SB Nation - Ben Gordon

Loud Links: 12|18|09

daddydai — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:41:26 -0000

More photos » by ALONZO ADAMS - AP

2 days ago: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) goes up for a shot over Dallas Maverick center Erick Dampier (25) and forward Dirk Nowitzki, left, in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009. Dallas defeated Oklahoma City 100-86. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

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The Official Home of Kevin Durant | Blog
[KD passes on the Dunk Contest.] Okay, I know NBA All-Star Weekend isn’t until February, but I just wanted to let you all hear it from me first: I will NOT be participating in the Slam Dunk Contest. I was offered a spot in the contest not too long ago but politely turned it down. But hear me out on this one.

My agent came to me last week and asked me if I wanted to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest and I was like…‘Nah.’ I’m just not a dunk contest dunker, you know what I mean? I don’t even do any good dunks in games. I can’t jump as high as those guys, either, so I’ll leave that up to the Rudy Gays and the Dwight Howards to show off in the Dunk Contest. I’ll pass on that.

Don’t get me wrong, though. I was really honored to be asked. There’s a lot of great dunkers in this league and they decided to put me out there, to call on me but I had to gladly say ‘no thank you.’ Besides, I think it’s more fun to watch than to be in.

Naismith Hall of Fame voting could open to fans, media - ESPN
[Fans voting for the Hall of Fame? Here comes Rodman!!!] The James Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction process has long been one of the most secretive and exclusive of all the major sports shrines. Jerry Colangelo, Naismith's newly elected chairman of the board, is looking to change that. His plan includes having both fans and the media involved in the selection process.

"Nothing is etched in concrete at this point," Colangelo said. "I have to get my board to agree with me. I just believe it's the right thing to do and when you believe that and you're passionate about it, you usually can get something done."

Tulsa 66ers Acquire Forward Deron Washington - OurSports Central - Independent and Minor League Sports News
[Hardin dropped by the 66ers.] To make room on the roster, the 66ers released center DeVon Hardin due to an injury. Hardin will remain in Tulsa for further evaluations by team physicians. Washington will wear jersey number 41 and will be in uniform for tonight's game against Rio Grande Valley.

Thunder notebook: Home struggles | NewsOK.com

After missing a fourth-quarter layup against Dallas, Russell Westbrook jumped up and slapped the net out of frustration when play stopped. Westbrook isn’t a great shooter but he’s rarely experienced a slump like his current one. Over the past seven games, Westbrook has shot 32.1 percent. Remove a solid outing against Memphis and Westbrook has shot 28.0 percent in OKC’s other six December games, 17.6 percent on 3-pointers.

"He has a good shot and has good form," said coach Scott Brooks. "He just has to keep getting reps in practice... It’s going to improve. It’s not improving at the speed that he probably wants, or I would like, but he’s practicing hard. That’s all I can ask." Westbrook shot 39.8 percent overall his rookie season, 27.1 percent beyond the arc. His shooting stats are similar but have dipped slightly below last year’s pace because of his recent slump.

Changing course: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City's offensive star, is turning heads with his defense | NewsOK.com
"I don’t know if he could have guarded me his first year," quipped Brooks, the 44-year-old coach. Let’s just say Durant didn’t mince words Thursday when retorting to reporters.

"He’s lying," Durant countered, only half jokingly. "My first year, they put me on everybody. I was guarding Kobe, LeBron, D-Wade. And I was doing decent."

Said Brooks: "Kobe had 48 against him!"

But on this, the coach and the player, as well as anyone else who has paid attention over the Thunder’s first 24 games agree; Durant’s defense is markedly more impressive in his third season. Durant has bought into playing on both ends in an attempt to morph into not only a complete player but also one who is recognized alongside the game’s elite. "His defense has really improved," said one Western Conference scout. "It’s contagious with their entire team ... They’re way better defensively. (Durant) gets a lot of credit for that."

The Top 5 NBA Coaches This Season | Dime Magazine
[Scotty being honored by Dime] If the playoffs started today, the Thunder would not be in the playoffs. Odds are, they probably won’t be come April. But what Brooks has done with the Thunder has been nothing short of amazing. Brooks is a young coach, who is coaching an even younger roster in a loaded Western Conference. They’ve dropped 3 straight, but the Thunder are still 12-12 and have had big wins against the Spurs, Jazz and Magic. Now that he has the confidence of his extremely talented young core (Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, James Harden), Brooks could grow up with them in this league and be the coach that will take OKC to a championship some day.

Pistons vs Thunder preview
"It's very frustrating, we came out as a very aggressive team, we got stops we moved the ball, guys made nice baskets," Villanueva said. "We played like a team that first half; the second half we gave them a little bit of breathing room and we just collapsed offensively."

In injury news for the Pistons, guards Ben Gordon (ankle) and Richard Hamilton (hamstring) are both questionable against the Thunder.

