Monday, April 23, 2012
: 73
: 68
Michael Conley questioning the calls, or the lack of them.
Box Score
| Washington Wizards at Memphis Grizzlies | |||||
| Jan 1, | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Washington (0-0) | 18 | 13 | 19 | 23 | 73 |
| Memphis (0-0) | 12 | 20 | 15 | 21 | 68 |
| Washington Wizards | ||||||||||
| STARTERS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| John Wall | 22 | 6-20 | 1-2 | 10-10 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 23 |
| Nick Young | 22 | 3-6 | 0-2 | 2-2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Rashard Lewis | 22 | 3-8 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Andray Blatche | 24 | 0-3 | 0-0 | 8-8 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| Javale McGee | 14 | 5-7 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| BENCH | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| Mustafa Shakur | 7 | 2-5 | 0-1 | 0-2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Maurice Evans | 9 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Jordan Crawford | 5 | 1-3 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Josh Howard | 4 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Trevor Booker | 8 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Yi Jianlian | 7 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kevin Seraphin | DNP | |||||||||
| TEAM TOTALS | 24-59 | 4-12 | 21-23 | 38 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 73 | |
| Memphis Grizzlies | ||||||||||
| STARTERS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| Michael Conley | 23 | 6-13 | 0-0 | 5-5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
| O.J. Mayo | 21 | 5-9 | 1-3 | 4-4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 |
| Rudy Gay | 21 | 3-11 | 1-3 | 2-2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| Zach Rondolph | 23 | 5-7 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| Marc Gasol | 21 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 2-4 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| BENCH | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| Darrell Arthur | 9 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 3-3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Xavier Henry | 2 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Tony Allen | 6 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Shane Battier | 6 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Leon Powe | 6 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Isiah Smith | 6 | 0-4 | 0-1 | 0-2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sam Young | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 25-60 | 2-8 | 16-22 | 36 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 68 | |
PLAYER OF THE GAME: John Wall (23 PTS, 3 AST, 2 STL)
"Honestly my focus today was doing whatever it took to win the game. That just happened to mean I needed to be on that foul line, making 100% of my free throws. So, that's exactly what I did. I charged at the defense and scored whenever I could."
WIZARD'S ROLE PLAYER: Javale McGee (10 PTS, 7 REB, 1 STL)
"Our problem is that we don't know how to win games just yet. We assume Wall can do all the work, and he can't. We need to figure out how each of us can contribue to win games."
Flip Saunders, Wizard's Head Coach
"We won, that's all there is too it. These young guys went out and won that game. We needed that. So I'm not sure why we're discussing what we could've done better or what needs to change. Nothing apparently."
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The Stat Line
- Both teams shot around the same, 40%.
- Lots of fouls today, both teams snagging 12. Memphis fans will argue, however, that the fouls that should've been called were not, and pointless ones were.
- These two teams stacked up almost evenly, no real gap in any statistic. This game came down to who wanted it more in the 4th.
- Memphis, however, needed to convert on more free throws. 72% for them compared to 91% from the Wizards. Those free throws could've given them the game.
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The Wizards
- John Wall (PG) had, arguably, a bad game. Only shooting 6-20 on the field. Sure, he had 23 points, however 10 of them came from the free throw line. 2 steals helped out his team, and the 3 assists he dished out provided his team some scoring options, but overall a lack-luster job from Wall.
- McGee (C) had a great shooting performance, shooting 5-7 and snagging 10 points, 7 rebounds, and a steal.
- Andray Blatche (PF) showed up on defense. He managed 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, and a steal, all while scoring 8 points.
- Rashard Lewish (SF) proved that he can be an asset to this team so far, scoring 8 points with 2 from beyond the arc and 4 rebounds.
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The Grizzlies
- Conley (PG) lead the way for the Grizzlies, scoring 17 points on 14 attempts, and snagging 2 steals.
- OJ Mayo (SG) also played well, 15 points with 1 from beyond the arc.
