The Pistons and Hornets didn’t even exchange the customary post-game handshakes, and Jalen Duren told Bickerstaff, ‘Let’s just go.
Playoff series please
9⁄10 seed first game exit for Charlotte take it or leave it
At home to Miami there’s no way right?
Have you seen the Heat’s play-in record? Wouldn’t want to face Spoelstra in a single game knock out.
Also they completely out matched us the first 3 of our 4 meetings this year. And we suck in close games. Not a stretch to expect us to be one and done
Well…
Just score a lot of points early. End it in the 3rd.
We suck dick this year, and the vibes on the team are trash. I think the players want to lose the play-in.
1 2 3 Cancun
Did it just go downhill after Bam’s 83?
I mean the vibes were bad before 83. 83 was a cool respite, but also the losing skid after 83 was bad
Vibes started high when the new offense was steamrolling teams in October but by December our gaps became glaring and it was clear that the team was going to be mediocre at best
I think things went from mediocre to bad sometime in like January/February. Especially when there were zero trade moves everyone just went “ok, we suck but we’re not tanking, fuck it”
nah it wasnt after 83, it was a couple games after when norm came back after herro finally got healthy
we went thru a similar slump early season when norm was healthy and herro came back from injury for a bit. the lineups just dont work when both those players r available
This is wild to read because I check the scores from all nba games pretty much daily and it feels like the heat are constantly putting up 140+ points.
We do that against very bad defensive teams but the second we play a team that plays any amount of defense it really crashes down hard.
Its just pace. Our efficiency isn’t good so we get lots of attempts, and lots of attempts against a bad defense will inflate the score. But because the offense is “everyone can attempt an isolation score” where none of our players are great isolation scorers, if you have any competent defenders its just grids to a halt.
You underestimate how bad we play against yall historically.
The way the second half of the year has been us beating yall should be a given BUT we suck against yall so it would still be an upset honestly unless we come out and absolutely annihilate the Knicks tomorrow then its a different story.
Heat going to wreck the Hornets in the play in somehow. Then get swept in their playoff series lmao. Blowout each game
That was when they had “Playoff Jimmy”…Now? Not so sure they look as scary.
we literally won 2 playin games last seasons and won a play in game after jimmy tore his meniscus the year b4 lol. jimmy actually wasnt all that good in the playin games iirc
this year feels like the year we finally lose in the playins but actually like jimmy was the sole reason for those playoff success is dumb
is that pre or post Jimmy butler
Both lol
We became the only team in nba history to win 2 playin games and make the playoffs after jimmy.
We don’t got much but we got the playins goddamnit lmao
you 83 sham adebayo too lets see him show up when it matters most rofl 🤣
lol u know wats funny? anything could happen and that shit still says 83 in the record books
right there snuggled into 2nd place
and nothing to show for it being 🤡 for years 🤣 thats the most funniest part
nothing to show for it? highest scoring game in televised history is the show lmao
Bruh it’s been weeks and u still mad🤣 let it go
there’s nothing to be mad over I just want him to show up when it matters most
No tf u don’t u just hating🤡 It’s Wilt Bam Kobe now get over it or stay mad idk🤣
That’s what I think but we haven’t been able to get a play in game within 20 yet so I’m going to stop counting my eggs
lol please pistons would win it 4-1 at worst
But it would be an entertaining 4-1!!
Close gentlemen’s sweep?
Define “close”
It’s a reference to first things first. Close games for me are single digit final score differences
The Celtics swept the Nets in 2022 in an objectively close series, the Celtics’ total series differential was +18 and there are teams who win in 5, 6 or 7 games who have bigger differentials than that
Would you rather watch the Heat or a injured Sixers take them on
Heat lowkey scare me more, they match up well against us.
No they don’t. You guys would stuff them into a woodchipper in 4.
The Heat Pistons games have been extremely close this season.
I know.
I also think that if you guys meet them in the playoffs, into the woodchipper they go.
To be clear I’m not particularly worried about either of them, the Heat just make me slightly nervous
The only teams that scare me as a pistons fan are the Spurs, Cavs, and Boston. Boston being slightly less than the other two.
They just lost back to back against the raptors. You’re good
I would love to say we do, but we don’t have the talent to keep up.
Tbh I think the pistons give the belt to any of the play in teams, the constant downplaying of a team that’s held the 1 seed the entire season by the media has been super weird
you never see a team do it with defense
There would be 1 game where the Hornets shoot 24-50 from 3 and just nuke the Pistons off the court. But i do think that’d be their only win lol
Imagine telling someone 2 years ago we’d be begging for a pistons hornets playoff series lol
Would be fun if they got as wild as those Knicks-Heat series of the 90s. I need to see Bickerstaff hanging from a player’s leg like a rat being dragged JVG style.