Game 25 Preview: Oklahoma City vs. Detroit

Zorgon — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:13:00 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

Kevin Durant won't get to shy away from Ben Gordon tonight, because he's injured! Instead, he'll have to deal with the ferocious Chucky Atkins.

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This also counts as an open thread, so feel free to post your thoughts during the game here.

Time: 7 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The Ford Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma, Fox Sports Detroit

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1)

Enemy Blog(s): Motown String Music, Need 4 Sheed, Detroit 4 Lyfe

Backstory: Detroit is one of the league's enigmas. At times, they look like a quality team, able to put up wins against strong opponents like Orlando, Atlanta, and Denver. At other times, they drop a bunch of stinkers, losing to teams like Chicago or Toronto. Still, there is some reasoning for it, as Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Ben Gordon will all be gone tonight, and the Pistons have been battling injuries all season. Without those 3 players, I really can't see them beating us tonight, so I'm ready to throw out the celebration stuff.

And we all know the Thunder's story. They've been sliding because they've faced 3 of the leagues top 5 teams, and none of us want to see them slide below .500 and get into the muck of the West. Kevin Ollie is out through December, Kyle Weaver is out through March.

Matchups:

Center: Nenad Krstic vs. Ben Wallace

Last time, Nenad Krstic was able to break out for a decent game against the slow-footed Ben Wallace, and I don't expect this time to be any different.

Power Forward: Jeff Green vs. Jason Maxiell

When Jeff Green was faced Charlie Villanueva, he put up good numbers. But, this time, he'll have to face Jason Maxiell, and I think he'll have below-average numbers for yet another game.

Small Forward: Kevin Durant vs. Jonas Jerebko

That's right, Jonas Jerebko, a 2nd rounder the Pistons decided to use on the court. He strikes me as a European style forward, able to shoot and rebound, but not really able to get very gritty offensively or defensively. That being said, I've never seen him play, so I can only infer from the statistics. Still, Kevin Durant will undoubtedly have a better game, unless Jerebko is concealing a secret weapon that I know nothing about.

Shooting Guard: Thabo Sefolosha vs. Rodney Stuckey

Thabo normally closes out on scorers well, but last time, he had some trouble with Ben Gordon. And I have reason to believe that he'll have trouble guarding someone with the scoring style of Stuckey. So expect Stuckey to out do Sefolosha in every area of the stat sheet.

Point Guard: Russell Westbrook vs. Chucky Atkins

Yeah. Remember that ill-used guard we had last year? The one that was only good for shooting 3s? Well, he's starting for the Pistons now. Still, he is a decent scorer, so expect him to score around 10 while providing no defense whatsoever. This should open the way to a much better Russell Westbrook performance than last time.

Battle of the Benches:

Villanueva, Daye, Bynum, and Wilcox. Am I mistaken, or is that lineup far better than their starters? In any case, I'd say our benches are about even. We all have ample reserves for each position, and we're both missing a couple of guards.

Coaching and Intangibles:

Both teams have been on losing streaks, and both are well rested. I'll have to give it to the Thunder, because they're at home.

Bottom Line:

There is absolutely no reason we should lose this game. The Pistons are without their 3 best players, and they have to resort to secondary scorers and some of the Thunder's scrubs from last year in order to survive. We have the advantage at virtually every position. Let me say it again....we better not lose this game.

Prediction: Oklahoma City 95, Detroit 88

How do you think the game will go? Vote in the Poll!

And, again, feel free to drop any comments you might have during, before, or after the game below. I'll be in the Ford Center cheering the team on, but I'll be back to write a recap later tonight. Go Thunder!

Poll

Who's going to win tonight?

NBA Eastern Conference: Taking Stock

tenaciousT — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:04:32 -0000

NBA –arama

After making my preseason predictions, I said I'd check how things were going from time to time. It's time. Let's take a look around the east, see what’s going on, and fess up to a few big misses. A number of predictions are on target...so far. Preseason predictions are in parentheses followed by current record

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics (63-19) - 20-4
Thought they were going gently into their assisted living facilities, eh? Tut tut, my skeptical friends. The ‘assisted living’ comes courtesy of one Rajon Rondo, point guard extraordinaire. Rondo plays one gear higher than the rest of his starting unit.

11 game win streak says they are rounding into shape after starting strong, stumbling, then slowly righting the ship. The only major surprise was/is the lack of 48 minute intensity, and rebounding woes. They still look like one of the best teams in the NBA to challenge the Lakers. Back with a vengeance? They are back. Vengeance comes later.

Toronto (35-47) - 11-17
International crisis or communication breakdown?
Some expected more, but they are about where I expected and for the same reason – defense. Bargnani is part of the dilemma. He is a skilled big, but not an interior presence. With a domestic vs. international player rift surfacing recently, the Raps played their best defensive game of the season afterwards. Hedo’s not fitting in like they hoped…yet.

Jose Calderon has disappointed so far in what was supposed to be his big year. The rebuilt roster should be better later in the season, but aren’t built for prolonged defense. They are giving up 103.5 over their last 5 games, which 5 points better than before.

