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To all of my friends, comrades and companions at PF.com

Thank you for another great season!

Please refer to post #19 in this thread. http://www.pistonsforum.com/detroit-...html#post91306

Scoopin' the papers...

Postgame press conference transcripts are up here
http://www.pistonsforum.com/detroit-...-pressers.html

It's all in the numbers....Billups has hit 13 pts in each game scoring wise, but is averaging 4.7 assists and a whopping 5.7 turnovers in this series. To many three ball attempts by him tonight. (2-8) He has got to find away to penetrate and get to the line for at least 10 attempts a game. Turnovers may have been the key tonight despite the Kings accomplishments. A superstar stats like 32-9-9. There was a TV stat that indicated that when La Bron has scored 20+ they were 8-0, I think (now 9-0) Somehow or another we have to find away to defeat that stat even if he exceeds it and the Cavs two more times .

In this game, the stats were almost even. Both teams got off 67 shots, but the Cavs made 3 more than we did. Rebounding was even and the 3 ball shooting and Ft shooting was just about even. The difference could have been the TO's as they had 11 and we had 15. We even one or two buckets taken away due to TO"s.

I hope the Pistons know now that the Cavs are in this partyfor real and we got to get the two starting guards on track and get this offense in gear. These games are to close for comfort and old fashion beating by the Pistons of 10+ points or more in game 4 should setup a confidence win at home in game five. Like Roscoe said if CB is really off, then Rip seems to follow suit, so those two need to get on the same page as the two of them should be able to offset Mr. James.

why was rip on the court at all during the 4th?? why isn't flip murray getting more minutes? why isn't jmax getting more minutes? why isn't fino getting more minutes? what good is a bench if you don't go to them when they are outplaying the starters. flip needs to get fired if we lose any more games in this series.

I agree with you.

It's funny how the commentators have been singing Flip's praises for playing and developing his bench all post season.

Although I think he has improved from last year, he still has a long way to go in trusting and utilizing his bench.

There are still tonnes of examples of times he has screwed up, IMO. Several of them have already been posted (by Lee maybe? too tired/lazy to go back and check). Bringing Tay and CB back in at the end of the 2nd, not enough (any) rest for most of the starters in the 2nd half, little burn from J-Max after a MONSTER performance in game 3, etc.

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Man reading some posts from some of you guys is hilarious. This post may sound a bit pretentious, and somewhat self righteous as if I am some all knowing basketball God, but lemme chime in anyway, top reasons for tonights loss:

1. Chauncey Billups. No rhythm, no control, extremely poor play.
2. Rip, again, no rhythm, no control, and is not moving without the ball everytime down court. We should keep Rip moving even on plays that are not designed for him, all those bumps could cause switches and favorable matchups.
3. Chris Webber's Defense down the stretch in the fourth. 'Bron has trouble on the P&R when Sheed is matced up in the play, but when it's Webber-it's almost too easy, he should have sat Webb down the stretch, but Webb was our most productive offensive player in the fourth- CATCH 22, or is it 23.
4. NOT RESPECTING DANIEL GIBSON. Gibson is having an impact on this series, much like Tay 5 years ago. IT's NOT A FLUKE!!!!!!!! He's doing a heck of a job on defense, he's not afraid to take the big shot, and dammit he's hitting them. I'm not saying that he's a player we have to key in on, but it's obvious that we're not respecting his court presence. When Billups backs down Gibson, the rook is flat out shutting him down, and when Tay tried it, same result. The reason is that they think the rook is just getting lucky blocks and strips, NO!!! He has their number, give him some respect so we can score on him.

Some of y'all are moanin and groanin about a bunch of crap. Max gettin in this game would not have won it, our bigs delivered tonight (sans Webber's P&R D down the stretch.), we didn't need the Brahma. Murray gave great mins, Delfino played well. But Neither Murray or Delfino playing more mins tonight would have won this game; the only way we win this game is if someway/somehow Rip and BigHead would have gotten thier isht together and delivered, they didn't and we lost-end of story. Can SanAnton win with Parker and Ginobli TOTALLY SUCKING, can Utah win if Deron Williams and Boozer TOTALLY SUCK.....NO!!!!!!! If Billups and Hamilton don't figure out that the playoffs have indeed started and they are in the ECF (like Rasheed has- WOW the irony, be more focused like Sheed ) Then this team will not be playing for the big prize in JUNE. Rip and Chauncey have been very unfocused, undiscliplined and unreliable since the playoffs started, Sheed and Tay have delivered from day one with total focus, comittment and energy, problem now is that Tay has his hands full guarding LeBron and can't deliver 18-22ppg, the backcourt needs to finally step it up.

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Play hard, Play smart, Play together, share the ball, have fun....Play the right way!!!!!!

KGREG,

I couldn't agree more. Batman and Robin combined for a total of 2 points in the first half. 2 points! These two MUST snap out of it and deliver.

The other big problem I notice with the offense is a serious lack of movement. I can't really blame one player; it seems to me that when one player has the ball, the rest of the guys watch him. Where is the help or the cutter on the double team?

Even with horrible play from our superstar guards, the Pistons took 2, and lost a close one. As soon as they show up, this series should be over.

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"Eastern Conference regular-season champs, baby," said Chauncey Billups. "This is what we set out for when we started the season in training camp. We did it and we're happy." (2003)

^

Was Webb's PnR defense part of the reason Lebron scored 12 pointsor was he just on fire (didn't watch the game) b/c if so J-Max definately would've helped out; even Dice being in in the 4th would've been better. This series is so low scoring, and so close that it seems like every defensive stop/shot is a HUGE deal.

I know Tay sprained his ankle in the 1st so maybe that's why Lebron exploded. He still played 44 minutes. Gotta love Flip.

Hope this isn't a lingering problem.

I think Flip Sr. had a tough time finding minutes for JMax in game 3 because CWebb, Sheed and Dyess all played pretty well in their first half minutes. JMax only got into game 2 because Sheed picked up 2 quick fouls and Dyess got cracked in the nose soon afterwards. I think Flip Sr. may have been a bit too cautious with JMax's minutes since this was not a home game and because the main three guys were all playing pretty well.

And, as KGREG pointed out, CWebb was the best offensive player for the Pistons early on in the 4th quarter, aggressively taking the ball to the basket and earning free throws. His defense was probably lacking on the P&R (I couldn't watch the game, either), but considering that JMax was 1-6 from the foul line the previous game, if the Cavs were just going to foul guys going to the basket, there was a better than average chance that JMax wouldn't have been able to fully capitalize on all those opportunities.

Delfino definitely should've gotten a little run at the end of the 3rd quarter/beginning of the 4th to give Tay some rest for the last 8 minutes of the game.