***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

[Kruza]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

The #1 problem right now with the Pistons is rebounding. The Wizards had zero offensive rebounds through the first quarter when the Pistons had built up a 15-point lead. But the Wiz end up with 10 of them in the game. That's unacceptable. The team was rebounding well early into the season, but certainly not doing so now. If we can't secure defensive rebounds and keep opposing teams off the offensive boards, we can't run. If we can't run, we can't get easy baskets utilizing our best asset which is team speed. We also have to do a better job of forcing turnovers. We were forcing them in bunches early in the season, but that hasn't been happening lately.

I know this might sound crazy, but I think the Pistons need to seriously consider bringing Sheed off the bench. The starters need to have aggressive rebounders and active inside defenders out there to help spearhead an up-tempo attack the team wants to run, and he's not getting the job done in either department. Maybe start Amir Johnson with Antonio McDyess at the C and PF spots, and have Sheed pair with Jason Maxiell or Kwame Brown off the bench depending on matchups.

Kruza

[JBH3]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

The #1 problem right now with the Pistons is rebounding. The Wizards had zero offensive rebounds through the first quarter when the Pistons had built up a 15-point lead. But the Wiz end up with 10 of them in the game. That's unacceptable. The team was rebounding well early into the season, but certainly not doing so now. If we can't secure defensive rebounds and keep opposing teams off the offensive boards, we can't run. If we can't run, we can't get easy baskets utilizing our best asset which is team speed. We also have to do a better job of forcing turnovers. We were forcing them in bunches early in the season, but that hasn't been happening lately.

I know this might sound crazy, but I think the Pistons need to seriously consider bringing Sheed off the bench. The starters need an aggressive rebounder and active inside defender out there to help spearhead an up-tempo attack the team wants to run, and he's not getting the job done. Maybe start Amir Johnson with Antonio McDyess at the C and PF spots, and have Sheed pair with Jason Maxiell or Kwame Brown off the bench depending on matchups.

Kruza

Live outside D.C., and watched this one last night...Why didn't Maxiell get off the bench? Phil Chenier had stated that Jason was a guy who typically gave Washington trouble.

The Iverson trade hasn't quite worked in Detroit's favor yet either. A.I. is my all-time fav player, and he has still got some years in him. Just give him time, and he will pick it up...

However, your coach benching Maxiell...dumb move...especially since Detroit's bench, minus Maxiell, got out played BIG time.

[Kruza]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

Walter Herrmann and Antonio McDyess had gotten Jason Maxiell's minutes during last night's game. And I agree that Maxey should've been out there on the court. The Pistons desperately need his energy and rebounding. Caron Butler is pretty much unstoppable when he gets going, but there's no way that Darius Songaila and Aundray Blatche would've done the considerable damage they had if Maxey was in there.

You know, I understand why the coaching staff wants to use 3-guard lineups by moving Rip to the 3 and Tay to the 4 spot, but they're just not working. It's great and all whenever the team shoots well, but there are major problems with them whenever the shots aren't falling. We're not getting second chance points due to no offensive rebounding, and Tay's not a good enough defensive rebounder to be at PF to begin with. We've gone with the small ball lineups far too much this season.

Kruza

[AI3]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

Larry Brown!
come back to DETROIT!
see what he did with Iversons sixers in 2001.
and what he did with the Pistons in 2004
Now imagine what he could do here with the Pistons in 2008/09.
He is the only one who knows how to use Iverson properly.

[Psyblast]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

Larry Brown!
come back to DETROIT!
see what he did with Iversons sixers in 2001.
and what he did with the Pistons in 2004
Now imagine what he could do here with the Pistons in 2008/09.
He is the only one who knows how to use Iverson properly.

Larry Brown is not welcome.

[OliDegu2008]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

2 thoughts........

Get rid of Allen Iverson.

Who is excited to see what a new rejuvenated Antonio McDyess can do?

[Muzyk23]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

Curry should be fired for what he did in the 4th quarter. Absolutely atrocious!!

[Kruza]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

Any coach would've taken out many of the starters with a 20+ point lead early in the 4th quarter. Blame the bench players who went in the game for letting up.

Kruza

[Muzyk23]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

come on Kruza..12 points? I do not blame him for pulling them out, but for not inserting them back when the bench guys couldn't put a rock into the ocean

[Kruza]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

That's a legitimate complaint, but I can also see what Curry was trying to do as well. He was trying to show confidence in the bench players by allowing them to finish up the game despite some adversity. They could've at least gotten some stops out there if they weren't doing any scoring. I was disappointed in watching that group out there in the 4th quarter.

Kruza

[Muzyk23]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

I feel you and I got the same impression, but oh boy it was close.

[Muzyk23]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

Talk about AI finally getting comfortable and being used properly( he is a sg). In the last 4 games (3-1) he's shooting 29\54 from the field which gives 54%. He is also shooting 37% on threes for the season.

[Kruza]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

AI is adapting well. He's learning when to pick his spots to make a play, whether it's on a one-man fast break, or during situations when he has the basketball while the shot clock is running down. He's also shooting from the catch better. Not many opposing guard duos can keep up with both AI and Stuckey when they're constantly moving around. Both guys are fast without and also with the basketball.

I notice Michael Curry and the coaching staff are still making subtle lineup adjustments according to situations. The Pistons start off with the small lineup and play it for majority of the game in order to get Rodney Stuckey a lot of minutes, but the team finishes the game with a conventional lineup featuring the Sheed-Dice-Tay frontline on the floor. In the past game against the Pacers (the last close game), the AI-Rip backcourt finished the game while Stuckey was on the bench. But during the game last night, it was the Stuckey-AI backcourt on the floor with Rip on the bench.

Kruza

[trobinson97]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

In the past game against the Pacers (the last close game), the AI-Rip backcourt finished the game while Stuckey was on the bench. But during the game last night, it was the Stuckey-AI backcourt on the floor with Rip on the bench.

I haven't watched many games this year, none actually since the trade went down. Which lineup looked better on the floor?

[Kruza]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

It's tough to say which crunch time 4th quarter lineup was better. Both lineups had no trouble scoring, and the team is finally back to rebounding like we got some sense again, which I think is the biggest reason for this current win streak. The change may have depended on matchups. The lineup with Rip on the bench (vs. the Wizards) did a slightly better job defensively, but that could've very well been because no one on the Wizards had carried the team offensively like Danny Granger had for the Pacers. Tay had done a fantastic job of defending when he played his natural SF position and matched up with Caron Butler.

Kruza