***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

[pietasterp]

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

It's funny though, Detroit is only about a 5ish hour drive from here and Memphis is about 7ish, but I get quite a few Memphis/Indiana games on Fox Sports South, but don't get any Pistons games unless they are on National TV (never) so I have to stream them. I am now pulling for Memphis though, because I hope Tayshaun can get another ring before he retires.

I agree about the coaching thing, we just haven't found a good coach that fits since Larry Brown. That is another reason I wanted Patrick Ewing instead of LF. Ewing had no head coaching experience, but if anyone was going to get the most out of Monroe (and now Drummond) it would be him imo.

Good points. I would be in favor of hiring Ewing as an assistant for sure, but I have no idea about his head coaching abilities. He could be good for all I know; someone has to get a first chance. I wish we could coax Brown back to Detroit, but he'll never come back here. Probably never should have fired Carlisle in the first place (not sure we wouldn't have won anyway that next year), but of the guys out there now, I wouldn't mind one of the van Gundys....I know people hate them for whatever reason, but both are really good coaches. I don't care if they're jerks; I just want a great coach. If Jerry Sloane wants to un-retire, I'd be fine with him in Auburn Hills...

If you bail on the 'Stones for the Griz, no one would fault you...it's not like the Memphis Grizzlies are a big rival. It would make sense if the reason you were following the 'Stones was Tayshaun anyway; otherwise, there's no real reason for you (and it's hard for you) to follow Detroit.

The sports coverage thing is all regional, I guess, not necessarily geographic. To be honest, I (embarassingly) didn't know why it seemed like so many people from Kentucky were Cincinnatti sports fans until I finally had occasion to drive down that way/look at a map (when people used to have to do that) and realized the proximity. And I was also surprised by how fast the culture changed once you pop over the Ohio River south of Cintucky...

[redsrule]

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

Oh the Pistons are going to be my favorite team regardless, but since we most likely aren't going to be in the playoffs, I'd like to see him get another ring.

[pietasterp]

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

Oh the Pistons are going to be my favorite team regardless, but since we most likely aren't going to be in the playoffs, I'd like to see him get another ring.

Agreed. I have no particular objection to the Griz (they're kind of just one of those teams that never crosses my consciousness), and if Tay gets one last shot, I'm all for it.

[redsrule]

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

You know what sucks a lot though, is that we traded our first round draft pick for Maggette who doesn't even play. I know he wanted to clear cap space, but that pick could end up being Noel/Shabazz this year or even Wiggins/Randle/Parker next year. I hate Joe Dumars.

[l3ulvl]

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

You know what sucks a lot though, is that we traded our first round draft pick for Maggette who doesn't even play. I know he wanted to clear cap space, but that pick could end up being Noel/Shabazz this year or even Wiggins/Randle/Parker next year. I hate Joe Dumars.

Yeah I still don't like that trade, I don't see the point in freeing up the cap space for this FA class, especially when Gordon only had 1 more year and that class is better, and giving away a 1st to necessitate it? Geesh. Maybe Dumars is sick of adding draftees and would rather go after established players, idunno, but if we go all in for Josh Smith I'll be sick

[redsrule]

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

I told you guys earlier, he is signing Greg Oden 3 years 42 mil no insurance for injuries !

I just hope they can play into the 8th spot so Charlotte can have our draft pick this year. It is top 3 protected next year (I think?) but the draft class is so deep. This year (imo) there are only a few legit prospects that could be good led by Noel who we don't need.

[pietasterp]

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

Yeah, I agree wholeheartedly with both of the above comments. I think Joe D is hit-or-miss, all hits early, then so-so since then, with more misses than hits. I do think, though, that for 2+ seasons he was totally hand-cuffed by the ownership situation, and had no flexibility to make any moves either way (dump or take on salary), so I feel like he should get a bit of a free pass for that. He needs to show us something this off-season, though - if he isn't building toward something grand, he should start getting his resume together.

I don't think we should go after any "name" free agents this summer; or ever, frankly. I think the way you build if you are the Detroit Pistons is through smart, "money-ball" type efficient players and get your stars through the draft. If you think about it, getting "stars" via free-agency is like buying a stock at the top of the market - the rally has already happened, and you missed the run-up, so the investment can only go down. Unless you are the Lakers or someone and can afford to blow a few million on misses every year, you have to be smart. Joe D used to be; I'm wondering if he still is (or ever was...maybe he was just lucky early?). I think he's earned the chance to see this current overhaul through, but if this doesn't come to anything, we just can't afford another decade of pointless seasons. Either way, I'm anxious to see.

