Boy you 2 sure are missing some really good comments right now. 'Scoe this is one of the best Piston Discussions we've had around here in years. Think about it, we're not talking about some Pie In The Sky players who some fans seem to think can go from DNP-CD's to Finals MVP's in the same season. We're debating whether AI or Rip starts or even stays, we're deabting on whether we're really going to move foward or keep playing the same old ball. SOme folk like the old days (and thats fine) some like you and I have grown weary of the CORE and are ready for overhaul. It's really exciting, U-2 should relax and enjoy it!!!!

__________________
"Ain't nothin' strange 'bout yo daddy, what's strange is what he had to deal wit'!!!!!" - Rev. AL.

Excellent point. Since Sheed's return teams seem to concede that shot to him now. They've decided that it's better for Sheed to launch trey's then to allow Stuck and AI to carve up their defense going to the hole.

Untrue. They are playing small ball because Joe made this trade. The stature of AI as a player dictates that he is a starter and plays alot of minutes. So does Rip. So does Tay. Three starters who are used to playing the whole game.

Raxrets, don't you dare make AI the scapegoat of this mess. It's not his system, he's trying to work with the new system. Oh, AI isn't scoring. Oh, AI isn't making plays. Oh, AI isn't isolating to the basket like we want. Oh, AI isn't passing the ball and he is using too much time dribbling.

Can't have it both ways man. AI is not the scapegoat. He was a known entity.

Blame Joe if you dont' like AI's game and his attempt at playing our game, whatever the hell it is.

Another game where we made more FG's, but lost at the FT line. The strange thing is that we only committed 2 more fouls than NO, but they made 12 more free throws than us.

So, we were +6 from the floor and -12 from the line.

In the 4th quarter, there were a few key events that really hurt us. 1) the backcourt violation/ 8 second call, 2) AI's baseline drive and turnover leading to a NO fastbreak dunk, 3) Chris Paul's accidental bank-shot that he had to force over Dyess, and 4) the bad foul call on Stuckey when CP3 drove and tried to get contact.

Besides the FT differential, the other important stat to look at these days is the offensive rebounding #'s. With SB, these are our main 2 weaknesses. The good news was that in tonight's game, we actually won the rebounding battle thanks to Sheed on the defensive glass and Dyess and Maxiell going crazy on the offensive glass. 17 offensive boards! Is that our highest of the season maybe? Dyess and Maxiell ripped down 10 offensive rebounds in only 42 combined minutes. Tonight's game was another example of how hard Dyess is playing in the 4th quarters. He's absolutely possessed and goes to work in the paint. It's a little embarrassing to see Sheed chucking from deep while Dyess is laying his body on the line to clean up the messes. And speaking of Sheed, who needs a "heat check" after inadvertantly banking in a 3-pointer? That was lame. What about that shot made him think he was going to make the next one?

Back to Max. The job that Maxiell did raises the obvious questions here... why the DNP's? And why not stick with him in tonight's game when he's having a great rebounding night and scoring from point blank time after time after snatching other Pistons' misses?

Max, Amir, and AA were the only Pistons in the + tonight, and their minutes were all snipped. Foul trouble was not a factor and doesn't even matter with Max and Amir since they never play more than 30 no matter what their fouls look like. If one fouls out, just play the other. That is the luxury of having 2 of the same guy.


And just a few thoughts on Rip. His supposed inability to create his own shot is a little overstated at this point I believe. Rip showed a lot of versatility tonight. He hit 2 three-pointers, both contested. He his 3 mid-range jump shots. He got to the rim 3 times, once on a drive, once on a fast break where he kept it himself, and once on a great slash to get the inbound pass. He also went to the line 3 times for 5 FT's.

Sheed- 8 free throws in his last 13 games. He must not have the energy anymore to play the right way.


Not sure what the SB stats look like, but I'm guessing this is going to be one of the uglier ones when the #'s come out.

__________________
I Personally guarantee that the Cleveland Cavaliers will win an NBA Championship before the self-titled former 'King' wins one.

OK, here's the final tally.

SB- 22:16, -7
BB- 25:44, +1

MC only ran over the 14 minute mark by 8:16 tonight. Getting better. Of course, AI's knee was injured, so maybe it wasn't by choice.

This is like a broken record.

Please don't leave.

EDIT: On another note, it looks like some people here really need to step away from their TV. Just a token very few people, and its reflecting in peoples' posts.. I won't say anything else. I'm doing it right now and it's doing me wonders. Well, today I had to work, so I was bailed out, I guess. You guys are not going to see any changes, because Dumars doesn't have the balls to either fire Curry or call the shots, it seems.

For this year, it's hopeless. Bad news is that we'll be watching this sinking ship all year. Good news is that Michael Curry will be a one-and-done.

I miss seeing all these guys play more minutes. I love watching AA play defense. Who cares if Amir fouls out. We need his particular talent, if it comes right now with fouls we need to get over it. We need exactly what he has to offer. Rebounding and his sheer youth on the court makes me feel like we might improve in a funny way.

JMax was exciting tonight. If we gave our youth half the opportunity we give the vets...we'd at least have the posssibility of a future, even this season. It's not that I don't like our old core. I just really like seeing when these guys come into the game how they handle it, how they do. And even if we lose, it's more interesting.

Sorry if I left anyone out. To me this games not worth much of a summary. Start designing better plays in crunch-time where you get high percentage shots. Or better yet - find a lineup that works so we are not always scrambling late in games.

That about sums it up. If Stucky is not going to play like Stucky anyway, then he should go back to the bench. AI can play the point. Himat did the research on page 7 if anyone still does not believe that AI has successfully played the point before. He was playing point when we played them in the 2nd round of 03.

We just did not give it enough time. It would have came around eventually - at least by now anyway. During the game when AI is at the point they look a lot better now.

Mistake or not whats done is done. 2nd point is a lot of thats on the coach. Perhaps he is telling him to defer.

So true. Its just not productive talking about the should have would have and could have's.

Perhaps Sheed is starting to slow down. At any rate when jacks up a 3 or whatever is it his fault if he is just playing the options.

No we did not give AI at the point enough of a chance. On Sheed/Dyess. They were the starters last year - was it always a mistake?

__________________

our back and forth arguing reflects very well floating ship in ocean - it has no compass, no capitain, crew points at each other but it does not help.

Situation may be as well similar in Detroit Pistons lockerroom.