OGT: Pistons at Jazz (2/27/08, 9 pm MY20)

[Glenn]

Pistons at Jazz Gameday


by Keith Langlois

TV: TV20 Detroit (HDTV) | Radio: WDFN 1130 AM - The Fan

Last Meeting: Utah won 103-93 (November 25, 2007)

The skinny: The Pistons get something of a scheduling break. Utah played – and lost by double digits at 12-win Minnesota – on Tuesday night and had to fly home while the Pistons were waiting on them in Salt Lake City. The Jazz turned the ball over a ghastly 24 times with all nine players who got in the game contributing. And the Pistons can use all the help they can get against the Jazz. Their last win over the Jazz came nearly three years ago in a 64-62 decision at The Palace. They haven’t won at Utah since November 6, 2002. Utah won the first meeting this season, 103-93, on Nov. 25 when the Pistons played without Rasheed Wallace and Rodney Stuckey. Utah has leaned more heavily on Carlos Boozer (21.5 points, 10.8 rebounds) and Deron Williams (19.3 points, 9.7 assists) and less on two other former All-Stars, ex-Pistons Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko. Okur’s numbers are down significantly this season, to 12.9 and 6.3 from his highs of two seasons ago when he was at 18.0 and 9.1. A career 46 percent shooter, Okur is at 42 percent this season. The Jazz gave their bench a significant boost with their December trade for Kyle Korver, averaging 10.5 points a game for the Jazz in 23 minutes. He joins tough forwards Matt Harpring and Paul Millsap. Ronnie Price has played well of late behind Williams at the point. Utah is just two games in the loss column ahead of Denver for first place in the Northwest Division, but as of now that wouldn’t be good enough to earn the Jazz home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs in the tough Western Conference. Utah is tied with Dallas for best home record in the NBA at 24-3.

What to watch: The Pistons, in addition to looking to snap their Utah hex, hope to make it 3-0 on their four-game Western road swing that began with Sunday and Monday wins at Phoenix and Denver. After coasting at Phoenix in a 30-point blowout, the starters had to play heavier minutes than usual of late in Denver’s thin air – 41 for Rip Hamilton, 38 for Tayshaun Prince and 36 apiece for Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess. After scoring a season-high 18 points at Phoenix, Jarvis Hayes went scoreless and committed four fouls in 10 minutes against Denver. Rodney Stuckey knocked down two jumpers for his only baskets but his 2 for 6 night continued his post-All-Star break shooting slump. Stuckey is 4 for 27 in his last four games and 8 for 35 since the break, though he did play well defensively when matched against Allen Iverson in the second half.

[Glenn]

Pistons win

fumble, MoTown

[MoTown]

Actually, no sir. That was intentional. I would pick bukdow becomes a Michigan fan before selecting the first option.

[BubblesTheLion]

We are doomed.

[Big Swami]

Sometimes you just gotta watch something because even though there's like a 0.5% chance of turning out well, it would give you major bragging rights if it did.

[Glenn]

Fool,

No "Memo owns"?

[Glenn]

How sad is it that the Jazz lost to Minnesota last night then had to travel umpteen thousand miles and there is still no one that is picking the Pistons to win?

[Atticus771]

I'll pick 'em. I say they defy all logic and steal one tonight. 105-87 even, I dare say.

[BubblesTheLion]

How sad is it that the Jazz lost to Minnesota last night then had to travel umpteen thousand miles and there is still no one that is picking the Pistons to win?

How sad is it that this team can't stop the pick and roll.

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

How could anybody in good nature vote the Pistons to win...