PocketJacks's Blog

Pistons Playoff Blog

By PocketJacks | View all Posts
Posted Saturday, April 19, 2008 10:50 AM   37 comments

I am going to keep a running blog going and recap and talk about the games/series as the Pistons try to march for the title.

 

Could it be a rematch of 04' with the Lakers and Pistons meeting in the Finals?

 

Boston will be tough to beat, but the Pistons have fresher legs and a world of playoff experience behind them, should be fun.

 

Feel free to chime in as I spend the next month and a half cheering on my home team.

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PocketJacks says:
04/20/08 02:12PM
Well, it starts tonight for the Pistons. This Philly team does scare me a little though. They played well against Detroit during the regular season. In the end, the Pistons vets will get them through.

Having a tough first round opponent will hopefully keep them grounded for a title run.

See you after the game.

PocketJacks says:
04/21/08 07:43PM
Just as I said before this series started, this Philly team scares me a little though.

The Pistons were up by 15 at one point, and let them hang around. With that awful shooting second half they had, they made it a little easier on Philly to get back in it.

Maxiell and Sheed played like beasts, but the rest of the starters and bench played pooh pooh.

The sports talk radio shows today had people calling in and blaming Flip. I thought Flip called 2 great plays at the end of the game with 15 seconds to go. First, Tay Tay missed a wide open jumper, then Sheed takes it down low to the hole and misses the bunny. Can't blame that on the coach, and like Flip said "I don't coach missed shots".

Hopefully this will be their early wake up call, but I still see this thing going 6 games.

See everyone after Wednesday's game.

Weathered says:
04/21/08 09:19PM
I think your guys will bounce back and win this series in 6....maybe even 5. It seemed like when they went up by 15 they kinda geared everything down. I doubt that will happen again. If it does Flip will be looking for a job in the NBA for a long time.
SecondAgain says:
04/22/08 12:40AM
Nice work PJ.
Weathered says:
04/23/08 10:36PM
Pistons looked much better in game 2. I think game 1 was a wake up call for them and they streamroll to win this series in 5.
PocketJacks says:
04/24/08 06:09PM
Thanks SA.

You are right Weathered, they did look good. Still think it will go 6, and Philly might just take this next game. My roommate was telling me he would jump all over the Sixers plus the 10 points the other night and I laughed at him. I told him that Philly covered the spread in 3 out of 4 games in the regular season, winning out right in 2 of those, and then covered and won in Game 1 of the playoffs. And the spread is 10? They want every square egg to jump all over Philly in game 2 getting DD's, and sure enough. We were laughing last night as Detroit was up by over 20 points, and all I could say was "I told you so". He didn't bet it, but hopefully learned a lesson.

As I was watching that game last night while trying to sweat out some lbs. on the ole elliptical, I kept screaming out "Why the fuck is he even in the game". That player I was referring to.......Jarvis Hayes.

I have hated this guy all season and from what I was seeing in the first half, I could not believer he was in and not Afflalo. Hayes does not do anything except sit out at the 3 point line or in and miss jumpers. He can't defend and does not know how to fill lanes.

Afflalo on the other hand, might be a rookie, but plays very aggresive on both sides of the ball. I like how he is not scared to drive into the teeth of the D and take it to the rack. He plays some solid D too. Hayes is a waste and stealing his minutes. I was glad later in the game that Afflalo got in, and it was nice to see Amere Johnson getting some PT too.

Game 3 is going to be rocking on Friday night and Philly, and I would not be surprised at all to see them pull out a victory. It would be nice to see the Pistons win out and rest up for an Orlando team that, allbeit a tough one, the Pistons should handle easier than this Philly team.

Winning in 5 would be some nice rest for the team, although last nights blowout gave the starters some time to rest, sit on the bench, and cheer on/mentor the younger guys getting their minutes.

Until Friday, Cheers boys.

PocketJacks says:
04/26/08 10:08AM
Well, the Sixers pulled out the victory I thought they would, but in no way did I think it would be by 20 points.

Detroit had a season high 25 turnovers, missed 17 straight shots at one point, and lost McDysse to a broken nose. He might not play on Sunday.

Detroit will take Game 4 and head back home tied at 2-2.

I don't want to see this thing go 7 games, the Pistons will need some of that energy for the next round.

See you boys after Sundays game.

PocketJacks says:
04/27/08 03:15PM
Just read a report online that said McDysse will dress and be in the line-up tonight.

