PACERS 103, PISTONS 97: Pistons wrap up road season with 7-26 record
Detroit Pistons center Greg Monroe does some impromptu self-dentistry while watching from the bench. When on the floor, the second-year star compiled his 30th double-double of the season, but missed some key late free throws which might have changed the outcome.
Records: Pistons 24-41; Pacers 42-23
Big shot: Paul George didn't make a lot of shots, but he certainly made a lot of free throws and grabbed plenty of rebounds. The Pacers' shooting guard finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds. He was 13 of 15 from the line, and added four assists and three steals.
Whither Rodney?: What on earth has happened to Rodney Stuckey? He was held scoreless in 20 minutes of playing time, missing his only two field-goal attempts. That's the second time in the last four games that Stuckey hasn't scored. He has put up single-digit scoring totals in eight of the last nine games, the exception being a 32-point outburst in an overtime loss to Chicago on April 15. In those eight games, he scored a grand total of 36 points. The slump began the night Stuckey banged knees with Jason Richardson on the final play of the first half of an April 9 loss at Orlando. He was averaging 16.2 points for the season entering that game. His season average has slipped to 14.8 since.
Numeric milestone: Greg Monroe finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds, his 30th double-double, most for a Piston since Wallace had 34 in the 2003-04 season. The difference is, Monroe did it in 65 games. At his rate, extrapolated over a full 82-game season, Monroe would have finished with 37.8 double-doubles.
The journey ends: The Pistons finished the season with a 7-26 road record, which isn't bad, considering they lost 12 of their first 13 road games, with the lone win in that stretch against the NBA-worst Charlotte Bobcats. “I just think, overall, our approach was different, in that early on, if we got down, it was over,†Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said. “We've talked about it a lot but it was a little bit of a glass-jaw mentality. I think now our guys have a greater belief in each other and what we're doing, so we'll continue to fight and claw. But yet, we're a long way from a finished product.â€
Injury update: The Pistons have no injuries.
Frank-ly speaking: “The game came down to free throws and rebounds. When you think about it, we gave up 32 second-chance points and we were minus-16 in free throw makes. Going into the game, we knew they were the sixth-best rebounding team in the league. So our inability to compete on the glass, you think about all those extra possessions â€" and at the end of the day, we still had great opportunities, had good looks, had free throws. But all those extra possessions add up.â€
Next up: 8 p.m. Thursday vs. Philadelphia 76ers (FSD)
Email David Mayo at dmayo@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo
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