20 point blowout of Miami

[Oracle]

Even though Miami is really short handed, a whooping that bad on the road is a good sign. My only complaint is that Miami didn't get the memo... We're trying to get our TANK on mofo's!

One thing I saw that I think should be almost unstoppable.

Blake starts going down low, going into his bully ball game, and Grant leaks toward his open side beyond the arc and Blake passes out of the eventual double team to a wide open Grant for 3.

It's hard to stop Blake one on one, which is why that works so well.

BTW, Rose had a monster game dropping 23 on the heat.

[Oracle]

This is still an interesting subject so here is my 2 cents worth. I liked Drummond at the beginning of his career. When I lost interest was directly after he signed his big contract. I agree with both of you that Drummond can be an effective player. However, he was not in the correct situation at the time when Gores gave him that contract. Andre needed a dynamic leader type All Star player. He was not fundamentally sound and became close friends with Reggie Jackson who was a very poor defender. Players who want to win cannot bond well with highly paid players who do not do their part on defense. Neither AD or RJ were leaders yet the owner insisted that they would be the leaders. Somebody on the team needed to push AD to become the best player he was capable of being. Coaches were unable in create a disciplined type team because neither AD or RJ ever gave the coaches the time of day. If only Detroit could have drafted better to secure a talented leader at the guard position. But the owner didn't want to mess with the bond AD and RJ had. Otherwise Booker would have been Detroit's pick over Stanley Johnson. I thought SJ had the right stuff to become a leader but I was dead wrong. His Mom died and he lost his life coach and that was it perhaps. Detroit has had a recent history of hanging on to players who do not have the DNA to become winners. It is difficult to pick out those players in the draft because now players enter the draft after their freshman year before they have become team leaders.

I am not at all concerned about the Pistons current record. I think they have some real talented players who are fighters. Fans wonder about Sekou but he was a real long shot pick in the first place. He should have been a late 2nd round pick. Sekou with have a tough road to figure out how to play basketball the right way. Why not send him down to the minor league so he can play instead of embarrassing him as he attempts to figure out how to play against players who know all the tricks of the trade. He is in an impossible situation. But I am liking all 3 of our first round picks now. The undersized center has one important ingredient - HEART. Can he become Dennis Rodman 2? Also, the other players this GM has signed are players I really like. When the Pistons get down big they do not give up. They play hard and that in itself is refreshing. I think this team will keep getting better and surprise Piston fans towards the end of this season and then start kicking ass and taking names next year. I feel so positive about the Pistons future and everyone should pull for these players.

Don, this is a post we should all be able to get behind, and I share your optimism about the youngsters on this team.

There new draft picks have good character, work hard and have the heart to never give up! Surround them with a bit more talent, a bit more experience and good coaching, and we really have a chance to become a playoff team that can contend.

We already know that it takes two stars, with one a superstar to win it all, and a big three is also deadly! 

However, the Pistons have proven that there is yet another way to do it. You can win with 4 stars if they have good coaching and play together. We've won both ways, how we do it next remains to be seen, but at last we have some real hope.

I have to confess I really like watching these guys play, and yes, when they get down big I get a bit frustrated... fortunately, these guys don't  

[Oracle]

@Murph - I totally agree about the treatment Drummond got from the Pistons! It's the way you would and should treat a malcontent or a trouble maker, but Drummond was none of these things!

I feel the same way as I felt about KCP, if he gets to the right situation, he'll be devastating, he dropped 33 points, 23 rebounds on the Knicks last night. We kept asking him to add more to his game... what a dumb move. All he really needed was to get the FT's right, and just defend, rebound and dunk the damn ball, his greatest strengths.

If he lands on a team with a big 2 or 3, that'll be his only job, they don't need him going ISO on anybody, or driving to the hoop. He might not have accepted that role earlier in his career, but he will now! The sad fact is that Drummond has suffered from poor coaching and a directionless organization with a rookie owner who's still learning.

[cool breeze]

WEAK Maybe.  Drummond suffers an acute lack of self discipline.   KCP wasn't out there going rogue breaking plays.  Nor did he screw up defensive rotations.  
I don't know if there is a strong enough superstar & coach to FORCE Dre to comply.

Yeah, Drummond was horrible.  Just look at how much better the Pistons play without him.  

Murph, I know you're butthurt over the Pistons decision to part ways.  AD was one of your favorites and I respect that.  The business of sports has soured me several times.