- Zach Randolph (PF) managed a double-double, grabbing an amazing 12 rebounds and scoring 10 points.
- Rudy Gay (SF) and his poor performance might have helped his team lose. Only 3-11 and 9 points with 5 rebounds and 2 steals. However, given that he was on the court for 21 minutes, his effort should've been higher. He gave up the ball 3 times.
- Gasol (C) also played a lack-luster game. Only taking 1 shot and missing it, he grabbed 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
"I'm excited for this team this year. I think we have a lot of talent that, with the right effort and plays, can become a playoff contending team. I heard we got a new GM, and that's all fine and dandy. When it comes down to it, the players win the games, not the coaching staff or the administrators. I have a lot of faith that our team will do good this year."
Earlier today, a squad v squad scrimmage took place within the Wizards practice court. At this scrimmage was GM Jon Shepard, who recently bought the Wizards and is looking to play a key role in their development. After the scrimmage, we sat down with Shepard and asked him about each player on the court, and to give us a small scouting report on what he saw.
John Wall (PG, 82 OVR)
Shepard's Comments: It's obvious that Wall will be the center of the Wizards organization. He has speed, awareness, and a knack to score. He got some big steals during the scrimmage, and his ability to drive is almost un-matched. If he can learn how to hit the three point shot, he'll be almost unstoppable. He could also stand to work on his shot in traffic.
Mustafa Shakur (PG, 54 OVR)
Shepard's Comments: I really appreciated Mustafa in this game. He defended Wall pretty well, and had excellent court vision to make sure the open man got the pass he needed to score. His ability to shoot wasn't bad either. All he needs to do is work on his confidence on the offensive end.
Nick Young (SG, 72 OVR)
Shepard's Comments: Nick is a fast kid. I like seeing him run with Wall on the break. My issue I had with what I saw today is his inability to create a shot for himself. He missed a lot of shots, and couldn't seem to break open. Those are issue we hope to fix in order to get him in the starting rotation.
Jordan Crawford (SG, 65 OVR)
Shepard's Comments: I wasn't too terribly impressed with Crawford. Sure, he made some nice looking three's, and that's a great ability to have for a bench player, but he missed a few drives I believe he should've made, and he didn't defend Young as well as I would've liked. But he's young, and has time to grow.
Rashard Lewis (SF, 73 OVR)
Shepard's Comments: I respect the knowledge that Lewis brings to this team, but I saw him sluggishly moving on the break. I mean, I expect my SF to be moving at least ahead of the Center and Power Forward on the break, but Lewis wasn't doing that. He also missed a few chances I thought he should've made. Despite a few blocked passes, I was expecting more from Lewis this game.
Maurice Evans (SF, 70 OVR)
Shepard's Comments: Watching Maurice out there today was pretty enjoyable. He made a few awesome rebounds, and spread the floor pretty well. He gave Lewis a hard time on both ends of the court. I think the biggest battle in the Wizards locker room will be for the starting SF spot.
Andray Blatch (PF, 71 OVR)
Shepard's Comments: Andray's ability to grab rebounds was what impressed me today. He missed some of his inside chances should've been makes, but his ability to get up and grab the rebound and contest shots was exactly what I wanted to see out of him. I also saw him run the floor fairly well on the break, which is a bonus for a man of his size.
Trevor Booker (PF, 66 OVR)
Shepard's Comments: Trevor has a great post game. He did a great job backing down Blatche a few times, and his ability to score down low is a nice improvement for the bench squad. He also gets it done on the defensive glass. A little bit more power and blocking ability from him would be a nice improvement.
Javale McGee (C, 70 OVR)
Shepard's Comments: I really like McGee. He's very tall for his position, and he's long. During the scrimmage he had no problem going over the other team and snagging rebounds. Down low he's a huge threat. Easy guy to get the ball to and a very consistant scorer, at least from what I've seen.
