Some good stuff on here........

I don't even watch the game/players that closely until later in the game. I am most interested in when and how Flip starts subbing. They were bad in the first, I don't know if it was from not playing for a while. While watching I was thinking Flip should have subbed earlier just to try and break the rut. The argument can be made though that maybe they needed some floor time to shake the cobwebs. If this were any type of back to back or 3 in 4 type situation, then I would be more upset if he left them in to rot.

It is funny to me also to hear people get on Hayes for his D. Stuckey can come in and commit 3 fouls in a minute and peole will parise him.

What also impressed me is that Amir was kind of invisible when he first came in the game. Flip stuck with him and he started manking an impact. The develpment of players is a hot topic around here. For the most part you either got it or you don't. AJ is the one guy where PT will help him with the little things like sliding/moving his feet. If he can do that it would help them a lot with the Nocioni's of the world who have caused some problems for them.

Hopefully, it is the little things going forward. Cut Rip's minutes, stop playing some dudes for 18 minutes straight.

P.S. Perhaps the biggest miracle is that Flip didn't play Sheed for the entire 3rd quarter up to the 4 minute mark of the 4th because he was hot.

I think that at one point in the game, Sheed scored (either made a FG or got free throws ) on nine straight touches. He finally missed a 3-pointer that was in and out to end the streak.

I would have to guess that was the longest such streak on the year for the Pistons. Maybe Rip had more in that one game where he wasn't missing.

While I'm not a big fan of calling players (or coaches for that matter) out in the media, I think this is 1 part Flip's not so subtle way of trying to motivate Sheed to perform this way more often and 1 part frustration that he knows how good/dominent Sheed can be, he just doesn't do it consistently enough.

CB has made several similar comments in the media recently as well.

I know that as a fan (and owner of Sheed in my fantasy league), I get frustrated as well.

I don't think this was a big deal at all.

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I just noticed that Dyess had 5 assists too. Man was that a good game. Too bad we won't play a small, depleted team in the ECF.

this was one of the best games of the year. yeah i'd still take a couple more mins away from dice and rip, but not too worried about it - dice's minutes are still low as a starter, and rip can handle it.

i think chauncey is playing much better this year because he's getting rest. sure, tayshaun might be affected more by minutes over the long haul, but i think billups is more affected per-game. as in, if he gets solid rest in the 1st half and at the beginning of the 4th, he's going to take the last 6-8 minutes of the game and rock it out. he makes better decisions and his FG% (and especially 3PT%) shoots way up.

i liked how stuckey noticeably got into a groove and was being aggressive and confident. yeah, it's the pacers and they don't play great D, but who cares? stuckey needs to build confidence. our bench as a whole played a great game AND it was on the road, which is very encouraging.

and don't be fooled by the fact that we could never get past a 7-point lead. indiana is a one-trick pony - 3s - and they were hot. they miss a couple of those and it's a blowout. if this was the playoffs, it's a blowout.

Great stuff from everyone in this thread! I'm looking forward to seeing more games with the increasingly integrated bench once I get back from vacation.

I hadn't watched Indiana since the last time we played them.

David Harrison...let me call you a whaaambulance.

Travis Deiner. Seems like he would have trouble catching on as a backup pg and injuries have him starting. My son calls him Travis Weiner.

Mike Dunleavy Jr. is an offensive juggernaut.

Greg Kelser started talking about Troy Murphy and how he doesn't post up much...and then starting calling him Mike Dunleavy. Even the refs got the two mixed up and tried to charge a Dunleavy foul to Murphy. Other than being tall and white they don't look much alike.

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PistonsForum co-owner

I usually wouldn't see it as a big deal, but it's known that they already have an extremely shaky relationship. There's no need to say it, coupled with his chastising of Sheed not wanting to be an All-Star. Just let it go. Sheed is who he is. You're not going to change him now.

I think Dunleavy and Murphy have different tan levels and Murphy is a lot bigger and taller than Dunleavy so there is no physical comparison between them.

Sheed has changed a lot from his days at Portland.