Pistons put Spurs away early
Web Posted: 01/11/2008 12:32 AM CST
Jeff McDonald
Express-News
The Detroit Pistons came to San Antonio with a roster full of once and future All-Stars, an NBA championship of recent vintage on their résumé and a will to win forged by the kind of veteran know-how that only comes with age.
Facing them, Spurs guard Tony Parker says, can be a lot like facing a mirror.
"They're tough to play," he said. "It's like playing against ourselves a little bit."
The Pistons, after so thoroughly dismantling their supposed doppelganger 90-80 on Thursday night at the AT&T Center, might be offended by the comparison.
Behind 23 points and 15 rebounds from Rasheed Wallace and a bruising defensive effort lifted from their "Bad Boy" days, the Pistons, who fancy themselves NBA le contenders, reduced the league's reigning champion to rubble on its own home floor.
The game was essentially decided in the final six minutes of the first quarter, during which the Pistons outscored the Spurs 22-2, transforming what had been a nip-and-tuck affair into a rout.
If there is such a thing as a statement victory in January, this was it for the Pistons, who had been blown out in Dallas a night earlier and came to town on a two-game losing streak.
"Perseverance, I guess that's the word," Wallace said. "We are a veteran team, and we showed that tonight in the way we erased a blowout."
The Spurs, fresh off a stinging 130-121 overtime loss at Golden State three nights earlier, could not engineer the same kind of rebound. They lost for the eighth time in 14 games, and for the third time at home this season.
Before the second quarter was over, the Spurs (23-11) were mired in a 20-point hole from which they could not emerge.
The difference during the decisive stretch was defense, or in the Spurs' case, a lack thereof. They allowed the Pistons to score on 12 consecutive possessions in the first half, failing to muster a stop for 61/2 minutes.
"That," the Spurs' Tim Duncan said, "will hurt you."
Give Spurs coach Gregg Popovich credit for prognostication. He saw this coming.
After losing at Dallas, the Pistons (27-9) arrived at the AT&T Center ill-tempered, but also well-rested. Their starters did not play in the final 91/2 minutes against the Mavericks, leaving them primed for a fresh start against the Spurs.
"Most good teams react very well to losses," Popovich said. "If a team doesn't play as well as it would like, you can bet, if it's a good team, the next night it will look a whole lot different."
By that rationale, the Minnesota Timberwolves — the Spurs' next foes — are in big trouble.
Thursday's game represented the ultimate in whack-a-mole frustration for the Spurs. One game after scoring 121 points in defeat at Golden State, they lost to Detroit because they couldn't crack 90.
Four Pistons scored in double figures Thursday, including Richard Hamilton, who poured in 16 of his 18 in the first half.
The Spurs, meanwhile, got a 24-point, 15-rebound effort from Duncan, 10 points out of Jacque Vaughn and little out of everyone else.
Bumped and bruised by Chauncey Billups, Detroit's battering ram of a lead guard, Parker was hassled into missing nine of 12 shots on his way to nine points.
"Timmy and Jacque needed help tonight," Popovich said, "and they didn't get it."
The Spurs fought back, rallying to within seven points early in the fourth quarter before Detroit's defense stiffened.
Then, Antonio McDyess threw in a jumper. Lindsey Hunter hit a 3-pointer. Billups broke loose for a layup.
And that was the difference Thursday night between two would-be le contenders.
One team played at a championship level for four quarters. The other did not. By night's end, there was no comparison.
"Detroit played better than us," Parker said. "They outplayed us, they were more physical. They did the stuff to win the game."
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LINK: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...r.2a3b9f8.html
@ when Pop pulls the Jacque Vaughn card. He pulled that card against Denver last year after game one. It's like his more friendly version of the soft card.
But hopefully we see the soft card pulled before too much longer. That usually signals the time the Spurs actually start trying.
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