tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24422457910368788972024-03-13T11:38:11.693-04:00Count That Baby And A FoulZack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.comBlogger110125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-88661716392906200052009-07-01T13:31:00.005-04:002009-07-01T15:44:01.222-04:00Am I Supposed to be Excited?Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Pistons are close to signing two former Connecticut Huskies to play alongside UConn alum RIP Hamilton.<br /><blockquote>"Chicago Bulls guard Ben Gordon and Milwaukee Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva flew to Detroit on Wednesday morning for a mid-day meeting with team president Joe Dumars and indications are both are moving rapidly toward deals with the Detroit Pistons."<br /><em><a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AlgjqFTXVH8l8hWrkR04IL28vLYF?slug=aw-gordonvillanueva070109&prov=yhoo&type=lgns">--Yahoo! Sports</a><br /></em></blockquote><br /><a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/This-is-Detroit-s-haul-?urn=nba,174064">Kelly Dwyer sums up my feelings</a>. If the reports are true, for the first time since he took over as GM, I have serious doubts about Joe Dumars and his plan. Prove me wrong Joe.<br /><br /><em>Update: ESPN's Henry Abbott used to like the Chauncey Billups trade from Detroit's perspective. <a href="http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-42-2/The-Genius-of-the-Allen-Iverson-Trade--Gone.html">Used to.</a></em>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-27319547849617323382009-06-30T13:34:00.002-04:002009-06-30T13:42:55.563-04:00Breaking News: Curry Fired<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">The Pistons have fired Michael Curry after one disappointing season as coach.</span></p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><blockquote><span style="font-family:Calibri;">"This was a difficult decision to make," Pistons president Joe Dumars said. "I want to thank Michael for his hard work and dedication to the organization. However, at this time, I have decided to make a change."<br /><em>–</em><a href="http://detnews.com/article/20090630/SPORTS0102/906300400/Pistons-fire-coach-Michael-Curry"><em>Detroit News</em></a></span></blockquote></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">It’s fair to wonder if Bill Laimbeer’s resignation from the Detroit Shock was a related move. More on this to come.</span></p>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-76622518831336069902009-06-30T12:24:00.000-04:002009-06-30T12:26:56.766-04:00Catching Up: Dumars Says “No” to Rajon RondoReports circulated last week that the Pistons turned down a Celtic offer of Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen for Rodney Stuckey, RIP Hamilton, and Tayshaun Prince. The Pistons apparently rejected the deal without much hesitation, but the deal is much too appealing to have merited such little consideration. <br /><br />The current Piston roster is nowhere near contention. Adding Ben Gordon and either Carlos Boozer or Charlie Villanueva (a likely summer plan for Joe Dumars) would put the Pistons in the playoffs, but leave the team well short of beating Cleveland or Orlando. The aforementioned players are all poor defenders and neither Stuckey nor Hamilton would do much to compensate. <br /><br />Part of the appeal to the deal would be the Pistons’ ability to upgrade from Stuckey to Rondo at point guard. While Stuckey has the potential to be a star, Rondo is already there. Both point guards are 23, but Rondo’s PER was four points higher last season. Rondo is also among the best defensive guards in the world. <br /><br />The other benefit of the trade would be financial. This may be a tough pill for Piston fans to swallow, but given the right offer, the Pistons should jump at an opportunity to rid themselves of two players, Hamilton and Prince, set to earn big bucks in their 30s. Hamilton is 31 while Prince will turn 30 this season. Hamilton and Prince are on the payroll for roughly 23 million combined in 2011, followed by 12.65 million per season for Hamilton through 2013. Meanwhile, Ray Allen’s contract expires in 2010.