Spurs vs. Pistons 11/6-GameBlog

[urunobili]

what a crazy game the Heat vs the Celts...

[Chieflion]

Can't believe the Celtics caught up to the Heat.

[angelbelow]

Nice hands, blair once again making things happen.

[blkroadrunners]

i had a feeling Pistons would give the Spurs a hard time. And alot of people thought this would be an easy win.

Same here. Pistons seem to always bring their A-game against the Spurs.

[JamStone]

4 on Duncan?

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I don't have any problem with how the money was spent. It'd just be nice to have a somewhat healthy roster. The rebuild still isn't done. But CV and Gordon are nice pieces to the puzzle.

Fair enough. I thought they were a bit overpaid.

[urunobili]

Can't believe the Celtics caught up to the Heat.

Have u seen the last 4er of that game? just crazy they were down 10 with 6 min to go in the 4th... then Wade with the steal and dunk and then Rondo with 0.6 left with the alley oop to send it to OT... crazy...

[Pistons < Spurs]

Question for pistonfan... since they played the Mavs last night... do the Spurs get as much home cooking as the Mavs?



There were definitely a couple of calls I didn't like last night against the Mavs ... but to be honest we had just as many go our way that shouldn't have. I haven't had a problem with the officiating tonight. Considering our record, and both games being on the road, I expected far more 'home' calls to hurt us in both.

[Spurs Brazil]

TD 4th foul

Pistons killing us on the boards in the 3rd

[alchemist]

:lol dribble...dribble...foul

deja vu every play.

[ElNono]

Last night game against the Mavs was close until late in the 4th...
They're playing a back to back though... and sometimes it looks like our players are more tired than their players...

[ElNono]

There were definitely a couple of calls I didn't like last night against the Mavs ... but to be honest we had just as many go our way that shouldn't have. I haven't had a problem with the officiating tonight. Considering our record, and both games being on the road, I expected far more 'home' calls to hurt us in both.

Thanks

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Manu's a spot up shooting bum now.

Yeah, because he hasn't gone to the rack at all, nor has he racked up 4 asts, stolen the ball, and played harassing D... :rolleyes

[Chieflion]

Have u seen the last 4er of that game? just crazy they were down 10 with 6 min to go in the 4th... then Wade with the steal and dunk and then Rondo with 0.6 left with the alley oop to send it to OT... crazy...
I thought they were done.

[Spurs Brazil]

Here we go

Small ball

[Spurs Brazil]

Hill 3333333333333333333

[Pistons < Spurs]

and the triples start to fall again ..... :bang

[angelbelow]

Hill hasnt been playing well, nice to see him hit that shot.

[DPG21920]

You only get you wish when TP plays D or when pigs fly, which ever comes first. Now, you can shut your pie hole.

Shut up please.

[Chieflion]

Atkins tried the behind the shoulder pass but Blair wasn't having any of that.

[ElNono]

Here we go

Small ball

[timtonymanu]

nice shot by Hill. But he still sucks tonight.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Hill hasnt been playing well, nice to see him hit that shot.

Yeah. It was real nice to see......



:lol

[Spurs Brazil]

Good job Hill and Dice on that play

[Vinnie_Johnson]

Score?

[ElNono]

dribble, dribble, shot.... no rebound... 2nd chance point... :pctoss

[alchemist]

Rip going Jordan on the Spurs

[Pistons < Spurs]

Gonna be a good 4th qtr.

[Chieflion]

Can the guys start the 4th quarter on a run? I want to win the vbookie.

[Spurs Brazil]

Spurs up 77-75 after the 3rd

Pistons scored 4pts because off rebs

FUCK SMALL BALL

[Kriz-Maxima]

Awesome.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Score?

Spurs 77-75 end of 3rd

[z0sa]

Mason has played decent on Hamilton .. Hill is disappointing

[timtonymanu]

in 05, this would have been the final score.

[bdubya]

Score?

Spurs up 2 going into the 4th. This oughta be good.

[Spurs Brazil]

And TP is doing a horrible job running the team tonight. He's not passing the ball and only taking Js

[Vinnie_Johnson]

Spurs 77-75 end of 3rd

Thanks

[z0sa]

In 05, these teams were contenders.



