***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

[Kruza]

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

I don't have much to complain about regarding how the Pistons played last night's game in Memphis. There was a stretch during the game where the Pistons had problems securing a defensive rebound. But other than that issue, everything seemed good. The only major concern I have is that all our bigs struggled from the free throw line, and that may unfortunately end up being a theme all season long. Charlie V appears to be our lone decent FT shooter out of the bunch.

Kruza

[Kruza]

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

Rip's ankle sprain seems to be fairly serious as it appears that it's still swollen.

Hamilton's hurt, questionable for home opener

Rip still hasn't made a decision on whether he'll play tonight. But if it was up to me, I would sit him out for tonight and for the Bucks game tomorrow night so to allow the ankle to fully heal by the time Tuesday night's game against the Magic comes around.

Kruza

[youvalss]

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

I think this season is up to 2 guys: Prince and Charlie-V. If these 2 guys have a good season - the Pistons will have a good playoff run. Rip will be fine and give his regular stats, Wilcox will help, Maxiell off the bench and Wallace will rebound. Gordon will score off the bench...these are pretty easy. But Prince and C-V are the big issues, in my opinion.

[Kruza]

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

Prince will be out indefinitely due to a disc rupture in his lower back. Jerebko and Daye will get significant minutes because of this.

Speaking of Jerebko, he has been a pleasant surprise up to this point. He has deserved to be playing into the rotation over Wilcox, who has been a major disappointment in my eyes. Daye has also done a solid job.

Also a big surprise to me is that the two most questionable issues regarding this Pistons team going into the season -- defense and rebounding -- has actually been a plus so far. It's the offense that has been running ragged in stretches. However, once the offense gets in gear, this team can do some big things. And lastly, this team is certainly fun to watch. This is a young scrappy bunch for sure. Especially when we roll out our various three-guard lineups on the floor.

Kruza

[Kruza]

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

Rough West coast trip for the Pistons. At least the team competed and had a legit shot to win two of the four losses late in games. That loss to the Jazz on Saturday night really stings, though. Couldn't get the breaks needed to pull it out.

Kruza

[Kruza]

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

Although the Pistons record could be better at this point, I like the way the team has been playing and how all our young guys are progressing. Our defense and rebounding performances on both ends of the court has been surprisingly better than I anticipated it would be coming into the season. I'm very pleased at how Jonas Jerebko has been playing. He's basically our David Lee. Austin Daye is coming along at a slower pace and has a lot to learn on defense, but he occasionally show flashes of his skills on offense. He played the role of 2-guard well for a couple stretches in the second half against the Wizards Sunday night.

Kruza

[Kruza]

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

Well the Pistons struggled big time during the month of December. Hopefully the new year will have us playing better now that guys are getting healthy. However, now coach Kuester will have more growing pains seeing the inconsistencies of this team as he has to tinker with the rotation yet again.

At any rate, this team is beginning to have major issues on offense. Opposing teams are repeatedly trapping our talented ballhandlers during just about all pick-and-rolls situation, which in result has been suffocating the offense. This team sorely needs all the frontline players to step up offensively and catch the effin' ball cleanly and finish whenever guards are delivering dump-off passes to them. Our bigs are either fumbling passes or missing bunnies way too often. And they also miss a lot of free throws whenever they're deliberately sent to the charity stripe.

Oh well... at least the young guys are getting valuable playing experience.

Kruza

[rdnk]

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

I'm expecting to see a fire sale at the deadline. Rip, Tay and whichever players they can get value from (other than Stuckey, Gordon and Villanueva will probably get dealt). We may be in the playoff race, but I'm not feeling it this year.

[Kruza]

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

With this Pistons team I just want to see the rookies develop and all the rest of our young guys play well and grow together. I'm not necessarily focused on the win-loss record because let's face it -- this team will not be making any noise in the playoffs even if they were able to somehow make it in. As long as guys are playing hard and making progress throughout the regular season, I will be content.

I do agree with the idea of the Pistons needing to make a midseason trade, though. This team needs a low post scorer in the worst way because our half-court offense sucks whenever none of our guards can get hot from the perimeter. This team will not be allowed to run up and down on everyone all the time.

Kruza

[rdnk]

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

Who do you guys think the Pistons could get from other teams?

[Kruza]

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

It's tough to say who the Pistons can try to get at the moment since it's still early. We won't find out who's really on the trading block until it's around a few days prior to the deadline, when all the rumors and speculation begin to fly in full force.

Kruza

[rdnk]

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

It's tough to say who the Pistons can try to get at the moment since it's still early. We won't find out who's really on the trading block until it's around a few days prior to the deadline, when all the rumors and speculation begin to fly in full force.

Kruza

I wonder if we could get A'mare? Even if he didn't like it here, we'd at least have a heap of cap space for the summer of LeBron.

[rockchisler]

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

I wonder if we could get A'mare? Even if he didn't like it here, we'd at least have a heap of cap space for the summer of LeBron.

As of Now Amare and Boozer are still in Play, I know Joe has his wheels turning now, we just have to be patient, they will be a player before the deadline.

[rdnk]

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

Well that was disappointing. Dumars should have done something. We're too far out of it to not do anything. Hell, pawn off Hamilton on someone, even if it's for not much. Prince's contract is done at the end of next year, there could have been something out there for him.

[timbeau0805]

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

I haven't been watching much lately (and i didn't watch the Cavs game at all). I don't think I'm a bad fan, but I kind of feel like one. The team has just been unbearable to watch though lately, IMO. Unlike early in the season when they were losing games but were at least playing hard and enjoyable to watch.