New York (31-51) - 8-16
After a 3-14 start, the ‘D’Antonies’ are 5-2 in their last 7 games. Another team without interior defense. They looked under every rock for a bona fide PG but the right one – the draft. Biggest current embarrassment is choosing Jordan Hill over Brandon Jennings in the draft. This was going to be a learning year anyway, right? Ty Lawson, Darren Collison, Eric Maynor, Jeff Teague were also still out there. Any of those better than Chris Duhon? Maybe some are already.

D’Antoni, frankly, has disappointed as well. I’ll confess, I thought Darko Milicic was a good risk for a team starved for bigs that block shots and play defense. Go figure. Jordan Hill may end up being a good player some day, too. Winning started by benching Nate Robinson. Coincidence? Sharp shooter Gallinari continues to impress, adds some board work.

76ers (41-41) – 6-19
Okay, this is one that’s not going as I thought it would. Oye.
Injuries are only part of the problem. Is Brand a lesser player now? Or is he just on the wrong team? Maybe it’s all bad karma for Elton leaving a good situation in Clipperland. (Yes, I did just say that.) Louis Williams (injured), Marreese Speights, and Thaddeus Young give hope for the future. It’s so bad that Iverson is back. Yeah, I know.

New Jersey (26-56) – 2-24
Say no more. Accident on the Jersey Turnpike. Tie up for miles, but not for years. No, they are not this bad. Bad luck continues with Yi Jianlian getting 50 stitches (yes 50) in his mouth courtesy of a Sean Williams elbow in a recent practice. The sooner this team can exit the swamp the better. Still, Brook Lopez will become an even better player if this season doesn’t kill him first. Devin Harris, Courtney Lee, Chris Douglas-Roberts are all good young talent.

Central Division

Cleveland (58-24) – 19-7
They are much better after starting 0-2 and 3-3. Not dominating like last season, but still a force. Shaq shooting a career low 49%, though they are now winning with him. Most lopsided team scoring distribution I have ever seen for a top team. Only three players in double digits and one of them is Shaq at 10.8 per.

Second best FG% defense and 4th best points allowed means they are still dangerous and in the hunt. Though Shaq is mostly a sideways or backwards move, if they get to the finals he helps against Lakers’ frontline. Shaq can’t slow down an already very slow team…can he? I feared this team more last year. Stop LeBron and you stop the Cavs. Am I wrong?

Stat of note: Cavs lead league in points in paint defense (34.1)

Milwaukee (35-47) – 11-12
Early season surprise coming back to earth lately. Many thought I had them too high. But Skiles always seems to get players to overachieve for a few years, until his tough guy ways get tired. Brandon Jennings makes a big splash with 55 point game but is tailing off since then. Still, he is the real deal and will figure things out.

Bucks are first in shot attempts and dead last in free throw attempts, which pretty much goes hand in hand. No one on this team gets to the line, except Jennings and Hakim Warrick.

Side Note: Toronto is known as the international team. But even they can’t compete with Milwaukee. Current starters are from 5 different countries: Turkey, Argentina, Australia, Cameroon, and U.S. Positively cosmopolitan for a city Shlitz beer made famous.

Detroit (36-46) - 11-14
I guess they are a bit better than I thought. Will this last? Even with key players injured, they put together a recent 5 game winning streak. They are still working a new system with a new coach. Loss of Tayshaun Prince hurts, Gordon is playing hurt, and Rip Hamilton is still in and out.

Still, the biggest surprise is the renaissance of "I’m retiring" Ben Wallace. Back up to 30 minutes and 10 rebounds a game, he can still defend, too. Detroit is 2nd best in points in paint defense. Can he do it all year and where is his help?

Pistons have the 3rd best total rebounding and 3rd best offensive rebounding differential in the league. Rodney Stuckey’s career year (19.3 pts) is offset by lower shooting %. He should stop taking three pointers altogether (21.4%)

Indiana (30-52) – 9-14
Danny Granger’s team is without Danny Granger for a while. With mediocre stats everywhere, just what do they do better than most NBA teams? Foul. They are 3rd in league with 2.2 foul differential.

Mike Dunleavy returns to a system that uses him to his best advantage and not a minute too soon. If the Pacers win 36 games, and that’s possible, that means O’Brien would have coached three straight 36-46 records here. Hey I have to find something interesting, don’t I? T.J. Ford is underwhelming again.

How are they doing attracting more fans? The past three years they went from 30th to 28th to 27th this season in attendance. They are a team with more integrity, but a few more wins wouldn’t hurt, would it?

Chicago (41-41) - 8-15 No one expected this meltdown. The loss of Ben Gordon’s 4th quarter points, Tyrus Thomas’ injury, Kirk Hinrich playing hurt, John Salmons’ underachieving season are all contributors, but all are secondary to Derrick Rose’s lack of noticeable improvement.