No, Drummond isn't horrible.  The question though is regarding Andre's fit on a truly competitive squad.  Lesser players than Dre have made significant impact during championship runs by simply sticking to the script, excelling in their role.  
You fairly cite his offensive weaknesses below.  Add concerns about defensive IQ, propensity to gamble and suspect positioning.

Until shown otherwise I will question his willingness to be accountable at the level a championship squad requires.  Reference KCP in the bubble.

Lemon...I am butt hurt and pissed off.  The Pistons, particularly Gores and Casey, treated Drummond shabbily.  They traded away all his complimentary teammates and stuck him with Griffin, a broken down war horse who dominated the ball.  They ruined his trade value and then shipped him out of town for a bag of basketballs.  The Pistons even had ESPN convinced that the age of the "tradition center" was over. What a load of crap.  Look around the league.  Traditional centers like Drummond, Ayton, Gobert, Vucevic, Valanciunas and even Plumlee are thriving.  

Every other All Star in this league gets treated with respect, but not Drummond.  Drummond was never a behavioral problem.  He was always a good teammate and a positive presence on the team, not like clowns like Kyrie Irving or James Harden, who are whiny little bitches who rip into their teammates or leave their teams altogether.

Yes, Drummond tries to do to much, but it's beginning to pay off.  He played one of the best game of his career last night, with 33 points, 23 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 block.  He led the Cavs, who were the single worst team in the league before Drummond arrived.  And the Cavs don't want him either.  Its enough to make my head explode.

I don't buy into the argument that Drummond only helps bad teams, but would hurt good teams.  He's never played for a good team, so how does anyone know?  Sure he dominates the ball on the Cavs, but the Cavs are missing 7 rotation players, including 4 starters and all of their point guards.  What's Drummond supposed to do with that?

My guess is that if he ever played for a smart, well coached contender, like Dallas, his assists would increase and his usage numbers and TOs would decrease, and he'd help the Mavs get to the WCFs.

This is still an interesting subject so here is my 2 cents worth. I liked Drummond at the beginning of his career. When I lost interest was directly after he signed his big contract. I agree with both of you that Drummond can be an effective player. However, he was not in the correct situation at the time when Gores gave him that contract. Andre needed a dynamic leader type All Star player. He was not fundamentally sound and became close friends with Reggie Jackson who was a very poor defender. Players who want to win cannot bond well with highly paid players who do not do their part on defense. Neither AD or RJ were leaders yet the owner insisted that they would be the leaders. Somebody on the team needed to push AD to become the best player he was capable of being. Coaches were unable in create a disciplined type team because neither AD or RJ ever gave the coaches the time of day. If only Detroit could have drafted better to secure a talented leader at the guard position. But the owner didn't want to mess with the bond AD and RJ had. Otherwise Booker would have been Detroit's pick over Stanley Johnson. I thought SJ had the right stuff to become a leader but I was dead wrong. His Mom died and he lost his life coach and that was it perhaps. Detroit has had a recent history of hanging on to players who do not have the DNA to become winners. It is difficult to pick out those players in the draft because now players enter the draft after their freshman year before they have become team leaders.

I am not at all concerned about the Pistons current record. I think they have some real talented players who are fighters. Fans wonder about Sekou but he was a real long shot pick in the first place. He should have been a late 2nd round pick. Sekou with have a tough road to figure out how to play basketball the right way. Why not send him down to the minor league so he can play instead of embarrassing him as he attempts to figure out how to play against players who know all the tricks of the trade. He is in an impossible situation. But I am liking all 3 of our first round picks now. The undersized center has one important ingredient - HEART. Can he become Dennis Rodman 2? Also, the other players this GM has signed are players I really like. When the Pistons get down big they do not give up. They play hard and that in itself is refreshing. I think this team will keep getting better and surprise Piston fans towards the end of this season and then start kicking ass and taking names next year. I feel so positive about the Pistons future and everyone should pull for these players.

[Murph]

WEAK Maybe.  Drummond suffers an acute lack of self discipline.   KCP wasn't out there going rogue breaking plays.  Nor did he screw up defensive rotations.  
I don't know if there is a strong enough superstar & coach to FORCE Dre to comply.

Yeah, Drummond was horrible.  Just look at how much better the Pistons play without him.  

Murph, I know you're butthurt over the Pistons decision to part ways.  AD was one of your favorites and I respect that.  The business of sports has soured me several times.

No, Drummond isn't horrible.  The question though is regarding Andre's fit on a truly competitive squad.  Lesser players than Dre have made significant impact during championship runs by simply sticking to the script, excelling in their role.  
You fairly cite his offensive weaknesses below.  Add concerns about defensive IQ, propensity to gamble and suspect positioning.

