Pistons cruise against Heat
Mohammed, Murray and Delfino stand out in 84-64 win in exhibition opener, combining for 39 points.
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Chris McCosky / The Detroit News
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- If the Pistons' 84-64 romp over the Miami Heat in the exhibition opener Tuesday night proved anything, it was newcomers Nazr Mohammed and Flip Murray are quick learners and Carlos Delfino might be ready for a spot in the regular rotation.
Mohammed led the Pistons with 16 points. He had eight rebounds and contributed four steals and two blocks. Delfino had 15 points, six rebounds and two steals. Murray had eight points and two rebounds.
"That just goes to show that Nazr and Flip really picked things up," Tayshaun Prince said.
"We didn't have to do too much in training camp for them to figure out how we do things. Plus, playing them so much in the playoffs (Mohammed with the Spurs and Murray with the Cavaliers), they know how to run all the plays anyway."
The game might also showed the Heat have not gotten over their championship hangover.
"I thought we looked pretty sharp, and they looked a little tired," Prince said.
The Heat shot 31.5 percent, committed 25 turnovers and had 48 points with a little more than seven minutes left. Dwyane Wade scored five in 20 minutes and Shaquille O'Neal four in 17 minutes.
"I thought defensively we were very good," coach Flip Saunders said. "We trapped a lot, we were active, we made steals, our concepts were good, our zone was good and our full-court pressure was good."
For a team to be able to do all those things in the first exhibition, let alone do them well, gives you an idea of how far along the team is after one week of camp.
"It's a starting point," Saunders said.
The Pistons mixed the zones and traps very effectively. With Mohammed, Murray, Delfino and Lindsey Hunter on the floor, the Pistons have a very long, very quick defensive unit. They had 15 steals on the night.
"I think we are quicker, from the standpoint of our help and recover situations," Saunders said.
"I think we did a nice job in containment. One of our main parts of training camp is getting them to be in position to help. Those guys do put themselves in position, as far as athletically, to use their quickness and disrupt things."
Mohammed gave the Pistons a different look on the offensive end. He made 5 of 12 shots.
"I was a little nervous at first," he said. "I didn't think I was until I was moving about 100 miles per hour on my moves. I think I settled down a little in the second half."
Jason Maxiell, who is fighting for a spot in the rotation, had 11 points, though he missed six of 11 free throws.
The crowd at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico was very loud but disappointingly small. The crowd was announced at 13,700 in a building that holds more than 17,000.