Rewriting History of 04 : Pistons, 6-0: Warriors next

[Yougi]

Detroit vs Chicago Bulls

Today, the Detroit Pistons faced their center's former team, the Chicago Bulls. This is the first game of a five game roadtrip which will feature stops in Golden State, Cleveland, Portland and Milwaukee. But right now, the spotlight is focused on Eddy Curry, Chuck Shand and Bryant Silver.

Odds: 3:2 Chicago

Final score: This game is a nailbitter. You'll have to read till the end to see the result.

The first quarter started though. Both starting rookies were playing shutdown defense on each other, and were uneable to play major roles. However, both Chauncey Billups and Morris Peterson scored 7 points. The score at the end of the first quarter was of 27-21 for Detroit.

The second quarter saw an explosion; rookie Marcel James, who came in to let Chauncey Billups get a breather, scored 16 points in the quarter, after being labeled by most as a liability on offense. Marcel's effort brought Detroit a 17 points lead at halftime, leading 50-33.

The third quarter saw Marcel held scoreless by double teams, and the lead subsequently felt to as little as 3, but after 3, the Pistons still led 64-56.

NAIL BITTER FINISH
"Chauncey Billups converts the lay-up over Tyson Chandler, bringing the score to 86-82.
Bryant Silver inbounds it to Jamal Crawford, who brings it up court, you can... WHAT? MARCEL JAMES STOLE THE BALL FROM JAMAL CRAWFORD'S HAND! Sivler is still there though, James won'T force the play, and dishes it out to a driving Antoine Walker... who tries a bit against McDyess, but he is a bit too much for him, so he gives it back to Marcel James, who goes through a pick by Curry, shakes Chandler to his butt, and shoot the trey... IT'S NO GOOD!
McDyess with the board, brings it back. 15 seconds left. He tries a jumper, and misses it! OH MY GOD! MCDYESS PUTS HIS OWN SHOT BACK IN ON A TERRIFYING JAM! The score is 86-84 with only 12.5 ticks left.
Chauncey Billups is doubled before the inbound, Chuck Shand gives it to Marcehl, who is fouled, but he makes both. That is now a two possession game, with a 4 ppoint advantage for Detroit.
Jamal Crawford brings the ball up(9 left). He gives it to Silver, who tries a few moves (7 left), but Shand is still between him and the basket.. He gives it to MoPete (6 left), who just lost Billups, Mo shoots the three AND MAKES IT! cuts the lead to only a single point with 4.4 seconds to go.
The Bulls again double Billups, and Marcel is brought to the line. He is relaxed, even though the game is on his shoulders. He dribbles once, twice, and then shoots it, HE MISSES IT! He can now bring the lead to two points... he dribbles it once, twice again, shoots it.. IT'S IN! 2 points lead with 3.8 to go, Bulls' ball!
They call a timeout. The Pistons play strangling defense, but MoPete still beats Billups, using a Chandler pick, and shoots a three from the corner FOR THE WIN!! HE MISSES IT! Morris Peterson just missed a game winning shot, he falls to the ground, Pistons and their fans are celebrating, but Mo ain't. Better luck next time Mo!"

Final score: 89-87 Detroit

Box scores: Link broken, I can only give you the highlights:
Jamal Crawford scored 21 points on 9-13, with 7 dimes
Morris Peterson scored 21 also, on 9-15, with 4 steals
Bryant Silver scored 15 on 5-5, visiting the stripe 10 times and making them all

Marcel James scored 21 points on 7-13, with 4 dimes
Chuck Shand was limited to 8 points on 3-13 shooting, his worst pro performance
Chauncey Billups played good, with 15 points on a 7-11 shooting display
Eddy Curry was limited to 10 points, on 5-9 shooting, but still managed to get 5 boards, 3 blocks and 3 dimes against his former teammates.
Other newcomer Jamal Magloire scored 2 points, agot 5 boarsd and a rejection in 9 minutes of play.

