***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

[pietasterp]

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

I wonder how long it'll keep up. Nice performance from Daye tonight, which he seems to do 2 or 3 times a year lol, and certain other role guys have been stepping up lately too. I fear we'll drop back off once the secondary guys regress to their mean.

Enjoying it while it lasts though

Oh and Drummond

Yeah, it's probably a short-lived thing, but you never know - if they've figured something out for real, they could streak to around 0.500, and then anything can happen. They'll probably lose 12 of the next 15 now that I said that, but a man can dream...

[l3ulvl]

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

Yeah, it's probably a short-lived thing, but you never know - if they've figured something out for real, they could streak to around 0.500, and then anything can happen. They'll probably lose 12 of the next 15 now that I said that, but a man can dream...

I think Stuckey needs to have his role reduced, especially in late game situations. I have no confidence in him at all in crunch time. He can be useful on this team, but it's hard to define. When he's with the 2nd unit he seems to disrupt the whole flow, maybe not so much during standard play, but when his minutes count the most he seems to come up the least.

[redsrule]

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

What's going to hurt them the most is keeping their draft pick this year, but not getting it for next year. I know it's early to say, but the 2014 draft class is stacked.
The end of this game last night was awful to watch, I'm sorta happy I don't get Piston games here, because it would give me another reason to get pissed when my Reds, Wildcats & Bengals aren't on.

[pietasterp]

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

I think Stuckey needs to have his role reduced, especially in late game situations. I have no confidence in him at all in crunch time. He can be useful on this team, but it's hard to define. When he's with the 2nd unit he seems to disrupt the whole flow, maybe not so much during standard play, but when his minutes count the most he seems to come up the least.

I couldn't agree more...we're better when he isn't playing. It's that simple. I would ship him outta town for a ham sandwich today if I could...

What's going to hurt them the most is keeping their draft pick this year, but not getting it for next year. I know it's early to say, but the 2014 draft class is stacked.
The end of this game last night was awful to watch, I'm sorta happy I don't get Piston games here, because it would give me another reason to get pissed when my Reds, Wildcats & Bengals aren't on.

Well, I jinxed them...just when I was starting to praise them. That was a MUST win game - you have to be able to beat that lowly Bobcats team if you want to even consider flirting with 0.500. Painful at every level. I think between that, the Bengals game, and the recent Reds implosion in the playoffs, redsrule would have been on suicide watch....

[rdnk]

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

What about adding Rudy Gay? He'd certainly be an upgrade over whatever we are rolling at SF right now.

[l3ulvl]

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

What about adding Rudy Gay? He'd certainly be an upgrade over whatever we are rolling at SF right now.

I'm not a big on Rudy, can't put my finger on it, maybe he seems too inefficient, but I don't think we could acquire him anyway. We can't trade a 1st until Charlotte gets the protected pick from us. Unless they're high on Knight/Prince/Stuckey lol.

[redsrule]

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

I think between that, the Bengals game, and the recent Reds implosion in the playoffs, redsrule would have been on suicide watch....

I hate you. Also UK won the National Championship, so that helped me a little bit.

[rdnk]

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

I'm not a big on Rudy, can't put my finger on it, maybe he seems too inefficient, but I don't think we could acquire him anyway. We can't trade a 1st until Charlotte gets the protected pick from us. Unless they're high on Knight/Prince/Stuckey lol.

Well they'd just have to get 2 other teams involved.

As far as keeping our pick this year, maybe Shabazz will drop to us. Although, if we actually manage to get to the 8 seed, it'll be moot as they'll just take our pick this year.

[redsrule]

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

Which is what I hope the case is. 2014's draft class is a lot more loaded.