[rdnk]

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

I thought it was lottery protected this year, top 10 next year (or top 5, I don't remember), and top 3 the year after that. So we're not missing out on a Noel or Shabazz unless we play our way to the playoffs.

[justblaze09]

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

It's lottery protected this year, top 8 next year, and top pick in 2015. So yeah, we need to make the playoffs this season and get it out the way

[pietasterp]

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

18-31 after last night's whooping against the Knicks. Playoff run is not going to happen this year, fellas, now with only 33 games left in the season. We needed to come out in the new year and start streaking a bit, winning 2-3 games in a row here-and-there, going 7-3 for every 10-game stretch for at least a month or two, but this thing is now just trending the wrong way. Boston's not going quietly into that good night, and Philly is at least as good as (if not demonstrably better than) we are. Toronto is essentially the same as us. There's not enough crappiness, even in the current NBA (even though there is a monumental amount of it), to allow us to sneak in to that last spot this year. It's frustrating, because we were essentially in this exact same position last year, and the year before, and the year before...and this is, yet again, rapidly turning into just another in a long line of wasted, pointless seasons. Seriously, what is even the point of them trotting out there after the All-Star break? The most frustrating thing to me is that there is no identity on this team whatsoever, and worse yet, no consistent effort. Maybe you won't be the best team on the court every night (or any night), but you can always hustle. You should never get out-worked if you're a team like the Pistons. But every 2-3 games they just trot out some lazy-a** effort where they just lope aimlessly around the court with no energy or apparent plan, put up some extremely poor contested jumper that invariably misses, then half-run back on defense only to stand around and watch guys penetrate to the rim like they were strolling down main street. Sure, 1-2 guys will be going high-motor, like Drumond or Moose or Maxiell, but the rest of the team...

Why Coach Frank can't get a consistent level of effort out of this team is completely beyond me. It's getting to the point where I just can't watch it anymore, even on the rare occasions I can catch them out-of-market. I guess I'm just in a really bad mood with this team because the NYC-area radio, reviewing the "action" from last night, just refers to the Pistons as a joke team and a doormat that the Knicks should definitely beat by 20+ points, and to hear the out-of-town media wail on your team like that is tough. And the worst part about it is that they're completely 100% right - the 'Stones now are how I used to look at teams like the Clippers or Kings or Nets growing up: why are they even bothering to suit up every night? Who roots for this team? Sadly, I now know the answers to those questions....

[l3ulvl]

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

I'm hopeful the point of suiting up will be to see what guys like English, Middleton, and Kravtsov can do. Drummond is developing into a boss and the more time spent playing with Moose the better. I want to see how Calderon integrates with the team, and if Knight can handle the 2 guard duties or if he's better suited off the bench, or on another team.

I'm also rooting for Otto Porter in the draft, I like his smooth/efficient game, he could be a solid SF for us in the future.

But mostly, like pie said, I want to see crazy effort. Nonstop hustle, leave it all on the court, [additional generic cliche], and just give a damn.

[redsrule]

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

We beat the Spurs by 15, what is this?

Also sucks that Drummond is out 4-6 weeks, this season is pretty much over so LF needs to start playing our young guys to see where they're at/they could be rotation guys for the future.

[pietasterp]

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

We beat the Spurs by 15, what is this?

Also sucks that Drummond is out 4-6 weeks, this season is pretty much over so LF needs to start playing our young guys to see where they're at/they could be rotation guys for the future.

Yeah, not sure what happened there....short-handed Spurs team on the road, I guess. Injury to Drummond is a blow to the development, but just sort of a freak thing that could happen. I hope it doesn't turn into a chronic thing. And now people get why you bring rookies along slowly - the grind of the NBA season is no joke. The guy probably hasn't played 50-60 games in 2 years, let alone 4 months.

[l3ulvl]

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

The good thing about Drummond's tailbone injury is it's not a lingering issue like a disc, so once he rests and heals up he should be good to go.

[redsrule]

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

2 in a row? What is this wizardry!?