Flip:
“We talked this morning,” he said. “Here’s the thing: The people here know about ‘the (off-on) switch.’ With Rasheed, many times he hasn’t done anything and he hits a shot in the fourth quarter and scores 12 straight. You have a tendency, when players have done that as many times as they’ve done it, especially last year, to have a little longer leash. Now, because we’ve gone two straight games where they haven’t done it, the leash is probably shorter now and you’re probably more apt to take them out to go with some other guys to make sure you do keep energy. Plus, we’d won eight in a row. It’s not like we were struggling.”

Saunders reviewed the Portland tape and said that of Detroit’s final 16 possessions, on only one of them did more than two Pistons touch the ball before a shot was taken.


PISTONS: Balancing Act

Interesting article. Not sure if anything will change, but...

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"But first, are you experienced? Or have you you ever been experienced? Well, I have."
Jimi

There is no on off switch for effort.

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We're only going as far as Flip's willpower can take us. If he goes entire games waiting to assess the play, we're gunna be sunk again. He needs to develop more gamesmanship. The best practice coaches are assistants.

co-signed

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They are the archetype for dominance. They are the gatekeepers of the conference. They are the Detroit Pistons.

Few things that bothered me about the effort in that game.

1) Had just lost to a bottom dweller the previous game. Championship teams usually kill the competition after an embarrasing loss. I saw no sense of being upset at all about it.

2) Last home game before a tough road trip.

3) Portland beat the Pistons last year at the Palace.

4) Por had 3 guys out, one of them Brandon Roy which is why they had lost 5 straight.

Perhaps most of all. Teams don't even care anymore when they play at the Palace.

Yeah I'm happy the Pistons lost. If they didn't get some BS calls against Rip late they would of won, but I'm kind of happy that it didn't. The only way they will learn to not give half efforts is when they lose when the effort is not given. The loss is bad shortterm, but good longterm. I wonder how many of these losses have to take place before this concept is stuck in their heads.

Mr. Big shot speaking:
“He (Flip)asked me if I wanted to come out at the start of the fourth and I was like, ‘Nah.’ We had tied the game up and I felt like we needed to try to win the game. I like to play through it, myself. If he did take me out, that’s fine. It’s his call. But I thought we were right there. A couple of bad decisions at the end of the game cost us.”

Apparently nothing has changed. Shortly after last seasons end didn't Flip specificly blame the starters for much of their self professed fatigue problems by not wanting to exit games when he (Flip) directed. AND, didn't Flip specificly say he would now be calling the shots in that regard.

Looks a lot like the same old same old. Flip ain't nothing but a snake-oil salesman.

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Bye Ben...................sigh ................HELLO MAX !!!!!

CB sniffed blood and wanted to drink. Couldn't find the cup. I think he had the right attitude.

I wonder how many early season games they won last year with a last second shot by CB. Seems like there were some. This year they haven't fallen, but what if they had gone in?