Detroit (37-22) at Denver (29-30)

Game Info: 9:00 pm EST Fri Mar 9, 2007
TV: WMYD

By DAN BURCH, STATS Writer

The Detroit Pistons are slumping at the wrong time.

As they begin their longest road trip of the season, the Pistons (37-22) look to turn things around Friday against a Denver Nuggets team that hopes to have Carmelo Anthony back in the lineup.

Since going 11-1 from Jan. 31-Feb. 25, Detroit has lost three of four, including a 101-97 overtime defeat to Cleveland on Wednesday that trimmed the Pistons' lead in the Central Division and Eastern Conference to two games over the Cavaliers.

Two days earlier, Detroit was blown out 111-93 by the Warriors. The Pistons have lost consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 15-17.

"We're spotting teams too much early," coach Flip Saunders said. "When you fight so much to get back, it can catch up to you."

The Pistons led by nine in the fourth quarter Wednesday before letting the game get away. Despite going 35-for-44 from the free-throw line and setting a season high for attempts, Detroit made only two of its 13 3-point shots.

"We were up by nine, rolling, trying to control the game," Pistons guard Chauncey Billups said. "We had some shots that we normally make that didn't go."

While forward Rasheed Wallace returned after missing three games with a sprained left foot, Detroit played without key reserve Lindsey Hunter, who was suspended 10 games by the NBA on Wednesday for taking phentermine, a banned substance normally used for weight loss.

Hunter had 20 points against the Warriors for his first 20-point game since Dec. 15, 2002. He's eligible to return March 25 against Milwaukee.

"He's been playing great as of late, offensively being aggressive, scoring the ball," Billups said. "He's going to be missed dearly."

Anthony was certainly missed by his team as Denver lost 110-96 to Golden State on Wednesday, as the star forward didn't play due to the birth of his first child. He stayed back in Denver, but could return to the lineup against the Pistons, who are starting a five-game road trip against Western Conference opponents.

Without Anthony, the Nuggets (29-30) struggled to score. They managed to take a 12-point second-quarter lead, but let it slip away.

Allen Iverson scored 35 points for Denver, but had only 11 after halftime.

"I thought we had a great game going until about the four-minute mark of the second quarter," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "They got back into the game, and in the second half, we never got into an offensive rhythm. We never got A.I. into the game like we did in the first half."

DerMarr Johnson, who took Anthony's place in the lineup, had a season-high 15 points and was the only other Denver player in double figures. The Nuggets shot 38.4 percent, their worst performance in 14 games.

Iverson had his highest point total since scoring 36 against Houston on Jan. 20, but wasn't happy with his play.

"I didn't finish like I did in the first half," Iverson said. "I just struggled for whatever reason, at the wrong time of the game."

The Nuggets have won their last two over the Pistons at the Pepsi Center, their only victories in the last 11 games against Detroit.

The teams play again March 26 at The Palace.

Is he going to bench Melo? It's too bad we don't have Hunter to pester AI. Flip is going to get tourched by him when he is in there.

Is he going to bench Melo? It's too bad we don't have Hunter to pester AI. Flip is going to get tourched by him when he is in there.

The Pistons never get torched by AI, so I don't know what you could possibly be worried about.

Will Blalock in the house.

No West Michigan TV?

I know that it's only the first quarter but the Nuggets have already had like 5 wide open dunks or layups. We just aren't playing d. Our interior defense is non-existant and they are blowing right by us. Not a good sign.

Blaha Is My Piston

Oh crap.......Sheed got a tech

Is that going to be a suspension or will he will be one off due to rescinded techs?

This would be the 16th tech, unless it gets rescinded.

It's a bullshit tech, no question.

Once again, can't watch the game in Toledo.

Rip City = Tech City

Hey, Chauncey just dunked!!!!! I can't remember ever seeing him do that.

I do remember Joe D dunking in a game once. Apparently his teammates were giving him shit in practice about not being able to dunk so on a breakaway he dunked it and the bench went nuts. Too funny!

Damn... I saw 'Chauncey Billups makes dunk' in the gamecast and I cant remember ever seeing that either. Better make the highlights. At least we are beating them decently now. Hopefully we can close it out in the forth.

maybe in the post game someone can ask Carmelo why he checked tayshaun's oil.

LMMFAO:



"We killed him on that Greg Ostertag fingertip dunk," Wallace said. "We've been trying to get him to dunk all year, so I guess he decided to come home to get his little fingertip dunk."

"One of the guys in the stands said something like, 'Melo, you suck,"' said Anthony, who had 17 points. "He said, 'Why you here in Denver?' I understand from a fan's standpoint that they want their team to win. But when you go overboard like that, it's uncalled for. If we retaliate, then we're the bad people. I tried to keep my mouth shut at the end."


Talk about thin skin...."You suck....why you here in Denver"???? He wants to retaliate for that??? Hope he never plays in New York (Actually, deep down I kind of hope he does...)

Looks like it was a good game. Too bad nobody west of Lansing got to see it.

Nobody west of Lansing and south of the Michigan-Ohio border.