Comments on: By forcing Boston Celtics to bring playoff intensity, Pistons show progress

By: Dan Feldman

Dan Feldman — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 07:35:44 +0000

Nick, maybe I was trying to make a point about the Celtics’ lack of offense. No? OK. Thanks for the heads up.

By: detroitpcb

detroitpcb — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:19:28 +0000

props to Q????? that was an accidental hack-a-shaq. The reality is the Pistons should have done that on every possession Shaq was in the game during the stretch of the 4th. Would have saved a couple key baskets.

But Q was too dumb to make such a simple call. Foul the 45% free throw shooter

By: Fennis

Fennis — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 18:28:33 +0000

Props to Kuester for the Hack-a-Shaq. I didn’t expect it, he used it sparingly to throw the Celts off their game and I think it worked.
Speaking of the 19-7 run, I couldn’t believe the Kue left Monroe on the bench until around 3:30. He’s your best big, best rebounder, best interior defender in a game against one of the biggest teams in the league. How does sit for most of the 4th with the game on the line? And why does Charlie V play crunch time over Wilcox? While I might agree that CV had a good game, you go with rebounding and defense in crunch time. CV is less reliable than Monroe and Wilcox in both respects.

By: jk281

jk281 — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 16:51:57 +0000

Pistons played and coached a great game, but for a few mistakes at the end, they could’ve won.

Still, it was great experience for them, and you never know, if they sneak in as the 8th seed, Boston could be their 1st round matchup. So this game could go a long way in making that at least a competitive and interesting series.

The few mistakes I thought were:

1) Even though they stumbled into a hack-a-shaq accidentally, they should’ve kept at it as long as they could. It would;ve saved them at least a point or two, that could’ve been the difference.

2) I would’ve liked to see at least one of the T-Mac shots at the end go to someone else like Monroe or Tayshaun.

3) Looking back, Wilcox probably should’ve been in over CV, but at the time I was 50-50 on that one so I cant complain.

4) I would’ve liked to see Stuckey dump that shot off to Monroe, Stuckey hadn’t made a FG yet in the 2nd half, and probably shouldn’t have taken that shot. Daye could’ve also been in at the end when they needed a 3, at least as an extra decoy to confuse the defense.

That sounds like more than a ‘few’ mistakes, but really they all happened within a few minutes and otherwise played a great game, and I cant fault an inexperienced team for making a few mistakes in crunch time in a hostile environment against the best team in the East.

btw, props to Laser for siggesting all those cross-matches last before the game last night. According to Pierce, it really gave them trouble, and if nothing else may have exposed a weakness in the vaunted Celtics defense for the future if they meet again in the playoffs.

I remember it was cross-matches against the Spurs with Bowen switching on Rip/Chauncey that put a dent in the Pistons that really caused the Pistons problems in ’05.

I dont think we could win a 7 game series against Boston, but for whatever reason I like how we match up with them.

By: detroitpcb

detroitpcb — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:38:25 +0000

Stuckey got screwed by the refs on two offensive foul calls – Davis had his foot on the circle line on the first – Stuckey also had a great look to tie the game but found himself too open in the lane and just missed the shot.

The real problem was with the second team. Ben Gordon and Will Bynum did not play team ball. Bynum’s decision making is atrocious and Gordon just jacks shots and makes turnovers. The coaching staff should make Austin Daye the focus of that second team. He is the most intelligent player on that second team, basketball IQ wise and i would rather have the ball in his hands than in the hands of Will Bynum.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 12:48:36 +0000

I also didn’t understand why Kuester benched Gordon once he finally found his rhythm. Boston immediately went on a 7-1 run to tie the game, as the Pistons offense went cold.
I’m not saying that Gordon was the difference between winning or losing… it just struck me as weird that Kuester would ignore the hot hand.

By: jack

jack — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 10:50:48 +0000

I was mystafied that Stuckey was switched to the 1 spot again or the last 3 minutes. That forced Tmac into a jumpshooter and Stuckey was forcing things again meaning the offense was utter rubbish. I thought Tmac was fouled late in the game but that dosent hide the fact he was terrible in the second half.

By: Nick

Nick — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 09:19:40 +0000

You misspelled Boston, man.