[pietasterp]

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

Mid-season. The 'Stones are 16-25. No discernible progress, although the "look" test says they seem better than last year. At this point in the season, I would grade the team:

Starters:
"A" for Greg Monroe - he's a star stuck in a zero-media presence town.
"B-" for Knight - improving, still too inconsistent.
"A" (for effort) for Maxiell - love him even though he shouldn't really be a starter on any kind of good quality NBA team...
"B-" for Tayshaun - for showing up each night even though he really has no reason to
"F" for Stuckey - I'm not even going to dignify him with an explanation

Bench: Collective "A". Really a revelation. Paticular recognition for Drummond (who is clearly a starter) and surprise contributions from Singler and (gasp!) Villanueva. Like, but don't love, Will "The Thrill" Bynum...he's exciting when he's on, but way too out of control and unpredictable, just as likely to hurt you as help you. When he's got it going, though, he's Bynumite....the rest are too infrequent for me to grade. Daye seems like he could be solid, but his minutes are so all-over-the-place. I don't know why Kravtsov can't get in the game.

Coaching: "C-". Lawrence Frank can't seem to get any kind of consistency out there, and the offense frequently looks disorganized and uni-dimensional. No consistent defensive effort. Mysterious substitution pattern. One night we can beat the Heat, the next we lose to the Bobcats. Need to see a consistent high-level effort from the guys, a clear defensive strategy, and a more innovative/organized offense. But primarily, I just want consistency.

Bonus grade:
Mike Abdenour: "A+", as has been the case for the past 30 years! A reassuring sideline presence and the ever-present sweater-vest. The one constant through all my years following the team...


Second half of the season, would like to see them get more consistent, beat the bad teams, occasionally steal some from the good ones, and maybe sneak into that #8 spot in the East. I'm not holding my breath, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. If nothing else, I'd like to see Drummond move into the starting rotation and for the Pistons to develop some kind of character as to who they are as a team. It doesn't have to be the Bad Boys or Goin' to Work group of the past (although that's always welcome), but it has to be something other than "middling NBA franchise in the midwest with zero media presence and no buzz about the team whatsoever". Losing is one thing, but being boring while doing it is unforgiveable...

[pietasterp]

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

A professional take on mid-season grades:

http://nba.si.com/2013/01/24/midseason-nba-grades-los-angeles-clippers-oklahoma-city-thunder-miami-heat/

Ouch. Although I can't say I disagree. I don't think our handling of Drummond is THAT bad, though - no reason not to bring him along slowly and let him learn from both on and off the court in what is rapidly deteriorating into another lost season. He could have pointed out that we a promising young nucleus, at least...

[l3ulvl]

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

A professional take on mid-season grades:

http://nba.si.com/2013/01/24/midseason-nba-grades-los-angeles-clippers-oklahoma-city-thunder-miami-heat/

Ouch. Although I can't say I disagree. I don't think our handling of Drummond is THAT bad, though - no reason not to bring him along slowly and let him learn from both on and off the court in what is rapidly deteriorating into another lost season. He could have pointed out that we a promising young nucleus, at least...

Yeah Drummond's situation has been overblown. He has conditioning problems and asks out of games a lot. He hasn't been injured and he hasn't hit a wall (although it's too early for that anyway), so I don't really have a problem with how he's being groomed. I'd like to see him and Monroe together on the court more, but I understand the lack of big man depth makes it difficult.

[rdnk]

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

With a win tonight, the Pistons are only 4 games back of the Celtics, who just lost Rondo for the year. If the team progresses they have a shot at it.

I still can't believe our bench is this productive.

They should also try to make a move with their expiring contracts. If a team is willing to move talent for cap space we should be interested.

[l3ulvl]

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

With a win tonight, the Pistons are only 4 games back of the Celtics, who just lost Rondo for the year. If the team progresses they have a shot at it.

I still can't believe our bench is this productive.

They should also try to make a move with their expiring contracts. If a team is willing to move talent for cap space we should be interested.

I hope Dumars makes a call to Ainge to revisit the thought of Stuckey going to Boston. I don't even care what we get in return, but if they want someone to help eat Rondo's minutes, I'll take anything.

[pietasterp]

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

I hope Dumars makes a call to Ainge to revisit the thought of Stuckey going to Boston. I don't even care what we get in return, but if they want someone to help eat Rondo's minutes, I'll take anything.

I'd take a bag of basketballs and lobster roll from Boston for Stuckey. Oh, who am I kidding - just gimme the lobster roll and we'll call it even.