Until shown otherwise I will question his willingness to be accountable at the level a championship squad requires.  Reference KCP in the bubble.

Lemon...I am butt hurt and pissed off.  The Pistons, particularly Gores and Casey, treated Drummond shabbily.  They traded away all his complimentary teammates and stuck him with Griffin, a broken down war horse who dominated the ball.  They ruined his trade value and then shipped him out of town for a bag of basketballs.  The Pistons even had ESPN convinced that the age of the "tradition center" was over. What a load of crap.  Look around the league.  Traditional centers like Drummond, Ayton, Gobert, Vucevic, Valanciunas and even Plumlee are thriving.  

Every other All Star in this league gets treated with respect, but not Drummond.  Drummond was never a behavioral problem.  He was always a good teammate and a positive presence on the team, not like clowns like Kyrie Irving or James Harden, who are whiny little bitches who rip into their teammates or leave their teams altogether.

Yes, Drummond tries to do to much, but it's beginning to pay off.  He played one of the best game of his career last night, with 33 points, 23 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 block.  He led the Cavs, who were the single worst team in the league before Drummond arrived.  And the Cavs don't want him either.  Its enough to make my head explode.

I don't buy into the argument that Drummond only helps bad teams, but would hurt good teams.  He's never played for a good team, so how does anyone know?  Sure he dominates the ball on the Cavs, but the Cavs are missing 7 rotation players, including 4 starters and all of their point guards.  What's Drummond supposed to do with that?

My guess is that if he ever played for a smart, well coached contender, like Dallas, his assists would increase and his usage numbers and TOs would decrease, and he'd help the Mavs get to the WCFs.

[Sparma]

I agree with Murph that a bad Pistons team immediately became terrible once Drummond left, and that a terrible Cavs team improved significantly.

Still, I thing Lemonpen raises an interesting question about how well he'd do on a contending team.

Before the other AD landed with the Lakers, I thought LAL would be a good landing spot for our AD precisely because LBJ would have insisted that he play in the manner that would help the team, cutting down on the silliness.

Example of the silliness: when Cleveland played Detroit earlier this year there was a possession where Andre had the ball about ten feet from the bucket, with weak defender Okafur in good position. I could see both that Drummond was determined to drive to the basket, and that it was going to end badly for him. He did, and it did. Again, I think Murph and I are in agreement. This is just the kind of thing he needs to cut out.

I agree with Lemonpen that good players can be undone on a good team. I even think of an example of a great soccer player being undone on a great team. In the early 70s, I had a supercheap youth season ticket ($4 for the season!) to watch a regional team, at a time when the Dutch had two super teams that won the European club championship four year in a row. During that time, when the guy (Cruijff) who was named the best European player of the 20th century reigned supreme, a player (Brokamp) from this obscure regional team was named player of the year. He played somewhat like a Derrick Rose in basketball, except that he was not only an outstanding dribbler and finisher, but also an excellent passer (once his own path was blocked).

Cruijff left for Barcelona, Brokamp moved to Ajax, and failed. At MVV, his ruthless me first style, combined with incredible ability, had contributed to making him a superb player; on a great team, that style was a detriment. There were lifestyle issues too that he could get away with on a small team, but not on the big stage, but that's a different story.

That's just one example. What does it have to do with Drummond? I'm not sure (and I'm not claiming AD's a great player). I'd like to see Murph's optimism and Lemonpen's skepticism put to the test see if Drummond would flourish on a contender. With the right fit, I think he could; I could also see him being pretty limited in value if he persisted with the offensive shenanigans Murph alluded to.

I too think Dallas would be a good fit, a good place to put the confidence in AD and skepticism about him to the test.

I saw an estimate that he might be earning 15-20 million long term. I think some team will go higher than that, but if he really lands on the right contender for 15 mil per, I think he's going to be able to shake the "loser" label that a lot of Piston fans (but I don't think Lemonpen) stick on him.

WEAK Maybe.  Drummond suffers an acute lack of self discipline.   KCP wasn't out there going rogue breaking plays.  Nor did he screw up defensive rotations.  
I don't know if there is a strong enough superstar & coach to FORCE Dre to comply.

Yeah, Drummond was horrible.  Just look at how much better the Pistons play without him.  

Murph, I know you're butthurt over the Pistons decision to part ways.  AD was one of your favorites and I respect that.  The business of sports has soured me several times.

