I simply can't see things in this kind of terms. All I see is a playoffs fast approaching. All I see is a young guy who can help us win the whole thing. But only if he plays extensively. Its not about AJ. Not one bit. Its about winning it all. AJ needs to play. Forget him. Remember the team. What is good for the team is AJ playing, getting better, and providing us a really good option to go to whenever Dyess, Sheed, or JMAX is in foul trouble.

Sheed

This is why Sheed is so valuable, along with Chauncey. Both guys are really great leaders as far as teammates go, especially Sheed. I have a feeling that Sheed is really taking on a major role in Amirs life. When they asked Amir about helping Primo on the court that 1st game he replied, "I'm just trying to help the new guys out, be a leader, like Sheed..."

What you say makes a lot of sense.

Re: Bynum the Lakers have Cap who I am sure is getting paid pretty good bucks to be Bynum's teacher/mentor. Cap is a great mentor for Bynum.

I don't believe we have ever had anyone with AJ's skills who has played for us that is now retired and just hanging around waiting for a call to come and coach AJ full time.

Maybe there is a former non-Pistons player whose is retired and whose game is similar to AJs'. I don't know how easy it would be to find someone like that and hire them.

I know that Sheed is working with AJ and is helping him a great deal. Hopefully they are communicating enough. I just wish AJ were more like Sheed. Sheed and I are similar in two respects and that is that we both can go off pretty easily and have no trouble speaking our minds about what we feel and believe regardless of the fallout. That is one reason that his emotional out bursts have never really bothered me that much because I can definitely relate. Obviously I believe that these are good qualities, within reason (LOL) and would definitely like to see AJ become more vocal and emotional during the game like Sheed.

I think AJ getting a few Ts would be a very positive thing for him.

I watched the Rockets/Bulls game last night and it was kind of weird watching the Pistons play a team that I was rooting on the prior night. The Pistons already had control of the game when T-Mac/Ming had to leave. Interesting watching the Pistons succeed where the Bulls failed the prior night. Especially in knowing when and how to double Ming so the rest of the players could not take advantage. Plus the Pistons have so many more weapons. A lot of depth is starting to develope.


I think its fine saying Amir is only 20 and should be brought along slowly - as long as he is aware of it and knows about it. That was the mistake with Darko. Had this grand scheme but someone forgot to tell him about it.

With Amir. There was a lot to indicate that DNP's would not be the case this year and that he signed thinking he was going to play. That missing the pre-season excuse is only going to fly just so long.

Anyway. Stucky/Afflalo got to play. 2 out of 3 is not bad. If Amir never plays then I am not going to let it take away from the season for me. Pistons have gotten off to a great start.

Agree on all points. Also, Dice just got a 3-year extension, and we all know Flip will undoubtedly play the vet before him. Max got an extension as well, and soon Sheed will get a new deal. Where/when will he get his time? After 3 more years? If I'm him, I'm not happy right now. Heck, I'm NOT him and I'm not happy. It's really not fair to get a guy's hopes up and then...nothing. Brezec shouldn't play ahead of him after only one practice, particularly after the way Flip delayed playing Amir because "he needs more practice". Same goes for Stuckey, but to a lesser extent.

Also, Brezec, for all his "trying" just isn't very good, and he doesn't fit the mold of Piston big men who are generally very mobile and good defensively.

Lastly, his body language and facial expressions all show that something's bothering him. Amir's greatest strength is his speed and his activity - I really haven't seen the latter as much after that one great game against GS. His confidence certainly isn't where it was, or where it has to be right now, and Flip might have something to do with that. Flippy has never shown any faith in the kid, and you get the feeling he's being forced to play him.

Edit: I'm sure I mentioned this in chat, but Amir should not be put out there with Brezec. Road Block (Brezec) clogs the lane and takes up so much space, it sort of throws Amir off. During the GS game, when he was playing with Max, he was MUCH more effective. Once Brezec came in, he was suddenly nowhere to be found outside of a rebound here and there, and we can't have that. Amir, when he plays the way he's capable of playing, is able to energize the team. That's not something to scoff at.

Garbage time is when you play your youth and let them show you what they've got, not for vets like Flip/Jarvis/Brezec/Mohammed to pad some stats.

I've noticed this as well. He seems like he's playing tight and under pressure. It's not surprising that he has'nt been as good lately. He's thinking too much. He probably feels like he has to be perfect to earn any playing time, and it doesn't help the group he ends up out there with. Brezec is not exactly who you want to play next to.

I'm giving Flip the benefit of the doubt and assuming Primo played b/c of Yao/Motumbo.

But the times he has played well, he hasn't got the extra minutes. I couldd see how the kid could get frustrated.

edited to add;

Someone said the exact same thing above. I should probably read the entire thread before i post LOL

Funny thing with Hou,

• they are very talented at every position
• they have one of the best wing players in the game -when healthy in T-Mac
• they have a very good and potentially dominant big man in Yao
• they have decent depth

Yet they cant win??? It seems as if they really dont know how to put it all together, they really have no identity, no offensive scheme, and they're not very cohesive defensively even though Yao, Hayes, and Battier are pretty good defenders. If only T-Mac had Kobe-like intensity and heart..........

Thinking too much and worrying about mistakes is not good for someone like AJ.

To be effective he can not be tentative out there. He is at his best when he can go all out and just play without thinking.

The problem is that Flip thinks too much.

He needs to cut the kid some slack and start saying positive things about him in to the press, on the bench and in private. He needs to encourage and not criticize.

In fact if Flipper had have a brain he would trust Sheed to be the bad guy and Flipper would be the good guy with respect to AJ. I am sure AJ could take a lot of stuff from Sheed and not let him bother him like it would if it came from Flipper.

Flipper needs to be the good guy here
and let Sheed be the bad guy.

I can buy that. But couldn't one use that same logic with all 15 players on the roster?? My arguement was to ease some of these DARKO pt.II ideas floating around. Mentally the kid is fine. I think people want to see Amir step out on the court and play like AA and Max, but he's just not that type of player, he's more like Tay than anything, very good-yet very unassuming.

That's actually a good solution, and from what i've read Amir doesn't seem to take things Sheed says personally. He just thinks of it as him being a "leader".

The problem is Flip doesn't seem to be very good at the mental aspect of running a basketball team/dealing with personalities, and i don't think he would know to do this. He seems to be stuck in the "Amir is too inexperienced" mode.

Also Amir isn't exactly the type of player a coach would love to play. His best qualities aren't good fundamentals or a basketball know how like Afflalo. He's raw, and his strength lies in his talent/speed. Although from what i've seen his perimeter/transition defense has been very effective.

The only positive about the situation now is Amir still looks like he's trying. He was thrilled after he blocked Dikembe. I just hope that if things get bad, Joe D will step in.