:stirpot:

[Pistons < Spurs]

Great job by Max and Ben on the glass in the 3rd to bring us back. But the Pistons are going to need some offense from someone other than Rip.

[dbestpro]

Shut up please.

Move the needle, your record is stuck.

[timtonymanu]

the rebounds really slipped for the spurs in the 3rd.

[ffadicted]

A lotta spurs fans gonna look a lot of vbookie cash tonight lol
I honestly thought the spurs would've looked a lot better then this tonight, hopefully we pick it up in the fourth, especially on D

[ElNono]

Mason has played decent on Hamilton ..

We really have a completely different vision of what 'decent' means when it comes to defense... :lol

[Chieflion]

And TP is doing a horrible job running the team tonight. He's not passing the ball and only taking Js
Actually, he did go to the rim, most of them were fouls or misses though. The Spurs just don't have that different dimension when Parker or Hill are playing point though, making it hard to play a different style when needed.

[bdubya]

Nice way to start the quarter

[JamStone]

Damn vbookie.

I tried to tell you guys that the Pistons might not be a good team but they're not 10 straight losses bad. Last night's game showed signs that they could be competitive against most teams, even the elites on most nights.

[ElNono]

Touch foul on Tony?... /facepalm

[alchemist]

Spurs up 77-75 after the 3rd

Pistons scored 4pts because off rebs

FUCK SMALL BALL
the Spurs could play Theo/Tim/Dice/Ian/Haislip and they'll find a way to not get those rebounds :lol

[portpower_11]

What's about Rockets-Suns game!

Suns started 19:5,

Rockets made a 30 pts turnaround, and SUNs only scored 2 pts in the first 5 mis of Q2

Suns came back again, the game then went to tie early Q3

[Spurs Brazil]

And one Ben Gordon

FUCK SMALL BALL

[Pistons < Spurs]

In 05, these teams were contenders.



:stirpot:

:depressed I thought we were going to see many more battles between the 2 clubs.

[Chieflion]

I tried to tell you guys that the Pistons might not be a good team but they're not 10 straight losses bad. Last night's game showed signs that they could be competitive against most teams, even the elites on most nights.
Can't I be confident in my favorite team. They are disappointing.

[angelbelow]

play blair

[Pistons < Spurs]

C'mon Dice.... help your old team out a bit!

[Pistons < Spurs]

Hustling for rebounds!

[Spurs Brazil]

TP and one!!!!!!!

[z0sa]

Nice! I might make the spread after all

[ElNono]

Hmmmmmm........... I'll take the AND1.... but hmmmmmm.... :lol

[timtonymanu]

Cmon Spurs!!!!

[Chieflion]

Ball don't lie.

[z0sa]

We really have a completely different vision of what 'decent' means when it comes to defense... :lol

he's sucked, I agree, but he's forced at least 3-4 missed I've counted .. nowadays, my expectations have been lowered considerably

[Kriz-Maxima]

smacks forehead*

[ElNono]

Looks like we're making a run...

[ElNono]

Pistons showing wear?

[Chieflion]

I am disappointed. Atkins can guard Parker now and Wilcox can play defense.

[z0sa]

Looks like we're making a run...

hell yeah!!

[ElNono]

Manu flop... :tu :tu :tu

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Ro Money has been fantastic since Finley went down and he got more minutes.

Please retire, Fin.

[JamStone]

Lol but I guess I posted too soon

[Kriz-Maxima]

A timeout?

[anonoftheinternets]

cmon vbookie ..

[Spurs Brazil]

Mason Jr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dbestpro]

The seige is on.

[Chieflion]

Above the spread now. Finally. Just blow them out now so I can get my cash.

[ElNono]

I told ya'll niggaz the Spurs were just messin' with ya'll... :lol

[anonoftheinternets]

yesssssssss vbookie richness .. here i come...

[timtonymanu]

Money Mason!!!!

[urunobili]

lol Miami

[Spurs Brazil]

Defense is better in the 4th, but we must finish it with a board

[blkroadrunners]

Spurs pulling away *crosses fingers*

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

pistons getting tired here come the kill :D

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

The b2b is really starting to tell for Detroit.

[z0sa]

The b2b is really starting to tell for Detroit.

That's the only reason I bet for a double digit win. Such a close game before, and the Spurs got some rest and coming off an angering loss.