Don't know if he is starting or not. He will have to wear a mask, which he hates. But, the doctors said 1 more broken nose and he will need reconstructive surgery. He flew back to Detroit on Saturday to have surgery on it and then flew back into Philly around 8 p.m. He said it doesn't even hurt right now.

Pistons on at 7 p.m. and Tigers on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball, going to be fun around these parts tonight.......if both Detroit teams win. :-)

PocketJacks says:
04/28/08 08:49AM
That sure was a scary first half. Being down by as many as 14, I couldn't believe the total lack of fire and precision that the Pistons were playing with. They were turning the ball over, throwing it away, not coming up with loose balls and missing when they were getting to the basket.

Then......the 2nd half came. Flip must have given a Tom Izzo type of half-time speech, cause those boys came out fired up and ready to play. T

This win should be all they needed to know that they now have to put this team away in 6 and start perparing for Orlando next.

PocketJacks says:
04/28/08 10:11AM
Another thing, seeing Jarvis Hayes on the floor still makes me want to puke. It was so frustrating watching that fool out there in the first half making stupid fouls and missed shots.
Weathered says:
04/28/08 02:39PM
I agree 100% PJ

The Pistons really look disinterested at times and at other times they look like a team on a mission. Now it's a best of 3 series and if they dont come out in game 5 and really bring their A-game they are asking for trouble.

And I can see what your saying about Jarvis Hayes....i'm glad that dude aint on the Cavs (who are up 3 - 1 btw hehe)

PocketJacks says:
04/30/08 04:08PM
Now that it more like it.

The Pistons came out and played balls out from the first tip of the game until the last basket. This thing should FINALLY be over in 6 tomorrow night.

Shocked to see the Celtics tied at 2 games apiece with the Hawks, but that makes both the Cavs and Pistons happy. (Cavs should win tonight and I think they play Boston, but lose, and the Pistons beat the Magic and then play the Celtics).

Was a good night in Detroit sports last night. Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings won.

Was at the bar watching the 2nd half of the Pistons game and the Tigers game. Bar was packed. The Tigers weekely show on FSN called Tigers Weekly was there taping a segment about Ernie Harwell. Since I had a Tigers cap on, they decided to get out table on camera saying "Thanks Ernie", so that should be showing this weekend.

Ole PJ is a celebrity boys.

PocketJacks says:
05/02/08 04:02PM
Well, the Pistons did just what I thought they would, closed out the Sixers in 6, and in convincing fashion too.

The Pistons were going to be playing on Saturday at the Palace regardless, but they wanted it to be the Magic in Game 1 and not the Sixers in a Game 7.

This should be another fun series, but I think the Pistons have their focus back after dropping into a 2-1 hole against the Sixers. This series is only going 5 games, and we should be staring straight down the barrel of the 2 teams with the top 2 records facing off to see who goes to the Finals......Boston and Detroit.

Until Saturday boys...

PocketJacks says:
05/02/08 04:04PM
On a side note, Thursday night was just as fun around here as Tuesday night.

Pistons won, Wings swept the Avs, and the Tigers swept the Yankees in NY for the first time since 1966.

Weathered says:
05/03/08 01:55PM
Congrats on the first round wins for both of our teams. The second round should be pretty interesting.
PocketJacks says:
05/03/08 02:53PM
Yeah, the 2nd round should be fun, but damn, WTF happened to Boston? Going to a Game 7 against the Hawks?

Lebron has to just be sitting back and saying "Tire yourselves out boys, tire yourselves out".

Weathered says:
05/03/08 06:09PM
If you told me that the Cavs could play Atlanta instead of Boston I would have been thrilled. But the Hawks are playing inspired ball right now. To bad they cant win up in Boston. I think the Celtics blow them out in game 7.

The Cavs dont have the team to matchup vs. Boston....I think we probably win a game in Boston and maybe another game at home, but no way they win a 7 game series against those guys.

Also how the hell does the NBA not re-seed after each round?? In the NHL if Atlanta won game 7 the Pistons would play them and the Cavs would get Orlando, just silly.

PocketJacks says:
05/03/08 07:02PM
Ole David Stern stuck in his ways. "This is the format, it has been working, and we will stick to it." Idiot.
PocketJacks says:
05/04/08 05:42PM
Huge 2nd half for the Pistons. Was a close game at the half and then the Pistons finally put some distance between them by opening up a DD lead and not giving it back.

Watching that game I could tell that the Pistons were 1 small run away from blowing that thing open, and they did. If Orlando can't hit jumpers, they are in trouble. They need to start making some 3's if they want to make this a series. Dwight Howard is only good for 3ft and in, the rest of the jump shooters better step up, or it will be a repeat of last year.

