Pistons vs the Stinky birds(hawks) 7:30pm 1/12/07

[Black Dynamite]

Pistons: Notebook

Pistons' offense suffering

Team hopes extra time for Murray and Blalock will pay off as this season progresses.

Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

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Pistons at Hawks
Tip-off: 7:30 tonight, Philips Arena, Atlanta
TV/radio: FSN Detroit/WDFN 1130
Outlook: Injuries continue to hamper the Hawks. Tyronn Lue (groin) and Josh Smith (hernia) are out; Zaza Pachulia (ankle), Speedy Claxton (knee) and Marvin Williams (foot) are questionable.

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AUBURN HILLS -- Chauncey Billups and Lindsey Hunter can't return soon enough.

With each passing game without them, the Pistons' offense seems to get more and more discombobulated.

Yes, the team shot 56.3 percent and recorded a season-high 32 assists in Philadelphia. But that was more a function of Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton getting hot.

Against Charlotte, the offense was bogged down by bad decision-making and one-on-one play.

"It's like I told people," coach Flip Saunders said. "We are like a football team trying to play with its third- and fourth-string quarterbacks. It's tough."

Point guards Flip Murray and rookie Will Blalock will be at the helm again tonight in Atlanta. Billups could be back as early as Saturday against Boston, though it's more likely he'll be back next Wednesday for Utah.

There still is no timetable on Hunter's return.

"This has been hard for Flip and Will because they are new here, and they've been thrown into the fire," Hamilton said. "But it will be good for them and for us in the long run. We might need those guys in the playoffs."

It was an especially hard lesson Blalock learned Wednesday.

In two four-plus-minute stints to start the second and fourth quarters, the Pistons were outscored 23-3 with Blalock running the point. He was done in by Raymond Felton and Jeff McInnis.

"You guys saw it," Blalock said. "(Felton's) really fast. We tried to make him think a little bit more, tried to throw a couple of defenses on him, but when he's clicking like that, there's not really too much you can do."

Slam dunks

Hamilton has six technicals the past six games, bringing his total to seven. He's two behind Rasheed Wallace .

Hamilton's ejection from Wednesday's game had to be especially galling, since referee Ron Olesiak was being egged on by McInnis.

[Black Dynamite]

Will Nazr be benched? The illuminating question.

[MoTown]

I think we'll take it up the ol' poopshoot tonight.


RIP Kilo.

[Black Dynamite]

(Nazr is getting benched tonight I heard),

*crossing the fingers and hoping its true*

[Glenn]

If what WTFChris has heard is true, that Nazr is being benched and DD will start, then there are some really interesting things going on behind the scenes IMO.

There are several accounts that DD was also, along with Rasheed, late to practice in the past week or so. Some went as far as to say that DD was in Flip's doghouse.

Now he has him start? What does that say about Nazr? Trade brewing? Toronto for MoPete?

If we send Nazr to Toronto for MoPete, maybe we can grab Pharaoh's guy Joey Graham to back up Tay, too?

[Cross]

If what WTFChris has heard is true, that Nazr is being benched and DD will start, then there are some really interesting things going on behind the scenes IMO.

There are several accounts that DD was also, along with Rasheed, late to practice in the past week or so. Some went as far as to say that DD was in Flip's doghouse.

Now he has him start? What does that say about Nazr? Trade brewing? Toronto for MoPete?

It's obvious that someone's going to be the oddman out.

I don't think we really need mopete. Peterson is especially good at 3's but watching Delfino get more PT, it seems like he can hit them.

Trade DD and Flip for a frikin backup point guard

[Uncle Mxy]

I've been itching for DD to play more, especially alongside Sheed. They were a tandem for years in Portland.

[WTFchris]

Lets trade half our roster and make things interesting. Bring in webber and move Flip, Delfino and Nazr for Mo Pete and Watson (seperate deals of course).

[Glenn]

Where's MikeMyers?

He said things were too boring.

Maybe Joe heard him.

This is awesome.

[Matt]

Where's MikeMyers?

He said things were too boring.

Maybe Joe heard him.

This is awesome.

hey, credit MikeMyers for the post about WDIV reporting on Webber

and yes, let's do some Hawk huntin' tonight......