No, Drummond isn't horrible.  The question though is regarding Andre's fit on a truly competitive squad.  Lesser players than Dre have made significant impact during championship runs by simply sticking to the script, excelling in their role.  
You fairly cite his offensive weaknesses below.  Add concerns about defensive IQ, propensity to gamble and suspect positioning.

Until shown otherwise I will question his willingness to be accountable at the level a championship squad requires.  Reference KCP in the bubble.


 

[lemonpen]

WEAK Maybe.  Drummond suffers an acute lack of self discipline.   KCP wasn't out there going rogue breaking plays.  Nor did he screw up defensive rotations.  
I don't know if there is a strong enough superstar & coach to FORCE Dre to comply.

Yeah, Drummond was horrible.  Just look at how much better the Pistons play without him.  

Murph, I know you're butthurt over the Pistons decision to part ways. AD was one of your favorites and I respect that. The business of sports has soured me several times.

No, Drummond isn't horrible. The question though is regarding Andre's fit on a truly competitive squad. Lesser players than Dre have made significant impact during championship runs by simply sticking to the script, excelling in their role.
You fairly cite his offensive weaknesses below. Add concerns about defensive IQ, propensity to gamble and suspect positioning.

Until shown otherwise I will question his willingness to be accountable at the level a championship squad requires. Reference KCP in the bubble.

[Murph]

WEAK Maybe.  Drummond suffers an acute lack of self discipline.   KCP wasn't out there going rogue breaking plays.  Nor did he screw up defensive rotations.  
I don't know if there is a strong enough superstar & coach to FORCE Dre to comply.

Yeah, Drummond was horrible.  Just look at how much better the Pistons play without him.  

Drummond should just shut up and rebound the basketball. The nerve...

[lemonpen]

Unlike KCP, unfortunately, Drummond's salary is the biggest obstacle to making that happen.

His numbers in Cleveland are really good! 

As Murph point out, they likely trade him at the deadline or let him walk because Allen makes 3.9M and is only 22 years old! Making him a much better fit with the young core they have going forward.

However, Drummond will land somewhere, most likely with a team in a win now mode that will let him expire after the season if they don't win now.

WEAK Maybe.  Drummond suffers an acute lack of self discipline.   KCP wasn't out there going rogue breaking plays.  Nor did he screw up defensive rotations.  
I don't know if there is a strong enough superstar & coach to FORCE Dre to comply.

[Murph]

The best landing spot for Drummond would be Dallas. The Mavs will have the cap room, and they need a center. Dwight Powell is done and Willie Cawley-Stein is a career backup. And Dallas is going to need help getting over the top.

Drummond could play an inside outside game with Doncic and Porzingis, and a couple of shooters. Luka would be a perfect PG for Drummond to play with. Doncic is just about the best passer in the league. But Drummond has to get away from putting the ball on the floor and trying to create his own shot. He watched Blake Griffin too long. That's never going to be Drummond's strength. He turns the ball over way too much, and he's a poor decision maker with the ball. Drummond needs to get back to what he does best...rebounding, interior defense, scoring on alley-oops and put backs and passing out of the post to the open man.

Drummond also needs a coach who's willing to run the pick-n-roll and run Drummond off of screens without the ball. Doncic would be a perfect PG to run the pnr with. He passes well and is lethal from mid-range. And Carlisle is a HOF coach, I think.



Meanwhile, what the heck did the Nets just do? They got rid of every exciting player on the roster. And now their stuck with a gimpy Durant and two malcontents who need the ball 100% of the time. Oh well...that's their problem.

[Oracle]

Unlike KCP, unfortunately, Drummond's salary is the biggest obstacle to making that happen.

His numbers in Cleveland are really good! 

As Murph point out, they likely trade him at the deadline or let him walk because Allen makes 3.9M and is only 22 years old! Making him a much better fit with the young core they have going forward.

However, Drummond will land somewhere, most likely with a team in a win now mode that will let him expire after the season if they don't win now.

[Murph]

Unfortunately, I think the Jarrett Allen trade spells the end for Drummond’s time in Cleveland.

Allen is younger, cheaper and a more prototypical modern day NBA center. And Cleveland didn’t give up a 1st round pick for Allen, if they don’t intend to try and sign him. And the Cavs don’t need two starting centers and they can’t afford to pay both of them.

The Cavs will probably let Drummond walk away for nothing.

[Murph]

Do you realize this geriatric starting lineup that Casey wheels our every night has an overage age of 30 years old? WTF? Do I need to point out that Drummond is only 27, and Brown is 24, and a Kennard is 24? I mean WTF are we doing? Are we rebuilding or just playing an odd collection of aging free agents?

