Detroit vs. Memphis

At the beginning of the game, Memphis was solid and making good decisions, but that all would change. Showcased by much defense the game remain close for the first 5 minutes of the game, but then the Defense of Detroit came back rejuvenated. At the end of the first, the Pistons had forced 9 turnovers and Tayshaun led every Piston in points with 11, but Mr. Big Shot also had 10 points and 3 assists. The Pistons led at the end of the first 28-18.

The bench was in now and Carlos Delfino is finally starting to get the minutes that complained wants. He came in and made important plays. One of them was when he drew a charge on Pau Gasol to take the momentum away from Memphis and gave it back to the Pistons. Antonio McDyess also was important during the second as he scored five points. With 6 minutes to go in the half Tayshaun hit a three with the shot clock running down, and then he hit a seven foot running jumper to end the half. Tayshaun finished the half with 16 points and the Pistons led the Memphis Grizzlies 48-39.

Tayshaun started the third the same way he ended in the second. He had a three to begin the quarter to put the Pistons up 53-39. Then Big Ben got it going off a monster slam off a pass from Billups. Later on in the quarter, Memphis was doing a good job holding the Pistons from taking a shot in this 24 second stand, but then with 5 seconds left, Chauncey hit a clutch three. At the end of the third the Pistons led 69-61.

The fourth quarter belonged to the Grizzlies. After a strong start to the quarter, when the Pistons led 76-65, the Grizzlies began to climb back and they had nine minutes to do it. Led by Pau Gasol and Mike Miller the Grizzlies were not going away. Miller hit an important fast break three to tie the game at 79-79. Then Pau did it on the Defensive side when he blocked Tayshaun’s lay up. Then with 7 seconds left in the fourth the Pistons led 87-85, and Gasol tied it up. Chauncey had a chance to tie it, but he missed the three to force overtime.

It seemed the Pistons would be able to hold off the Grizzlies again but they came back again. After strong efforts from Chauncey who passed it to Ben and threw it down for the Jam, and Tayshaun’s important block, but once again the Grizzlies found a way to come back as they forced a 2^nd over time with the game tied at 93.

This time there was no denying the Pistons the victory, because they had already lost a devastating loss to Washington overtime last month. When the 2^nd overtime began the Pistons defense forced a 24 shot clock violation. Then Sheed hit a three after he had almost lost it to put the Pistons up 98-97. After a successful trip on the last possession where Gasol drove past Ben to get to the hoop, this time he was going to try and face up Ben, but it didn’t work. Ben blocked and kept the Pistons in charge. After a missed lay up by Rip Hamilton, Ben got the board and found Chauncey who nailed the three to put the Pistons ahead again 101-99. Damon Stoudamire wasn’t so good early on in the game but then turned things on from the fourth, and it wouldn’t stop in the 2^nd OT. The Pistons were up by three when Damon threw up a three point prayer and it went in to tie the game. So, the Pistons would call time out and with 4.4 seconds try to avoid a third OT. The Pistons would give Chauncey the ball again and he would not deny his teammates the win anymore. He nailed the jumper, and the Pistons escaped Memphis with a 106-104 double overtime win.

Here are tonight’s stat leaders for the major stats categories:

Scoring: Although Tayshaun started out with 16 in the first half, it was Chauncey who scored the most for the Pistons. Mr. Big Shot finished with 30 points.

Assists: When will it stop!! Chauncey is averaging 23.5 points, 12 assists, and 3.3 three-pointers a game, and tonight he had another strong game with 9 assists.

Rebounds: Ben Wallace led all Pistons with 14 rebounds. He certainly seems to be past that foot injury now.

Blocks: WOW!! Can’t say that enough as Ben had five of them against Memphis and some of them came at crucial moments.

Steals: Usually it’s Sheed, but Ben was just having a good game. Big Ben had 4 steals to cap off a wonderful night of Defense for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.