Can't say I was all that impressed. No way we beat the Bulls playing like this.
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Can't say I was all that impressed. No way we beat the Bulls playing like this.
6.25% done.
we do have to play MUCH better. but the thing is, we looked unbeatable early in the cavs series last year. and look how we struggled through that series later on and then of course lost to miami.
so the playoffs are a long battle, and i'm not going to overreact to this mostly subpar performance. we did what it took to win.
let's just hope we raise our level of play each game out there.
am i the only one that thinks Darko nearly beat us? he did score and get some assists, but more detrimental, he wouldn't let Sheed get easy post position which mucked up our offense.
Darko's Revenge Tour.....
I don't think it rose -that- high, but Darko had a fine game against us... ugh.Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt
If anything, we nearly beat ourselves, going on cruise control for long stretches after that first quarter. We should've been up by about 20 at the half the way they were playing.
the thing we need to fix...consistent energy. We definitely look more hungry this time, but it vanished in the second half.
Also Rip and Cbill need to stop depending on these dirtbag refs to make the call. they lost the ball two straight times at the end of the half trying throw up a wild shot expecting a foul. both times led to magic scores and momentum into the half.
This a good test for us though. Grant looks damn near like the old grant hill and these guys are gonna go at us all series. time to buck up and take care of business. honestly this road to the finals is going to be far tougher than last years.
I think we will sweep these bitches.
[smilie=freedarko.g:I actually think we'll sweep them as well.
As for how we played, the way I see it, we whooped the shit out of them and then got bored.
I don't think I'm going to worry about how we're playing at this point. We did exactly what
we were supposed to do. Beat an inferior team without getting hurt or even fatigued.
Perfect. 3 more and in the next round, you'll see a dive for a loose ball here and there,
or a charge taken in the paint. The round after, we'll start playing like NBA Champions.
[smilie=pistonsfloo:
BTW, the Pistons have been running these internet sales on tickets all year. They've kept them going for the first round (which isn't selling out). For the next 3 hours $90 lower bowl tickets are $50 (I imagine that's the red section on the seating chart, behind the nets). www.pistons.com
Langolis gave me a five spot for this post.
Quote:
Darko 'doesn't care' about boos from Pistons fans
DETROIT (AP) -- Booing him early and often, Detroit Pistons fans let Darko Milicic know they still begrudge him for being a bust.
The Pistons drafted Milicic second overall in 2003 -- passing on Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh -- and traded him two-plus seasons later after he averaged fewer than two points a game as a seldom-used reserve.
Milicic said in the past, and reiterated Sunday, he just w(v)ants to play.
He's finally getting that chance with the Orlando Magic after not cracking the rotation for Detroit's championship-caliber team.
He averaged eight points and 5½ rebounds in 24 minutes a game this season for Orlando, producing the kind of numbers the Pistons predicted he would on a team not stacked as they were with a veteran frontcourt.
Milicic scored 14 points, tied for second on the team, as Detroit beat the Magic 100-92 in Game 1 of their first-round series.
"We never questioned Darko's ability," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "I thought he did some nice things."
The 7-foot, 250-pound center from Serbia-Montenegro was jeered and taunted throughout the game, particularly while shooting free throws.
"I don't really care," he insisted. "Back home fans used to throw baseball [bats] at me. They used to try to kill me back home, that's why I don't even care."
He acknowledged it was meaningful to him, however, to play well at The Palace after a poor showing there earlier this season.
"It was important for me because the first game here I struggled. I couldn't make a shot," he said. "I really wanted to come out last night and help my team. I was really happy about it."
Magic coach Brian Hill was, too.
"I was happy for Darko that he played well," he said. "Obviously the fans have been a little rough on him here. I thought he played hard and with a good amount of confidence. It was good to see him have a good game."
In return for Milicic, the Pistons have Orlando's first-round pick -- 15th overall -- in June. He will be a restricted free agent this summer.
Orlando came away from losing Game 1 feeling OK because it had a shot to win, despite missing 18 of 36 free throws and making 21 turnovers.
Detroit, meanwhile, knows it could've turned the game into a rout.
Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Monday night at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
"The mood of the guys is fine, obviously disappointed in the fact we lost, but confident we can play better [Monday] night," Hill said. "Obviously, we can't afford to have as many turnovers as we did and we have to make free throws, but I think we can do some things to do a better job on some of their key players."
Detroit guards Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton each had 22 points and the other three starters scored at least 12 apiece.
The Pistons led all game and seemed to be cruising toward a blowout before missing a lot of open shots in the fourth quarter, helping Orlando pull within three points late in the game.
"We got a little stagnant," Saunders said. "I thought there were probably some calls that could have been called. We had a few turnovers.
"But for most of the game, we executed fairly well, took care of the ball and played the way we're supposed to play."