Nazr Mohammed leads the Pistons in scoring during victory against Heat

[spurssheriff]

Pistons cruise against Heat

Mohammed, Murray and Delfino stand out in 84-64 win in exhibition opener, combining for 39 points.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...610110303/1127

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.

[bnwhuxley]

If there was a message in this preseason game, the intended recipient isn't the Heat (or the Spurs for that matter).

[Supernatural Anesthetist]

Seen it...experienced it...setting them up for disappointment.

[MrGamez]

fool's gold...

[Fool]

Originally Posted by bnwhuxley

If there was a message in this preseason game, the intended recipient isn't the Heat (or the Spurs for that matter).

Agreed.

Originally Posted by bnwhuxley

Delfino will have a good season IF: Flip gives him some minutes and keeps his big mouth shut.

Agreed as well.


Nazr shot 5-12, that's fine. He did some things I expected (mishandled a pass from Billups out of bounds as Nazr was cutting down the baseline for what would have been an easy score). And some things I didn't (made a move on Shaq in the high post for an easy layup). All in all I can't say I saw much of the game what with the Tigers starting at the same time and it being a playoff game while the Pistons were playing their first pre-season game.

BTW, Jason Maxiell (Pistons sophmore) continues to get to the line whenever he wants when he plays. Of course he shoots free throws like he's on the Spurs (actually worse than that, 5-11).

[Malice]

Remember that 30 points against the suns and 20 rebound game against the Sixers just last year? The dude is a enigma. He's their problem now.

[kyleo]

Oh man, can I start looking to weekly updates on Nazr, followed by everyone getting angrier and angrier? Because that'll be great.

[Bleedblacknsilva]

Originally Posted by Malice

Remember that 30 points against the suns and 20 rebound game against the Sixers just last year? The dude is a enigma. He's their problem now.

I couldn't have said it better.

[Fool]

Originally Posted by kyleo

Oh man, can I start looking to weekly updates on Nazr, followed by everyone getting angrier and angrier? Because that'll be great.

It would be nice if you could just make everyone understand that the playoffs are all that matter and while I fully expect the Pistons to do very well in the regular season, it is the playoffs that will determine whether Nazr is a good enough fill'in for Wallace.

[coyotes_geek]

Originally Posted by Fool

It would be nice if you could just make everyone understand that the playoffs are all that matter and while I fully expect the Pistons to do very well in the regular season, it is the playoffs that will determine whether Nazr is a good enough fill'in for Wallace.

Same deal here with Elson & Company. Sadly though this board will be cursed with a flood of "should have kept Nazr" threads every time he has a good game.

[Robofuzz]

Yep - Pistons peaking too early - just like last year.

[alpineballer]

Originally Posted by coyotes_geek

Same deal here with Elson & Company. Sadly though this board will be cursed with a flood of "should have kept Nazr" threads every time he has a good game.

will be excelled by all the "should have traded Scola's rights + Barry for Dwight Howard" threads every time Elson has a bad game.

[Fool]

Originally Posted by Robofuzz

Yep - Pistons peaking too early - just like last year.

LOL, preseason game 1? LOL give me a break.

[coyotes_geek]

Originally Posted by alpineballer

will be excelled by all the "should have traded Scola's rights + Barry for Dwight Howard" threads every time Elson has a bad game.

Yeah I'm expecting SpursReport to have a bumper crop on ridiculous trade idea threads this year. Once all the users who hibernate during the offseason come back things should really get entertaining around here the moment one of our new pickups has a bad game. I can see the "trade for KG" threads already...

[Robofuzz]

Originally Posted by Fool

LOL, preseason game 1? LOL give me a break.

You have to admit that they ran out of gas last year. They need to pace themselves better this year. Beating Miami in the preseason means absolutely nothing.

[coyotes_geek]

^^^ Fool never said it did.

[Ducks]

Originally Posted by DizzG

it will be the new Stephen Jackson updates we used to get here daily

why come here then

[Robofuzz]

Originally Posted by coyotes_geek

^^^ Fool never said it did.

Hey, no need to get snippy. I was trying to make a joke out of it being the preseason and how the Pistons worked so hard last year for the best record and then fell flat. No biggie.

[rjv]

nice meaningless stats

[kyleo]

Instead of this Nazr crap, I think we should get back to the "Darko Watch." He's sure to have a few 7 block games this pre-season, just to get people's hopes up.