Random Musings from the Pistons/Celtics Game

Last night, I was privileged enough to attend the first major NBA contest that I have been since the Pistons vs. Lakers in Kobe’s rookie year and Shaq’s first year with the Laker show, 1996-1997. The Pistons weren’t every good, but were led by GHill, who was probably my favorite player at the time - so in my opinion it was a big deal. I am planning on doing this blog in bullet form and hope to make each one a sentence or two, but you're not allowed to hold me to that. The strategy here is to give you insight as to the actual event rather than a play-by-play synopsis of the game.

• I’m really not one to complain about drivers, but I am extremely thankful that I live in a community that at least respects other people on the road. I’ll leave that one at that.
• For those of you that are unaware, the Palace is celebrating its 20^th year of existence. The Palace remains an excellent venue and still one of the nicest in the NBA even though it is 20 years old. That’s pretty amazing and certainly a venue that was far ahead of its time 20 years ago.
• Rip hits a banker at the end of the first to give the Pistons a whooping 16 pts... to finish the quarter. Good start guys!
• Side Note: Those Rip It energy drinks, the cheap ones with way too much sugar, are all over the place on the east side of the state with two different lines of drinks. Well, they still taste like crap. Anyone see a connection….
• Stuckey’s dunk over KG was absolutely filthy. It was one of those plays where I just thought he’d go for the lay-in or a one-hander, but he thru it down with two hands and hard. More on this guy later.
• My name is KIIIIIIIIIIIIIID. Kid Rock! Detroit’s own K-I-D was honored with a banner at the Palace during the first half in recognition of his 18 sellouts. That’s pretty dang impressive considering Devil Without a Cause came out in 1998. That’s a lot of concerts - let alone sellouts. The Kid goes up to the rafters next to the likes of Bon Jovi, Alan Jackson, and well this guy. The Kid was there, didn’t leave until there was under a minute left. (more than I can say for most of the crowd), and walked around without security, but with some guy on crutches. Kid Rock is a really cross over star, who seems to be able to chill with anybody at any level, and the fact that he rocks tight white-tees in public is pretty legit. The guy however looks like he is permanently hung over. Congrats Kid!
• Sheed really likes Sam Cassell. They talked the whole time during second half shoot around. Several joined in on the convo as well. Seems like Sam was a pretty cool guy, who was rocking a sweet green cord suit coat.
• It was also a real treat to watch Ray Allen shoot around. The man’s stroke is so pure. I can certainly see why the players voted him as the best pure shooter they have ever seen in SI recently. Textbook. Especially when shooting next to Tony Allen.
• Curry really shortened the bench in the second half only playing 7 guys by my count. He wanted this one in the worse way.
• The fireworks and the game was really decided on Kendrick (I’m always just woke up from a nap or am stoned) Perkins close-lined slash head-locked Jason Maxiell. Max was promptly teed-up for the push, but the refs had to go to the monitor to check and see if that was a flagrant. Max missed both throws, but Ray Allen hit his. First of all, the officiating in the NBA is piss poor. You could see this developing as the Celts where getting away with some hard fouls. They would wrap guys up on the way to the hoop instead of actually trying to play D. It reminded me of watching old guys in rec league foul every time they get beat off the dribble. The refs let this happen and you get fouls like this as a result. Second, why would you have to look at the monitor to tell that it was a flagrant? I was twenty five feet away and it was obvious beyond a shadow of a doubt and thus, in my opinion, justifying Max’s reaction.
• KG promptly plays thug and acting like a you know what. I was hoping that Max was going to take his head off, because after reading this article, I think many around the league would want him too and the crowd certainly did. Sorry, you need insider to read it, but it’s in the Mag as well.
• The crowd was another story. The guys behind me kept saying things such as, “do you know where you are?” or “This isn’t Boston boys!” This could have easily escalated into a Malice Part Deux if the refs didn’t get in between the fight immediately, and the cops were at full alert. It was a perfect storm of atmosphere in the building. Arrogant champions vs. under achieving team that is frustrated with each other. The city of Detroit has a little built up frustration too from what I have heard.
• Paul Pierce and some fan from the “Haymaker” section were really going at it. The guy looked surprising like this guy. It went right through a time out and the free throws. I would say it took two or three minutes. The kid was relentless on Pierce and was seemingly pretty inappropriate. It was way too loud in there to see what he was saying, but Pierce seemed to be playing along with it. Security eventually went over and talked to the kid for a couple of minutes and Pierce went on to talk trash with some other guys a little closer to him. The kid was arguing with security like Pierce had started it, but he eventually went back to his seat.
• I was watching a Mavs game this past week and Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy, the guy who did this, had a pretty good conversation going about 6^th man. Then Jackson says something about the Pistons should bring Stuckey off the bench and Van Gundy agrees, because AI and Rip have to adjust. Hello? Have you watched Stuckey play this year? Yup, the Pistons traded Billups, because Stuckey was ready, remember? And by ready that means to start and play major minutes, not come off the bench. They were in attendance last night and I hope they changed their tune.
• Stuckey is our best player. This is his team and Curry needs to coach like it. Stuckey scores four consecutive points in the third and then gets pulled for Rip. Stuckey doesn’t get another shot until there’s under a minute left. That can’t happen. Curry needs to call plays for him.
• I think the Pistons didn’t hit a shot from outside the paint in the second half until there was about two minutes left and they were still in the game against the best team in the East. Don’t tell me they can’t contend this year. That’s an excuse.
• Rip is being babied. Big time. Two things that related to this. Curry runs a play for him almost every other time down if not more. I don’t know if he’s trying to make him happy since he’s coming off the bench, after he said he wouldn’t remember, or he thinks he’s that good. This is causes AI and Stuckey to get fewer shots, which is not a good thing. Does anyone notice that we were playing better when Rip was out? It isn’t because Rip is bad; it’s that he takes shots away from our two best players. Rip isn’t what he used to be. The guy is slightly above average for an NBA shooting guard with limited range. He isn’t a strong defender or passer and isn’t a threat to take it to the hoop. Maybe the groin is still bugging him, but he is a completely one dimensional mid-range shooter. I think Curry needs to stop trying to make friends and just coach. That’s the whole reason he didn’t move Rip to the bench in the first place. Ps Bill Laimbeer would have been a much better coach for this team.
• We can’t play Rip, AI, and Stuckey together against a team like Boston when Pierce is in. Rip cannot guard a player as strong a Pierce.
• We really need an identity and determine how we want to play. I don’t understand why they run a small line-up with three guards and don’t push the ball. Stuckey and AI are at their best in the open court and it seems like we try and slow the pace down to play half-court ball. You’re basically taking away the strength of playing three small quick players without making the other team do anything. This is coaching and isn’t smart. I also don’t understand why you would try to play half court ball against one of the best defensives in the NBA.
• Max and McDyess rebounded like beasts, but Sheed seems to kill us on the boards late in games. He needs to put his butt on somebody. We gave up two killer offensive boards in the last two or three minutes again.
• Prince was really out of it last night - had zero intensity and probably one of the reasons we played the three guards so much. We really need Tay seeing that he really has no backup, and we have no one else that can guard Pierce.
• Overall, I wasn’t impressed with Boston either. They act as if they are entitled to win. They will need to turn it up to beat the Cavs this year.
• I’m sick of hearing about the AI trade and that this is a rebuilding year. This is a good team and should contend for an Eastern Conference Finals appearance. I really think it's Curry that is holding them back. He appears to be in over his head. He was out coached pretty badly by freaking Doc Rivers last night. Maybe Joe should just coach the team, because I just don’t see this Curry thing working out.