Pictures:

Marcel's first points as a Pistons


Rhino Barbosa getting another powerful jam


Marcel James was incredible tonight, getting POTG honor in his first game as a Pistons


Curry faced his former team today, and while his stats are not thati mpressive, he still came out the winner

[Yougi]

Today, I will profile three roookies of this year's draft: Ian Connors, Max Johnson and new Pistons, Marcel James.


Ian Connors, 6'5'', 210 lbs
Shooting Guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers
Born on 10/06/1985, in Newark, NJ
New Orleans, Drafted 3rd overall in 2004 by CLE
Not a threat from long range
Can run with the best of them
Athletic as no others
Lacks body strength
Despite good court vision, lacks passing skills and accuracy
Very good rebounder due to his athleticism and speed
Ceiling is very high


Max Johnson, 6'8'', 210 lbs
Power Forward for the Seattle Supersonics
Born on 12/22/1984, in Petersburg, VA
Cal. Santa Barbara, Drated 4th overall in 2004 by SEA
Incredible athlete
Good shooter
Has to add some pounds, built like a guard
Poor man-on-man defender
Poor shotblocker
Poor finisher


Marcel James, 6'2'', 173 lbs
Point Guard for the Detroit Pistons
Born on 09/21/1983, in Towsan, MD
Tennesse, Drafted 16th overall in 2004 by NYK
Can run with most players in the pro
Got some serious handles
Good passer
Under average shooter
Average defender
Lacking physical strength
Poor Rebounder

[Yougi]

This morning was one of the busiest in NBA history. We saw 5 trades go through, involving 9 different teams and 17 players.

Indiana traded point guard Jamaal Tinsley and a top 7 protected 1st round pick to Atlanta for guard Gilbert Arenas.

Indiana traded a second pick, a lottery protected 1st round pick to Houston for center Kelvin Cato.

Utah traded center Keon Clark and guard Tyronn Lue to Portland for guard Damon Stoudamire and forward Ruben Patterson.

Boston traded forward Amaré Stoudemire and guard Marcus Banks to Golden State for swingmen Bob Sura and Jason Richardson.

Chicago, Seattle and Portland were involved in a three-way deal, in which Chicago got Max Johnson and Vladimir Radmanovic from Seattle, Seattle got Zach Randolph from Portland and Antonio McDyess and Al Harrington from Chicago, and Portland got Jay Williams from Chicago.

[Yougi]

INTERVIEWING DETROIT PISTONS' COACH/GENERAL MANAGER

Welcome today to The Best Sport Show Ever, with your host, Rick Johns. Today, I'm going to interview the Coach and general manager of the Detroit Pistons, mister Jonathan Vallerand.

JV: Thank you Rick!

RJ: It's a pleasure for me to have such an impressive person in front of me. After finishing college, you were chosen by the Detroit Pistons as a head coach to replace Larry Brown. It was a shock to the NBA and everyone who is related with it as you were the first person in NBA history to be chosen as head coach without being an assistant or player before.

JV: Exactly.

RJ: You led the Pistons to an unimpressive 10-18 season, missing the playoffs, and you still somehow managed to be named general manager, in addition to your head coach job, after Joe Dumars' retirement from the job. As of now, you are not only the youngest coach and GM in history, but also one of the best at both: you built an exciting roster, and led it to a 6-0 record so far. Will you also play for them and lead the league in everything, or are you satisfied?

JV: I think I'm not in playing shape, nor on the level required to play in the pro. But overall, I'm really proud of what I accomplished so far this year. Last year, I was not accustomed to all that, and it showed. I will take all the blame for the disaster last season, and I said it to my boss, and he gave me another shot. I think no one will fire him after that move.

RJ: Before speaking about your team, there was a trade you did a few days ago that now seems like a steal. Talk to us about the trade with the Knicks.

That game was followed by a trade between the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks. Detroit sent big mans Danny Fortson, Jeff Foster and Rasho Nesterovic to New York for centers Jamaal Magloire and Zeljko Rebraca and rookie point guard Marcel James.