The chant for Vinny Del Negro’s head grows louder and I’m not against it. But I’d ask…who hired a rookie head coach for this team in the first place? That is where the blame should lie. Del Negro did reasonably well last season, but the wheels are falling off the wagon now.

Deng is playing well and Joakim Noah is continuing his rise up the food chain, but it’s nowhere near enough. I am fast becoming a Joakim Noah fan. Plays with passion, toughness, and heart.

Southeast Division

Orlando (60-22) -19-6
Fools go where wise men fear to tread – the paint against the Magic. They are crazy deep and probably Boston’s biggest problem in the East. Jameer Nelson returns soon and that’s not good news for opponents. Right now they are better offensively (5th rated) but worse defensively (9th rated) than last season, while giving up 2.2 more points.

This is a great situation for Vince Carter, who is playing 5 minutes less, but leads the team in scoring (19), while still hoisting up 17 shots per and will be a solid 4th quarter option for the Magic.

D. Howard is getting one less block a game, but shooting a career high in FG% (63.4%) While they probably over paid a bit for Mickael Pietrus ($5.3 mil), he continues to be a valuable piece to this team. Ryan Andersen has quietly been a nice addition. Marcin Gortat – the unhappy multi-millionaire.

Atlanta (48-34) - 18-6
This team is playing even better than I thought….and I thought this would be a good team. Woodson said the next thing is to learn how to win on the road. The Hawks are 7-4 so far this season and that is a huge step forward. Three of those road wins were against very tough home teams - Dallas, Boston and Portland.

For a team that could lose their leader (Joe Johnson) and their coach next season, they are moving from pretender to contender. Their youthful exuberance could make up for whatever they are missing. Al Horford and Josh Smith are unique young players and Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson provide the veteran leadership. They are pasting the lesser teams and are 3rd in the league in average winning margin at +8.4 points. Just behind the Celtics and Lakers. Hmm…

Miami (38-44) – 12-11
Dwayne Wade is to this team what LeBron is to the Cavs. Probably more so. Jermaine O’Neal is actually playing pretty well, but is a shell of his earlier self. We knew going in that the Heat go as Wade goes. Michael Beasley is improving and Haslem is solid.

They stretched the Lakers to a (lucky) Kobe Bryant banked buzzer beating 3 pointer over Wade’s outstretched hand. That probably defines their season as well as anything. With $50 million coming off the books in 2010, this team (hopefully) gets a complete rebuild. With a player option for $17 million, whether Wade stays or not remains to be seen.

Charlotte (33-49) - 10-14
Solid defensive team (2nd in points allowed) that has trouble scoring (27th). Deliberate offense (pace: 28th in NBA) helps keep opponents’ numbers down. 5-5 over the last ten, they added controversial, but multi-talented Stephen Jackson. It gives the team a focal point (and… gulp…leader) Larry Brown has great experience handling prima donna players and Raymond Felton is playing better since Jackson’s arrival.

Gerald Wallace, the last original Bobcat, was plucked from deep on Sacramento’s bench. Time to test him for HRH (Human Rebound Hormone). He has gone crazy boarding, up from 7.8 last season to 12.2 this year. I’d like to know the last time an established player made that kind of jump. He continues to ply his game for a team going nowhere.

Talented DJ Augustine has perplexingly gone backwards this season. Tyson Chandler, who could have been an earlier version of Joakim Noah, is showing how much Chris Paul helped his game.

But we forget just how bad this team was before Larry Brown arrived.

Washington (41-41) - 7-16
In preseason I wrote…. "everyone’s favorite ‘move up’ team." What I didn’t write was that it would take some doing to keep all these scorers happy with shots and minutes. Unfortunately, that appears to be the case. And things aren’t getting better. They are on a 6 game losing streak as I write this.

I never saw a happier, more hopeful team in the losers’ locker room than the one that ended its season against the Celtics last year. They all knew a much better year was coming. They had their version of a big three returning. But ubuntu doesn’t live here. Tragic because there is a lot of talent here. Flip Saunders has to sort this out, but I’m not sure where he starts.

I’ll end by (again) making my pitch for an unsung role player buried on the Wizards bench. Dominic McGuire would make a great (and cheap) Celtic.

There you have it. I apparently thought way too much of the Sixers. Comments welcome on all teams.

Watching the Pistons is Like a Trip to the Dentist? I Want That Dentist

Packey — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:25:31 -0000

Mike Prada of Bullets Forever, who is also contributing on SBNation.com, developed a good idea to compile a list of the most entertaining NBA teams to watch, ordering them from least-watchable to most-watchable (thanks to reader Madpoopz for posting this in the FanShots). He calls it the "Watchability" Scale.

Before I go on, I have to commend Mike for putting this list together. It's obvious that he put a lot of time into writing it and it's worthy of your readership, regardless of the way he ranks them. I think I should point out that this list is a compilation of teams that are the most entertaining teams to watch in his eyes. Obviously, he can't tell you who you should prefer to watch. With that being said, it is an effort to help you determine who you might want to invest time into watching when you have some down time over the Holidays.

