Privates :) und Spiel » f-season in an effort to boost Detroits perimeter

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Detroit had just lost to Atlanta when a last-second 3-pointer missed the mark, but Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy noticed something unusual about the home crowds reaction.There were people standing up and cheering guys and the whole thing, Van Gundy said. They want to see you go out and give a great, great effort every night, and I think watching us and watching us on TV, I think thats what people are seeing — the energy and the effort and the spirit of this group.The loss to the Hawks was Detroits only defeat in its last 10 games, and although the Pistons remain well under .500, theyre finally beginning to win back their fans, whose indifference had become one of the defining characteristics of this dreary period in the teams history.As they near the halfway point of Van Gundys first season at the helm, the Pistons may finally be shedding their reputation as frustrating underachievers. Lately, theyve looked more like the type of hungry underdog Motown loves to embrace.Its just fun that its a buzz around the Pistons, forward Jonas Jerebko said. Usually its only been when LeBrons been in town or the Lakers come in and stuff like that.Detroit hasnt made the playoffs since 2009, and attendance fell off quickly after the team plunged into mediocrity. It was hard to pinpoint the worst moment of the last five seasons. There was the day in 2011 when seven players missed at least part of a team shootaround in Philadelphia, and only the remaining six played that night in a blowout loss. There was the 1-13 record in March of 2013.Maurice Cheeks was fired last February, just 50 games into his first season as Detroits coach. The Pistons went 8-24 the rest of the way.This season didnt start any better under Van Gundy. The Pistons lost 13 in a row at one point and were 5-23 when they made the bold decision to waive pricey forward Josh Smith, who was filling up the stat sheet but shooting poorly — and who was such a focal point of the offence that it seemed hard for other players to flourish.After cutting Smith, Detroit won seven games in a row, and the Pistons have won two straight since the loss to Atlanta. Detroit was two games out of the Eastern Conferences final playoff spot entering Tuesday, when the Pistons had a night off before a home game against New Orleans.Point guard Brandon Jennings is averaging 20.3 points and 7.0 assists since Smiths departure. Less than two weeks before waiving Smith, the Pistons welcomed Jodie Meeks back from a back injury that had kept him out all season. Meeks was one of a few players added this off-season in an effort to boost Detroits perimeter shooting.Since Smiths exit, the Pistons have attempted 29.1 shots per game from 3-point range, and theyve made them at a 38-per cent clip. If Detroit is connecting from the perimeter, that gives talented big men Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe more room to operate.We started making our shots, we started shooting with more confidence, and we started to space the floor out for everybody, Drummond said. Youve got to pick your poison, whether you want a 3, or you want to, you know, get dunked on.Detroit fans really took notice when the Pistons won at San Antonio and Dallas last week. With the Detroit area still reeling a bit from the Lions playoff loss, the Pistons rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat the Spurs. At the end, Van Gundy was seen on live television exhorting his team to form a wall near the basket to prevent a last-second alley-oop — only he threw in some colorful language while making his point.That clip became a hit on social media, and when the Pistons played the Hawks in their next home game, an announced crowd of 18,859 — Detroits largest since the home opener — saw an exciting game that came down to the wire. The next night, Detroit beat Brooklyn, and the attendance was 19,301.Theyre getting into it. I think thats great, because I think thats what our fans deserve, Van Gundy said. Were not going to win every night, and were still a really young team, but theres no reason we cant bring that energy and a fight to the game every night, and I think our fans are responding to that. Armani Watts Jersey .ca look back at each of the Top 10 stories of 2013. Today, we look back at LeBron James and the Miami Heat winning their second straight NBA championship. Derrick Nnadi Jersey . When New Zealand finally held on for an 8-7 win, France No. 8 Imanol Harinordoquy collapsed to the ground, having given every drop of energy he could muster, and lay prone as All Blacks danced around him in celebration. Few critics had given France any chance, but coach Marc Lievremonts team rallied from 8-0 down and came within one kick of taking the lead with 15 minutes remaining, only for flyhalf Francois Trinh-Ducs 49-meter effort to drift wide. http://www.officialkansascitychiefsfootb...a-jersey-womens. -- Jerome Williams glanced at Philadelphias schedule and realized he would be facing the Oakland Athletics yet again, with another new team. DeAnthony Thomas Jersey . - Kevin Labanc and Joseph Blandisi were a potent combination for the Barrie Colts on Friday night. Tony Gonzalez Jersey . -- Jerome Verrier scored once and set up two more as the Drummondville Voltigeurs downed the visiting Chicoutimi Sagueneens 5-1 on Friday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play.DUESSELDORF, Germany - Defending champion Juan Monaco eased past Benjamin Becker 6-2, 6-1 to reach the second round of the ATP Duesseldorf Open on Tuesday. But last years runner-up Jarkko Nieminen crashed out despite winning the first set against Denis Istomin. Istomin fired 10 aces and won 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2 to even his career record against Nieminen at 3-3. A former top 10 player, MMonaco has struggled with a right-wrist injury and has fallen to No.dddddddddddd 54. But he easily disposed of Becker, who is not comfortable on clay. Monaco says that as defending champion in Duesseldorf he feels "comfortable here, everything is familiar." Also, Mate Delic defeated Michal Przysiezny 7-5, 7-5 and Nikolay Davydenko beat Dudi Sela 6-3, 6-1. Cheap Nike Celtics Jerseys Cheap Nike Nets Jerseys Cheap New York Knicks Jerseys Cheap Philadelphia 76ers Jerseys China Raptors Jerseys Wholesale Chicago Bulls Jerseys Wholesale Cleveland Cavaliers Jerseys China Pistons Jerseys Wholesale Indiana Pacers Jerseys Cheap Milwaukee Bucks Jerseys Atlanta Hawks Jerseys Online Cheap Nike Hornets Jerseys China Heat Jerseys Cheap Nike Magic Jerseys China Wizards Jerseys Cheap Nike Nuggets Jerseys China Timberwolves Jerseys China Thunder Jerseys China Blazers Jerseys Cheap Utah Jazz Jerseys China Warriors Jerseys Cheap Nike Clippers Jerseys Discount Lakers Jerseys Phoenix Suns Jerseys Online Cheap Sacramento Kings Jerseys Dallas Mavericks Jerseys Online Wholesale Houston Rockets Jerseys Wholesale Memphis Grizzlies Jerseys New Orleans Pelicans Jerseys Online Discount Spurs Jerseys ' ' '