And why are our current crop of young players like Bey, Jackson, Mykhailiuk, Stewart and Lee only playing 15 minutes a night on average? It’s not as if we’re going to win any games, or even want to win any games. Why aren’t we developing our young players?.

Not only that, we keep blowing draft picks. Sekou (#15) is a bust, and Hayes (#7) might have a career threatening injury. I hope the Pistons don’t blow next year’s draft also.

See? This is the problem with rebuilds. It all looks good on paper. But in practice you get blown picks and moronic coaches who refuse to develop young players. This is going to take years. Gores is an idiot.

[Phil-Good]

The Pistons are leading the leag in the most important stat for a rebuilding orgnization, Losses!!!

4th quarter of this Milwaukee game got boring again. Pistons down by 20 in the 4th. Blake, Plum, Wright, BORING!! Finishing out the game.

Great opportunity for Isiah Stewart to get some key minutes, great time to see what Sekou can do, great time to see Bey finish the game off. But you know coach Casey, he has to ride the old guys all the way to the eventual Loss!!


Minnesota is closing in on Detroit's battle for the worst record in the NBA, but Detroit holding on tight!!


Come on 2021 NBA Draft. I'm looking for a top 3 pick BABY!! The Basketball GOD!! know, the PISTONS time is up! We deserve a GREAT FRANCHISE PLAYER!! We need this! We earn this!

[Oracle]

1. Reports: Nets acquire James Harden in blockbuster 4-team deal

2. James Harden trade grades: Winners, losers in this stunning deal

The deal:
Nets get: James Harden, second-round pick

Rockets get: Victor Oladipo, Dante Exum, Rodions Kurucs, four first-round picks and four pick swaps

Cavaliers get: Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince: BTW, with Allen, what does that mean for Drummond?

Pacers get: Caris LeVert, second-round pick

I'm shocked they didn't trade Kyrie...

[Oracle]

KD really asked for this, and Kyrie never disappoints on the crazy!

And more...

[lemonpen]

 Kyrie


WTF.

[lemonpen]

See where the Pistons need to go in the future... We've found our "Zeke" in Jerami Grant!

By Zeke, I mean we've found the player that we need to build our team around!

We need to be drafting, adding FA's, and doing trades with one goal in mind... how well they fit around Grant!

There is a middle ground between Murph & Phillip. Anybody can see that Bey is the super high upside player between him and Sekou. But that doesn't mean that Sekou doesn't need a LOT more minutes, he does, it's important for us to really vet these youngsters, or we're going to make more mistakes.

This post is really inspired by Don's excellent post, noting how we finally have players that have a winning mindset. I really wish we had Grant when we first got Blake, that team could have really made some noise.

What's amazing about this is that by hiring the right GM at the right time, allowed him to take a chance that most GM's might have passed on. We've tried, but we just haven't been lucky enough to draft a player this good, so we certainly shouldn't waste any more time building a team around him.

I don't think Grant has reached his final upside, he's already a star, can he approach superstardom?

As Murph pointed out, the upside on Bey is ridiculous... on both sides of the ball!

Time to finally get really excited about the future of the Pistons, this is going to be hard to eff up!

You'll get no argument here. Color me impressed.
Weavers next great move will be clearing the way (Griffin & Rose) for Grant to become the type of leader his youthful teammates will walk through fire with.

[Oracle]

See where the Pistons need to go in the future... We've found our "Zeke" in Jerami Grant!

By Zeke, I mean we've found the player that we need to build our team around!

We need to be drafting, adding FA's, and doing trades with one goal in mind... how well they fit around Grant!

There is a middle ground between Murph & Phillip. Anybody can see that Bey is the super high upside player between him and Sekou. But that doesn't mean that Sekou doesn't need a LOT more minutes, he does, it's important for us to really vet these youngsters, or we're going to make more mistakes.

This post is really inspired by Don's excellent post, noting how we finally have players that have a winning mindset. I really wish we had Grant when we first got Blake, that team could have really made some noise.

What's amazing about this is that by hiring the right GM at the right time, allowed him to take a chance that most GM's might have passed on. We've tried, but we just haven't been lucky enough to draft a player this good, so we certainly shouldn't waste any more time building a team around him.

I don't think Grant has reached his final upside, he's already a star, can he approach superstardom?

As Murph pointed out, the upside on Bey is ridiculous... on both sides of the ball!