Boston took care of business today in convincing fashion and I am currently watching Utah hang around, but not really threatening.

Beantown should be able to take care of Cleveland, but like the Pistons last year, better not try to put it into curise control.

Really hoping for and looking forward to a Detroit/Boston EC Finals.

SecondAgain says:
05/23/08 07:21AM
ESPN sucks, we all know that

Hopefully it gets to 2-1, and Kobe and Duncan are caught in a gay sex and drug ring and are suspended by the league and the Pistons cruise to victory

SecondAgain says:
05/27/08 01:30AM
Nice win tonight
SecondAgain says:
05/27/08 09:03PM
I think/hope the Pistons win the East. They can beat the Spurs, probably not the Lakers
Weathered says:
05/21/08 04:51PM
I agree...I cant stand ESPN's coverage.

Let's hope for a great game 2...Pistons really need to steal a game in Boston.

I just added some more money to my Pistons series wager at some sweet plus juice.....COME ON DETROIT!!! (did I really just say that LOL)

Weathered says:
05/04/08 07:44PM
"Beantown should be able to take care of Cleveland, but like the Pistons last year, better not try to put it into curise control. "

I think Boston did that on the road with Atlanta and they paid for it....that will cost them down the road in this playoffs having to play those extra games.

But like I said before....as a Cavs fan I honestly dont think we have a chance in this series.

Congrats on the game 1 win for the Pistons...

Weathered says:
05/15/08 10:01AM
Dude the Pistons are going to smoke the Celtics in the Conference Finals....I will have a HUGE series play on them. This Boston team is a joke, if the Cavs could make a free throw or Lebron would have shown up in games 1 or 2 this series would be over.

I'm thinking you might be right with that Lakers/Pistons match-up.

Weathered says:
05/17/08 01:33PM
"that just might be the one game that Lebron takes over and makes everyone else on the court look like little kids and the Cavs pull it out. <Insert biting nails guy emoticon here>"

Dude I hope your right....just think about the trash talking we could get into.

PocketJacks says:
05/17/08 05:53PM
hahahahaha, exactly, plus we owe you boys one for last year.
PocketJacks says:
05/21/08 04:18PM
Flat, Flat, Flat......that is how the Pistons came out to start the game and the 2nd half....yet they still held a 42-41 lead early in the 3rd quarter. This had me thinking to myself, how? Boston was playing good and Detroit was playing bad.

The 3rd quarter really killed the Pistons, they had more than half of thier entire game turnovers (7 of 13) in that quarter, and yet still had a chance late in the 4th quarter.

The clowns from ESPN were saying what a great game Boston had and this was their best game of the playoffs.......if this is the case, Detroit will win the next 4 and wait to see who they play in the Finals......ESPN, what a bunch of idiots. Do they seriously only watch a couple of games a year and then go on tv and give their "expert" opinion?

PocketJacks says:
05/15/08 05:18PM
Had some incomplete info on my previous post. The Lakers did it from 82-89 and won 4 titles in that span.

Weathered, I think they can take the Celtics as well. I think Doc Rivers is a dumb ass coach, and of all people, Flip Saunders will out coach him in the series and that will be one huge difference in Detroit's favor. Celtics can't play on the road either.

The Cavs series isn't over though, going back to Cleveland for Game 6, if they pull it out, you never know what can happen in a Game 7, that just might be the one game that Lebron takes over and makes everyone else on the court look like little kids and the Cavs pull it out. <Insert biting nails guy emoticon here>

PocketJacks says:
05/06/08 05:16PM
It was a close one last night, but the Pistons put the clamps on at the end.

3 point shooting, especially in that 3rd quarter let the Magic back into it. They were down by 10 at the half and even took the lead when it was in the 4th quarter. But, they showed how weak they really are, it appears that in this series they are going to have to live by the 3 and if the first 2 games are any indication, die by the 3.

Pistons will lose 1 out of 2 in Orlando, but should still take this thing in 5 games.

Pistons scored their last points in the 4th quarter all on free throws (at one point it was 9 straight points, all from the charity stripe). If you put them on the line, they are going to knock them down, they are one of the better free throw shooting teams in the league.

New Orleans took a nice 2 games to none lead in their series, and some on the local sports talk shows here still think the Spurs will take this thing by winning the next 2 in San Antonio.

Looking forward to seeing how Lebron does tonight against the Celts. Should be a fun series, because of James alone.