<br /><br />Maintaining the status quo ensures a half-hearted push toward relevance for the next few seasons while Hamilton and Prince fade toward retirement. The prescient move would be to aim for long-term success and shoot for an even higher ceiling. Removing the remaining overpaid players from the previous era would be a necessary step to do so. The Pistons would have to give Rondo a contract extension beginning in the 2011 season – a season in which Stuckey will still be on his rookie contract – but the overall financial ramifications of the deal would still strongly favor the Pistons. <br /><br />Assuming the Pistons give Rondo a contract extension of roughly 12 million per season, the Pistons would create roughly 15 million dollars in additional cap space for the summer of 2010. Through this trade, the Pistons would have Rondo, whichever free agents they acquire this summer, and enough cap space to be a serious player in the much-ballyhooed summer of 2010. With the right maneuvering, Dumars could forge a foundation that could contend into the next decade.<br /><br />While the deal appears attractive on the surface, there are legitimate concerns on Detroit’s end. There have been questions about Rajon Rondo’s character. Pairing him with Michael Curry may not be a smart fit, as Curry did a poor job managing difficult personalities last season. Also, for the deal to be worthwhile, the Pistons will have to find a player willing to take their money and worthy of earning it on the free agent market. <br /> <br />While the above concerns are legitimate, the Pistons need to at least be open to any and all possibilities for reshaping the roster. For the Pistons to return to elite status, Dumars must either drastically overhaul the roster or add a superstar. Swapping perimeter players with Boston accomplishes the former and puts the team in position to achieve the latter during the summer of 2010.Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-6886067482769242192009-06-30T08:41:00.001-04:002009-06-30T12:28:35.215-04:00Back to BloggingI apologize for the lack of posting lately. I don’t watch enough college basketball to offer sophisticated draft analysis and am not a huge fan of the rumor-mongering that accompanies the off-season. With that said, I’m going to do my best to make several posts during free agency, the first of which should be up later today.Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-85613914784207260862009-06-23T20:57:00.001-04:002009-06-23T21:00:36.610-04:00Breaking News: Amir Johnson Dealt<a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20090623/SPORTS03/90623053/1051/Reports++Pistons+deal+Amir+Johnson+to+Bucks+for+Fabricio+Oberto">http://www.freep.com/article/20090623/SPORTS03/90623053/1051/Reports++Pistons+deal+Amir+Johnson+to+Bucks+for+Fabricio+Oberto</a><br /><br />Sad day here at CTBAAF. Hopefully Joe Dumars has a plan with the additional cap space he just created. More on this later.Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-37952022040975460262009-05-07T01:30:00.001-04:002009-05-07T01:32:03.458-04:00Mr. PersonalityTuesday on TNT, Charles Barkley, Chris Webber, and Kenny Smith ranted about Dirk Nowitzki (a few quotes <a href="http://thestartingfive.net/2009/05/06/notes-from-tnt%E2%80%99s-coverage-of-the-nba-playoffs-%E2%80%93-tuesday-may-5-2009-lebron-gets-his-mvp-trophy-and-dirk-gets-called-out-by-the-tnt-crew/">here</a>). Nowitzi credited Denver’s defenders for the way they defend him. The TNT crew argued that no star player should ever concede that any opponent can frustrate him.<br /><br />One night later, Kobe Bryant squared off against <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15Battier-t.html?_r=1">alleged Kobe-stopper Shane Battier</a>. Bryant destroyed Battier, finished with 40 points, and repeatedly shouted “He can’t f***ing guard me” after several baskets of the baskets he scored over Battier. Kobe may have lost his thrown as league MVP, but he maintains the title of “most contrived personality in sports.” Even A-Rod is jealous.Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-69493666563730981062009-05-06T01:30:00.002-04:002009-05-06T01:32:54.451-04:00Roster InventoryThe busy clearly have a very busy offseason ahead. Barring any trades, the Pistons currently have holes to fill at every frontcourt position. Below is an inventory of which rotation slots are currently filled.<br /><br /><iframe style="WIDTH: 378px; HEIGHT: 178px" src="http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=r5VEbHwae5XbaF1TBWXBP5g&output=html&gid=1&single=true&range=A1:C6" frameborder="0" width="500" height="300"></iframe><br />Theoretically, Amir Johnson or Kwame Brown could slide into a starting role, but that would not be ideal. If Antonio McDyess returns, he would provide a temporary solution at starting power forward. With that said, Joe Dumars should limit the amount of salary and playing time he commits to players older than 28. Unless a star big man falls into Dumars’ lap, the Pistons are probably a few years away from returning to contention. As such, Dumars needs to focus on acquiring players who can contribute in the future.Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-8226216294717888822009-04-28T11:14:00.002-04:002009-04-28T11:15:20.989-04:00Summer Plans<p>With the season complete the content of this blog will obviously be quite different during the next several months. Posting will be slow for the next couple weeks as I allow the NBA postseason to sort itself out while I tend to the real world. However, any break with posting will be short-lived. Beginning in mid-May, I plan to begin several offseason series that will include, but not be limited to:</p><ul><li><strong>Player Profiles:</strong> I would like to assess the play of each Piston this season with an eye toward how said player should fit into the team’s future plans. I will focus on the progress (or regression) each player showed both from last season to this season and within this past season. </li><li><strong>Potential Targets:</strong> I will analyze the roster situation on every team in hopes of determining which players the Pistons should target. I will try to answer questions such as: “Which free agents would make sense for the Pistons?” and “Who is a logical trading partner for the Pistons?”</li></ul><p> </p>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-41618709783608795282009-04-26T11:30:00.001-04:002009-04-27T17:13:20.245-04:00Pistons vs. Cavaliers, 4.26.09, Round 1, Game 4<strong>Matchup:</strong> Detroit Pistons vs. Cleveland Cavaliers<br /><strong>Series:</strong> 3-0, Cleveland<br /><strong>Spread:</strong> Cavaliers -8.5<br /><br />All season long, Sundays have doomed the Pistons. The team went a dreadful 4-12 on the first day of the week. Sundays featured embarrassing losses to teams such as Memphis, Minnesota, and New York. It is only fitting that this season will likely on the day that saw so much misery.<br /><br />Detroit has looked helpless the first three games of this series. Cleveland has dominated in every aspect of the game and there is little reason to believe things will be different today. Barring an injury to King James, the Cavaliers should complete the sweep today.<br /><br /><strong>My Pick:</strong> Cavaliers by 13<br /><br /><strong><em>Update:</em></strong><br /><strong>Final Score:</strong> Detroit 78, Cleveland 99<br /><strong>Notes:</strong><br /><ul><li>Say goodbye to an era. It was great while it lasted. </li><li>Joe Dumars has a massive rebuilding project ahead of him. For the next several months, this blog will be dedicated to covering just that. </li></ul>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-87796197197312419412009-04-24T17:23:00.003-04:002009-04-25T12:25:21.115-04:00Pistons vs. Cavaliers, 4.24.09, Round 1, Game 3<strong>Matchup:</strong> Detroit Pistons vs. Cleveland Cavaliers<br /><strong>Series:</strong> 2-0, Cleveland<br /><strong>Spread:</strong> Cavaliers -5<br /><br />After suffering a second embarrassing loss to the Cavaliers, the Pistons had two days to regroup between games. Every prominent player on the roster sounded dejected after game two, so hopefully the team has used the time off to stop whimpering and start developing a plan of attack.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the Pistons’ problems are much deeper than an inferiority complex. They have no answer for LeBron James and no ability to overcome their offensive shortcomings on the other end. Michael Curry will probably look for a spark from his bench early and often, but the talent disparity between Cleveland’s starters and Detroit’s backups will render that plan ineffective.<br /><br />If the Pistons are going to a steal a game in this series, tonight will be their best chance. In all likelihood, the Pistons are not all that eager to make another trip to Cleveland and are thus resigned to a sweep.<br /><br /><strong>My Pick:</strong> Cavaliers by 12<br /><br /><strong><em>Update:<br /></em>Final Score:</strong> Detroit 68, Cleveland 79<br /><strong>Notes:</strong><br /><ul><li>There isn’t much left to say. The Cavaliers are more talented, better-coached, and hungrier than the Pistons. Also, they have the best player on the planet playing at an insanely high level. </li><li>In many ways this series is an opportunity for Joe Dumars to determine which players deserve to be part of the future in Detroit. If that is indeed the case, Rodney Stuckey appears to be the only starter worth keeping around. RIP Hamilton has enough talent to be a part of the core, but he’s on the wrong side of 30 for a team that probably is a few years away from returning to prominence.