In my Larry David voice, "having said that," I have to wholeheartedly disagree with his opinion of the Pistons, who he ranked 26th! I question whether he's spent enough time watching the Pistons:

The Pros? Ben Gordon, a fascinating shot-maker that is equally thrilling and maddening to watch. Gordon's the type of guy that puts your two basketball sensibilities against each other ("oh my God, how did he make that?" vs. "What the heck is he doing shooting that shot?"). Depending on your mood, you either love him or hate him.

The cons? A bunch of guards who can score, but don't pass; Charlie Villanueva (who makes me mad every time I see him for some reason); and several no-name guys that many dieharts don't even know (Jonas Jerekbo, Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers, etc.). Throw in their pitiful home atmosphere (remember the good old days), and it's just a boring team.

Trust me, the die-hards know who Jonas Jerebko, Austin Daye, and DaJuan Summers are. Jonas Jerebko is quickly becoming one of the most popular Pistons players because of his constant hustle. Austin Daye was a first round draft pick, so I assume any die-hard basketball fan knows him from Gonzaga or from simply watching the first round of the NBA draft.

And I just experienced the Pistons "pitiful home atmosphere" the other night and I can't say it was like the good ol' days when the Pistons were selling out consistently. It was far from pitiful, though. It was loud, it induced goosebumps, and I would have never guessed there were only about 14,000 fans, opposed to the (roughly) 23,000 The Palace holds.

I think the general consensus among Pistons fans is that this is the most exciting team the Pistons have had in years. I understand the Pistons of the past decade weren't necessarily exciting to watch, but I can't imagine one not being interested in watching a team continuously putting forth 100% effort and never giving up, win or lose.

I also believe Mike downplays the importance of winning. While it certainly shouldn't be the biggest factor in a team's entertainment value, it should still play a major role. It might be just me, but I don't want to watch a perennial loser. And that's why it baffles me that the Pistons, who are 11-12 and play fundamental, non-stop hustle basketball, are ranked below the likes of the 76ers, Knicks, Pacers, and Wizards.

I probably can't give the Pistons a fair, concrete ranking because I, admittedly, have not watched as much basketball as Mike claims to watch. I view every Pistons game and then a few other games a week -- that's it. I am, however, confident that the Pistons don't belong in the "equivalent to a trip to the dentist" group. If they do, I want the number to Mike's dentist. I think they're probably more deserving of the "occasionally interesting" to the "I don't know, so I'll just put them here" groups, if not better.

That's enough from me, though. I want to hear what everyone else thinks. Is this team really deserving of the 26th spot on a list of this kind? Where would you put them? Let's hear your thoughts -- speak your minds!

Rodney Stuckey Earns Eastern Conference Player of the Week Honors

Packey — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:57:33 -0000

More photos » by Allen Einstein - NBAE/Getty Images

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Rodney Stuckey's performance over the last week has earned him Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors from the league today:

Via the Free Press:

Stuckey led the Pistons to a 3-0 week, averaging 27 points on 52.9% shooting, 6.0 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals.

Here is a recap of Stuckey's week:

Dec. 9 at Philadelphia: Posted 27 points, eight assists and five rebounds in a 90-86 win.

Dec. 10 vs. Denver: Scored 25 points to go along with three assists and two steals in a 101-99 win.

Dec. 12 vs. Golden State: Tallied 29 points, seven assists and two rebounds in a 104-95 win.

As I mentioned in last game's recap, Stuckey hasn't been great in just the past week -- he's been on a roll all of December. In the month of December he is averaging nearly 24 points per game, six assists, and just over four rebounds per game. He's also shooting 49% after a rough 36% opening month and 39% last month. Perhaps we are seeing a continuously improving, and more consistent, Stuckey that we can get accustomed to watching play like he has of late.

An interesting note: Pistons Nation points out, this honor comes in similar circumstances to Stuckey receiving the POW award last year. Last year, the Pistons were in the middle of a winning streak and the Pistons were hit hard with injuries.

Other news: Detroit takes on Houston Tuesday night, hoping to extend their winning streak to six games. Ben Gordon and Will Bynum both practiced today.

Bulls 92, Pistons 85: Given the current state of the team, a must-win that was won

your friendly BullsBlogger — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:40:41 -0000

More photos » by Nam Y. Huh - AP

"It's not your fault, their minds were poisoned all these years by that blind jackass Neil Funk. "(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

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	Pace	Eff	eFG	FT/FG	OREB%	TOr
Detroit	86.0	98.8	41.0%	26.9	37.0	17.4
Chicago		107.0	50.7%	31.9	34.3	19.8

Ugh, that was a terribly boring night of basketball. Not much of a recap is needed, the Bulls opened up the game huge with a 23-6 lead (credit for coming out strong given they were on a 4 game losing streak) and never trailed. They likely saw a Pistons team missing Hamilton, Prince, and Villenueva and realized they weren't going to be threatened offensively, and played like it.

