Vincent
Goodwill
The Detroit News
Miami -- The Heat have not had the start most expected and with the Cavaliers on deck Thursday, it looked like the Pistons could steal one.
Well, like most other times this season, Detroit seems to be the cure to opponents' ills, falling to Miami, 97-72, Wednesday at American Airlines Arena. The Pistons lost their third straight and fifth of six.
The game was out of reach by the third quarter, giving LeBron James a chance to sit and rest for his return to Cleveland after leading the Miami with 18 points and six rebounds in 31 minutes. Detroit's starters combined for only 31 points, nine in the third quarter.
In the first and third quarters, when Pistons coach John Kuester rolled with his starters, the Pistons were outscored, 48-27. It was the main factor in the Pistons' lowest point total of the season, one night after scoring 79 against the Magic.
"At times we got good looks," Kuester said. "We couldn't make a basket. We have to (score) to keep our energy up on defense and it shouldn't work that way."
The most consistent knock on the Heat is that James and Dwyane Wade don't play well together, and it has contributed to the slow start. However, Wade was saddled with foul trouble and James took over. Wade wound up with 16 points in only 18 minutes.
Led by James and Chris Bosh (16 points, seven rebounds), the Heat took a commanding lead in the first quarter, shooting 65 percent from the field. The Pistons didn't rebound the shots the Heat did miss, giving up second-chance opportunities that helped the Heat to an 11-point lead.
On the other end, the Pistons couldn't get any offense, going 7 of 17 from the field. James got seemingly whatever he wanted for himself and his teammates in the first 12 minutes, though, with 11 points, four rebounds and three assists.
"It (lack of energy) showed out there," said Charlie Villanueva, who had 10 points and six rebounds. "We let our offense dictate our defense. It just wasn't there tonight."
After the second unit held serve in the second quarter, it turned into a laugher in the third. Miami's bench, much maligned in the early going, found its footing. Eddie House scored 10, James Jones had nine and 37-year-old Fab-Fiver Juwan Howard had a season-high 12 points and four rebounds.
The Pistons were in danger of matching their season low of 25 second-half points before come late field goals gave them 30. The Pistons had a similar loss to the Heat last season, a 92-65 drubbing at The Palace in January.
The only bright spot was rookie Greg Monroe, who had a career-high 15 points and eight rebounds. Monroe, whose inside scoring has yet to come along, made his first seven baskets, all in the paint.
"The beautiful thing about him was watching his energy," said Kuester, who hinted at a change in the starting lineup for Friday's game against Orlando. "I don't think he knew what the score was. I think he thought we still had a chance to win."
Jason Maxiell, the starting power forward, had two points and three rebounds. Monroe said afterwards that it didn't matter if he started or not, but if it were the case, he'd be ready.
"Every minute out there I have to be making winning plays," he said. "It felt good to make those chip shots I've been missing for most of the season. I am going to take this game and grow from it."
Why not run?
Tracy McGrady said what seemingly was on a lot of players' minds this season: Why don't they get out and run more? McGrady, a slowdown player who thrives in set offense, said the personnel should dictate the Pistons finish somewhere higher than 23rd in scoring.
It's a pace thing," he said after the game in Orlando. "We tend to not get caught up in getting up and down; we want to run our offense in transition. We have the talent to get out there and run. Why we don't do it, I don't know."
Dec. 1, 2010
