[Peja Vu]

<center> vs.

Sacramento Kings (1-2) vs. Detroit Pistons (3-0)
Arco Arena, Tuesday November 8th, 2005
7:00 PT, CSN-Sacramento/NBATV
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Probable Starters


Brad Miller/Shareef Abdur-Rahim/Peja Stojakovic/Bonzi Wells/Mike Bibby


Ben Wallace/Rasheed Wallace/Tayshaun Prince/Richard Hamilton/Chauncey Billups

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[Peja Vu]

This game marks the return of Mo Evans:



Big day nears for Evans

The Kings' home opener will be Tuesday night at Arco Arena against the Detroit Pistons. No doubt, the Kings and fans will be jacked up. However, neither group might be as emotionally charged as former Kings swingman and new Piston Mo Evans.

That's Evans' 27th birthday, and he'll be playing against the team that did not show great interest in retaining his services.

"Isn't that something?" Evans said Friday from Boston before the Pistons' 82-81 victory over the Celtics. "We'll fly out (today) and play on my birthday, it just so happens."

You could "hear" the smile on Evans' face over the phone because once he had signed with Detroit, the NBA champion two seasons ago and the Eastern Conference titlist last season, it didn't take long for him to find out when the Pistons visited Arco.

Evans didn't hide that he wanted to re-sign with the Kings. Despite limited playing time, he showed the ability and desire to contribute nightly. The Kings recognized those qualities but opted to go with youngsters Kevin Martin and Francisco García.

Now Evans likely will play behind small forward Tayshaun Prince and shooting guard Richard Hamilton.

Asked for his take on the 2005 offseason, Evans said: "It's kind of a tricky subject. Last year, it was my opinion that it would have been a great situation for our team to return somewhat the same. Not only for myself, but for Darius (Songaila) and Cuttino (Mobley).

"I thought Cuttino brought a nice spark to our squad, and if the Kings had brought us all back, we would have had a really good team with a chance to do some things."

Now Evans is with a good team that has done some good things.

"As for me landing in this situation with the Pistons," Evans said, "this is one of the best organizations in the league, so I couldn't have asked for more. I have an upgraded role, and it's pretty much everything I could have asked for."

The Pistons are regarded as one of the league's best defensive squads over the past few seasons. Since Evans played for one of the worst defensive teams, he was asked how much different the focus is, if any.

"It's a team effort," he said of Detroit's defense. "We contest a high number of shots, and there is a great emphasis on that. Everybody takes pride in not getting scored on by their man."

Evans said he's looking forward to returning to Arco.

"It's going to be a little bit different," he said. "It doesn't seem like it was long ago when I was running out of that tunnel with the Kings. I watched them play because I have some friends on that team. I saw them struggle, and from my vantage point, I hope they'll struggle one more game so we can get a win."

[kamego]

Mo is one of my favorite pistons already. I hope he continues to play well.

I can't believe this is the home opener, thats pretty late. Someone droped the ball there.

[P33r~]

Good luck with the game guys. It's always fun playing the Kings, and I hope Bibby and Peja guys can get this team back on track... after this game.

Evans will either have a huge night or a very quiet one. No in betweens. It always seems to be the case with players returning to their old team.

[casebeck22]

Sheed turns and hits the turnaround. 9:30 to go in first. Wells hits the jumper. 8-2.

Billups to Rip to Sheed inside, contact no call but its in.

Nine to go in first, Peja misses inside. Ben boards to Billups who misses. Bibby misses layup, Peja tips it in.

Pistons not taking care of ball well. Billups to Tay to Ben to Billups to shoot and miss to Tay to Billups to Rip who shoots and misses but is fouled. Two shots coming. The Wells and Rip matchup is looking good thus far.

Rip misses the first, makes the second. 8:06 to go in first and its 10-5.

Bibby to Abdur to Bibby back to Miller back to Bibby to Miller who goes up with it and in.

Billups to Tay, defensive three second. Billups to shoot the tech. He makes, Rip misses the jumper.

Bibby on the backcut for two. 14-6. Billups to Rip for two. Nice shot by Rip. 14-8.

Peja misses to Ben. Billups upcourt to Rip who misses but it is slammed home by Ben.

Bibby to Miller and it is lost out of bounds off Pistons.

Piston steal and Tay ends up with two on the other end.

Wells misses three to Rip, Billups misses three.

Peja on the roll to Abdur and Bibby hits the jumper. Hamilton with a quick run for two.

16-14. Miller misses jumper.

Billups to Tay to Sheed vs Miller and its in for 2. 16 all.

Abdur blocked by Ben to Billups to Rip to Ben back to Rip for two in the lane. Timeout coming from the Kings. Pistons playing like Pistons!!

[casebeck22]

19-16 Pistons.

Kings ball. Abdur faces up to Ben and makes it. Billups upcourt who backs up Bibby and he makes, nice move.

Miller misses the layup. Fastbreak for Pistons, Rip scores his ninth point in the first. Pistons running again, fouled and will shoot two. 23-18. 2:44 left in the first.

[casebeck22]

Sheed gets it knocked away by Bibby. 25-18 off the run. Tay gets another one. 27-18 Pistons.

Miller to Peja who misses Sheed taps it to Bibby to Wells who gets the runner.

Billups to Rip on the runner who makes it.

Abdur hits from 18. 29-22 Pistons. Last minute of first. Sheed turns it over.

Bibby off to Ben to Sheed who is fouled and will shoot two.

Evans is coming in. Sheed makes the first. Sheed makes the second.

Ben grabs the board to Arroyo who doesn't get it off. Pistons up 31-22.

[Pejavlade]

Thanks for the updates Case. Kings need to focus there energy and box out more, thats the only thing that there doing bad right now and also shoot the ball a little better.

[casebeck22]

Evans misses the shot. Abdur on Sheed for two. Pistons turnover.

Arroyo gets the foul, TEAM FIRST. Hart misses to Sheed.

31-24 Pistons. Tay scores on the post up.

Hart inside and misses to Dyess. Arroyo is called for the offensive foul on the break.

Sheed turns and scores. It is 35-27 Pistons with nine to go in the half. Martin hits from 20. Six point game.

Timeout.

[Pejavlade]

Peja needs to catch fire again, Kings going with a new unit except for Pejas on the floor intresting to see what will happen. Some energy off the bench but also freedom for peja to take shots.

[kamego]

Originally Posted by Pejavlade

Peja needs to catch fire again, Kings going with a new unit except for Pejas on the floor intresting to see what will happen. Some energy off the bench but also freedom for peja to take shots.

Peja needs a strong game or this could be put out of reach earlier then everyone would like.

[Pejavlade]

Someone stop MO!

[casebeck22]

Tay looses it.

Peja misses. Tay running to Evans on the reverse. 37-29. Pistons looking solid.

Martin misses the lay in. Billups turnover. Martin to Skinner who gets a big swat by Sheed.

Billups, Sheed to Dyess who misses to Tay and its lost to Dyess who saves is to Evans who lays it in.

39-29 Pistons. Pistons playing very solid.