It appears that there is a large contingent in this forum that would prefer Amir and Aaron playing over a Pistons win.

Define large.

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I don't want to see a loss, but i don't want to see crap wins like these. If you think these bench players and the starters playing 40 min is the road to the championship, i don't know what to tell ya.

I'm more interested in seeing wins in the playoffs.

At the end of the season, I'm really curious to see what the opinions are. I'm not saying that in a spiteful way. I'm really honestly curious what people will say when the inevitable happens. Last year it was we didn't hit shots; they were tired; Sheed's a cancer; The year before MIA was better; Ben's a cancer. Will people blame Flip this year?

Crap wins?

Don`t quite understand what a crap win is. The starters are avg about 32 mpg so far this year, far from 40 mpg.

As I told someone else earlier in the year, I would love to see the opinions if somehow the Pistons do happen to win it all (I know that`s a tall order at the moment with or without AA and AJ) with AA and AJ seeing limited minutes.

Maybe crap win is too strong. Meaningless, unproductive win is better. It's not about what the starters are avg. this year. What you saw last night was the playoff rotation. That's what a majority of our playoff games are going to look like which basically means developing the youngsters was for nothing. Flip won't play them which is just sad since they are better then the bench/players and in one case IMO the starter playing in front of them.

It makes no sense; why put yourself at a disadvantage by taking two players that have been making an impact out of the rotation esp for Juan Dixon. It's painfully obvious that we've been struggling since. I just don't get the logic.

As you said it's a tall order, but i just think the chances are better the more talent you have playing and the more options you have.

It wouldn't be a big deal if Flip knew how to utilize all his players. I don't want to see Theo DNP, but he can take min from Dyess who we could probably agree has been turning into Ben Wallace offensively from dead legs.

What happens in the PO's when a quick guard starts lighting us up, do we use AA or do we just do nothing (a la Tony Parker)?

Or when we play an athlethic team like Philly, and our 35 year old bigs can't rotate fast enough? Does Amir continue to sit?

IMO, I don`t think there is such a thing as a meaningless, unproductive win.

And honestly, do you think a rookie would actually stop a player like a Tony Parker in the playoffs? Not to mention get any calls from the refs.

Let`s face it, if our playoff hopes rest on AA stopping quick penetrating guards, or AJ being the difference against an athletic team, WE ARE DOOMED!!!!!!

Often when there are two teams of equal level, the little things make a difference, an energy play here, a defensive sequence there.

It's not even about AA stopping TP. It's about AA not being Dixon, and immediately triggering a run for the other team, and another defender that you can use to switch it up who can actually defend. It's not as much that AA/Amir are the best players ever as they are the best players WE have off the bench and it's stupid not to use them. What does it hurt to try?

Remember that defensive stretch in the BOS game with AA, or the stretch in the PHO game with Amir? Little things like that can turn a game.

Also, i belive AJ can make a huge impact just with his mobility alone. Having a good defender who is quick and can double/rotate recover and block the occassional shot is huge in the PO's. He doesn't have to be the difference. He just has to help, and make the game easier for the starters. Maybe an extra 10 min stretch of rest.

Bench players often make a difference in a series (We don't need to look further than Daniel Gibson). Just like Dixon's 4 min last night did. Can you imagine that happening in a PO game? It would be really difficult to come back from that against BOS. You will see BOS bench players in that series. Big baby Davis, Tony Allen, etc. The question is where will ours be?

The last few years we have looked old and slow so our solution as the PO's near is to scrap youth and get old and slow again ?

Playing them won't garuntee a ring, but it will definately give us a better chance. There's no need to repeat the past two years.

Amir = Tayshaun in '03. You guys are defending Carlisle right now.

San Antonio needs to win almost every game because the Western race is so tight. We, on the other hand, can lose out the season and still be fine. I can see why the starters play some minutes, so they don't get rusty. But really, what is the point in doing anything out of the ordinary to win a game right now? How stupid would it be to injure a starter? The only possible thing that we are gunning for (the top seed), is not something that we even want. Why not just stick to the formula that got us the 2nd best record in the NBA? Our bench has been huge this year, and Amir and Afflalo have been a big part of that.

I'm not trying to choose our youth over a win. I'm trying to choose our youth plus a more dominating win. Do you think Popovich is frightened by us after that last game? He knows that with Bowen in the game, that was a Spurs win. At SA, that would have also been a Spurs win.

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I am all for saving player development for the junkie teams. When a team like the Spurs come into town its a matter of pride to defeat them.

In case anyone noticed, Stucky is still playing regular mins and Theo got in some good practice with the guys against a quality team.

Stick around a few years lprgirl. You should absolutly love the next rebuilding phase, it will be development time galore.

Its a vocal minority.

I think we still have to try and save Home Court against the West in case we do actually win the East. You can win one playoff series on the road but trying to win back to back on the road against whoever is left at that stage is tough - as in 05.