff ready mode.

Starting to worry that the whole "peaking at the right time" talk last year when we got hot late in the season was on the mark. Maybe we peaked too early and have come down to lackluster play. The lack of fire and defensive intensity is really apparent. This is where it'll be interesting to see the lack of LB, since Flip doesn't really know jack about it.

1 team played hard

The Pistons are quickly turning into a joke. They are all getting so lazy and seem really disinterested in playing anymore. Sheed is the biggest screw up of them all. Half the time he doesn't even pay attention. He has had several turnovers and still whines about every call as does every Piston player now. I wonder where they got that from. I hope that they can turn things around. Flip needs to do something.

Yeah, wish we were lighting up the NBA like we were doing last march.....

Oh wait, we sucked in march of 2005. Nevermind.

Thank goodness for short memory spans...

What does last year have to do with this year?

because people are acting like they've never heard of a contender coasting in the month of march.

Clearly, we were able to get our shit together in april, and we can do the same this year.

I agree the team looks disinterested. Does anybody really think thatll be an issue a month from now?

Yeah we didnt play hard today. We still won. At this point in the year, all that matters is collecting wins. You can worry about HOW youre playing when it's close to playoff time. It isn't.

As I said before, when we're back to blowing teams out next month all this complaining will look very silly.

If anybody really thinks the way the play the bobcats in march is an example of the type of game the pistons will be playing in the playoffs, I've got a bridge in brooklyn i'd like to sell you.

There is a difference between not playing hard and picking up a bunch of bad habits. I'm worried about the latter. We are getting called for a lot of moving screens, offensive fouls, taking bad shots, whining about calls, losing their tempers, etc. Flip should at least be trying to correct these things and yetthey seem to be getting worse.

Kstat loves jumpers and you guys are raining on his parade.
http://www.dw-world.de/image/0,,1766251_4,00.jpg

typically that's a product of coasting.

and yapping about turnovers is just a tad lame when you consider this team is going to probably have the lowest turnover average in NBA history....

we must not be getting called for as many moving screens and offensive fouls as you think....

also, aside from last night, there has been very little whining over the last month or so, tonight included. They havent been any more bitchy than most other teams.

If it's this bad after a win in march I fully expect to see forum suicides after the first lost playoff game.

If it's this bad after a win in march I fully expect to see forum suicides after the first lost playoff game.

Exactly.

We would have lost if Bernie hadn't forgot about Brezec on his bench.

Is there a difference between a "must win" and a game you "can't lose"?

A win is a win in dreamland, I suppose.

The mighty Bobcats (led by Voskuhl/Brezec) outrebounded us and won points in the paint 62-34.

Thank goodness our chucks were true tonight. 11 made threes and 57% from the floor and we just escaped with the win.

Delfino + Hunter = the only 2 guys who play defense

I'll gladly be the lone person happy that we won. Fine by me.

If you want to say I have my head in the sand, so be it. Better than looking for things to complain about a 52-13 team.

The Suns were 52-17 last year and finished what 62-20?I bet some of their fans thought that they had nothing to worry about going into the offs.

also, aside from last night, there has been very little whining over the last month or so, tonight included. They havent been any more bitchy than most other teams.


I'll agree with you there. Its been a while since they really got on the refs case.

That's totally different than saying it's possible for us to go back to being playing the same defense we did in 2004.