Yeah i expect Pistons will beat them but maybe they give them some business like 6 game series tho most likely 5 , Still the drama and bickering between young Hornets and Pistons would be interesting
Easy 4 game.sweep for Det.
sweeps are hard. Any team can get hot.
Love that username. Shame I have to downvote you.
Basketball Gods please give us this as a first rd series
Silver will tell the refs to rig it for us…
Hornets probably aren’t making it out of play-in and if we did it’s probably 4-1 at best. Playing our worst ball since December lately and can’t match pistons physicality at any position.
Why would hornets not make it out of the play in
They have to play Miami first, who they went 1-3 against this year. Then they have to win again on the road. They’re just 4-4 in their last 8 games with some key contributors (Kon especially) hitting a big slump in that stretch. Also the hornets are just not good in clutch games and clutch situations, it would be a fitting end to this season.
5-3 with the losses being against the 1 & 2 seeds plus healthy sixers lol wouldn’t call that a bad stretch
I can’t believe it either but Spo seems to know how to shut down Lamelo every time. Iirc he had worse stats against the Heat compared to most teams. It’s like with Trae those past years. He was often bad against them.
I still want them to get out of the play-in though. No one wants to see the Embiid-less Philly or Bam and these randoms advance
Love it.
Me too I’ve been waiting for a proper rivalry for the hornets
It’s not the rivalry I expected. But I’m here for it. Let’s fucking go!
I gotta start working on some Charlotte based insults. I wasn’t prepared…
We refer to ourselves internally as the “Applebees of cities”.
And I say that as someone who loves this city and abhors Applebees.
idk, i havent been to applebees in over a decade, but it was never bad lol fajita plate, hamburger, chicken, beer
For some people like myself, Applebee’s is a fancy night out.
Ali took down Liston. Now we take down the Pistons. Idk.
Nah the way the pistons play you should expect it from everyone, bickerstaff has them playing with hate in their hearts. This isn’t meant as an insult btw.
Hornets can get out the play -in. This series has been brewing since the early part of this year. Hell of a script buildup
Absolutely. I want to see the series even though I dont think the Hornets can win. A good showing after losing this game so hard in the 4th due to the Pistons’ physicality would be great for them to carry into next year.
Hornets need another big man. As good as he has been Diabate is too small for Duren and Stewart etc
It’s been difficult trying to convince my fellow bugs that moose isn’t big enough to play with the big boys and gets exposed against real Cs. Love moose, but he’s a prototypical backup C and we need to stop pretending otherwise
It’s certainly not for lack of effort. It’s just tough at 6ft 8
Stew and Duren aren’t much if any taller than that but they’re full grown men.
Duren is younger than Diabate btw
Yeah they’re just built crazy
Stew more than anything just has truly special timing and IQ when defending the rim. He just knows exactly when to jump and knows when not to bite on a pump fake, etc.
It also helps that Stewart’s wing span is 7’4”
Duren is Bane irl. Dude’s jacked
Duren just turned 22 but he looking like he 30
Moose is good in most matchups but Stew and Duren are just too strong. I think if we didnt also have an undersized 4, it would help Moose a lot.
I hate this thought process because it’s backwards. Having an undersized 5 is far more detrimental than an undersized 4. You cant make up for your smol C by having a big 4. Your C still smol and getting abused. Another thing I’ve had trouble convincing fellow bugs of
I mean yeah it is, but you are discounting how Moose’s switchability helps their defense. Bad matchups are going to happen. And regardless of if an undersized 4 or 5 is more detrimental, it still would help having more size at the 4.
Same shit with the Celtics and Queta, and Diabate is even smaller
Technically they have Vuc too…I guess…
Imagine telling someone “the pistons are gonna play play the hornets in the first round of the playoffs” like 2 years ago loool
“The Pistons are gonna play the Hornets in the first round AND general users of r/NBA are actually excited about the possibility.”
You would have been laughed out of the room
“It’s 2028 and the wizards and hornets are the 1 and 2 seeds respectively” I’m doing a thing here
Twilight zone fr
We dam near had a WWE Rage in the Cage match last time they met. We for sure need 6-7 games of that please and thank you.
Charlotte are spooky man.
So entertaining to watch. I’m shocked they’ve got a worse record than fodder like the 6ers and Orlando.
Loads of depth and LaMelo, Miller, Kon, Sion James and Diabate are fantastic. They remind me of a more fun OKC. They’re going to be legit for a while.