Not that there weren't some good performances. I don't know how anyone can say any team with John Salmons should be in transition more (does anyone kill fast breaks with such regularity?), but he shot well, hit 3-4 3-pointers and finished with 22 points. Brad Miller had his first solid game in a long while, and his six assists included two lobs to Derrick Rose (shame Rose's one attempt at a lob - this season? - didn't convert). And, of course: Noah rules.

They actually weren't that bad from an efficiency standpoint tonight on offense, but maybe it's just seeing 11 more minutes of Lindsey Hunter (egads, I think VDN thinks he 'found something' here), Hunter-Pargo together, Taj fouling out in under 20 minutes...this team is going to be very bad for the next few games, so it was good they got a team worse (and more banged up) than them tonight, and got the win.

This Pistons team looked really inept, their remaining guards of Gordon, Stuckey, and Bynum each were ballhogging and missing, and any time Chucky Atkins was in there was a disaster. And apparently the renaissance of Ben Wallace took a break tonight (maybe he's just so used to nights off in the UC?).

The big sidestory* in this game was, of course, the return of Gordon. The in-house crowd was split maybe 65/35 boos, which is a pretty pathetic referendum on any hoops sophistication in this town. But I likely should've expected it, and given that they were more enthusiastic seeing Cuppy Coffee win the Dunkin Donuts race on the jumbotron than in booing Gordon, it stopped bothering me. It's not like the crowd at these games is exactly a 'hardcore' sampling of fan. Though they didn't get their free big macs tonight, they did see a game where Gordon (not looking 100% on the ankle) had chances to get his team back into the game (with the Bulls blessing) but instead shot them out of it. He was 2-8 from three and missed a lot of makeable up-close shots, as our vaunted tall guard couldn't really stay with him, and Lindsey Hunter seemed really determined to get into the scoresheet as much as possible through fouling.

But yeah, there was some shaky dribbling, ill-advised leaners, barreling into the lane, outsized on defense....but watching it from the other side, I still missed the guy. At least he'd make these games less excruciating to watch.

*(And as an emerging sidestory, James Johnson again with the DNP-CD)

Update on Charlie Villanueva's Broken Nose & Ben Gordon's Ankle Injury

Packey — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:06:39 -0000

Charlie Villanueva in pre-op for his nasal surgery on Monday. (Via @CV31 on Twitter)

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Charlie Villanueva had successful nasal surgery and septum realignment today at the Detroit Medical Center. The good news is that it's not out of the question that he and Ben Gordon are available Wednesday night against the Bulls.

Via True Blue Pistons:

Good news, or something close enough for a team that’s experienced nothing but wrenching injury news since the opening night of the NBA season: Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva are both questionable for the Pistons’ next game, Wednesday at Chicago, and "questionable" is a big step up from "out.

CV is going to be fitted for a Rip Hamilton-esque mask and hopefully, will be allowed to play. You'd think that it'd be pretty clear whether or not he could play -- getting knocked in the nose again makes it worse until fully healed (can't play) or odds of re-injury are same as any basketball game with or without recent surgery (can play) -- but it appears there is a little more to it that I'm not aware of despite having the same surgery in college and being allowed to resume baseball (not basketball) activities the next day.

Gordon's ankle situation might be a little more delicate, as the Pistons will probably have to wait until tomorrow to see how it responds to shooting around on it today. Gordon says he hopes he can practice tomorrow and will then be ready for Wednesday.

In other injury news, Prince is apparently improving as well. Prince shot around with no tentativeness today and appears to be ahead of Hamilton in returning to the lineup.

Sniffin' Out the Rebounds: Pistons 94, Hawks 88

Packey — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:16:07 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

Charlie Villanueva soldiered up and knocked down two free throws with a wad of gauze sticking out of his left nostril after colliding with Ben Wallace. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

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So this is what it feels like to recap a win? In the words of Larry David, "pretty, pretty, pretty good."

The Pistons put an end to their seven game losing streak today by defeating the 12-4, now 12-5, Atlanta Hawks 94-88 at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Detroit has now defeated Atlanta in 24 of their last 28 games played at the Palace.

Coach John Kuester unveiled a new starting lineup today to re-adjust to the loss of Ben Gordon and right the ship after losing their seventh straight game on Friday night, to the Clippers no less. Chucky Atkins and Jason Maxiell started in place of Austin Daye and Charlie Villanueva, providing the Pistons with a little more ferocity up front and a point guard so the talented Rodney Stuckey could play off the ball a little more.

And it worked wonders in the first quarter. Stuckey made all five of his shots en route to 11 points, giving the Pistons a two point lead after 12 minutes. He finished with a game-high 23 points and was still able to dish out eight assists. I don't know if this was a result of him starting at the two, but he played noticeably better today than in the other games this season.

