Starting Line-ups
Kings
- Tyreke Evans
- Beno Udrih
- Omri Casspi
- Carl Landry
- Samuel Dalembert
Reserves: Francisco Garcia, Luther Head, Darnell Jackson, Jason Thompson, DeMarcus Cousins, Donté Greene, Antoine Wright.
Inactives: Pooh Jeter, Hassan Whiteside.
Detroit
- Rodney Stuckey
- Richard Hamilton
- Tayshaun Prince
- Jason Maxiell
- Ben Wallace
Reserves: Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Austin Daye, Greg Monroe, Will Bynum, Tracy McGrady, Chris Wilcox.
Inactives: Terrico White, DaJuan Summers, Jonas Jerekbo.
First Quarter Recap
The Kings got off to a shaky start but center Samuel Dalembert kept them in it with a couple of early tip-ins. Carl Landry played aggressively, scoring eight points in the quarter. He did miss a pair of free throw that would have cut the lead to one late in the first. The Kings did not move the ball well, picking up only one assists to go with three turnovers. The assist number is slightly skewed when you factor in that the team only shot 34.8% from the field. After one, it’s a three point game.
Kings 19 Pistons 22
Leaders
Kings Landry (8) Points; Landry (6) Rebounds; Udrih (1) Assist.
Pistons Stuckey/Hamilton (8) Points; Maxiell/Wallace (3) Rebounds; Stuckey (4) Assists.
FG% Kings 34.8% Pistons 55.6%
Rebounds Kings 12 Pistons 8
Assists/TO Kings 1/3 Pistons 7/3
Second Quarter Recap
The Kings began the second with five bench players. Jason Thompson made an appearance after spending last game on the bench for the first DNP=CD of his career. The grouping of Head, Wright, Thompson, Cousins and Garcia kept the Kings even while the starters got a nice long rest. Luther Head was feeling it in the first half, giving the Kings 9 much needed points off the bench. The Kings shot a miserable 5-11 (45.5%) from the free throw line over the first two quarters. Those points loom large in a five point game.
Kings 45 Pistons 50
Leaders
Kings Landry (12) Points; Landry (6) Rebounds; Udrih (5) Assists.
Pistons Stuckey (12) Points; Wallace/Monroe (5) Rebounds; Stuckey (4) Assists.
FG% Kings 42.2% Pistons 56.8%
Rebounds Kings 20 Pistons 18
Assists/TO Kings 7/6 Pistons 10/8
Third Quarter Recap
The Kings came out in the third with a lot more energy than they had in the first half. Carl Landry continued to punish the Pistons and Tyreke came out and seven third quarter points. Westphal went heavily to the bench again, bringing in the same group we saw in the second quarter. The Kings did a better job of hitting their free throws and raised their shooting percentage up to 46%. The Pistons lead by three after three quarter.
Kings 72 Pistons 75
Leaders
Kings Landry (17) Points; Landry/Dalembert (7) Rebounds; Udrih (8) Assists.
Pistons Stuckey (16) Points; Wallace (9) Rebounds; Stuckey (7) Assists.
FG% Kings 46.0% Pistons 56.1%
Rebounds Kings 30 Pistons 26
Assists/TO Kings 11/9 Pistons 15/10
Fourth Quarter Recap
Charlie Villanueva came out firing in the fourth, banging down a 18 foot jumper followed by an elbow three to stretch the Pistons lead to eight at the 10:17 mark of the fourth. The Kings fought back, tying the game multiple times on the strong play of Jason Thompson and company. The Kings went back to the starters except for Casspi who was replaced by Garcia for the stretch run. They got the lead down to two inside a minute to play but Ben Gordan hit a back breaker of a three with 23.9 seconds left in the game. That was the nail in the coffin. Kings lose by six.
Kings Lose!
Kings 100 Pistons 95
Leaders
Kings Evans (20) Points; Landry/Cousins (8) Rebounds; Udrih (9) Assists.
Pistons Stuckey (17) Points; Wallace (10) Rebounds; Stuckey (7) Assists.
FG% Kings 45.3% Pistons 53.9%
Rebounds Kings 41 Pistons 37
Assists/TO Kings 14/12 Pistons 18/12
Player of the Game: This is a tough one. The co-players of the game are Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. Both players hit huge shots in the fourth quarter to help put the Kings away. Gordon scored 16 points on six shots while Villanueva had five big points in the first two minutes of the fourth to push the Pistons lead to eight.
Coaches notes and quotes are on there way.
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