Star Jones, question is not whether AI or anybody is "volume" scorer or whatever, question is: does current "Pistons configuration" enable to use AI's abilities in the best way?

My answer is: AI can be only AI because this is the only way to use AI effectively.

there is no point to try to mold AI to something "half-Rip" or "half-playmaker-shooter". Why this team should need something like half-Rip when they already have one true Rip! Oh, and this roster already contains one half-playmaker-shooter.

AI playing some Rip's plays is fun to watch but it really is not his game.

This is one of the best game threads we have had in here.

I'll admit I scoffed at Star Jones moving AI to 1 and Rodney to 2 but there is a lot of logic behind it...the more I think of it.

I really think we have the pieces that can come together at some point after Rip is traded.

So are you telling me you prefer AI starting at SG along with Rip and Stuckey instead of having AI at PG and either Rip or Stuckey at the 2?

And by the way there is no way AI is going to the bench. He is starting because he is the best player on the team. The only way he goes to the bench is if he tells the coach "I am going to the bench."

Oh my...

The team finally comes out with a little bit of a chip on its shoulder and still loses. When you get outcoached by Byron Scott...

If Posey played against Detroit every night he'd be a lock for the hall. Pretty sad when your entire team, and coaching staff, is so intimidated by one guy that they can't play against him. He's playing the two guard in the 4th and evidently the Pistons have no one who can take advantage of that and chase him to the bench.

Max plays his best game in weeks and all it gets him is dumped to the bench after a mere 18 minutes. I thought AI was having his best game in weeks and all it got him was a trip to the bench when the game was on the line. And AA didn't scratch.

It's boring to keep saying it, but this team can't win as currently configured.

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"But first, are you experienced? Or have you you ever been experienced? Well, I have."
Jimi

Every single one of those guys on that list shoots 3-pointers, and most of them while they are heavily guarded.

When you look at their eFG%'s/ efficiency, AI is clearly behind.

Szczerbiak- .524
Allen- .522
K Martin- .519
Redd- .507
Lebron- .501
Wade- .489
Arenas- .488
Kobe- .487
Carter- .486
Rip- .471

Chucky Atkins- .493
Smush Parker- .494

AI- .452
Stuck- .447 (found someone lower!)

TaShawn, you can crunch numbers like a trash compactor. I'll be honest with you, I've never gotten into +/- or eFG% or some of the "newer" ways to measure players.

I even look at shooting percentages sideways and here's why:

If you go 3 for 8, that's 38% and that's bad. But, if you make one more shot, that's 50% and that's good!

If you go 5 for 10, that's 50% and that's good. But, hey, you still missed five shots like the guy above and he stunk up the joint.

But, then again, neither one of you are as good as the other guy that missed five shots when he went 10 for 15, because he shot 67%.

Oh, and that stud who went 15 for 20 is clearly not getting enough shots, because how does the guy that is shooting 75%, not get more than 20 shots a game?

It's a shame that the team lost by ten points, the equivalent of five two point shots.

Shooting percentages are simple math, but I don't believe it's simple basketball. It actually kind of irks me that one or two shots can define a player's night, especially if the game wasn't watched as closely as the box score.

I was listening to Bill Walton during a game once and he said: it's very easy to shoot 50% when you only take four shots. I'll take the guy that's willing to put the team on his back, no matter what the numbers say.

I won't sit with Bill in his teepee, but I'm with him in this instance.

We have a guy who has shot more shots than just about anybody, maybe the most FGA's of any current player in the league? He has the 3rd highest ppg in NBA history based on the pure volume of shots he takes per game. His efficiency isn't anywhere close to guys like Kobe, who take ridiculously bad shots himself from time to time. And we're not even getting into defense here, we're talking bout the best part of Ai's game.

There is a lot of data here, including the performances of AI's teams. For a sure HOF'er, his teams haven't had much success, even in his prime. Denver was willing to trade him straight up for a guy with half his salary... and they are extremely happy with the results.

I don't dislike AI, but have to point out that he misses a lot of shots, with a lot of them being unwise and forced.

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

Do you think he is taking unwise and forced shot here? I don't.

I'll take that. I still think he's underrated as a shooter, but I'll let the numbers make the final decision.

Well besides Herrmann, AI has the worst FG% on the team. Besides Will Bynum, he has the worst 3P FG% on the team.

Since I know that AI is one of the best mid-range jump shooters in basketball, I can only conclude that his shot selection has been bad. Based on observation, I would also say that his shot selection has been horrid. There are a lot of forced fade-away, double arcing prayers being hoisted up by him.

The thought was that he'd finally have other weapons surrounding him here in Detroit and it would make his life a lot easier. That hasn't been the case at all.

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