Game 25: 12-16-09 Detroit @ New Orleans

( 11 - 13 ) VS ( 10 - 13 )

Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Time: 8 P EST
New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA
Radio: 97.1 FM The Ticket
TV: FS Detroit HD & NBA LP
Game Notes

At
New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA

Probable Starters


Atkins/Stuckey/Jerebko/Maxiell/Wallace





Paul/Peterson/Stojakovic/West/Okafor

INJURY REPORT

Richard Hamilton Uncertain - Hamstring.
Ben Gordon day-to-day - Ankle.
Tayshaun Prince Out - Ruptured disc in back.


Sean Marks Out indefinitely - Shoulder.
Ike Diogu Out indefinitely - Knee.

Team Leaders

Richard Hamilton 21.3ppg & 1.33spg
Ben Wallace 10rpg & 1.17bpg
Rodney Stuckey 4.5apg & 1.33spg


Chris Paul 21.1ppg, 10.8apg & 2.47spg
Emeka Okafor 9.7rpg & 1.96bpg

New Orleans 95
Detroit 87

Boxscore

The Pistons had an excellent first half. They were up by 16 points at one time and led by 13 at halftime 55-43.

Unfortunately, the Pistons weren't able to build on their lead and their ball movement became stagnant in the second half as New Orleans rallied. The Hornets regained the lead for good with 2 minutes left in the game and held on.

The Piston bench outscored the Hornet bench 33-8, but its was the Hornet starters who did the damage.
David West was huge for New Orleans with 32 points and 12 rebounds. Chris Paul willed the Hornets to victory, picking up his game in the second half to finish with 16 points, 12 assists, 4 rebounds.

Chucky Atkins played well as a spot starter again with 13 points, 2 assists, and 2 rebounds. Rodney Stuckey led the Pistons with 26 points and 5 assists. Charlie Villanueva had 18 points and 8 rebounds, but due to the lack of ball movement in the second half, didn't get more touches down the stretch. Austin Daye contributed with 9 points and 3 rebounds. Will Bynum returned. He struggled to score, getting 4 points, but set up teammates well with 9 assists. Ben Wallace had 6 points and 7 rebounds, but the starting frontcourt today did not have a lot of production.

The Pistons have a blue print in this game for what they did well to win games and what they do when they lose games. Playing 48 minutes, especially when undermanned, is essential to clawing for victories, which the Pistons got away from in this game and last night against Houston.

But Detroit responded well on the second game of its back-to-back and it can carry the lessons of this loss to Oklahoma on Friday, 12-17-09, a tough young team, but on a 3 game losing streak.