Hamady N'Diaye (C, 51 OVR)
Shepard's Comments: I wasn't too happy with Hamady's play today. He turned the ball over a bit too many times, got sloppy with his ball handling skills, and allowed too many inside passes. Plus, Booker was doing a majority of the defensive work. Hamady's presence on the floor gives him an edge, but his lack of speed and awareness will cost him.
Shortly after the practice, Saunders posted his starting roster and depth chart for us to see.
| Washington Wizards Depth Chart - 2011 | ||||
| STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
| PG | John Wall | Mustafa Shakur | ||
| SG | Nick Young | Jordan Crawford | ||
| SF | Rashard Lewis | Maurice Evans | Josh Howard | |
| PF | Andray Blatche | Trevor Booker | Kevin Seraphin | |
| C | Javale McGee | Yi Jianlian | Hamady N'Diaye | |
Based on the schedule for this year, and the 28 games the Wizards will play, we predict they will go
12-16 with this roster. Not enough to make the playoffs based not only on other teams in the West, but in the NBA in general. Hopefully Shepard will make moves to improve the team and get them to a playoff appearance!
So I decided I'm doing a new Dynasty with some new rules and game settings. My old one with the Pistons was a bit too easy (I was up 30-17 on the Heat...yeah right). So here are a few new setting changes I'm doing.
I decided to do the Wizards because I don't know them very well. Trying to wrap a team around the very talented John Wall should prove to be pretty fun. Hopefully this dynasty will be fun!
Difficulty: All-Star
Games: 29
Team Chemistry: On
Player Roles: Off
Progressive Fatigue: On
Preseason: On
Injuries: On
Playoffs: Best of 5
Quater Length: 7 minutes
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Detroit Trades: Brandon Knight and Tayshaun Prince
Portland Trades: Nicolas Batum and Jamal Crawford
What Detroit Gets
- Youth at the SF position. Tayshaun is an excellent player, but he's showing signs of age. These past few games have proven that he can't keep up with the fast pace offense that Detroit is running with. Batum has speed and can spread the floor. This will help Detroit a lot.
- Acquiring Crawford allows Stuckey to really focus on his PG position, and gives Rip a player to share minutes with. Both of them in their 30s, we expect to see equal playing time at the SG position.
- This trade also frees up a lot of cap space for Detroit.
What Portland Gets
- A young and talented PG. Brandon Knight has the speed and early leadership that the team could desperatly use. Also, having a 2nd PG to play back to back with Jonny Flynn alows a bit more depth to the Blazer roster.
- Tayshaun provides experience and talent to the struggle Portland SF position. Although he's a bit older, he can lead this team to a few wins and motivate others to play hard around him.
- Although this trade does cost them cap space, they have two contracts that will provide a few seasons of results.
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ESTIMATED DEPTH CHART
First Line
PG: Rodney Stuckey
SG: Richard Hamilton
SF: Nicholas Batum
PF: Jason Maxiell
C: Greg Monroe
Although Stuckey is more comfortable at the SG position, he's too undersized for it compared to the rest of the team. This roster puts Stuckey at the point to call plays and be a focal point for the offense. Rip also gets the start, flashing his speed and effectiveness early. Although we do expect his playing time to be limited. Batum will provide a solid push for SF, accumulating a lot of minutes. Maxiell and Monroe round out the big men.
Second Line
PG: Jamal Crawford
SG: Ronnie Brewer
SF: Damien Wilkins
PF: Charlie Villanueva
C: Ben Wallace
This roster really emphasizes the 1 and 2 spot. Crawford and Brewer have similar size and playing styles, and can both EASILY play against other starters and bench teams and score effectively. This provides a lot of depth to the roster, although we are unsure of how happy these players will be in these roles, coming from their starting positions.