Chucky Atkins had this to offer about Stuckey after the game:

I think today by me starting and by me running the squad, and just have him mainly think about scoring and put the pressure on an opposing team defense was great. He led us to a great victory, more importantly Will Bynum came out and gave us a huge lift and finished out the fourth quarter for us."

The major story though was the Pistons endless hustle and absolute domination on the glass. The Pistons nearly doubled the Hawks total rebound total, 53-27, and quadrupled them on the offensive glass, 24-6. Who said the Pistons would have problems on the glass this year?

Ben Wallace led the way with 18 rebounds, 11 offensive, to go along with his 10 points. Jonas Jerebko also had his first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. As a result of the Pistons tenacious rebounding, they managed to outscore the Hawks 60-38 in the paint and get to the line eight more times than the Hawks.

The Hawks hung around despite there being runs that made it seem like the Pistons would run away with this thing. They led by as many as 12 late in the game, but Atlanta worked the game back to within two with 25 seconds left in the game. Will Bynum was then fouled and knocked down both free throws to give him 11 points in the fourth quarter and extend the lead to four.

On the ensuing possession, Atlanta's Josh Smith came down and took an ill-advised three pointer that was corralled by Jerebko, which all but sealed the deal. Josh Smith is a big-time player, but I'd want the ball in Crawford (who hit two big threes earlier in the game) or Bibby's (3-5 from downtown) hands when needing a three (which was arguably not needed at that juncture). Smith led the Hawks with 23 points, seven rebounds, and five blocks.

Pistons improve to 6-11 with the much-needed victory. Bullets after the jump!

Ben Wallace's damage extended beyond the boards: His hip broke Charlie Villanueva's nose. Charlie Villanueva was fouled by Zach Pachulia, which sent him crashing into Wallace's side and breaking his nose. Villanueva was able to stop the bleeding enough to allow him to knock down two critical free throws, but he was immediately replaced by Jason Maxiell. Villanueva will have the nose set tomorrow and his status for Wednesday will then be re-evaluated. CV31 says he'll tweet during his surgery and a mask is on the way.
Jason Maxiell's play continues to strengthen. He's been a force on the boards and he's starting to knock down that jumper from the elbow with some consistency. He finished with seven points, six rebounds, and two steals in just under 30 minutes.
Atkins wasn't very good today, but I still like him starting over Bynum. Bynum provides a spark off the bench like none other and don't think he's as scary or effective if he starts. Obviously, we won't know unless Bynum gets some starts, but that's just my opinion. I like Stuckey at the two, but not at the expense of starting Bynum and losing his impact off the bench. I'd be willing to test it out though. But with the win here today, I think the same starting lineup should take the floor on Wednesday. How's that cliche go? If it ain't broke don't fix it? Atkins was broke today, but the Pistons clicked as a whole.
Kwame Brown seems to be very productive when he gets 15-20 minutes. I thought he had what was probably his strongest game this season even if his stat line only reads eight points and five rebounds. His usual clumsiness only resulted in one turnover and he made up for it immediately by hustling down the court and swiping a pass.
Pistons kept Joe Johnson in check today, which will probably get overlooked in determining what went wrong for the Hawks today. He shot just 5-19 and finished with 10 points. If he hits a few more shots, the Hawks might walk away with an undeserving victory.
Post game quotes
Peachtree Hoops recap -- Hawks were lousy.
Box score
Highlights:

Clipped: Clippers 104, Pistons 96

Packey — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:36:02 -0000

More photos » by Allen Einstein - NBAE/Getty Images

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The Pistons, who led by seven at the half, fell apart in the second half, getting outscored by 15 points to fall to the Clippers by eight.

Detroit was outscored 46-26 in the paint and a lot of that had to do with the play of Michigan native, Chris Kaman. Kaman was 11-13 and finished with a game-high 26 points. Baron Davis added 25 points and 10 dimes. The Pistons, needing someone to step up in the scoring department for the injured Ben Gordon, received that from the unlikely Jonas Jerebko. Jerebko was 8-11 shooting and led the Pistons with 22 points.

Caveat: I tried watching this one on NBA.com after the fact using my NBA League Pass, but because I'm in Detroit it says I'm blacked out. Seeing the final score and some disturbing numbers in the box score, it looks as if it may have been a painful game to watch slip away. I'll wind up watching the game tonight when I get back to Atlanta for school. In the meantime, take what you will from what I was able to gather from the box score and the highlights after the jump:

The Clippers got to the line 13 more times than the Pistons and made 12 more.
Pistons saw solid assists numbers from both Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum for the first time this season. Stuckey finished with seven assists and Bynum had nine.
Austin Daye had a dece day in his first career start in place of Ben Gordon. He had 13 points on 4-11 shooting.
Ben Wallace cleaned up on the glass, grabbing 16 rebounds. I haven't been to a Pistons game yet this season, but are they doing the rebound row t-shirts still?
Bynum struggled from the field for the second straight game. He was just 4-17 and finished with 14 points. I thought he was going to be the one who would step up in Gordon's absence. It seems as if he tried to do that by taking 17 shots, but they just weren't falling.
Again, I plan on watching this game tonight before the Hawks game tomorrow. I'll add my thoughts in the comments. If you watched the game, then by all means leave your thoughts of what you saw. If you want to write up your own recap, do so in the FanPosts and I'll promote it to the front page (assuming it's not written like you're Charlie from Always Sunny).

