Five days without a game... this time could be more valuable than the actual games.

• It will be an excellent opportunity to expand their understanding of Flips playbook.
• Work out some weaknesses (dribble pen & shot selection etc.)
• Implement the zone D
• Make some final roster decisions (Dupree, Acker, Hunter)
• Work on blending the subs into the regular rotation with the vets

Anything you want to see cleaned up before the final two Preseason games?

You know they play hard against each other.

I am not disagreeing with you; I think your list is good. I am wondering if you would rather see the subs play separately with the starters or come in as a unit? Just wondering, that's all?

It looks good to me to bring Dyce or Darko or anyone else for that matter, in early to play a few minutes with the regulars and then bring the rest of the second unit in. I really like it when Flip has done that.

If it does not begin to irritate the starters by losing them a few minutes, I really like the second unit system. It is great the way they are cheering for the bench. I want it to keep up.

It's a good question Lazy... We don't see a lot of platoon systems in the association. I still believe you play your best 5 as much as you can as long as they're effective.
We have to be realistic about young players tendency to make more mistakes and being less comfortable in big situations.
Preseason is much less intense than regular season games on the road.
However the 2nd unit so far has been excellent... they have earned the right to get a real look this season.
IMO, Flip should be consistent in his rotations... maximizing complimentary players.... not too many shoot first guys... not too many defering type guys...
It's time to cut out all of the various mix/match lineups and let them become comfortable in their roles.

I'm really excited about what Sheed can do this year... he should dominate the East PF's (baring J.O.)... he could be just as effective as Vlade as a trigger man in the high post.

All of the double and tripple screening will free up more open shots.
BUT... I want to see them working on discipline... that should not change from the LB era.... If Flip is half as smart as he sounds... he will keep the good stuff from Larry... and gradually implement his game plan.
Larry also believe in a lot of off the ball movement... just not forced shots.
Contested or off balanced shots should result in the guy getting less PT... we can not afford giving up possesions just because we have a more free flowing offense... and that's my concern about the young players.... Shot selection is the reason ugly offenses like INDY and Bobby Knight teams still win a lot of games.

Short answer... give the bench some rope and see what they do with it ... but don't accept undisciplined ball.

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With politicians the future lies ahead

For sure. At one point, player development ends and the focus needs to be on winning. I'm not saying to ignore players, but if Ben can go at a high level for 35 MPG, I don't think we have many better players at his position who should be eating away at that.

Or, you don't have the best starting 5 and then not play them a lot. I thought that was part of how they earned that monicker last year. Overplayed perhaps, but you need to put in a lot of minutes in the NBA to get recognized for anything.

Yes, yes and yes. That hot start to the season is not going to materialize from wishful thinking. Need to come firing out of the gate and the last pre-season game for all intensive purposes should reflect the regular season tempo, focus and intensity.

Flip needs to stay on these guys. The only intensity I have seen/heard about was against Miami and much of that had to do with the fact these two squads do not like each other. We can't afford that "we'll be there at the end mentality" and that in my mind is Flip's toughest challenge. Not the offense, not the zones, not finding time for DMC. Challenging the starters to prove themselves night in and night out.

I think that Flip has verbally made a commitment to that. No matter how talented a player is, they still have to show restraint and control. They have to respect the details and the system. With so many young fellas on the bench, it is important to make sure that the Pistons culture of selflessness and hard work is a constant.

Just my 80 cents. I really thought your initial areas were pretty comprehensive Merc. Good job.

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Nov 13 LW Milan Lucic had an active night. He scored his first goal in eight games since his Oct. 25 hat trick and also pounded Michael Komisarek in a third-period fight. Lucic cut his hand in a fight with Michael Komisarek. "I'll be fine," he said. "(X-rays are) negative, but there's so many broken bones in there from before you can't really tell."

Decent assistant coaches.

I liked this piece from the new assistant coach Ron Harper thats cut to the core of the starting 5's problem last season.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/pistons/...C04-358404.htm

They were guilty of flipping the energy switch on and off throughout the first half of last season, as well, which ultimately cost them home-court advantage in the conference finals and NBA Finals.
This, Harper said, is not what great teams do.
"They have to realize that this is our time right now," Harper said. "Don't hold off. When you step on the floor every day, bring you're 'A' game and play hard. If we can do that, we have a chance to be a great team."

i think the second unit should play as a unit. they have a definite chemistry together. only certain players can fit in with the starting 5. mcdyess, darko, delfino, can play with the starting 5 the rest of the time i say play 5 bench guys together. some people will blow it off as preseason but out bench has been playing very well together. they often not only hold the lead but extend it. people talk about pressure situations but it's been our bench guys closing out games in the preseason not the starters. that's valuable experience right there.

there aren't too many teams in the league that thier starting 5 could beat our second unit. our 2nd unit could be a legit starting lineup in the nba no reason why they can't log a good amount of minutes. there is a reason to lower the amount of minutes the best starting 5 in the league plays. it's called extending thier careers. it's also about development. some games the starters will play 30 minutes but others they should play 20.

What ??????? That's a very bold statement. I don't think our bench could beat many if ANY starting fives in the league in a best of 3 series. Maybe in a few years, but not now.

Its a bold statement but I see where hes going. Here are a few situations.

1. The Pistons are serioulsy outplaying the Hawks, and though its early in the game, we already have a 15 pt lead. Therefore, Flip could minimize starter minutes by implementing the bench more. Not necesarily as a full group at the same time, but at least individuals intermitently. At the end of the game, there could be 6/7 players at around 25-28 minutes. Of course, if the lead gets eaten into you can go back to all starters, but this wont happen many times.

2. The second case is if there is a player just not playing good--i.e Rip is in a 2-15 shooting half. Flip could sub in Delfino for an extended stint that day, thus limiting Rips minutes.

All this adds up to is a more rested starting 5, and almost more importantly a much better--battle tested bench unit. This last statement I think is of upmost importance. During the Championship Run, the bench unit was much more battle tested, thus when the playoffs came, they could contribute in a positive way. LAst year, I wouldn't say that the bench was much worse talent whys, but they were so inexperienced in game situations (think Arroyo) that when they were put in the high intensity games they -- for lack of a better word -- choked. So I belive that limiting starter minutes, even a lot, has many benefits and can be accomplished WITHOUT diminshing frommthe quality of play or final record.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't rest the starters more. I was responding to Jays statement and saying that if you start our bench against another teams regular starters and play them in a 3 game series our bench will lose most of those games.

The examples you used were very different. You were talking about (1)ONE bench player replacing a struggling starter and (2) the bench going in and holding a large lead the starters already secured. Quite different from what Jay suggested.

I can't think of 5 starting units our bench is better than.

I come up with

Toronto, only because of the Darko mismatch
Atlanta, don't ask me why, I think they will be a lot better this year.
New Orleans, pathetic squad
Orlando, if their Magic Mojo is off but if Hill and Franchise are on, forget it
Portand, too many kids, we would stand a good chance.

Sorry but 75% of the teams in the NBA would mop the floor with out starters. That's just fact. No matter how good we hope they can be, they aren't THAT great.

Now if you rate bench on bench, we've probably got the POTENTIAL for one if the top 3 5 man units.

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Nov 13 LW Milan Lucic had an active night. He scored his first goal in eight games since his Oct. 25 hat trick and also pounded Michael Komisarek in a third-period fight. Lucic cut his hand in a fight with Michael Komisarek. "I'll be fine," he said. "(X-rays are) negative, but there's so many broken bones in there from before you can't really tell."