AI in Denver 26.4 ppg 7.1 apg 3.0 tpg .458 fg% .345 3p% .809 ft % 7.9-9.7 ft's per game Rip last 9 games w/o AI 23.7 ppg 8.1 apg 3.6 tpg .448 fg% .375 3p% .862 ft% 5.6-6.4 ft's per game
I'll buy that. Also, I think Rip is going out of his way to make plays, like I have never seen before. I don't mind his TOs if our total TOs per game isn't go up as well. Ok, so I went to pull stats, and we're giving up more TOs relative to our opponents in the last 10 games (differential). Then I realized, I always bemoan that we are scared to commit turnovers and this kills us. So I don't mind if Rip drives the teams TOs up, if it makes us more dangerous. Same standard I would apply to AI. So over the whole season, including all game before today. Team Assist Diff 11th DetroitPistons 0.53 Team Turnover Diff 12th DetroitPistons 0.22 Last 10 games (prior to today) Team Assist Diff 4th DetroitPistons 2.7 Team Turnover Diff 24th DetroitPistons -1.1 I think this is acceptable. All season 16th DetroitPistons 20.55 Assists 1st DetroitPistons 11.33 Turns Last 10 10th DetroitPistons 22.10 Assists 4th DetroitPistons 11.10 Turns Hmmmm
The issue has always been what is going on between his ears. If his head is right, sure. If he brings a lot of baggage he had in Orlando, Memphis and here, it's not worth it.
I doubt Darko would consider playing for the "Nightmare team" again. Would he? I wouldn't mind having him if he comes on the cheap...if only for the wild discussions that would transpire in here. ;)
Trevor Ariza started today and had 26 points on 9-13 shooting, and 3 steals. Held J-Kidd to 3-11 shooting.
I suggest you check the game log. He played 8 minutes in the first half. He got in for an end of game situation in the 2nd half, and thats all - for a total of 9 minutes.
You are right! I thought I had read 2 minutes while watching the game this afternoon before he checked in at the end. I apologize.
16 mile, I for one would like to see it. And after playing in Orlando and Memphis, I think DMC would be happy to come back, as he could probably earn PT here now. And for me, not having to watch both the Pistons and whereevery DMC is playing (or not playing) gets a bit much. I would love to not have to get League Pass to watch him. I could just watch the Pistons on local TV and even go down often to the Palace. I think often about where he would be in his career had he stayed here and progressed normally. Today would have been just another day instead of his being someone who, as George Blaha said, "Memphis could not have won without Darko, today". Any day now would be fine with me.
I am with Roscoe on this one. It's not about one player, or just the coach. It's a combination of things.
I'm guessing this is part of MC's master plan to prepare the team for AI's triumphal return. They won't have seen the ball in weeks, so everything will seem the same.
1 man on court +/- for each player's last 10 games played: Rip +46 Dice +16 Amir +14 Stuck +8 Tay +2 Kwame -1 Sheed -2 JMax -4 Bynum -4 Herrmann -25 Afflalo -29 Iverson -42 (bookends)
The answer is no. In every single one of those games, there were Piston players in positive territory. The starters tended to have worse +/- than the bench though, and that trend has reversed itself lately. As an example, here is the last game AI played in: PopcornMachine's BoxScore - DET @ NOR
AI was -42 and Rip was -31. Opponent/ AI/ Rip: NOH/ -9/ +7 MIA/ -1/ -11 CLE/ -18/ -13 SAS/ -3/ -11 MIL/ -7/ +2 ATL/ -3/ +2 PHO/ -3/ -8 MIL/ +9/ +12 MIA/ -2/ E CLE/ -5/ -11 You'll notice that AI only had 1 game in his last 10 where he was better than breakeven. In almost every single one of these games, AI and Rip spent time on the court together, which seemed to have damaged Rip's #'s compared to the rest of our bench. Amir for example, was +2 in those 10 games.
If Rip would have made that open 3...... That's why we need Chauncey folks. Cerebral Touch....kidding...or am I?