[Spurs Brazil]

Hornets won against the Thunder

I think now we have 11 teams at 500 or more in the West

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I told ya'll niggaz the Spurs were just messin' with ya'll... :lol

Second of a b2b and they fade in the 4th Q - it's hardly freakin neurosurgery.

[TIMMYD!]

Are y'all looking at the defense we're playing, it's crazy tight.

[ElNono]

jeez

[z0sa]

spurs d tries so hard..

[Chieflion]

Guys, how did Charlie become so good at rebounds?

[Pistons < Spurs]

C'mon Detroit!

[ElNono]

Villanueva playing volleyball in the paint, why don't you...

[Spurs Brazil]

Small ball...

[ElNono]

Bring in Tim and Blair and close this sucker out...

[Pistons < Spurs]

Pistons FT's:

14-25 ...... :bang:bang:bang

[z0sa]

..so hard ..

[Spurs Brazil]

Another one

Put another big there Pop, SHIT

[dbestpro]

Nice play by Dice.

[ElNono]

Who would of guessed Manu would spot up and stop being agressive.

Manu is the only one that has been playing with some passion out there...
He's not going to shoot 70%...

[Chieflion]

Thanks for keeping the spread alive, Mason for 3.

[timtonymanu]

too many rebounds!!

[Pistons < Spurs]

Now or never Pistons...

[alchemist]

Pistons running out of gas, thankfully. :toast

[z0sa]

fatigue taking over?

[Chieflion]

Manu is killing those Pistons with his flops.

[Spurs Brazil]

Good job Manu

[ElNono]

Manu 2x Flop :tu :tu :tu
That one for the haters...

[dbestpro]

You knew that was coming for Rip.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Austin Daye time!!!!!!! Instant offense! ... I hope!

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

This is the new Manu - less athletic, but super super smart and annoying. I think he can play smart and be effective for another 3 years.

[ffadicted]

Spurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs!!! :D

[Chieflion]

That sealed it up. Austin Daye....fail.

[dbestpro]

Tony played D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Spurs Brazil]

Tp!!!!!

[Brazil]

nice TP

[Pistons < Spurs]

So confusing when Tay and Daye are both in the game together ... lol

[JamStone]

Jeez Pistons just stopped playing

[Kriz-Maxima]

After 3 encouraging quarter it quickly went awry in the 4th.

[ElNono]

Manu not driving anymore??? What??

[Chieflion]

This is the new Manu - less athletic, but super super smart and annoying. I think he can play smart and be effective for another 3 years.
Whatcha say again? That was an athletic move there.

[Brazil]

TP to close this shit

[Brazil]

TP and Manu

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Who would of guessed Manu would spot up and stop being agressive.

Sorry? He's gone to the rim quite a bit tonight.

Why are you so relentlessly negative? You and dbestpro can never say a positive word. :rolleyes

[Pistons < Spurs]

So I guess Stuckey is injured worse than they originally thought?

[z0sa]

This is the new Manu - less athletic, but super super smart and annoying. I think he can play smart and be effective for another 3 years.

I certainly hope so. It's likely the Tim Duncan era's success relies upon it.

[Spurs Brazil]

Spurs up 12

Time out

[ElNono]

Jeez Pistons just stopped playing

I think they got tired... Rip keeps on curling, but the rest of the team is not moving...

[blkroadrunners]

Hey Pistonfan or whomever, where's that Jonas brother?

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Whatcha say again? That was an athletic move there.

Sure, but he's picking his spots rather than driving willy-nilly on 75% of his plays like he used to.

I like it - he gets to the rim when the defence gives him the crack, otherwise he plays it smart and looks to shoot open Js or set others up.

[ElNono]

Manu is finally getting decent at HEB commercials... that poker/brisket commercial is funny...

[urunobili]

So confusing when Tay and Daye are both in the game together ... lol

Daye started strong but now he slowed down doesn't he?

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I think they got tired... Rip keeps on curling, but the rest of the team is not moving...

2nd of btb... duh... ;)

[z0sa]

Fatigue is definitely a factor. the Pistons are playing physical and it's wearing on them.

[Chieflion]

Sure, but he's picking his spots rather than driving willy-nilly on 75% of his plays like he used to.

