Richard Hamilton has a sore hip, which he suffered
when he collided with Lamar Odom Thursday. Hamilton
sat out most of the third quarter, then came back and
played the entire fourth, but he was still in a lot of
pain afterward. Hamilton has been shooting lights out
over the last few weeks but you have to wonder what
affect that will have on him.
Rodney Stuckey finally played like the Pistons have
been projecting in the win over the Lakers. Not only
did he score 10 points but he looked totally confident
taking those shots and driving to the basket. He's
figuring out when the opening to drive is available
and when to pull back and run the offense.
It was quite telling that Flip Saunders said he nearly
kept Stuckey in the game the entire fourth quarter.
Don't be surprised if Stuckey plays during crunch time
in some playoff games.
Amir Johnson has also looked good since Saunders threw
him into the rotation. His quickness and length make
him a force around the boards.
On the flip side, Jason Maxiell has been running on
fumes since the beginning of the New Year. More than
anyone, he needs the All-Star break to get recharged
and refreshed for the stretch run.