microcap.

I last got up for the Raptors game. That was a good one. Tonight, I was plagued by the all to familiar distant relative call late in the second half that takes away from watching the game all the way out.

Of course, suficient liquid refreshment will help numb watching your team absolutely come out flat and get dominated by a rival.

I hate to sound like a party pooper but there were really no silver linings on this cloud for me. It was mostly hail, thunderbolts and monsoon showers.

Early on I knew we were in trouble unless we could settle down and establish a serious push. Delfino was posting up, Billups was trying to drive and make plays deep in the paint and we were not going to Webber to set up our offense.m We played totally out of character, either by design, laziness or the Spurs imposing their will.

The Spurs were simply faster rotating and seemed to force us into jumpers or baseline post ups where they could double and retreat.

Conversely, we tried to play zone, which the well coached Spurs picked apart, and our man defense looked like man/zone with too many players floating without taking individual responsibility for their guy.

I credit Flip Saunders for pulling out Tayshaun quite a bit in the first half. He was so ineffective this game, you have to wonder if he will ever develop a killer instinct, particularly when guarded by Brent Barry.

To my dismay, Flip neither flipped out on Leon Wood (the former Spur, now referee) nor did he try to establish a grind it out lineup with rarely used Dale Davis. It was "our offense" or bust, and despite Flip's post game moaning about All-Star focus, you don't beat the Spurs in a running game when you aren't a running team. Good defense will always nullify good offense.

The Spurs rotated players early and often, it's one of my favorite Popovich traits. This allowed role players like Elson to dominate the paint and Jacque Vaughan to look like Vinnie Johnson.

Billups - did a lot but not enough and almost everything he did was out of character. With a size advantage against Vaughan and Parker, you would think that he would work his brilliant post up scoring to his advantage. He did not. On defense, he's a lazy help defender, and tonight the passsing attack of the Spurs exposed him out of place and caught in no mans land.

Rip - Had a fine scoring game, but did not make it to the line enough to pressure Popovich into making substitutions based on need.

Tayshaun - Disappointing effort. Shameful. 2 points in 31 minutes without an assist and Mr. Softy didn't make it to the line once.

CWebb - A good game, but was not given the opportunity to play out of double teams and create offense. Parker exposed his lack of athleticism and speed defending the paint. It was a clinic on how to score on him.

Rasheed had the task of guarding Duncan, which I thought he did ok at. His offense however was missing, and it all started with a soft post up against Elson. Seemed a step slow throughout the game and at times, too flabbergasted or uninterested to even get his arms up for rebounds.

Lindsey Hunter had the kind of game he needs to have against a team like this. 3 triples kept the fans in their seats when the team was having trouble generating any momentum.

Delfino and McDyess were both disappointing. Dice played nice defense but was unable to pressure anyone with his scoring. 6 boards show some work in the paint, but not enough against the longer Elson and Duncan. Delfino played some good hustle basketball, but the lack of a jumpshot continues to plague him, as well as the ability to play the P&R. Not that this was exclusive to Delfino, as the Pistons were taken apart by the pick all night.

Maxiell, please people.

I don't know what the coaches are coaching, but there was no changeup in how we defended the P&R all night. It was tough to watch.

The Spurs are a veteran team, finishing up an EIGHT game road trip. We had them at home on a day's rest and didn't approach this game with any seriousness.

It's only one game, but certainly disheartening from a team that seems more interested in taking their midseason vacations or rubbing elbows with William Wesley at the All-Star game than sending a message to the West that the Pistons are not to be trifled with.

Some folks will call for a trade, but when you're flat, one guy off the bench won't make a difference. This was a mail in, and had I known that before hand, I probably would have written "Return to Sender" on the envelope.

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

Well wasn't that a jinx waiting to happen.

I pray for the day that the Pistons don't make opposing mediocre bigs look like all-stars on a regular basis.

In my defense, that was a career game for him. He hasn't had a double digit rebounding game all season.

Let's just put me down as a poor fortune teller.

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

Micro,

Excellent recap. Agree. Everything we did was out of kilter. But now they know the offense needs to go Chris-side out (ball to Chris and work off that) a lot more of the time.

This team can't win against the good teams without a defense first approach with steals and blocks and close outs.

lapiston, some might think I am a bonehead for liking the Spurs, but their style of fundamental, "smart" basketball is enjoying to me.

They outsmarted us. We didn't adjust defensively to what they were doing, and we did not even try our new offense, and then late tried to catch up by hoisting treys.

We could have played Davis on Duncan, allowing Sheed and Webber to spread the floor, but didn't. Timmy ate us up inside, Manu killed us off the pick and roll and someone needs to sit Tony Parker down on his keister really hard and remind him why the big guys play in the paint.

We do not have a shotblocker on this team. No paint intimidator. Teams are going to come after us. We have to execute on offense and make smart defensive adjustments.

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

I'll ditto that.

The lack of team speed was front and center this game... They have been relying on the opponent to just make one or two passes... but the Spurs will make you work for 24 seconds.... It coulda been a lot worse... the Spurs missed numerous uncontested shots in the 1st qtr.
Their help and recovery was much better than ours.

Why we didn't iso Tay on Barry more is a mystery (or bad coaching/player decisions)...
1-4-3 was back at it again ZZZzzzzz.
Chauncey did a poor job of recognizing the double team... getting stripped numerous times.

Webb had his cement shoes on display tonight.
This game may have been the best thing that happened to the team all year... a reality check for the coach, players & GM.

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With politicians the future lies ahead

I hope I'm wrong, but it seemed to me like we finally got a glimpse of playoff basketball. The easy points in the lane dried up. Our jumpers were contested. The calls were frustrating. And the importance of coaching was magnified.

It could be coincidental, but this is why I still think we are a piece or two short. Also, in this type of game, I think Webber gets somewhat neutralized and Dale Davis would make an impact.

Tayshawn,

Agree, that was a glimpse of playoff basketball and we aren't quite there yet. SA knows how to get into our offensive game by getting up on Billips and closing out well on the shooters. We have to make Chris more the focal point. Make them stop that first.

And coaching then comes into the equation and adjustments. I too agree with others that Davis would help against this team.

Agree about lacking the team speed but we can still attack this team and get into their game. Notice that they did have trouble with Rip.

Well, our guys know now that they are going to have to go out there and take it and step up another level.

I wonder what Joe is thinking?

I think that part of the problem was that we didn't show a sense of urgency until the game had slipped away from us. The past few wins came so easy, that we probably thought we could relax until the 2nd half. Delfino gave his trademark hustle and Lindsey was actually making shots tonight, which as least made this game respectable.

I'm really glad that Sheed didn't get T'd up, because he was obviously frustrated. It was either a nice job by him or by the refs to show restraint.

Because I was caught up in the game and not really analyzing it, I didn't even notice why Tay got shut down so badly. Who was Bowen guarding?

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"I’ll just say this: We’re not talking to teams about their second- or third-best players." Joe Dumars talking about his plan to get other teams' 4th best players.