By Freddy Cohen
November 8, 2007
Detroit Pistons (3-0) at Chicago Bulls (0-4) – United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Going back to the Jordan and Bad Boys days, these two teams have had it in for one another. Both franchises have had their fair share of success. This season brings high hopes for both squads. The Bulls believe they are now finally out of the post-23 wilderness and are poised to take a big step forward. Their winless start states otherwise. The undefeated Pistons are looking to put their Converses on the throat of their reeling foe. I’ll be making a half-hearted attempt at writing about the game while rooting for the Bulls and trying to avoid choking on Cheez Doodles.
The Bulls are in a hole already. They’re under pressure to win now with a lot of Kobe-to-the-Bulls talk and still do not have a go-to guy on offense. I don’t sense panic but perhaps an unhealthy amount of concern.
The Pistons don’t seem to respect Flip Saunders too much as a coach. He looks like he’s still the substitute teacher while Larry Brown is on sabbatical. And Flip always looks constipated. He has done well with Detroit during the regular seasons through his tenure.
Ben Wallace still looks out-of-place in a Bulls uniform. I have never seen such a coordinated player on defense look like Frankenstein on offense and at the charity stripe.
FIRST QUARTER
Tyrus Thomas starts the scoring off with a sensational dunk. He’s got tremendous athleticism but needs to learn the pro game. Ben Gordon received a second foul not even two minutes into the game. Stupid fouls are another example of how the Bulls have not taken the next step. Detroit added to the mess by being careless with the ball and committing a few quick turnovers early on. The Bulls have brought better energy tonight and are up 9-3 after only three minutes.
Kirk Hinrich, to me, is overrated. He runs hot and cold, dribbles too much and is not big enough to cover a lot of match-ups on defense. Rip Hamilton hit a nice jumper to get himself on the board and cut the Bulls’ lead to 13-6. His length always gives the Bulls smaller guards trouble. Hamilton is a carbon copy of Reggie Miller only with a horrific mask for the last several seasons. I would have thought his nose would have healed by now. The Bulls finally look like the team they hoped to be up 17-8 halfway through the first quarter.
I am still very concerned about D-Wade’s inability to get into Charles Barkley’s Fave 5. Maybe if he offered Chuck a Papa John’s Spiderman pizza, that could do the trick.
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ui0lPUnBeyM[/youtube]
Chicago is getting some action down low which is unusual. Their reliance on outside shooting kills them when they turn cold. Rip is the only Piston heating up, hitting on a triple (18-11 Chicago). Rasheed Wallace is silent so far. It’s hard to tell he’s even in the game. Ben Wallace dribbling along the 3-point line. Time to pass.
Tyrus Thomas with a game high so far of 9 points including some impressive dunks. It looks like he’s tamed his game a bit to gain back some control over his considerable athleticism.
Craig Seger and his purple suit. Looks like he stole it from Prince. **adjusting the color on the television**
Ben Gordon turned down a 5 year, $50 million contract offer before the season. I am startled to hear this because, ironically, it matches the same offer I refused last year from the company I’m supposedly happy to work for as well.
Detroit quietly closing the gap to a trio of points (24-21). Luol Deng wakes up and hits a jumper to put the Bulls go up 5. Joe Smith off the Bulls bench. He’s been better than expected this season. A big improvement over PJ Brown who was in the same role last year. Rasheed, Billups and Rip Hamilton playing the entire first quarter. Tayshaun Prince has been invisible so far. Joakim Noah’s in the game and he looks like a good one. He has an attitude the Bulls could use… a bit of an edge. Hinrich misses a jumper to end the 1st. Good start for the Bulls, up 29-23 after one.
SECOND QUARTER
Both teams are shooting over 50% from the field. Game has good pace and limited fouls. The Bulls are +14 points in the paint tonight, which is highly unusual for them. They are a perimeter team to say the least. Andres Nocioni is in the game for Chicago. He’s a hard-working if unspectacular bench player. The trend of foreign players having big impact in the NBA is only growing.
Rasheed comes to life with a tough basket and one. Wallace (currently with 10 points and 3 rebounds) so he’s heating up as well. Noah’s shown a lot of energy off the bench going after loose balls. He was a back-to-back NCAA Champ at Florida and he does not look like he’s about to embrace losing.
Second teams in for both squads in large part. Both teams have good benches relative to the paucity of rest of the league. The Pistons defense doesn’t look up to speed. This is leading to a few easy Bulls baskets. The Chicago reserves have outscored Detroit 10-4 so far.
Joe Dumars has done not a good, but a great job of putting the Pistons together the last several years. They haven’t taken advantage of all their opportunities (The Human Victory Cigar) but they’re always in the mix. He manages to pull the right strings each year with acquisitions and have them in a position to succeed. However, to lose to Lebron last year was inexcusable. That was 1-on-5 action and Detroit still lost.
Chicago is flirting with a double-digit lead thanks to a Chris Duhan jumper. The Bulls have cornered the market on streaky, smallish guards. Scott Skiles, the Bulls coach, also looks constipated. I am beginning to be concerned about the digestive systems of both coaches. Are they getting enough fiber?
Bulls are beginning to rely on their jumpers again which usually spells trouble.
Lawd Almighty! A stat just flashed showing Flip Saunders is 120-47 in the regular season with Detroit. “Florida, that’s a Sunday meal!!†He could become the A-Rod of NBA coaches.
Scoring has slowed with Detroit down 44-34 halfway through the second quarter. Noah, again, providing a spark especially on the offensive boards. Hinrich flew out of bounds going after a loose ball and hurt his back. Good hustle.