PocketJacks says:
05/08/08 05:48PM
Well, the Pistons got that first loss out of the way in a hurry, and Billups went down to add to it.

The Pistons were down huge in the first half, then came all the way back to come within a bucket, but faltered hard in the 4th quarter.

I think the Pistons can still win this thing, even if Billups doesn't play another game in this series, but it won't happen in 5 games without him. He is listed as day to day, so not sure if he is going to play Saturday or not yet.

PocketJacks says:
05/11/08 10:00AM
Wow, what a game.

The Pistons get the first road win in the 2nd round of this years playoffs, and they did it without Billups.

The Pistons were getting their asses handed to them, in the 3rd quarter they were down big, so I decided to go to the bathroom and pinch a loaf and read some of my Tucker Max book.

When I come back out, I see the game is tied and am like "What the fuck!".

Prince has really stepped up in these playoffs, and I was glad to see him taking the winning shot. The Magic still had a chance and gave the ball to the hot hand, but Hedo couldn't deliver.

This series is over, Billups got the rest he needed, and they won't even need him in the next game at home, cause the Pistons can close it out at the Palace without him.

Glad to see the Cavs finally showed up to play and try to make that a series. Still think it is going to be Beantown and Detroit to see who gets a trip to the Finals........but, I wouldn't mind a rematch at Lebron and his band of misfits.

PocketJacks says:
05/14/08 04:17PM
It wasn't pretty, but the Pistons got it done and are moving onto the EC Finals for the 6th straight year. The last team to do this was the Lakers from 84-89, winning 3 world titles. The Pistons have been to the Finals twice in this span (this year pending) and came away with only 1 title.

This started a conversation on the sports talk radio today about if the Pistons can be considered a Dynasty.......and I have to say, if they win the whole thing this year, then yes. 3 Finals appearances and 2 Titles in 6 years would do it. But, only 1 title during this span means they are turning into the Buffalo Bills.

But, they have to get to the Finals first, and they will have Cleveland or Boston standing in their way. I really hope the Cavs/Celtics series goes 7 so Billups can get as much rest as he needs.

Would love to have a rematch with Cleveland, but would also love to see if the Pistons can put the Celtics in their place. When Bentown got Allen and Garnett this year, I remember commenting in the BBall Forum in a thread about this. I said that they will not be deep enough or experineced enough come playoff time if they meet the Pistons.

We shall see if I was right or wayyyyyy off.

PocketJacks says:
05/28/08 04:37PM
Game Day boys......and the Red Wings play Pittsburgh tonight......
PocketJacks says:
05/30/08 04:56PM
The radio stations here are bashing Sheed, Tayshaun and Billups.......they said Sheeds 18 points the other night were the most meaningless 18 points they have ever seen in a playoff game. He didn't even attempt a shot inside the 3 point line and had no foul shots. Only 4 boards.

Rip will play tonight, but we will see early how good his elbow feels if his jumpers are falling or not.

They could take this game, but I wouldn't be surprised if they lost.......would love to be watching a game 7 on Sunday.........I will be playing in a Hold Em tourney on Sunday, so hopefully the Pistons and I can both be winnners on Sunday........alot has to go right from now to then for that to happen though.

Not going out tonight, got my booze, my pizza and my Dell LCD, no need to be sitting in a bar all pissed off doing shot after shot if they lose, best to just stay home tonight.

PocketJacks says:
05/27/08 05:10PM
SA, yes it was. They jumped out to a big lead and never really looked like they were in trouble.

Even when Beantown made a couple of their little runs, Detroit didn't look flustered or showed any signs that they were about to give up the lead.

Could very well be looking at 7 games here........getcha popcorn ready!!!!!!

PocketJacks says:
05/26/08 02:25PM
Well, with the holiday weekend, I had 2 straight days of some serious drinking, one being on Saturday when I went to the Tigers game and then to the bar to watch the Pistons/Wings play.

Pistons looked damn good in their Game 2 victory and when I got to the bar they were down 29-25 and just blew a shot close to the basket.........do some shots, talk to some girls and other people near by, look up at the t.v. and the Pistons are down big.....WTF. From what I could tell, they just were playing some pretty uninspired ball. Missing shots, turning it over, missing assingments on D.

Hopefully tonight will be a total turnaround and they tie this thing up at 2 games a piece.

Spurs spanked that ass last night to give them some life.

Wings scored too easily on Saturday, hopefully Pittsburgh can make a series of this as I have a future on them to win it all.

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