Game 4 - Detroit vs Sacramento
Box Scores - Detroit
Box Scores - Sacramento
6min Quarters - on Superstar
Final Score:
Sacramento: 23 25 20 27 15 / 110
Detroit: 17 35 24 19 22 / 117
First Quarter
After Rasheeds dissapointing performance in Game 3, Flip Saunders decided to start Milicic, and bring Rasheed on to provide a good scoring option when the rest of the team is tired. This proved to be a good move, even though Detroit started on a bad foot.
The Pistons didnt even look like scoring early, having a terrible start and Joe Johnson was playing terribly. Ben Wallace was good early, however the Pistons couldnt keep up with Bibby, he dominated the first quarter.
Tayshaun Prince was our saviour, shooting some nice goals to keep us within range.
Tayshaun hitting a shot from downtown
Second Quarter
Joe Johnson came out firing, shooting 3points from the charity stripe after recieving an 'easy' foul outside. Stojakovic was yet to be outdone, however, shooting two 3's in a row to slow any momentum Detroit might have gained.
The young ones, Maxiell and Milicic were good in defence, with Maxiell at SF. Maggette was great inside with scoring and passing, including 3 assists in quick succesion.
Joe Johnson was something else altogether. His second quarter was match-winning, 12points, 2 rebounds and 4 steals to bring Detroit up by 4 at the half-time break.
Hunter was also outstanding, with 4 steals in 30 seconds. His offence was lacklustre.
Third Quarter
Hunter combined well with the Wallaces early putting some points on the board, without fail. Three and a half minutes into the quarter, Detroit was on fire, hitting 5 straight with 100% quarter FG percentage.
Peja, once again not to be outdone showed what he could do, hitting shot after shot from downtown, slowing the Pisons momentum once again.
Luckily for Detroit, nothing was going right for the Kings, problems in offence arrose with almost constant "3-seconds in the key" viloations, many resulting in Pistons goals, not to mention the countless passes they through away.
As Johnson dominated the second, Big Ben dominated the third, getting 12 points.
Fourth Quarter
As opposed to th third, Detroit started terribly, missing their first 5 shots, until finally Ben stood up with a great offensive rebound, then slammed home the dunk.
Jump forward to 3min 50 left on the clock, feeling as though this game is lost, even though Detroit was 3 points up, nothing was falling from inside or outside and the Kings had the momentum - with the last 5 goals consecutivley.
Maggette wasn't performing to his potential, missing two easy dunks until once again Ben stood up and grabbed the offensive boards, slamming home a dunk.
Johnson combined well with Tayshaun, giving him two nice ally-oops, with precision passing.
With 1.50min left, scores were level.
Maggette returned back to form, showing off with a huge dunk over Kenny Thomas.
1minute left, and scores were level once again, Johnson stepped up and stole the ball out of Bibbies hands, ending up with 2 points for his efforts.
With 16seconds left, and scores level, Detroit had the ball and were counting down the seconds before sending a last-ditch effort to get the win. A feeling that if this game went into overtime, we would win, was on the players minds.
Joe Johnson could not handle the pressure, sending a bad pass to Ben, posted up with seconds left. Sacramento did not have time to score and the game went to Overtime.
Maggette over Thomas
Ben rising above the rest, also raising the teams spirits after many misses.
Over Time
An easy miss by the Kings resulted in Rasheed sending home a massive dunk, lifting the Pistons spirits and taking them to a new level of intencity.
Joe Johnson once again snatched some critical steals, making up for his dissappointing end to the fourth, resulting in two easy points from the line.
Maggette showed he really is a superstar, freestyling over the opposition for an important goal.
Ben Wallace blocked one of Peja's 3-pointers, completly halting any chance the Kings had of a comeback. Ben and Rasheed both played excellent in OT defensively, sending many a shot back over the Kings heads after massive blocks.
Joe Johnson and Bibby were both fouled out late in OT.
Maggette, the superstar, flying high
Rasheed with one of his highlight dunks.
Finally, a close game where Detroit came out on top. Look for more nice wins later on in the season.
The Pistons are now 2-2.
Player of the Game
Joe Johnson