Ad for Stephen King’s new movie “The Mistâ€. How can such a great writer makes such lousy movies? I still can’t understand why they don’t translate better. If you like him, try “The Standâ€. I am a big fan of his and it is easily his best novel. It’s a modern classic. Great book made into another lousy movie.
Rasheed Wallace hitting the deck going after a loose ball as well and he follows it up with a smooth jumper (44-37 Chi). The Bulls have gone into the inevitable drought that they have had problems with the past few years when they start settling for jump shots. 7-2 Detroit run the past three minutes. The Pistons need to put a body on someone on the glass, especially Tyrus Thomas.
Tyrus Thomas misses an easy dunk. Pistons look a little out of sorts, a little flat. Maybe they’ve taken the Bulls lightly having beaten them in the playoffs last year and watching them start 0-4.
Pistons always wily, hanging around on a night when they are not at their best. Hamilton with a pair of free throws cuts the lead to three (48-45). Detroit’s a team that knows how to hang in when not at their peak. Chicago’s up 51-46 at the half.
THIRD QUARTER
The Bulls need to get back to their first quarter aggression of taking it to the hole and hitting the boards if they want to win this game. Ben Wallace has shown his highest energy level of the season so far.
It feels as if the Pistons are down by 15 but it’s only four (51-47). The Pistons are beginning to get frustrated as the Bulls D has tightened.
Rasheed answers by going inside himself and gets to the free throw line. Ben Gordon answers with an outside jumper. The Bulls fortunes go as Gordon goes much of the time. A Rasheed Wallace alley oop quiets the crowd. He’s still got hops. A Billups trey follows cutting things down to seven (63-56 Chicago). Hanging around… hanging around.
Bulls leading 11-2 in offensive rebounds. Another Billups 3-ball cuts the lead to six (65-59). Ben Gordon is taken out as a result of Billups’ surge. Tyrus Thomas flexing his muscle, hitting the basket consistently tonight. A serious block by Thomas on Richard Hamilton leads to a technical foul on Rip. Surprisingly, The Phantom of the Palace was second last year in the NBA for technical fouls (behind Rasheed Wallace which is no surprise).
Detroit zone on defense has slowed the Bulls down considerably. This has been a successful formula in stopping Chicago. Luol Deng having a quiet 11-point night. Tyrus Thomas is carrying the load. Rasheed jumper cuts the lead to one (70-69). Wallace is 9-of-15 from the field with 12 points in the third quarter. The Pistons have found the rhythm and the Bulls have gone into inconsistent mode. Hello 0-5.
With a Chauncey Billups pair of free throws, the Pistons have taken the lead 71-70 for the first time since the opening minutes of the game. Can the Bulls pull themselves together? If I were an opposing coach I would put in a zone the entire game and take my chances. Both teams know each other well and it normally leads to tight games. Tonight’s no exception. Hinrich quietly has amassed his eleventh assist. The Bulls creep back up on top by three at the end of the quarter, 78-75.
FOURTH QUARTER
What started off sloppy has become an entertaining and competitive game. I’m looking for Detroit to try to impose their will in the final period. Over the past few years the Pistons feel they can manhandle the Bulls and seem to have it in another gear when they need to. There’s a lack of respect that comes from not having lost meaningful games at the hands of these Bulls.
Rasheed Wallace game high 29 points so far. They have been a noisy 29 as well. Nocioni jumper puts the Bulls up 80-77. Joakim Noah all over the court with a nose for loose balls and rebounds. Maybe he learned some of that from his father, tennis great Yannick Noah. Richard Hamilton has cooled off after his hot start. Rasheed has been aggressive all game. His 32nd and 33rd points bring the Pistons to within one (82-81). His headband fell down to his neck—quite the fashion statement.
Enough with the Spiderman commercials, although the endless shrimp deal does look tasty.
26 assists and only 12 turnovers for the hometown team. The Bulls lead contracting and expanding all night. Up 88-82 with just over eight minutes left. Hamilton trying to back down the Bulls guards as he has a big size advantage. A Hamilton jumper forces Skiles to call a timeout with Chicago clinging to an 88-87 lead with 6:45 left.
Good news – I am now free to move about the country. Ding.
Deng’s got 17 points after a hard-fought put back inside. Tyrus Thomas with 18 and 13 boards. The Pistons defense is forcing the Bulls to get out of their offense. Deng’s looked uncomfortable all night. Bulls bench up 30-13 over the Pistons. Detroit needs Rasheed Wallace to continue forcing the issue. He’s all they’ve got running hot right now. Wallace with a turnaround (36 in the game), Bulls by three, 94-91, 3:11 left. Deng finally showing some aggression late in the game. He’s been criticized in Chicago for not being more of the go-to guy late in games. Ben Wallace has been on the bench for the entire quarter.
Hamilton drops in a clutch floater in the paint to bring the Pistons back to within one (94-93, 1:35 left) after collecting 2 offensive rebounds. Bulls tighten their defense late to force turnover. Tight Pistons defense brings rebound to Rasheed Wallace. Rasheed in-and-out shot off glass with :33 left. Chicago clinging to a one point lead. Can they hold on? Did I chew that last Cheez Doodle before swallowing? (Does my wife know the Heimlich?) Chicago no FG’s for over the last four minutes. Credit Detroit’s tough D for that.
Rasheed miss forces Pistons to foul. It becomes a foul shooting contest. Both teams are very good foul shooting teams. Chicago 96-93 with :13 left. Go for the trey if you’re the Pistons or try for a deuce and foul? Hamilton misses a wide-open 3-pointer (6-17 for the game from the field). Bulls hold on in a hard-fought game and finally put one to their division rival. Final: Bulls 97, Pistons 93. Now back to the Doodles.