Writers are cooking 🍳
Stew and Duren aren’t the same players as Sheed and Big Ben but they’ve got the same attitude and I love that shit. Detroit basketball has only ever been good when, justified or not, we have a massive chip on our shoulder and those dudes embody that culture. One of the big reasons we were able to stay solid while Cade was out
Laimbeer and Rodman, Sheed and Ben, JD and Stew
We need 2 mean ass big men like Winterfell needs a Stark lol
Every championship team has been scrappy as hell and hustles more than anything. It’s very Detroit and I love it. Never flashy, always gritty.
This is actually good for the sport.
what is going on with this hornets color scheme…
Let’s replace the most iconic color scheme in the league with….this!
Idk, I found I liked it at home in person
Right. This is shockingly bad. Their actual colors are so nice
i don’t think these colors are bad, they’re pretty beautiful tbh
creamsicle kinda thing
but it bugs me they have nothing to do with anything about the hornets or charlotte, and look more connected to the cavs, suns, or jazz colors.
it’s like some totally random shit, like if they replaced purple and teal with fuchsia and neon green
The jerseys and court look like they belong to two different teams, and neither are the hornets
Blame Nike, shameless cash grab jerseys year after year
Both teams color schemes had me wondering if I was even looking at an NBA scoreboard.
My mind goes to bumble bees and yellow jackets, but not hornets. Interesting choice.
Something stupid is gonna happen in their series I love it
Beef Stew gonna be like Lamelo driving through an intersection
God I need this 1st rd matchup like I need air
Hornets or Magic will definitely have a brawl in the first round with the Pistons
magic will try injuring at least three pistons as they get swept
Pistons gonna take out all the Magic guys first. We couldn’t get a fucking whistle while our guys were being twohanded shoved all game
cry me a river, you guys had as many ft attempts despite chucking 45 threes
Orlando is playing the Celtics in round 1
Magic and hawks lol
Detroit is so back
We’ve been in the damn basketball wilderness for so long. It feels so damn good to truly be invested in basketball again and not trying to talk myself in to Brandon Knight
Well sir you didnt deserve him anyways then. As a bucks fan i was stoked as hell on our BKnight/OJMayo back court 😅
League is more fun when the Pistons are good idk why
More of this
Oh damn. Did I miss something? Let’s go. Welcome to the playoffs baby!
Fight
Fight last game, general chippiness from them this game
Hornets tried starting something, and then the Pistons held them to 10 points in the 4th quarter
“Hornets tried starting something” what exactly did they try to start lmao
I love it! I know it’s probably just me but I hate all this kumbaya hugging and exchanging of jerseys after regular season games.
Unless it’s Dick and Brown/Black/White/any of the other funny ones I’m forgetting, I ain’t about it.
He should trade jerseys with James Harden
Waiting for the Jeremiah Fears jersey swap
1 Dick 🤝 0 Fears
I hate to sound like a boomer but what are these logos and colors? I genuinely can’t tell which team won
It was the current “City Edition” jerseys for both teams. Both logos are remixes of old logos. Mostly just color changes in terms of the logos.
I be feeling the same way when it’s time to get off work
Me when my coworker wants to chat about their weekend plans on Friday.
Man I want this series so bad but realistically we’re getting knocked out by Miami in the 9⁄10 game. Sorry everyone.
Yep, destiny arrives all the same
Team looks a lil tired honestly. But they’ve basically been playing playoff basketball for the last 50 games.
Honestly with how y’all have been playing since january 1st, team needs the rest. It’s probably no coincidence the team can’t close games with how they’ve been needing to pull out winstreak after winstreak just to be a little over .500 after the abysmal start.
Two teams about to go to war in round 1
A 1st round matchup between the Hornets and Pistons would feed countless families for generations
Maybe but a lot of people might get bored once the Hornets get swept
As someone out of the loop, what set things off?
Miller dunked and then landed on Duncan. Duncan pushed back. Nascar driver Lamelo also talking shit after.
There was also the fight that caused stew and duren to be suspended earlier in the year.
NASCAR driver 😭
Stew gets suspended every year xP
That fight was honestly the first time Beef Stew was not responsible for things breaking down. The fight had already started on the other end of the court when randomly Bridges started trying to sucker punch people, so Stew came off the bench to stop him
Look it up on YouTube: the game was on 9th or 10th of February
I believe you. Bridges is a POS too.
Bridges is an eliteeeeee piece of shit
Feels real big when punching women or people that aren’t looking his way, but when Stew got in his face he instantly started backing down
In addition to women, Miles Bridges has also plead guilty to multiple counts of Child Abuse.