I like it - he gets to the rim when the defence gives him the crack, otherwise he plays it smart and looks to shoot open Js or set others up.
I just found it funny whenever you say something, the opposite happens. Otherwise, Ginobili has always been a smart player.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Hey Pistonfan or whomever, where's that Jonas brother?

No clue. Started last game. DNP tonight. Coach is still tring to figure out the rotation.He's struggled a bit, moving to the 4, since Tay came back though.

[Kriz-Maxima]

Hey Pistonfan or whomever, where's that Jonas brother?

I have been wondering that myself.

[alchemist]

tough situation with Manu, you want him to drive but you hate to see him fall so much with his old body...:depressed

[ffadicted]

Tony's ability to get in the paint amazes me

[Pistons < Spurs]

Daye started strong but now he slowed down doesn't he?

I think he's only seen 5 minutes in the last 5 games. No minutes once Rip, Ben and Tay returned to the lineup.

[Chieflion]

They are definitely tired now.

[ElNono]

We're going to need much better D for Friday though... this shit of playing hard the 4th quarter won't fly against better teams....

[Pistons < Spurs]

What kind of chicken shit arena you all having us play in? Your floor is coming apart!

[ffadicted]

OH what the fuck lol... I bet grizzly was responsible for this destruction lol

[ElNono]

Well, the beast broke the floor... it was bound to happen... :lol

[Chieflion]

Shitty court. Lousy material.

[bdubya]

Bats, disintegrating floorboards...try some upkeep, SA...

[NickiRasgo]

DeJuan Blair stepped on it.

[siraulo23]

wtf

[anonoftheinternets]

lol .. floor ..

[Brazil]

tp 23 shooting 50%

[angelbelow]

lol how oddd

[Pistons < Spurs]

1 million and 1 uses for Duct Tape!

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I just found it funny whenever you say something, the opposite happens. Otherwise, Ginobili has always been a smart player.

Yeah, that happens a lot, but not in this case. Look back at my post - I said he's "less athletic", and he is - 3 years ago he'd have finished that drive with a dunk.

And yes, he's always been smart, but now he's realized that he has to change his game because his body can't quite do what it used to. He's playing smarter than ever. I love it.

[ElNono]

LOL duct tape....

[ElNono]

Just cut Ian and replace the floor... :lol

[Pistons < Spurs]

Ok coach you can sit our starters....

[Chieflion]

The duct tape looks awkward.

[Brazil]

I think Detroit will be fine with all the injuries everybody is a little bit out of game shape but the team is solid

[Chieflion]

They better don't fuck with the spread, especially Haislip.

[ElNono]

Scrub time... good game...

Pistons fans classy as usual, thanks for stopping by :toast

[pawe]

Glad to finally see RMJ getting over the slump.

[ffadicted]

Oh no pop taking in for garbage minutes he's gonna kill my vbookie :(

[dbestpro]

Shotty Mexican carpentry.

Its made from caliche.

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

my vbookie in danger..

[Spurs Brazil]

Blair and one!

[Chieflion]

DeJuan Blair's reverse should be in the top 10.

[Brazil]

scrub time... Good game...

Pistons fans classy as usual, thanks for stopping by :toast

+1

[ElNono]

Floor is Made in China... it's actually wood-colored plastic... :lol

[ElNono]

Now we have to endure shitty floor comments in the NBA forum for the next 4 years.

Can't say it's not embarrassing... but there's worse: See Arenas, Gilbert

[blkroadrunners]

Bats fly through the arena, water cannons burst out, floor board cracks....what next SA??

[Spurs Brazil]

Pistons with 18 off rebs

[ElNono]

Bats fly through the arena, water cannons burst out, floor board cracks....what next SA??

I'm glad they didn't find poop from the rodeo under the floor board...

[blkroadrunners]

No clue. Started last game. DNP tonight. Coach is still tring to figure out the rotation.He's struggled a bit, moving to the 4, since Tay came back though.

Ah, there he is...

[TIMMYD!]

Not trying to be negative, but Detroit has 18 offensive boards...

[ElNono]

LOL Kwame Brown...

[blkroadrunners]

I'm glad they didn't find poop from the rodeo under the floor board...

:lmao Ah, the rodeo.

[TIMMYD!]

Pistons with 18 off rebs

You beat me to it, Spurs Brazil.