Game Preview: Suns vs. Pistons

Wil Cantrell — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:19:48 -0000

More photos » by Bill Haber - AP

29 days ago: Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry reacts on the sidelines in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Hornets in New Orleans, Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009. The Hornets defeated the Suns 110-103. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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Tonight the Suns look to bounce back from a pathetic tough loss agains the Hornets Thursday night and test their 4-0 home record vs. the Detroit Pistons. Like the Suns, the Pistons are coming off a loss, with Detroit falling in overtime to Utah, 100-97. Tonight marks the end of the Pistons four game West Coast road trip, in which they are 0-3 thus far, losing to the LA Lakers, Utah, and Portland by an average of nearly 5 points. The only double digit loss was to the Lakers.

The Pistons should be tired after a tough loss to the Jazz last night. Ben Gordon, Rodney Stuckey, and Ben Wallace all played over 40 minutes. Look for the Suns to push the tempo early and try to run Detroit out of the building.

Overview

At 5-8, the Pistons have lost 4 in a row and occupy the cellar in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference.
Ben Wallace has made it back from his very short tenure with the Suns, along with his consideration of retirement to average 9 boards a game.
The Pistons shoot 30% from 3 point range. Rodney Stuckey and Co. penetrate well though, so the Suns may go with the zone. Let's hope the Suns wear their rebounding shoes tonight.
Detroit has been playing without Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton due to injury. Hamilton has been battling ankle injuries while Prince has had problems with his back. Neither players are expected to play tonight.
The lineup of Bynum, Stuckey, Gordon, Wallace, and Villanueva is a combined +24 this season, and not surprising, is the second most used lineup the Pistons use.

Players

Guards

Ben Gordon is a certified Suns killer, averaging 24.9 points versus the Suns in his career. He is coming off a 25 point, 47 minute performance against the Jazz. Rodney Stuckey brings high energy to the floor. Look for him to test the Suns bigs early and often as he attempts to get to the rim. Wil Bynum is averaging 14.5 points per game, but isn't a three point threat, leading the Pistons with a meager 4 assists per game.

Forwards/Centers

Charlie Villanueva is a solid big, averaging 15 and 5. Ben Wallace is typical Ben Wallace but a little older, averaging 9 boards a game and 50% from the free throw line. Jonas Jerebko is a 2nd round project from Sweden. He has been starting of late, but not doing anything exceptionally well, with 4.7 points a game and nearly 4 rebounds a game. Jason Maxiell goes 6-7, 260 and averages nearly a block a game and 3 rebounds off the bench.

Stats

Offense: Detroit averages 92.6 points per game, (26th in the league). Detroit shoots 45.2% per game (18 in the league). Phoenix averages 109.8 points per game (1st in the league). Suns shooting 48.7% per game (tied for 1st in the league)

Defense: Detroit allows 92.9 per game (4th in the league), allowing opponents to shoot 43.3% FG. Suns allow 106 points per game (27th in the league), allow opponents 48% FG.

Quotes:

"The way we played, the effort we brought and this is no offense to them, but we would've lost to ASU."

-Grant Hill, on the loss to New Orleans

"We can't keep playing from behind and then think we can make our way back. It's important to get off to a good start, so when we do make a run, it's not to get even, it's to get a lead."

-Alvin Gentry

[Note by Phoenix Stan, 11/22/09 1:40 PM MST ]

At shoot around this morning I talked to Suns VP of all things Player Related and Various Other Scouting and Trading and Cutting and Signings, David Griffin. Taylor Griffin is destined for a stint with the Iowa Energy this year where he will get a lot of floor time playing the Small Forward - a position he's transitioning into after playing the PF in OK.

No specific time-line for his assignment given but the Suns have a plan in mind. So expect that to happen sometime between today and perhaps March or April.

Jarron Collins' contract does not become guaranteed until the January 10th date when all contracts become guaranteed for the rest of the season. If Jarron is cut before then his salary won't count against the Luxury Tax. Right now the Suns are happy with him and say that his staying or going isn't directly tied to Robin Lopez' return. Reading between the lines my guess is that he will stick around at least for several more weeks with the big decision coming near that Jan 10 date.

As for this game, it has blow out written all over it.

The Pistons are going to be tired after playing OT last night and bummed about losing and the Suns are pissed about the way they played in New Orleans. Do not be surprised to see Phoenix up by 10 at the end of the 1st quarter. In fact, I would be surprised if they aren't.