I didn’t even know that. What a prick
Context: the two teams ended up a fight last time they played. Biased perspective, but I would argue the Hornets started it (Duren was walking away and trying to descalate). Miles Bridges gives Duren a sucker punch, which finally provokes Duren. Beef Stew flies off the bench to give Bridges a well-deserved smack. Two players on each side are suspended.
That’s why Duren has bad blood for the Hornets (and Hornets fans were booing Stew every time he had the ball).
But the Hornets are low-key one of my favorite teams now. I’m really excited to see what they look like next season.
apparently diabate and duren have history going back to high school
That 1-8 match up is going to be spicy
A playoff series between these two would be electric.
Two young teams with great players who actually dislike each other. This is pretty cool.
As good as these games have been, this one was very telling in how the Pistons pulled away with ease down the stretch. LaMelo was on fire from 3 and kept them close, but the Pistons were just able to get to the paint too easily.
Charlotte weak get em out of here
I wonder if keeping Mark Williams qand trading Duren in the same draft has anything to do with this? Just because he is in middle of it a lot.
Then as an MSU alum, Hornets fan married to a fan of all Detroit sports, this an interesting development in my house lol. I own a couple piston shirts and a hat, this brewing rivalry goes full blown, that may need to change.
What are these logos? I felt like i was tripping at first trying to realize who was who in the score
Bro Charlotte needs to chill. Detroit would destroy them in a series
This is true. But this is going to make it an even better series
The world needs this in the first round
The only time I wouldn’t be mad at the refs rigging the game is to get the hornets that 8 seed.
It’s in the Pistons DNA.
God, a loss to Miami in the play-in with Tyler Herro mean-mugging the crowd would be so deflating.
Nobody wants to see Miami in the playoffs.
Incoming sweep
We’d have a chance if LaMelo got the Pistons with dirty mop water.
this could be a fun match up for the next several years
whats the context?
The last game had a big fight blow up. After that it seemed to galvanize the Hornets and the city against Detroit.
Hornets were talking a lot during the game and then lost by 16
Hornets are getting there. Not there yet but at least they are out of the G-League
How come?
NOW WE GOT BAD BLOOOD
Ooo it’s almost my favorite time of the sports year….
Basketball gods…. Please
Why they got beef??
The hornets are so fun to watch and have so many assholes on the team. I’m hear for it. Not the team I’d want to cheer for after some rough Charlotte years but definitely a team I’d love watching. I’m hoping for a series too
Keeping Piston tradition alive.
Honestly we played a good game until a really bad line up change late in the 3rd quarter. I want our young bucks bringing this kind of energy towards the top seed heading into the playoffs.
Pistons are too deep. The bench went on a 14-0 run to start the 4th against a lot of CHA starters.
Cha got a bright future if they dont mess it up but they arent in a tier thats close to each other at the moment.
Detroit is incredibly deep.
What a stupid logo for both clubs and what a ridiculous court.
Why not have the actual logos in the lower third?
Don’t blame the Pistons for not wanting to shake… they’ve got the upper hand in this bad blood matchup. For now. But as early as next year it might be a different story.
I think Duren has been trying a little too hard to let everyone know hes not a nice guy
Casuals also don’t realize Duren got drafted and traded by the hornets too
Speaking of casuals, do you realize you make the trade before the pick. The hornets essentially picked for the pistons. They didn’t trade Jalen Duren, a grudge over a draft day trade Is silly
Actually traded to the Knicks then Pistons
Players doing this is whatever. Seeing a coach do this is pretty bush league.
r/nba is calling it cute cuz either team ain’t a real threat lol it’s always funny being here for the start of these things
Either team ain’t a real threat? My brother in Christ the pistons are the one seed what else do you want from them?
One seed who just went 8-3 without best player.
they’d say the same thing if it was Wemby and you know it
‘mamba mentality’
Sure, am I supposed to disagree? Once Wemby starts winning big, he’ll be hated too
These teams naturally don’t like each other. It’s good to have real rivalries in the league again. Everything doesn’t have to be buddy buddy. East needs some real rivalries back anyway
What? It’s two team that hate each other. The reaction would be the same across the board
I think the Hornets will be liked for a while but a switch is about to flip on the pistons
And because of this now all players or coaches on either team are not allowed on any future Olympics/Dream teams. Let’l the hypocrisy live… Giggedy
What
BS reason the Pistons Isiah Thomas was left off the 1992 Dream Team because his Pistons didn’t shake hands with the Bulls after a playoff loss in 1991.
That was one of the reasons Jordan didn’t want to play with him. He also said Larry Bird would be “just another guy” if he was Black. And he insinuated that Magic was gay after the HIV diagnosis. None of Barkley, Pippen or Malone were interested in having him on the team. Chuck Daly wanted Joe Dumars.