[Spurs Brazil]

Spurs win 112-92

[Pistons < Spurs]

Congrats Spurs. I was really hoping for a split on this Texas trip. But at least we competed for 7 of the 8 qtrs.

Glad to see Dice play so well .. even if it was against us. Just get him a ring!

I like Blair. He made some real nice passes and attacks the glass well. Looks like he could offer quite a bit more offensively if asked/needed to.

Hill, despite me hearing so much about him all the time on here, didn't impress me tremendously.

Jefferson starting to settle in? The few times I've watched the Spurs this year, he's looked pretty good. Yet I constantly see threads crapping on him.

Good luck this year. Look forward to our game in February.

[ffadicted]

All in favor of letting Marcus Haislip get 10-15 minutes in a game say aye lol

[z0sa]

lol malik blocked the shot out of that

[siraulo23]

spurs win!!!

vbookie win!

[urunobili]

the way Haislip runs is SO similar to Horry's... the form and body language when he does so.. anyone noticed the same thing?

[anonoftheinternets]

spurs winnn!

[senorglory]

So... is old Manu getting back to the Manu of old? He's been huge for the Spurs over a nice sized recent streak. Energy, steals, threes, sneaky-deaky drives to the basket... is it too soon to be optimistic?

Man oh man, look out if we got ourselves a live Manu!

[ElNono]

Well, if this game doesn't come with a good bitching from Pop to the guys, then I'll be disappointed. Can't just show up for 1 quarter and expect to win the games that matter.

[senorglory]

spurs win!!!

vbookie win!

vnice!

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Congrats Spurs. I was really hoping for a split on this Texas trip. But at least we competed for 7 of the 8 qtrs.

Glad to see Dice play so well .. even if it was against us. Just get him a ring!

I like Blair. He made some real nice passes and attacks the glass well. Looks like he could offer quite a bit more offensively if asked/needed to.

Hill, despite me hearing so much about him all the time on here, didn't impress me tremendously.

Jefferson starting to settle in? The few times I've watched the Spurs this year, he's looked pretty good. Yet I constantly see threads crapping on him.

Good luck this year. Look forward to our game in February.

Class. :toast

All the best.

[BanditHiro]

the way Haislip runs is SO similar to Horry's... the form and body language when he does so.. anyone noticed the same thing?


Obviously Pop doesn't notice it or else he would be in the rotation if he was anything like Horry

[blkroadrunners]

Congrats Spurs. I was really hoping for a split on this Texas trip. But at least we competed for 7 of the 8 qtrs.

Glad to see Dice play so well .. even if it was against us. Just get him a ring!

I like Blair. He made some real nice passes and attacks the glass well. Looks like he could offer quite a bit more offensively if asked/needed to.

Hill, despite me hearing so much about him all the time on here, didn't impress me tremendously.

Jefferson starting to settle in? The few times I've watched the Spurs this year, he's looked pretty good. Yet I constantly see threads crapping on him.

Good luck this year. Look forward to our game in February.

:toast to you and the other Piston fans

[NickiRasgo]

What's vbookie? :D Nice win Spurs. :D

[TJastal]

Wow the refs in this game are horrible.

[L.I.T]

Congrats Spurs. I was really hoping for a split on this Texas trip. But at least we competed for 7 of the 8 qtrs.

Glad to see Dice play so well .. even if it was against us. Just get him a ring!

I like Blair. He made some real nice passes and attacks the glass well. Looks like he could offer quite a bit more offensively if asked/needed to.

Hill, despite me hearing so much about him all the time on here, didn't impress me tremendously.

Jefferson starting to settle in? The few times I've watched the Spurs this year, he's looked pretty good. Yet I constantly see threads crapping on him.

Good luck this year. Look forward to our game in February.

Posts like this make me miss the pre-Billups trade Pistons.

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

lol 18 offensive rebounds for the pistons

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Thank god.

It's very eerie to see the shell of a once great team trying to compete in this NBA. I mean this Detroit Pistons team went to two finals in a row (something the Spurs will most likely never do) and won one of them. They were the cream of the crop only five years ago. Now look at them. I love Rip and Tayshaun, even feel alright bout Wallace. But Wallace is nothing now. Besides Rip and Tayshaun (Isn't it crazy to admit that they are grizzled NBA veterans now?) they are a team of scrubs + one hired gun in Ben Gordan.

