Post by KingsOfKings on Mar 6, 2008 4:07:51 GMT -5
We all know what happened the last time these two teams met. The ugly scene was played all over Sportscenter. I have to give props to a few players from each team who met a couple weeks earlier to talk things over. It wasn't a friendly conversation, but they got each team to agree to play hard, play with passion, but not to play dirty. Props have to go out to Shawn Marion, Baron Davis, Jamont Gordon, Tywon Lawson, and Wayne Ellington.
In order to keep the game clean, I think the Kings may have actually held back a little bit from their normal physical style of play. The Pistons ended up shooting a hot 50.6% from the field and 66.7% from the 3-pt line. Shawn Marion, Elton Brand, Robin Lopez, and Spencer Hawes battled and played excellent defensive games and couldn't get a whole lot going offensively.
The quality of play was superb all game. There was a playoff atmosphere all game long. The two teams battled to a 27-27 tie in the first quarter. A three by Aminu capped an 8 point run to finish the quarter for the Pistons.
The pace picked up in the second quarter as the bench came in and provided energy on both sides. Defense was there, but the offense was just really sharp. The half finished 66-64 in favor of the Kings. There were 20 lead changes in the first half, which is ridiculous.
The Pistons opened up the second half on a quick 7-0 run to go up five in the first minute and a half. The Kings called a timeout to regroup, and the rest of the 3rd quarter was an intense defensive effort on both sides. The Pistons outscored the Kings 25-20 in the quarter to go up by 3, 89-86. Remarkably, the Kings never tied or regained the lead after the Pistons took it over early in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter was basically an epic battle waged by Carmelo Anthony against double teams by the Pistons every time he touched the ball. He had been having a subpar 6 for 15 performance up to that point. Throughout the fourth quarter, Carmelo kept the Kings in it. Carmelo went 7 for 18 and 7-7 from the line to account for nearly all of the Kings points in the 4th quarter.
Carmelo hit an epic double-pump shot-clock beating runner with 13 seconds left to tie the game at 109.
The Pistons, out of timeouts, inbounded to Lawson. He raced to the frontcourt, picked up a bone-rattling screen from Lopez and drove to the basket. Marion used his length to swat the shot off the backboard. The ball whizzed behind Hawes' head and he lunged for it, knocking the ball back toward midcourt. A chaotic loose ball followed with the ball rolling out of bounds off the Pistons, but Ryan Anderson saved it to Pargo who whipped a pass to Aminu coming to the top of the key. He let loose a fadeaway from 19 feet over the outstretched arms of Hawes, The ball bounced high off of the back of the rim. At its peak, the clock reached 0 and the scoreboard backlight flashed. The ball dropped straight down and straight through the net.
Good game Pistons, we'll step it up even more next time.
In order to keep the game clean, I think the Kings may have actually held back a little bit from their normal physical style of play. The Pistons ended up shooting a hot 50.6% from the field and 66.7% from the 3-pt line. Shawn Marion, Elton Brand, Robin Lopez, and Spencer Hawes battled and played excellent defensive games and couldn't get a whole lot going offensively.
The quality of play was superb all game. There was a playoff atmosphere all game long. The two teams battled to a 27-27 tie in the first quarter. A three by Aminu capped an 8 point run to finish the quarter for the Pistons.
The pace picked up in the second quarter as the bench came in and provided energy on both sides. Defense was there, but the offense was just really sharp. The half finished 66-64 in favor of the Kings. There were 20 lead changes in the first half, which is ridiculous.
The Pistons opened up the second half on a quick 7-0 run to go up five in the first minute and a half. The Kings called a timeout to regroup, and the rest of the 3rd quarter was an intense defensive effort on both sides. The Pistons outscored the Kings 25-20 in the quarter to go up by 3, 89-86. Remarkably, the Kings never tied or regained the lead after the Pistons took it over early in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter was basically an epic battle waged by Carmelo Anthony against double teams by the Pistons every time he touched the ball. He had been having a subpar 6 for 15 performance up to that point. Throughout the fourth quarter, Carmelo kept the Kings in it. Carmelo went 7 for 18 and 7-7 from the line to account for nearly all of the Kings points in the 4th quarter.
Carmelo hit an epic double-pump shot-clock beating runner with 13 seconds left to tie the game at 109.
The Pistons, out of timeouts, inbounded to Lawson. He raced to the frontcourt, picked up a bone-rattling screen from Lopez and drove to the basket. Marion used his length to swat the shot off the backboard. The ball whizzed behind Hawes' head and he lunged for it, knocking the ball back toward midcourt. A chaotic loose ball followed with the ball rolling out of bounds off the Pistons, but Ryan Anderson saved it to Pargo who whipped a pass to Aminu coming to the top of the key. He let loose a fadeaway from 19 feet over the outstretched arms of Hawes, The ball bounced high off of the back of the rim. At its peak, the clock reached 0 and the scoreboard backlight flashed. The ball dropped straight down and straight through the net.
Good game Pistons, we'll step it up even more next time.