Bench
SF: Austin Daye
PG: Will Bynum
PF: Jonas Jerebko
PF: Vernon Macklin
Thursday, April 19, 2012
: 45
: 51
Box Score
| Charlotte Bobcats at Detroit Pistons | |||||
| Nov 21, 2011 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Charlotte (2-1) | 11 | 14 | 5 | 15 | 45 |
| Detroit (1-1) | 10 | 10 | 11 | 20 | 51 |
| Charlotte Bobcats | ||||||||||
| STARTERS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| Kemba Walker | 15 | 4-8 | 0-0 | 3-3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Gerald Henderson | 14 | 4-5 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Corey Maggette | 15 | 2-7 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Tyrus Thomas | 16 | 3-4 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| D.J. White | 14 | 4-5 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| BENCH | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| Matt Carroll | 6 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| D.J. Augustin | 7 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Desagan Dio | 3 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bismack Biyombo | 6 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eduardo Najera | 4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Derrick Brown | 6 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Reggie Williams | DNP | |||||||||
| TEAM TOTALS | 18/37 | 0/2 | 9/11 | 19 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 45 | |
| Detroit Pistons | ||||||||||
| STARTERS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| Rodney Stuckey | 15 | 1-3 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Richard Hamilton | 16 | 6-16 | 5-8 | 8-8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 25 |
| Tayshaun Prince | 17 | 1-3 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Jason Maxiell | 17 | 4-4 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Greg Monroe | 14 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| BENCH | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| Brandon Knight | 8 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2-2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Ronnie Brewer | 4 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Damien Wilkins | 3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Austin Daye | 2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Charlie Vilanueva | 4 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ben Wallace | 5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Bynum | DNP | |||||||||
| TEAM TOTALS | 16/34 | 6/12 | 13/14 | 16 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 51 | |
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Richard Hamilton (25 PTS, 5-8 3PT, 8-8 FT)
"It felt great being out their today man. I felt like I couldn't be stopped. Felt young again, you know? I mean, when the rest of the team doesn't step up to produce numbers, you gotta do what you gotta do to win. So I took the ball whenever I could and tried to make something happen. Glad I could lead my team to a victory tonight."
BOBCATS KEY PLAYER: Kemba Walker (11 PTS, 3 AST, 4-8)
"Tonight was a learning experience. We didn't play well, and we lost because of it. Just have to go back into the locker room, review the tape, figure out what we did wrong, and fix it."
Lawrence Frank, Pistons Head Coach
"Although I may not agree 100% with the trade that happened, I can't argue with the results. Rip played his heart out there today, and it gave us a good win. I think the next struggle we're going to have is making sure everyone on the team is not only happy, but is playing in a spot where they can give us the best results. Our current starting lineup is good, but I'm not sure it's the best option. I may toggle a few things around in future games. For now, we need to concentrate on preparing for the Heat."
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Rip Hamilton took no time at all to get use to returning to his home court. Leading his team to a victory over the struggling Bobcats, Rip seemed very comfortable in his new shoes. Despite the rest of his team getting little chances and converting on them even less, Rip managed to score a season high 25 points to lead Detroit to their second win.
Although Rip's initial return to the Palace was faced with heavy opposition, his teammates showed him support and eventually Detroit came together to win this game. "Despite all that's happened, it's good to have a guy like Rip on your side." Team-mate Ben Wallace said. "He knows how to score, he knows how to get others involved, and he has a lot of passion."
The Stat-Line
- It's not very often you see the better shooting team lose. Bobcats shot 48% to the Pistons 47%
- Taking advantage of the foul line helped Detroit. 92% from free throw where the Bobcats were only 81%.
- 7 turnovers for the Bobcats
- Lots of fouls this game. 16 in total.
- Both benches didn't show up to play. Only 8 points from the Bobcats bench and 9 from Detroit.
The Pistons
- No one could stop Rip Hamilton today. 25 points, shooting 6-16 from the field, 5-8 from beyond the arc, and draining all 8 of his free throws. Welcome back, Rip!