Five years.

Makes you still feel appreciative, to realize, that five years later, while we may not be cream of the crop, we aren't dropping over ten games in a row. No, we're still on pace for another FIFTY wins, and still going to compete in the playoffs.

So glad we showed this team. It's a good little rivalry, last thing I wanted to see was us underestimate the Pistons.

[howbouthemspurs]

the spurs are looking so good right now... other teams beware!!

[Pistons < Spurs]

lol 18 offensive rebounds for the pistons

I think Villanueva had half of those on just 3 possessions!

[Manudona]

What kind of chicken shit arena you all having us play in? Your floor is coming apart!

It was either the floor or going over the cap with the Spurs frugality

[007nites]

This game broke Timmy's 20 and 10 average :(

[jmanu20]

This game broke Timmy's 20 and 10 average :(

I'm certain Timmy doesn't care since we got the W, although we might need a 20/10 from him depending on who decides to show up against the Mavs on Friday.

[TJastal]

This game broke Timmy's 20 and 10 average :(

I know, I'm crying as I write this. Terrible and tragic news indeed.

[TD 21]

All in favor of letting Marcus Haislip get 10-15 minutes in a game say aye lol

I'd prefer Ratliff, but either option I'd be in favor of. With Bonner out and Pop intent on keeping Duncan, McDyess and Blair's minutes managed, the Spurs need another big to eat up some minutes. To me, this was the perfect time to play Ratliff 10-15 mpg for a month, but Pop is so concerned with saving him for the playoffs (as if at any point he'll be needed for 40 mpg) that he uses him sparingly. Too often, the Spurs are playing one of Duncan, McDyess or Blair at center with Jefferson as the power forward; heck, I've even seen a lineup where Bogans is the power forward. It's ridiculous and they're lucky to have gotten away with it for the most part, but that doesn't mean it should continue until Bonner is back.

[007nites]

I'm certain Timmy doesn't care since we got the W, although we might need a 20/10 from him depending on who decides to show up against the Mavs on Friday.

I'm sure he does care a little bit considering he's only 150 points away from 20,000 points in which only 32 players in the history of the NBA have achieved. Also, Dirk is only 70 points away from 20,000 points.

[L.I.T]

I'm sure he does care a little bit considering he's only 150 points away from 20,000 points in which only 32 players in the history of the NBA have achieved. Also, Dirk is only 70 points away from 20,000 points.

I'm sure he still doesn't care that much. When has TD ever been about the stats? All indications are, he just does what the teams need to win (ie. Pop going on and on and on and on about how coachable he's been his entire career)

[NFGIII]

All in favor of letting Marcus Haislip get 10-15 minutes in a game say aye lol

So long as the Spurs are 20 pts up going into the 4th Q.

I still wonder what the Spurs saw in him to give him that contract.

Got the win tonight but they have got to clean up on those offensive boards that the Pistons got. Against better offensive teams that probably lead to a L.

:flag:

[Lebron4MVP]

I think Detroit will be fine with all the injuries everybody is a little bit out of game shape but the team is solid


Why can't people just admit that the Pistons aren't a very good team? I mean you can't say injuries is main reason for their struggles. The fact is they are at best a below average team. They are 11-23 and losers of 11 straight for a reason. It is because that team isn't very good.

[silverblackfan]

The Spurs kept up the offensive pressure for the whole game and turned up the defense a lot in the 4th. Score B- for this one. That 1st half was not the best defense in the world. Side note: Man, I still like Rip. That guy is a good player and never seems to cause any drama. Would have been a great Spur.

[ezau]

Congrats Spurs. I was really hoping for a split on this Texas trip. But at least we competed for 7 of the 8 qtrs.

Glad to see Dice play so well .. even if it was against us. Just get him a ring!

I like Blair. He made some real nice passes and attacks the glass well. Looks like he could offer quite a bit more offensively if asked/needed to.

Hill, despite me hearing so much about him all the time on here, didn't impress me tremendously.

Jefferson starting to settle in? The few times I've watched the Spurs this year, he's looked pretty good. Yet I constantly see threads crapping on him.

Good luck this year. Look forward to our game in February.

Thanks! It's actually sad to see the Pistons go this low but hey, all teams rebuild. I believe that in a couple of years, the Pistons will be in the mix.