Time to finally get really excited about the future of the Pistons, this is going to be hard to eff up!

[Murph]

This kid need an opportunity to shine. Not in limited minutes but in a featured role.

I see the talent. I question the motor. But I do see a steady player who never too up or too down.

This would be my starting 5.

PG: Who cares. SG: JJ. SF:  J.Grant. PF: Sekuod. Center: Plumlee until I.Steward to ready.

Maybe Fred Jackson is ready to start at the PG position. Anyways, Bey would be my replacment at the 3 spot but Sekou needs time to compete without Coach Casey ridding him and pulling hime every 5 min or less.

There is no way Sekou should receive any playing time over Bey. Bey is so much better than Sekou, and has so much more upside than Sekou, it isn't even comparable.

If the Pistons eventually buyout Griffin's contract, Grant should start at PF and Bey should start at SF. Bey is going to be a solid starter for years, and maybe even a star.

[cool breeze]

To me everything looks better from the type of players management has under contract to the coaching. Detroit hasn't had a player like Grant in so long. He can do it all and above all has a great desire to win. He will bring in the fans once COVID is defeated. That drive to the basket to seal the win was something I haven't seen from a Piston player in years.

Pistons used a matchup zone to confuse the Suns after going down so badly early in the game. The team never gave up. Casey and his coaching staff did a great job with player combinations. I noticed a difference is the way Blake played that a game. He was doing more of the little things as a teammate on defense and within the half court offense. He didn't try to dominate the basketball. Also, he tried harder to breakdown the defense when he did touch the ball. Everything was not geared to the 3 point game. I love it. This team is fun to watch win or lose.We now have athletes who are not just outside shooting specialists. Great that Galloway hit so many 3s but I still am very happy he is no longer on the team because of his below average perimeter defense. I like Plumlee over AD because he doesn't make bone head plays in crunch time but most of all he doesn't dominate the Piston payroll. The Pistons had 3 first round draft picks and maybe all of them will contribute before the season is over. But Bey for sure can become a prime time key player. I felt on draft day that he was the only sure thing among the 3 players. But I will not count out the other rookies. This team is young and players are just getting to know each other. By the end of the season if key guys can stay healthy, I expect we will see many more close games go in the Pistons favor. Piston management has to be complimented. By the way, I fully expect that Josh Jackson is going to become a fan favorite. He just needs to stay healthy because I can see that he knows how to play the right way.

[Phil-Good]

This kid need an opportunity to shine. Not in limited minutes but in a featured role.

I see the talent. I question the motor. But I do see a steady player who never too up or too down.

This would be my starting 5.

PG: Who cares. SG: JJ. SF: J.Grant. PF: Sekuod. Center: Plumlee until I.Steward to ready.

Maybe Fred Jackson is ready to start at the PG position. Anyways, Bey would be my replacment at the 3 spot but Sekou needs time to compete without Coach Casey ridding him and pulling hime every 5 min or less.

[Oracle]

The Bucks are a terrible matchup for this team. To overcome bad matchups requires way more talent than we have, and possibly better coaching.

But on the coaching front, as Sparma pointed out, Casey made an adjustment, something he's not really known for, and it worked a treat!

I also stopped watching, and darn near lost my lunch when Stankston Smelloway started torching us. That's sinking the dagger in way too deep

I didn't find out that they won until a lot later, but color me impressed!!!

[Sparma]

I kept the game on, but watched with one eye until late in the game.

The Pistons were down by 23 in the second quarter, with the Suns looking like contenders, until everything fell apart.

Grant was outstanding, but Griffin, DeLon Wright, and Bey also made really nice contributions. Plumlee too.

The turnabout seemed to be triggered by the Pistons going to a zone, making a great in-game adjustment!!!

And for once the Pistons were beneficiaries of reffing.

I'd mentioned in the second quarter that Langston scored 17 points in 8 minutes. Here's the weirdest stat of the year for me: Galloway finished the OT game with 17 points in 11 (!!!??) minutes. Piston fans aren't the only ones who might be doing some complaining about coaching!

[Sparma]

I've watched the whole game so far, but am about to give up.

Langston Galloway with 17 points in 8 minutes!! Not sure what he'll do the rest of the game, but he's already had the game of his life against his old team.

Booker's so smooth, it makes me sick to think we should have drafted him.

Maybe the best thing Phoenix has going so far is their defense, forcing turnover after turnover.

Pistons with a surge here, eleven points in a row now. And Frank Jackson in the game! Former HS superstar. Maybe he can help at PG?

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