Fastbreak Buckets 3.02.2009

This edition of Fastbreak Buckets is an all-Allen Iverson version.

-During yesterday’s win in Boston, the Pistons made a fundamental change in their defense – they switched on most picks. While Stuckey, Hamilton, and Prince are far from interchangeable defensively, there was little hesitation for any of the three to switch defensive assignments after a screen. They were able to do this because all three players have the size to guard point guards and wings, while also possessing the quickness to stay in front of any of the Celtics.

When Allen Iverson is on the court, the Pistons lose this ability. Iverson is typically too small to guard any player but opposing point guards. When a screen is set on Iverson, the screener’s defender has to step out on the opposing guard and then retreat to his own man. This potentially problematic task is necessary to ensure that Iverson does not have to switch onto a bigger player. That responsibility has placed a difficult burden on many of the Pistons and is a primary reason their defense has suffered this season. Iverson’s lack of size is out his control, but that is the biggest reason he is such a liability on defense.

-As much as Iverson has hurt the Pistons defensively, he has done the most damage on offense. Game recaps from the two weekend games were filled with players and coaches talking about how much better the Pistons move the ball without Iverson. Iverson tends to attack defenses off the dribble and often attempts contested mid-range jumpers. The constant dribbling takes the Pistons out of their offense and hinders the ability of players like Rodney Stuckey and Tayshaun Prince to be effective. The contested jumpers Iverson so frequently takes are the least efficient shot in basketball. Iverson does not make nearly of them to justify the regularity with which he takes such shots. If Iverson can accept a role in which he plays limited minutes as a change-of-pace offensive force playing alongside backups who struggle to score, he can help the Pistons. Otherwise, the Pistons should cut their losses and give him the Marbury treatment.

-In a related note, while the focus has been on the starting lineup lately, there is another question that needs to be answered. Which Pistons will finish close games? For the same reasons that Iverson should not start games, he should not finish them. Hopefully, Curry was paying attention this weekend and noticed that the Pistons played two of their best fourth quarters all season without Iverson.