Thursday Night NBA Viewing Party: Pistons/Hornets, 1st Half

- Hello, and welcome to the Thursday Night NBA Viewing party. It's a liveblog of the Thursday Night TNT games, but I'm hoping to make it an interactive community experience. I've never liveblogged a basketball game before, so ... this might suck. But we'll see how it goes. We'll get things rolling around tip-off (and I'm running a touch late, my apologies).

- Tonight's epic point guard matchup: Flip Murray vs. Jannero Pargo. Both Billups and Chris Paul are out, which means this has the potential to be a seriously ugly game. I hate Flip Murray. I thought I should just be honest about that.

- Chauncey looks fantastic in his suit, though. His tailor deserves a raise.

- One of the keys to tonight's game from Doug "The Cable Guy" Collins: "Get 'er Done." Seriously, that was it. I expect Doug Collins to record a YouTube vudeo about Tubby Smith soon.

- Desmond Mason takes the first two Hornets shots, both back-to-the-basket ventures. First one missed, Tayshaun locked up the second one.

- Some pretty good shooting here so far... 9-8 Pistons, three minutes into the game. Flip Murray has yet to infuriate me, which is good for the Pistons.

- It's mid-range jumper city for the Pistons, and they're hitting most of them. They're going through their sets pretty well with Flip in control of the offense. There's a terrible shot by Flip, though. I knew that was happening soon.

- Desmond Mason keeps trying to post up Tayshaun Prince. It's not working for him. Tyson Chandler isn't doing a lot against Rasheed Wallace, either.

- Tayshaun has Mason in the post now, drawing the double team from Pargo ... some good ball movement, bam, bam, wide open look for Rip. Byron Scott calls timeout, and it's 16-12 Pistons halfway through the first.

- Out of the timeout, they go to Mason again in the post. Jesus ... lot that one go, Byron. He misses again.

- Bobby Jackson's making his return from injury her... his challenge is to check Rip Halimton right now.

- Mason takes on Prince again in the post. Ball knocked out of bounds ... foul called on Rip Hamilton, though.

- Rip's up to 13 points on the evening already... Pistons 20, Hornets 14. I'm not going to say that the Pistons don't miss Chauncey Billups, obviously, but the offense is running pretty well without him.

- You know who I bet is mad about the NBA's policy that players have to wear suits on the bench if they aren't playing? Craig Sager. He used to be the only guy in the building wearing a suit. Now he's being outdressed by someone every night.

- Bobby Jackon's on the board with a three-ball. For Detroit, by the way, young point guard Will Blalock is in the game. He was the last guy taken in the draft a few years ago, out of Iowa State... he just did a spin move into the lane and put it off the glass and in. That was after a nice little assist to Rip Hamilton, too.

- Tayshaun Prince finishes off the quarter with a three-ball from the corner after Rip iso'd on a "hold for the last shot" situation... the Hornets are terribly outmanned right now.

- Cedric Simmons is in for the Hornets and Jason Maxiell has checked in for the Pistons... both of those guys can be aggressive rebounders... could see some physical battles on the board.

- Antonio McDyess's jumper looks smooth tonight.

- Will Blalock has, more often than not, made good decisions with the ball when he's had it. Nothing spectacular, but he's taken shots when he's open, and moved it to the open man when available.

- Rip's got 17 on the evening, already... I'm already thinking about the halftime interview/cliche fest. I bet he says that the Pistons wanted to come out with a lot of energy.

- Bobby Jackson slices through the lane and gets to the rack ... didn't look like a guy with any rust right there. By the way, I don't think the Hornets have even been close to getting an offensive board tonight. 40-23, Detroit. Timeout, Byron Scott.

- I'm torn on this "Stomp the Yard" movie. A bad-ass step show is one of the most impressive things you can see. But at the same time ... I am positive that whatever "plot" and dialog are involved in that movie are brutal.

- Maxiell pulls down a BEASTLY rebound, but went over a guy's back... Maxiell's undersized, but freakishly athletic, and OH... that was right on cue, he just beat everyone down the floor on a break and threw down a thunder-flush. Maxiell is the man.

- And there's Rip Hamilton lofting an alley-oop to Maxiell, who throws it down in a way that discourages anyone from trying to interfere with his progress. 44-25 Pistons, and thank you, Jason Maxiell for making this game more fun.

- Flip Murray passes up an open three, drives, passes it to Carlos Delfino from about two feet away, resulting in a turnover.

- Hey, offensive rebound by the Hornets.

- Mason tries his post up bit on Maxiell, and has it fed to him... Maxiell's called for the foul on the play, but it looked good nonetheless.

- Flip Saunders is heard yelling at his group, "352 Twist! 352 Twist!" That's my favorite play.

- Carlos Delfino has a wide, wide, wide, wide open three ... one of those jobs where was too open, hesitated because he couldn't believe how open he was, and then, of course, missed. He attempts and misses a reverse lay-up on the next possession, though, and gets to the line. Pistons lead by 21.

- Devin Brown provides the most impressive offensive play of the game for the Hornets... off a high Tyson Chandler screen, through a couple of Pistons in the lane, putting the one-hander off the glass.

- Kevin Harlan is going through the Hornets injury problems... Paul, Peja, West, Jackson. The highlight of it for me was the ER theme in the background. Back in the day, that was a fantastic show. I haven't seen it in a couple of years, but back when Goose, Clooney, William H. Macy, and Soul Glo Lasalle were on there ... that show was bad-ass.

- Pargo goes end-to-end and pulls the Hornets back to within... 21.

- Ronald Dupree has checked in for the Pistons... my favorite borderline NBDL guy in the league. He's all about the hustle, defense, work, attitude. I dig him.

- And there's Dupree on the fast break dunk... every time I talk about someone, they get a fast break dunk. First, Maxiell, now Dupree.

- And we're at halftime, the Pistons lead by ... I dunno, a hell of a lot of points. Here's the Rip Hamilton interview. Sadly, he does not mention how the Pistons wanted to come out with a lot of energy. Credit Craig Sager for that. We'll be back here after halftime...