- Maxiell has slowly proven his importance to the team game in and game out. 9 points, 3 rebounds, and a perfect 4-4 shooting.
- Knight took his first game off the bench in stride. Team high 3 assists, 5 points, and 2 steals.
- Greg Monroe continues his three game slump. Only 4 points in 14 minutes, 1 block, and 1-3 shooting. However he lead his team in rebounds with 5.
- Rodney Stuckey couldn't adjust to Rip at SG. Only 2 points and 4 assists, shooting 1-3.
- Austin Daye gets his first minutes of the season and literally does nothing with them. What a joke.
- This game was the first that Will Bynum saw no floor time.
The Bobcats
- The entire team shot fairly well, Magette and Augustin being the only poor shooters.
- Walker played a great game, 11 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 50% shooting.
- D.J. White exploits Detrois weakness in the paint, scoring 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 4-5 shooting.
- Thomas also exploited the same weakness, getting 2 steals, 1 block, and 7 points from down low.
- EVERYONE on the Bobcats recorded at least 1 rebound, except Williams who did not see playing time.
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PISTONS TRADE BEN GORDON AND 2012 FIRST ROUND PICK FOR RICHARD HAMILTON AND RONNIE BREWER
GM Jon Shepard is already making some early season trades in order to try and get the Pistons back on the right foot. Although only 1-1, Shepard released a press release that he "was not content" with his team.
Jon Shepard, Pistons GM
"With the way our team is setup right now, we are in no place to make the playoffs. I think the biggest mistake the previous administration made was trading away the very players that helped us win games. I know, in the past, Rip has proven to be more vocal than we'd like, but I will not ignore the importance of having a guy like him on our team. He knows how to win games and, more importantly, win championships.
This trade also benefits us by giving us Ronnie Brewer. He's a young player with a lot of presence inside the paint. Our team enjoys to run the fast break, and these two players will benefit our game style. Plus, we're freeing up a small amount of cap space for future endeavors."
Gar Foreman, Bulls GM
"I was more than happy to accept this trade. Rip hasn't been the scorer we've needed him to be. We brought him in to bring experience to our team, however the tension he's brought to the locker room has been less than desirable. I guess he got home sick. Having a guy like Ben Gordon back on our team will really help us elevate our game and give us the chance to spread the defense."
Ben Gordon, Bulls
"I'm sad to leave Detroit, but I think this move not only benefits both teams involved, but also benefits myself. I get to go back to the team I love, and actually have a shot at winning a ring for them. I'm more than excited to play alongside Derrick Rose, and I can't wait for the rest of the season.
Richard Hamilton, Pistons
"It's all about winning man. Winning and doing what's best for you. Yeah, Detroit has gone down since our 2004 run, but I think I can help them become better. The Bulls are a great team you know, and Rose is a good guy, but I can at least be the star in Detroit. Very excited to come back the D. Yessirrr"
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This trade not coming a moment too soon, as Detroit prepares themselves to take on the power-house Miami Heat. Rip Hamilton will dress in the 32 as always, and Ronnie Brewer will come out with the #8. The depth chart is listed below for what Lawrence Frank will be putting out against the Bobcats
| Detroit Pistons Depth Chart - | ||||
| STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
| PG | Rodney Stuckey | Brandon Knight | Will Bynum | |
| SG | Richard Hamilton | Ronnie Brewer | ||
| SF | Tayshaun Prince | Damien Wilkins | Austin Daye | |
| PF | Jason Maxiell | Charlie Villanueva | ||
| C | Greg Monroe | Ben Wallace | ||
: 52: 49Box Score
| Minnesota Timberwolves at Detroit Pistons | |||||
| Nov 17, 2011 | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Minnesota (1-1) | 8 | 14 | 13 | 17 | 52 |
| Detroit (1-0) | 12 | 12 | 16 | 9 | 49 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | ||||||||||