[Blackjack]

Hot-shooting Spurs get 23 from Parker in win over Detroit (http://www.nba.com/games/20100106/DETSAS/gameinfo.html)
By Tim Price, for NBA.com

SAN ANTONIO (NBA.com exclusive) -- There's still more than half a season to find out if the Spurs have built another championship team. But, so far, they have done this: it's beginning to look like the best shooting team in San Antonio in a decade and a half.

For the seventh time in the past nine games the Spurs shot better than 50 percent on Wednesday night, and that was never more apparent than when the Pistons -- who look peskier than their current streak of 11-straight losses indicates -- got close. Tied 19 seconds into the fourth quarter, the Spurs hit five of their next six shots and drew away from Detroit for a 112-92 victory at AT&T Center.

"I think our energy turned up," said Roger Mason Jr., who had a driving layup and a midrange jumper in that run early in the fourth quarter when the Spurs missed just one shot and blew out to an 88-77 lead after being tied just 2:48 earlier. "We got stops, and on the other end we really shared the ball and executed."

Tony Parker scored 23 points on 8-for-16 shooting. In fact, every San Antonio player that took a shot hit 50 percent or better, from garbage-time reserve Marcus Haislip's 1 for 2 to Richard Jefferson's 7 for 10.

After a blip in the loss column on the road three nights ago in Toronto, the Spurs (21-12) have won six of their last seven and 12 of the last 15 since a three-game losing streak the first week of December.

As far as the Spurs' hot shooting, this time they hit 58 percent from the floor. That was capped off when they outscored Detroit 35-17 in the fourth quarter and hit 15 of 20.

San Antonio is third in the league this season in shooting percentage. The Spurs are hitting 48 percent, and that would make for their best percentage since the 1994-95 team hit 48 percent.

"It's not magic. They go in or they don't," coach Gregg Popovich said. "That's why you try to play defense, because you can always count on that."

And it's what made Detroit (11-23) wilt. The Pistons committed half of their 16 turnovers in the fourth quarter, and the Spurs scored 14 points off those final-quarter mistakes.

"I thought we played very aggressive in the first three quarters, then in the fourth quarter we didn't take care of the basketball," Detroit coach John Kuester said. "We only had two turnovers in the first half, and we ended up having 14 turnovers in the second half.

"When you're on the road you don't want to put yourself in a position where you beat yourselves. That's what happened tonight. The Spurs were the aggressors."

And, after finally putting a cap on their own turnovers by making one mistake in the fourth quarter after 11 in the first three, the Spurs were very efficient with the ball.

San Antonio had 30 assists on 43 baskets. The Spurs knocked down 8 of 14 3-pointers. They outscored Detroit 24-15 on the fast break, including 12-0 in the second quarter.

"Pop is always on us about moving the ball and hitting the first open man," Jefferson said. "There is no need to keep searching for your shot. You dump it off to the first open man and everything kind of materializes from there."

The Spurs hit all four of their 3-pointers in the second quarter, but the fast break was really the key in allowing them to break open a 40-40 tie into a 59-52 halftime lead. After that tie score with 6:10 to go, San Antonio scored on four fast breaks. That included a 3-point play by Manu Ginobili, and the Spurs overall went on a 7-for-9 streak from the floor to close out the half with a seven-point lead.

"They made runs," said Richard Hamilton, who led Detroit with 29 points after going 12 for 22. "They do what they do. We just have to be better, have to be poised at the beginning of quarters and also finish quarters."

Hamilton is one of the Pistons' few bright spots. He's 20 for 36 the past two nights after going 13 for 54 in the in the first three games following his return from a sore right hamstring.

The Spurs started the game by hitting five of their first six shots, but their fourth turnover in the first 7:58 attributed to the Pistons' 22-18 lead. Hamilton was the beneficiary as he picked up a loose ball after Ben Wallace's steal of Tim Duncan down low and raced almost full court for a layup over Mason. He hit a free throw after Mason's foul and had 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting in the first quarter.

He was 2 for 3 in the decisive fourth quarter including a 3-pointer, but the rest of the starters failed to score as the Spurs pulled away.

"We knew at the end of the game we needed to turn it up and try to get the breaking point," Mason said.

It was apparent they did.