***Official Detroit Pistons Thread***

[Gibbz]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons 2006-07 Thread***

Incredibly, Billups answers right back to send this to another OT.

[Steve_OS]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons 2006-07 Thread***

Mr. Big Shot! This game may never end.

[rockchisler]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons 2006-07 Thread***

Hopefully they can hold on... Go Pistons

[Gibbz]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons 2006-07 Thread***

Detroit wins...

C-Webb actually made a big difference in his first start as a Piston.

[Psyblast]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons 2006-07 Thread***

Nothing like a little Psyblast pessimism to spark a Pistons win.

[rockchisler]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons 2006-07 Thread***

Good job now lets keep this going Webber looked pretty good...

[Psyblast]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons 2006-07 Thread***

http://www.mlive.com/pistons/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/116917080297480.xml&coll=1

Mohammed backs off on trade request
Friday, January 19, 2007

By A. Sherrod Blakely

MINNEAPOLIS -- A poor housing market in Michigan and the possibility of being traded to a poor team are among the reasons Nazr Mohammed is re-thinking whether he can adjust to his diminished role with the Detroit Pistons.

Mohammed, who started the first 33 games of the season but has since fallen out of the playing rotation, said he has no plans to ask the Pistons to trade him.

"I don't want to be traded," Mohammed said on Thursday. "Nobody wants to be traded. I choose to come here. I want to win a championship with this team. I don't want to start over with my family somewhere else."

Mohammed's comments were in stark contrast to what he said earlier this week.

Before Detroit's 94-90 loss to Minnesota on Monday, Mohammed said he would consider asking for a trade if the Pistons were going to use him less. For the first time this season, Mohammed did not play (coaches decision) against Utah on Wednesday.

"I'm not that type of guy who can sit on the bench happily," Mohammed said on Monday. "I came here to play. I like to be part of what the team is doing on the floor. So if I'm not in the plans, then yeah, I would ask for a trade."

It's no secret that the Pistons are considering trading Mohammed. One of the teams that's in the mix is tonight's opponent, Minnesota. The Timberwolves would like to unload Marko Jaric, whose contract is similar to Mohammed's in terms of years remaining (four) and total value. It is unclear how interested Minnesota is in Mohammed, who has four years and about $25 million left on the contract he signed with Detroit last summer.

Going from a starter to not playing has been difficult for Mohammed to accept.

"I'm a competitor. I like to be out on the floor," Mohammed said. "But, what can I do? I have a choice to make. Either be a (jerk) and go in here and cuss everybody out, or work harder and be ready for your opportunity. If I'm a (jerk), then I get shipped out, and I don't want to get shipped out where you get less time, and your opportunity never comes. I don't have any cards to play; just sit back and work hard and be ready."

And a trade now means he would have to sell his recently purchased home.

"I didn't buy to sell in three months," he said.

Coach Flip Saunders was pleased with what he saw from Chris Webber on Thursday, his first practice with the Pistons. Although Webber is not ready to start, Saunders anticipates gradually increasing his playing time.

"He has a better understanding of what we're trying to do," Saunders said. "He's able to see more, offensively, and go through more things, defensively, to help out."

As far as playing time, Saunders said he believes Webber can play 20-plus minutes per game now.

"I can play as much as need be, definitely," Webber said.

Rasheed Wallace took exception to a story on ESPN.com's Web site that read, among other things, that Wallace hated Saunders. Wallace had a heated exchange with the reporter following practice. . . . The Pistons inquired earlier about Sacramento Kings guard Jason Hart, but the Kings were apparently only interested in trading Hart if Detroit was willing to part with Jason Maxiell. Detroit's preference was to trade Flip Murray.

[Psyblast]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons 2006-07 Thread***

That's something I missed: A good old fashioned beatdown.

Double-double for C-Webb too.

[RobUofM]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons 2006-07 Thread***

Where do you guys think Orlando's pick will fall? I believe that if it's not Top 5 this year then it belongs to Detroit. I know the Magic have some talent,but I thought at some point they would come back down to around a .500 team. Right now their on a 5 game skid and own the 19th pick. I think that the Pistons will get the pick and it will be around 9-15.

BTW, Webber does look a little slow, but I like the inside game. His jumper will come with time. Maybe this short break will help him learn some more of a system and knock some rust off the jumper.

The Billups 3 was huge. I dont think the team could of taken another close loss to the T-Wolves. That win gave them alot of momentum and they easily took care of the Kings.

[Kruza]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons 2006-07 Thread***

I expect the Magic to end up being an upper seed playoff team this season, so Pistons will likely get their pick which I think will be somewhere between the late teens and early twenties.

So far C-Webb has looked alright playing with the rest of the Pistons starters. Yeah, he's slower and far less mobile than he once was, but one can tell his basketball IQ is sharp and skills/fundamentals are still there. He has thrown some very nice passes that unfortunately don't count as assists because they have routinely caught teammates off guard. He seems to mesh with Sheed well. Both guys can initiate the offense whenever they get the ball on the elbow and look to set teammates up. However, when both are on the court together one of them has to stay on the low block during a possession. There cannot be a situation where neither guy is not becoming an inside scoring threat, or at least an interior presence.

And another concern I have is with Tay not being as involved offensively as he should. He seems to drift around and watch more often now since C-Webb has arrived.

Kruza

[RobUofM]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons 2006-07 Thread***

I agree about Prince. When everyone was injured he was showing signs but now has gone back to being passive. Even Delfino right now looks more hungry and aggressive on the court.

Lindsey Hunter has really surprised me. He has been hitting his long range J's and making a few nice drives. You gotta think the Pistons will make one more move.. Would you go Shooter or PG? If Lindsey stays healthy and plays like this they wont need to. But that is a big if!

[Psyblast]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons 2006-07 Thread***

Regardless of what the Pistons do...it better not involve the words "Marko" or "Jaric".

[Psyblast]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons 2006-07 Thread***

So apparently the concept of covering Antwan Jamison was totally foreign to the Pistons tonight.

[Kruza]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons 2006-07 Thread***

I think the game against the Nets last night is the best I've seen the Pistons play overall this entire season to date. It was a tremendous effort offensively and defensively.

Kruza

[Psyblast]

Re: ***Official Detroit Pistons 2006-07 Thread***

6 of the next 7 are at home...

Protect the Palace!!