| STARTERS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| Ricky Rubio | 14 | 2-6 | 0-1 | 0-2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Wesley Johnson | 16 | 2-4 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Michael Beasley | 16 | 6-8 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Kevin Love | 14 | 3-8 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Nikola Pekovic | 16 | 3-4 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| BENCH | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| Derrick Williams | 6 | 4-4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Luke Ridnour | 5 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| J.J. Barea | 2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Darko Milicic | 3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malcolm Lee | 5 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Anthony Randolph | 4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Martell Webster | 4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| TEAM TOTALS | 22/39 | 3/6 | 5/7 | 18 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 52 | |
| Detroit Pistons | ||||||||||
| STARTERS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| Brandon Knight | 14 | 3-4 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Rodney Stuckey | 14 | 4-7 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Tayshaun Prince | 16 | 3-4 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Jason Maxiell | 15 | 4-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Greg Monroe | 14 | 1-5 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| BENCH | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| Damien Wilkins | 5 | 1-2 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Charlie Vilanueva | 6 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Will Bynum | 7 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Ben Wallace | 5 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Austin Daye | DNP | |||||||||
| Jonas Jerebko | DNP | |||||||||
| TEAM TOTALS | 21/38 | 6/10 | 1.2 | 18 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 49 | |
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Michael Beasley (13 PTS, 1 STL, 6-8)
"Yo. That game was close man! I honestly thought we were out of it. But you know, our coach pulled us aside and was like "Hey guys, go out there and kick this teams ***. Last thing we need right now is to fall apart before our season even begins." I know that really pumped me up to win it in the 4th like we did. Hell yeah man."
PISTONS KEY PLAYER: Jason Maxiell (8 PTS, 7 REB, 4-5)
"We needed a leader today. Sure, we were all getting good lucks and scoring baskets, but we weren't lead by any one player. Without that leadership, we weren't sure who to go to when things started going south. I think that's a big reason why we gave up a 17 point run. No one stepped up and lead us to recover. A coach can only yell so much."
Lawrance Frank, Pistons Head Coach
"You know, it's always hard to lose close games. It's even harder when you're the better team the entire game. Giving up a 17-3 run in the fourth was completely uncalled for. I know my Pistons are better than that, and I'm going to make sure we practice every day so the rest of the guys know we're better than that."
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For the entire game, Detroit looked like they were going to get the W. They were shooting 60% or better, getting all the right rebounds and steals, and really shutting down the Timberwolves. However, the 4th quater had to be played, and that's when Minnesota shined. They went on a huge run (17-3) and put themselves up by 9 points late in the game, a lead that would prove to be fatal for Detroit. Let's take a look at how the game went with some key points
The Stat-Line
- I don't care how well you played the first 3 quaters. If you give up a 17-3 run in the 4th, you'll probably lose.
- Pistons managed to shoot a fantastic 60% from deep.
- 17 assists for Detroit proved to be for nothing.
- 5 fouls against Detroit. Even at home, the whistle can't stop blowing.
- Timberwolves really pounded it inside, scoring 30 in the paint.
- Pistons really dominated from mid-range all game long.
- Detroit shows they can really run the break. 20 points coming on fast breaks.
The Pistons
- Everyone did very average today. 4 players scored 8 points. No one stepped up on offense.
- Maxiell earns his first "key player" of the season, snaggin 7 rebounds and 8 points.
- Prince shot a lot better from three today, hitting both attempts.
- Stuckey started slow, but managed to bounce back and ended up with 8 points and 3 assists.
- Ben Gordon, fumbling so far this season, missed 2 straight three point attempts that could've put Detroit within tying range in the 4th. With a performance like today, I'm not sure how many ending moment looks Gordon will get.
- Another disapointing game for Greg Monroe. Only scoring 3 points and 2 rebounds in 14 minutes. 1-5 shooting. However, he can hang his hat on 2 blocks.
The Timberwolves
- Michael Beasley leads his team to a win and gets "Player of the Game" with 13 points, 1 steal, and 6-8 shooting.
