Monday, November 30, 2009

Villanueva Comes Off Bench, Breaks Nose

Yesterday's surprising Pistons win over the Atlanta Hawks was about the only thing that went right for power forward Charlie Villanueva. John Kuester, Pistons Head Coach, announced that Villanueva would be coming off the bench in favor of veteran Jason Maxiell for defensive purposes. Then during the game, Villanueva was fouled and smashed his face right into teammate Ben Wallace's arm, breaking his nose.

Villanueva had nasal surgery this afternoon. He's considered day-to-day, and he'll be wearing a mask once he does return to the court. For the time being, Maxiell and rookie Jonas Jerebko will continue to start up front alongside Wallace until the Pistons can finally get all of their key players back from injury.

Steve St-Pierre
Sports Writer
In Play! Magazine
sstpierre@inplaymagazine.com


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Thursday, November 26, 2009

Gordon Joins Hamilton, Prince On Pistons' Shelf

Pistons guard Ben Gordon sprained his ankle last night in Detroit's home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He becomes the third player to join the team's sidelines, next to fellow swingmen Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince.

The Pistons are on a six-game losing streak, and they've played inconsistent on both ends of the floor even with Gordon. Now they'll be without their top three scorers for at least the near future as Gordon's day-to-day, while Hamilton and Prince are still out indefinitely.

On the bright side, these injuries have allowed other players to step up and gain experience on the court, such as Detroit's three rookies Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers and Jonas Jerebko, who has been starting at small forward in place of Prince. Likewise, reserve guard Will Bynum has emerged as one of the best bench scorers in the NBA, something the Pistons had hoped Gordon could provide while backing up Hamilton at shooting guard.

Unfortunately, Detroit will have to search hard to find enough offense to replace all three scorers as long as they're out. The team has struggled to get consistency out of its big men, particularly the reserves. Charlie Villanueva has been solid at both ends of the floor as the starting power forward, and Ben Wallace - though offensively challenged - has reestablished himself as one of the best interior defenders in the league after nearly retiring this summer before deciding to sign with the Pistons for the minimum. However, bench players Kwame Brown, Chris Wilcox and Jason Maxiell have been shaky in the time they've been on the floor, and the team's going to need more scoring out of this group to compensate for the injuries.

If the Pistons have any chance of turning this season around, it might be in the best interest for Joe Dumars, Pistons President, to find a more-versatile pivot man to hold down the middle both offensively and defensively. Again, it can't be stressed enough how vital Wallace has been in leading this young team, setting an example in showing teammates how to win by playing hard and never quitting. However, what the Pistons need most right now is a better all-around center who can better complement Villanueva's versatility.

Just who that center may be and what it would take to bring him in remains to be seen. What's clear is that the Pistons are moving in a new direction. John Kuester, Pistons Head Coach, reminds the press after every game that the team is a work-in-progress, and it's obvious that the number-one goal right now is evaluating Detroit's youth. Therefore, trading Hamilton and/or Prince could be in the best interest of all parties, assuming that could help bring in an All-Star type big man. Then again, not many teams are likely lining up right now for two injured, aging veterans.

For the time being, the Pistons will continue to focus on growing, developing and continuing to play hard no matter what. Their intensity this season has shown the kind of fire Detroit fans haven't seen since the team's back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 2004 and 2005. Here's to hoping they're able to put their best players on the floor as much as possible, as soon as possible.

Steve St-Pierre
Sports Writer
In Play! Magazine
sstpierre@inplaymagazine.com

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Monday, November 16, 2009

Pistons Brace Themselves For Difficult West Coast Trip

Currently with a record of 5-5, the Pistons are preparing for a tough set of road games this week. They play in L.A. tomorrow to face the Lakers, in Portland Wednesday against the Trail Blazers, in Utah Saturday to take on the Jazz and in Phoenix Sunday to battle the Suns. Oh, and as a consolation prize, they get to come home and play the Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday, Nov. 25.

Playing .500 ball has been impressive for Detroit, who has been without star swingmen Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince. Both veterans are injured indefinitely, but the rest of the team has stepped up considerably. The starting backcourt of Ben Gordon and Rodney Stuckey has set the tone offensively, while Ben Wallace has reclaimed the starting center spot and is anchoring the defense much the way he did during his first stint with the Pistons. With Gordon in the starting lineup, reserve guard Will Bynum has provided a great amount of scoring off the bench.


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The Pistons' big men are doing a tremendous job of following Wallace's lead. Villanueva has been starting at power forward, contributing plenty of scoring inside and out as well as playing surprising stellar defense. Rookie forward Jonas Jerebko has started at small forward in place of Prince, doing a fantastic job shutting down more athletic, experienced players on the wing. Even reserves Kwame Brown, Jason Maxiell and Chris Wilcox have played well despite inconsistent time on the court.

This might be a tough stretch coming up for them, but the Pistons have proven that, win or lose, they are going to play hard every night and give fans an extremely entertaining team to watch this season.

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Steve St-Pierre
Sports Writer
In Play! Magazine
sstpierre@inplaymagazine.com

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Pistons Stepping Up For Injured Stars

The Pistons might have shocked the world last night with their impressive win over the Orlando Magic at the Palace of Auburn Hills. They did it shorthanded as they were without the services of star swingmen Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince.

They got stellar play particularly in the second half, when head coach John Kuester opted for a three-guard lineup featuring Ben Gordon, Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum. All three players scored 20+ points and showed tenacity, constantly driving the ball to the basket. Here's to hoping they can carry the momentum.


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Steve St-Pierre
Sports Writer
In Play! Magazine
sstpierre@inplaymagazine.com