Toronto Jan 15 7:30 PM - Page 7 - Detroit Pistons Fan Community

OLD SKOOL HQ · #61 (**permalink**) 01-17-2008, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dumars4Ever

The plan is obviously that Stuckey is the primary backup for running the offense. This leaves the question of what AA's role might be for the playoffs, but whenever that comes up, I think people are forgetting about Lindsey.

Lindsey as a primary backup PG is bad news because he can't reliably run the offense. But as we've already seen in the wins at Boston and at San Antonio, he can still wreak havoc against backup ball-handlers from other teams to help spark some runs. That's a role that can definitely be valuable in some big playoff games.

Does AA bring more to the table than that? I like him, but his positive traits--good defense, opportunistic scoring on defensive breakdowns and in transition--seem to be more or less what Lindsey can give us, as long as Lindsey doesn't have to handle the load of running the offense (which he won't have to, if--according to plan--Stuckey becomes the one who does that off the bench). And who do we trust more, in this year's playoffs, to provide that pestering defense and occasional scoring on open drives: Lindsey or AA? My vote is with the old guy.

But the thing that ticks me off is that we already KNOW what the starters can do and that we already KNOW that our seeding means nothing. What we DONT KNOW is what our youngens can do under pressure with minutes. LB proved that winning 60-65 games meams nothing if you don't get to the finals. I'll take a well-developed loss over a slack-lazy win any day.

Dumars4Ever · #62 (**permalink**) 01-17-2008, 11:07 PM

I agree that Amir should play more to give us a better idea of what he can do, largely because his strengths (athleticism, shot-blocking, rebounding) are things that could fill in some gaps among the 3 big men we have in the rotation. We don't know he'd do under pressure, but I think it would benefit the team to give him a shot and see how he does.

I'd also like to see AA play more, but my point is just that his strengths are (IMO) largely already available to us for the playoffs via Lindsey. So I don't think AA has the same potential to be as uniquely relevant to our playoff hopes *this season* as a better-developed Amir might be.

Lee356 · #63 (**permalink**) 01-17-2008, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dumars4Ever

I agree that Amir should play more to give us a better idea of what he can do, largely because his strengths (athleticism, shot-blocking, rebounding) are things that could fill in some gaps among the 3 big men we have in the rotation. We don't know he'd do under pressure, but I think it would benefit the team to give him a shot and see how he does.

I'd also like to see AA play more, but my point is just that his strengths are (IMO) largely already available to us for the playoffs via Lindsey. So I don't think AA has the same potential to be as uniquely relevant to our playoff hopes *this season* as a better-developed Amir might be.

Afflalo is above all a scorer. Hunter meanwhile is the worst shooter ever in the history of the NBA playoffs. Most of the time Afflalo has played, he has been told not to shoot. Don't believe it? Well, ask me to go into that more if you wish. He did start getting more aggressive out there toward the end of the time he got to play for us, but the plug was pulled before he could get any comfort level. You know, we can't have guys not in Flip's plans have a real chance to show anything, can we. It would make the propaganda machine look awful silly.

On Amir, I will add this: Anyone who thinks we are getting the most out of Sheed, or Dyess, by giving them minimal rest in the 2nd quarter before they go back out there (or when they stay a few minutes to open the 2nd quarter), I got news for you. We need a fourth big simply to improve the play of Sheed and Dyess. They need more rest than they are getting.

OLD SKOOL HQ · #64 (**permalink**) 01-17-2008, 11:28 PM

I wanted to give away 5 games this year just for the develop of this team. I wonder if flip's ridiculous ego can handle that?

mikhail1973 · #65 (**permalink**) 01-18-2008, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OLD SKOOL HQ

I wanted to give away 5 games this year just for the develop of this team. I wonder if flip's ridiculous ego can handle that?

His ego can't handle losing a quarter.

Delfino Delivers · #66 (**permalink**) 01-18-2008, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikhail1973

His ego can't handle losing a quarter.

AMEN My brotha!!!!