JV: I was displeased with the play of Rasho. I got him in the Ben Wallace trade because I had great esteem for him. I thought he could play like Deke did last year, guarding the Shaq's and Yao's, those that were to big for Eddy and Boris, but he was seriously lacking body strength. Plus, he seemed to be able to do nothing; I knew he couldn't score, but he couldn't rebound, pass nor block shots; he was expandable.
I then decided I would swap him away to a team in need of a big. After a few calls, I tried to send him to NYK, and they agreed to give me Magloire and Marcel if I added Danny and Jeff.
I wasn't as high as them on Mag, but I love him as a back-up. Even if he is not the next Patrick Ewing, he still rocks. But I wanted to get rid of Rasho, and Danny and Jeff for Marcel and Mag appealed to me. Marcel's speed and basketball IQ, plus his age, is a huge factor, as he proved in last game, against the Bulls.

RJ: This morning was also a verry intriguing one. What are your opinions on the different trades that happened today?

JV: I think that Indiana did the right thing in trading Tinsley for Gilbert. They lost a pick, but Gilbert is there for a long time, which pays it off. Plus, that gives them the shooter they need so much since Reggie lost most of his composure. Plus, this team is built to win now. Yell, Howard and Barry are at their peak. From Atlanta's view, it makes sense also; they get a distributor with the emergence of scorer Raef LaFrentz and the dominance of Big Dog, and the pick will also be worth. This team is built for both now and the long term. They have vets like Glenn, Theo, Hedo and Reef, but also young guns like Sharp and Darko. The addition of another high pick, plus a young Tinsley who can have a second shot, that can make a pretty impressive line-up.

The error that Indiana did was that they traded another first rounder. They are now to live two years without one. They will enter the rebuilding mode in two or three years, and they are going to suffer from it. Let's hope they will be able to survive! The biggest error was that this pick was traded for Kelvin Cato. Okay, he is very good, but he ain't worth the loss of a pick. Houston traded the pick last year for Grant Hill. Another pick of the same type for Kelvin Cato? No. Houston will get a player that could be on Oyekanmi's level, one year later, to payback for the Grant Hill trade.

Utah finally got a point guard and a stopper, in the same move! Their S5 is now constituted, according to rumors, of Mighty Mouse, Jim Jax, Patterson, Harpring and TD. That is a small line-up, but I'm pretty sure it will make damage. Portland also got Keon Clark and Tyronn Lue, which allows them to get a decent center instead of starting Z-Bo, which opened the last trade. Tyronn Lue spells the exit of Lindsey Hunter though.

Boston finally got a scorer who can do so by himself. They lost young big Amaré Stoudemire, but they thought Jason Richardson had more upside. Even though I think this is wrong, J-Rich will help them more right now then STAT. With the arrival of Rich, Delk will probably play the one, which made Banks expendable. The arrival of Bob Sura gives them an incredibly talented playmaker, which they direly need. Golden State got themselve an athletic big who will fit on their fast break offense way more then Troy Murphy, and also another young point guard who will learn from Kidd. Banks sure has the speed to become a weapon in GS's offense.

Last but not least, the three way. Portland completed their day by getting a young point guard in Jay Will by getting rid of Z-Bo. Jay will bring them way more, and that, for years to come. Chicago was the bggest winer though, getting this summer's fourth pick Max Johnson, who will team up with Bryant Silver to form a deadly forward duo for years to come. Both complement themselves greatly; Johnson is a soft four, and Silver is a heavy three. They also got Vlad Rad, for when they need to get threes. Seattle was unpleased with Max, and needed rebounding bigs; here come McDyess, Baby Al and Z-Bo. Join them with Baron and Zo, and you know this is a team with a lot of weapons.

RJ: This is all the time we had badly. John, next week you'll come back to talk to us of every single one of your players, right?

JV: Of course!