01-26-2008, 12:20 PM
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 | Retired from Forum | | Last Online: 02-22-2008 10:45 AM Join Date: Sep 2005
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 Re: Amir Johnson - Detroit Piston Tracker
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYPistonFan729  Because flip is not a good coach....he always lets the 3rd quarter go by before subbing. Amir should have come in at the 3 minutes mark of the 3rd quarter. Flip panicks in the 4th quarter. So when the lead fluctuated between 10 and 14 points, he did not want to put amir back in. Flip panicks too much that is why joe is forcing him to play the bench more. | Quote: PISTONS CORNER: Amir Johnson to keep getting minutes
January 26, 2008
BY KRISTA JAHNKE
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
Pistons coach Flip Saunders said Friday he's committed to playing Amir Johnson for the time being even if the matchups aren't favorable.
But he also wants bench players to start earning their minutes through defense and energy.
With Orlando in town Friday, Saunders found Johnson nine minutes despite a few matchup problems -- namely, Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis. Saunders said after the game that he would have liked to find more time in the second half for Johnson, too.
"But we wanted to keep 'Sheed on the floor," Saunders said. "To not give him a chance to follow up on his performance, that was probably the thing that was most disappointing."
But Saunders said the days of force-feeding anyone are over. From now on, what will keep bench players on the floor will be their play -- namely, the energy they bring and their ability to stay within the parameters of the defensive schemes.
That goes for guys like forward Jarvis Hayes and guard Arron Afflalo.
"Arron's been so good for us defensively," Saunders said. "We thought we needed his energy and defense. I told our guys last week, 'You play defense, that's how you're going to stay on the floor a lot.' Arron earned minutes because of that."
| Funny thing about that. Its all about defense if you want the minutes. Maybe that is why Hayes only got 3 of them last night. Its kind of interesting that Joe D. signed Hayes given that no one with the Wiz plays any defense. PISTONS CORNER: Amir Johnson to keep getting minutes 
Last edited by buddahfan : 01-26-2008 at 12:22 PM.
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