Game 26: 12-18-09 Detroit @ Oklahoma City

( 11 -14 ) vs ( 12 - 12 )

Friday, December 18, 2009
Time: 8 P EST
Radio: 97.1 FM The Ticket
TV: FS Detroit HD & NBA LP
Ford Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Game Notes

At
Ford Center, Oklahoma City, OK



Atkins/Stuckey/Jerebko/Maxiell/Wallace





Westbrook/Sefolosha/Durant/Green/Krstic

INJURY REPORT

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


Kyle Weaver Out - Mid - Shoulder.
Kevin Ollie Out - Knee.

Team Leaders

Richard Hamilton 21.3ppg
Ben Wallace 9.8rpg, 1.52spg & 1.12bpg
Rodney Stuckey 4.6apg


Kevin Durant 27.8ppg, 7.1rpg & 1.71spg
Russell Westbroook 6.7apg
Serge Ibaka 1bpg
Kyle Weaver 1bpg

Oklahoma 109
Detroit 98

Boxscore

The Pistons hard luck on the road against the West continues.

The Pistons opened the game hot 22-12 and led 27-24 at the end of the first quarter. Rodney Stuckey carried the Pistons with 20 first half points.

But the Thunder rallied to lead 52-51 at halftime and 77-73 going into the fourth. Rodney Stuckey and Charlie Villanueva did their best to keep the Pistons in the game, but without Hamilton, Gordon, and Prince, the Pistons offense fell apart in crunch time. The Pistons let the shot clock run out 3 times, becoming stagnant and predictable offensively again.

The Thunder, one of the West's rising teams, maintained a cushion as they had more energy and more bodies than the Pistons.

Rodney Stuckey led all scorers with 31 points. Charlie Villanueva contributed 16 points off the bench. Jonas Jerebko and Will Bynum contributed 12 points each. Chris Wilcox added 8 points and 4 rebounds. His playing time has been increasing in recent games, and it appears he is working his way up the rotation. The Pistons can use everything he can give.

Kevin Durant paced the Thunder with 27 points. He had more support than Stuckey. Jeff Green added 19 points. James Harden added 14 points and Serge Ibaka scored 12, both off the bench. Russell Westbrook had 14 and Nenad Krstic scored 10.

Charlie Villanueva injured his right heel in the first half but returned in the third quarter. He has been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, which flared up during the last few games. He will receive ongoing treatment and work to play through the pain.

The Pistons will return home to face the Lakers on Sunday, 12-19-09, where they will evaluate the status of their injured players for game time.

Though Kobe Bryant is struggling with a broken finger and stomach illness, the Lakers currently have the league's best record at 20-4 (and the most early home games at 17).