- Another 100% shooter against the Pistons. Williams hit 4-4 and earned 8 points.
- Pekovic is proving he is a powerful center in the NBA. Scoring 7 pints, 7 rebounds, and 3-4 shooting in the paint.
- Despite an average performance from Love, the Twolves win. Love with only 7 points, 3 revounds, and 3-8 shooting.
- Ricky Rubio continues his offensive struggles. Missing both free throws, and only 2-6 shooting for 4 points.
---
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Immediately following the game, news from BlogABull.com (Chicago Bull Fan Forum) stated that GM Shepard has placed Ben Gordon on the trading block, looking for a solid SG or PF to replace the ex-bull and possibly soon to be ex-Piston
Ben Gordon (SG, 74 OVR) has been placed on the Trading Block
Jon Shepard, Pistons GM
"I won't deny the availability of Ben Gordon in the trading market. However, that doesn't mean I'm willing to let him go without a fight."
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
: 58
: 54Box Score
| Detroit Pistons at Los Angeles Clippers | |||||
| Jan 1, | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | SCORE |
| Detroit (0-0) | 16 | 7 | 11 | 24 | 58 |
| Los Angeles (1-0) | 12 | 9 | 15 | 18 | 54 |
| Detroit Pistons | ||||||||||
| STARTERS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| Brandon Knight | 14 | 5-8 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
| Rodney Stuckey | 15 | 5-9 | 0-1 | 4-4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 |
| Tayshaun Prince | 18 | 3-6 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| Jason Maxiell | 17 | 4-4 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Gren Monroe | 12 | 2-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| BENCH | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| Ben Gordon | 8 | 1-2 | 1-1 | 2-2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Will Bynum | 7 | 0-2 | 0-1 | 3-4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Charlie Vilanueva | 4 | 1-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Ben Wallace | 7 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Damien Wilkins | DNP | |||||||||
| Austin Daye | DNP | |||||||||
| Jonas Jerebko | DNP | |||||||||
| TEAM TOTALS | 22/40 | 3/10 | 11/12 | 23 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 58 | |
| Los Angeles Clippers | ||||||||||
| STARTERS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| Chris Paul | 15 | 7-12 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 15 |
| Chauncy Billups | 17 | 5-14 | 2-7 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| Caron Butler | 16 | 3-4 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Blake Griffin | 18 | 3-7 | 0-0 | 1-3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| DeAndre Jordan | 5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| BENCH | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PTS |
| Nick Young | 6 | 3-6 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Kenyon Martin | 15 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Mo Williams | 5 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Randy Foye | 3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ryan Gomes | 4 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eric Bledsoe | DNP | |||||||||
| Travis Leslie | DNO | |||||||||
| TEAM TOTALS | 23/47 | 5/13 | 3/5 | 18 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 54 | |
Player of the Game: Rodney Stuckey (14 PTS, 6 AST, 5-9)
"It feels really good to get a win, especially on the road. After the season we had last year, it's nice to get a road win so early on in the season. You know? Our coach did a good job making sure we all were in the right spots all game long. Beating a team like the Clippers is a huge morale boost."
Clippers Key Player: Chris Paul (15 PTS, 3 AST, 1 STL, 7-12)
"They out played us. Plain and simple. We need to be able to go against these types of teams and produce a win. Honestly any team that gets too confident can lose to anyone. I wish the Pistons good luck, and I have a lot of respect for their team. This game showed us that we need to focus if we want to win against Detroit."
Lawrence Frank, Pistons Head Coach
"I'm happy with how my boys played today. We spread the offense really well, and it seemed like everyone was clicking. Not sure if the new GM has any impact, but we seem to be a different team out there...maybe I'm speaking a bit prematurely. Regardless, we got our first win against a great team."
