MoTown Pride, by no means do I equate assists numbers directly with ball handling. I look at who handles the ball in a way that helps get the team a good scoring op. This could be feeding the post, getting the ball to a guy who forces the defense to collapse, freeing up yet another guy outside. The guy who can start a fast break. The guy who can pass the ball to someone who then has an advantage to drive inside. A whole lot of scoring takes place as a result of a timely pass that is not an assist. And of course, there are assists too, also part of ball handling.

However, if a guy is getting no assists, all preseason, this is just a hint that he can't handle the ball. In Evans and Dupree's case, just trust me, its not just the assist stats. Nothing they do leads to a teammate scoring. Instead, if they handle the ball at all, they either go for a shot or just bog down the offense. Or turn the ball over.

Now, Evans I like a whole lot. He just can't do the job in the ball handling department. As someone mentioned to me the other day though, if Evans could also handle the ball, he probably would be making more money than we could afford. So its a good thing in a way he is not perfect. We can, for cheap, use him for an excellent defender, and a shooter. Just can't expect him to drive that ball to the hoop and kick off for a neat assist. So far, just seems not to be his game.

Dupree shows a lot of promise as a defender. He is good at the end of a fast break. But in no area can he outdo Evans. This unfortunately includes ball handling. Dupree, for many teams, coud help. Just not ours. We can't put Evans and Dupree in the game at the same time cause that gives us too little ball handling. But does this mean Dupree is the one getting cut? Maybe, maybe not. There is still the possibility Hunter retires. Evans could get injured at some time during the season, and an athletic small forward like Dupree might come in useful, while Evans has been brought in to do what Hunter did best, guard guys like Wade.

i'm watching the game taped right now........no one mentioned that Darko tripped over his feet again. i swear, he got to lead the league in tripping over his own feet. i think he's gotten a lot more confident, but still thinks to much out there. he's still not 100% comfortable/natural out there.

MoTown Pride, different post on your other comment. Unless you know for sure what your rotation is going to be, no, its not time to start playing a set rotation. Yes, we know who the starters are going to be, and the starters do need to start to play more to get comfortable to Flip's system. But the bench? You can't tell me Arroyo has already solidified his spot over Acker, and no way you can dismiss the possibility of Maxiell breaking into the rotation.

Finally, I don't know what you thought about Larry Brown, but he got one thing right. When he comes in and installs his new system, he does not focus that much on wins at first. Getting the team playing right is given more emphasis early. With Flip, he has a new team for him, and he has a lot of players who might be able to help. Getting it right, playing the right guys in the right roles, is going to have a greater impact on our record at the end of the season vs. a few wins we might get from getting the wrong rotation sharp.

For one, having the wrong rotation will lose games vs. the right one. Worse, as the season goes on, and you see you blew it on the first try, you are going to have to shake things up. And lose games while you do maybe. Far better to get it right early.

As for respect? Dumars will appreciate a coach going about in a methodical manner doing things right. Flip has 9 years already in the league. Not a rookie coach that has to prove anything.

ok, i know LB isn't here anymore, but Darko needs to stop the catch and shoot at the college three point line like he's Michael Redd.

LOL forgot about that...pretty hilarious.

on a sidenote, at the Pistons' Kickoff Party today, i got Team Rookie's signatures...glynny, johnson, acker, and maxiel on my Pistons hat. threw in arroyo on their for good measure. i'll sell it to Lee for $500, i mean that's a steal for those 4 rooke future hall-of-famers

Flip said he was absolutely dead tired out there because of all the minutes/practice, and the fact that it was the 2nd of a back to back. He said Darko was giving him the "take me out" look a couple of times during the game, but he kept him out there as a sort of "gut check". And if you think about it he hasn't had much of any time off since the summer league began, so his legs are probably pretty worn out. Hopefully the day off today gets him ready for Saturday against Miami. I wanna see him throw down on Zo

Have we entered the twilight zone???!!! I thought I just read Lee saying that we should keep Hunter over another player!! Lee, have you really come over to become a Hunter fan like most Pistons fans have been for years, or was that just a mental lapse?

All in good fun Lee, just a little brain fart after reading countless posts of you classifying Hunter as a worthless scrub. In case you haven't noticed, Hunter is THE MAN in Detroit, and he will be on the squad as long as he wants to, from what I can see. The man is a defensive monster, and as epitomized in his quote from last year's Finals ("I ain't no punk"), the hardest-working guy on the Pistons besides maybe Ben Wallace. Ben and Lindsay are my favorite players exactly for that reason.

Funny I always associated ballhandling with dribbling. When I say, "that fella got handles", I'm never referring to his passing ability. Based on your definition of ballhandling also being associated with passing ability and court awareness, I can see where you would say that the aforementioned players are not adequate. I guess I will just have to wait and see to explore how much they "bog down" the offense.

Sure, I grant you that. Starters play, those bench players that have not solidified themselves for the team need to continue to battle for minutes, those who obviously have no place on the team (Glynny) should be let go. No more expirementing of bizaree lineups.

Actually I am a fan of Brown, although I have my criticisms of him just like anyone else. I loved Brown as a coach, but he is not the best person to use as an example...he has more excuses when things don't go right than Dennis the Menace. I think the goal of any team is to be ready before the regular season starts and the games "count". I'm not in favor of risking any victories when the battle for homecourt advantage could be the difference of a game or two. We need to start off immediately with some "W"s.

Flip has SO much to prove dude. He has been unsuccessful in the playoffs for most of his career and he is replacing a Hall of Fame coach on a championship team. He's already instituted a zone defense on a team that has been commited to a successful defensive scheme the last 3-4 years. Losing several years in the playoffs with argueably the leagues best player on a team that your friend runs for the past 9 years is not a formula for an induction into the basketball hall of fame. This is Flip's chance to show that given a great team he can win the big one. This is his golden opportunity.

I will tell you this. If the Pistons start off dry and out of sync and sport an unimpressive opening record say.....3-7. Every ESPN basketball reporter, local Detroit columnist, the fan in the last row at the Palace, and big Bill Davidson will booooooooo his butt out the building. lol!

All that being said, I think Flip will rise to the occasion.

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Motown, I agree with you 100%.

Flip has a lot to prove, but he definately isn't shying away from it. Taking over a team from a Hall of Famer that has been to 2 straight finals, in a city that LOVES its team isn't exactly flying under the radar.

I give him a lot of credit for not taking the easier job with a team with low expectations. This is a great opportunity for Flip to shed his "can't get it done in the playoffs" label.

I too think that he will rise to the occasion.