---
A good start for the Detroit Pistons today with a win over the strong Los Angeles Clippers. Although this win is only one on the long road that is the NBA season, the Pistons can hang their hats knowing they beat a team that most believe will easily make the playoffs this year. The addition of Chris Paul to the Clippers was a strong off-season move, however it was not enough to put them past the refreshed Detroit Pistons. Let's take a look at some key factors in this game.
The Stat-Line
- The Clippers needed to finish their chances. Despite having 7 more shots than the Pistons, they only made 1 more.
- Rebounds played in Detroits favor, grabbing 23 to the Clippers 18
- GM Shepard has tried to focus Detroit on fast breaks. They got it done tonight with 23 on the break.
- Detroit made the most of their free throws, snagging 11 points out of 12 shots.
- Both teams could've done better beyond the arc, 30% for the Pistons and 38% for the Clippers.
Detroit
- The Pistons spread the Clippers thin. Every player that saw minutes got at least 2 points.
- Rodney Stuckey was an all-around player today. Snagging 14 points and 6 assists, even getting a block on Chris Paul on a fast break.
- The young Brandon Knight played well, shooting just over 50% for 11 points
- Jason Maxiell, along with a powerful dunk over Jordan, gathered 10 points with 100% shooting, along with 7 rebounds.
- Although showing signs of age, Tayshaun Prince ran the break well all game and managed 7 points and 3 rebounds.
- Greg Monroe had a silent game. However, with only 12 minutes played, he put up 7 rebounds and a block.
- "6th Man" Ben Gordon saw 8 minutes, yet only produced 5 points and 2 steals.
Los Angeles
- Chris Paul played well, shooting over 60% for 15 points, snagging 3 assist and a steal.
- Chauncy Billups, although grabbing 12 points, took way too many shots. Only 5-14 on the floor and 2-7 from deep.
- Blake Griffin's poor performance might have costed the Clippers their game. Only 7 points in 18 minutes (most minutes of any player tonight) and only 1 rebound.
- Clippers don't seem to be taking DeAndre Jordan seriously. He gets the start at Center, yet only given 5 minutes and was unable to score.
- Nick Young, who was on fire today, only got 8 points in 6 minutes. More time from him could've been a game changer.
---
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TRADE OFFER
Immediately following the game, the Lakers offered the Pistons a trade, that was listed as followed:
Ramon Sessions (PG, 76 OVR)
Jordan Hill (C, 66 OVR)
FOR
Brandon Knight (PG, 73 OVR)
Tayshaun Prince (SF, 77 OVR)
Jon Shepard, Pistons GM
"Yeah right. This trade almost makes no sense. Ramon Sessions wouldn't be a bad addition to the Pistons, but we'd be giving up one of our two small forwards to gain a third center? That would force Wilkins or Jerebko into a starting spot, and would push a weakness into our 3 spot while only providing a small benefit to our PG."
Jon Shepard, Detroit Pistons GM
The time has finally come. The Detroit Pistons have been bought out by a new GM. This GM's name is "Jon Shepard." Mr. Shepard, having no background in the industry before, bought out the Detroit franchise without much notice. Here are the Palace Papers, we were able to get an exclusive interview with the new owner to get a better idea of what he had in store!
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After this interview, Jon Shepard was kind enough to give us his depth chart that he'll be taking in with the season opener against the Clippers
| Detroit Pistons Depth Chart - 2011 | ||||
| STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
| PG | Brandon Knight | Will Bynum | ||
| SG | Rodney Stuckey | Ben Gordon | ||
| SF | Tayshaun Prince | Austin Daye | Damien Wilkins | |
| PF | Jason Maxiell | Charlie Villanueva | Jonas Jerebko | Vernon Macklin |
| C | Greg Monroe | Ben Wallace | ||
- Season Length: 29 Games
- Team Chemistry: On
- Player Roles: On
- Progressive Fatigue: On
- Preseason: Off
- Playoffs: Best of 3
- Quaters: 5min
- Sim Lengths: 6min
- Difficulty: Pro (Because All-Star is a joke in this game)
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