<br /> </li></ul>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-55096684676974697102009-04-22T22:21:00.001-04:002009-04-22T22:22:48.226-04:00One Step Back, How Many Forward?It would be easy to use the Pistons’ play in the opening games of the playoffs as an indictment of the trade for Allen Iverson. Based on the way Chauncey Billups dominated his first playoff game this season, it seems crazy that the Joe Dumars traded him for a player who was mostly trouble for the Pistons. However, when the big picture is taken into account, the start to the playoffs has justified the trade more substantially than anything that happened during the regular season.<br /><br />The Pistons have been utterly dominated by Cleveland. Save for the fourth quarter of game two – a quarter in which Cleveland relaxed with a 27-point lead – the Cavaliers have outscored the Pistons in every quarter. In game one, Cleveland did whatever it wanted offensively. The following game, the Cavaliers shut down the Piston offense; Detroit did not reach 19 points in any of the first three quarters.<br /><br />What the Cavalier domination has proven is that Detroit is nowhere close to fielding a contender. While Chauncey Billups easily would have been the best player on the team, the Pistons had no chance to contend this season, with or without Mr. Big Shot.<br /><br />Had the Iverson trade not happened, Billups likely would have led Detroit to a top-four seed and a second round exit. Dumars saw the writing on the wall and elected to jumpstart the rebuilding process by creating financial flexibility. The Pistons could have slowly faded into oblivion much the same that the Dallas Mavericks have fallen from the league’s elite. Thanks to Dumars’ foresight, that slow descent appears to have been avoided.<br /><br />As much as the Pistons have struggled this season, several teams should be envious of the team’s ability to clean house this summer. Detroit has young talent and the financial flexibility to put together a completely new core as early as this summer. While teams like the Suns, Knicks, and Kings are forced to wait for bad contracts to expire before they rebuild, the Iverson trade has put the Pistons in a position to re-toll right away.<br /><br />Dumars will accept nothing less than a team that can compete for a Championship. In order for a capable roster to materialize, Dumars made a trade that hurt the Piston roster in the short term. That has been a tough pill to swallow this year, but if the Pistons are back amongst the league’s elite by 2011 instead of 2014, the trade will be worth every embarrassing loss this team suffers over the next couple seasons.Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-64273728914220054102009-04-21T17:58:00.006-04:002009-04-22T20:41:45.536-04:00Pistons at Cavaliers, 4.21.09, Round 1, Game 2<blockquote>I will be participating in a Live Blog (<a href="http://www.pistonpowered.com/2009/04/live-blog-detroit-at-cleveland-game-two/">link</a>) on <a href="http://www.pistonpowered.com/">PistonPowered.com</a> during the game. Piston Powered is a Detroit Piston's blog that is a part of the ESPN.com TrueHoop blog network. During the Live Blog, I will discuss the game, the state of the team, and will be available to answer questions. Thanks to Dan Feldman of Piston Powered for helping set this up.</blockquote><p><br /><strong>Matchup:</strong> Detroit Pistons at Cleveland Cavaliers<br /><strong>Series:</strong> 1-0, Cleveland<br /><strong>Spread:</strong> Cavaliers -11.5<br /><br />The Pistons will attempt to even the series after suffering a beat down in game one. Detroit’s offense had some success in game one, but the defense was brutal. The team has likely paid quite a bit of attention to shoring up its defense during the two days between games. Hopefully, the concentration on defense will not lead to a drop-off in Detroit’s offensive production.<br /><br />While the Cavaliers are heavily favored once again, recent history may be on Detroit’s side. The Pistons are a remarkable 9-0 in the second game of a playoff series over the last three years. Flip Saunders took plenty of heat for his inability to get to the team to the finals, but he deserves praise for that 9-0 record. In the first game of a playoff series, teams employ their series strategies and feel out their opponents. It is in that second game that coaches have a chance to break down their opponents and make adjustments to their schemes. The fact that Saunders had a perfect record in such games while in Detroit reflects well on his ability to make in-series adjustments.<br /><br />For the Pistons’ game-two winning streak to reach 10, the defense must find a way to turn LeBron James into a volume scorer. The Pistons can live with him scoring 38 points again, so long as it takes him upwards of 30 shots to do so. If James is again able to score nearly two points per shot attempt, the Pistons are doomed.<br /><br />As Magic Johnson explained during the 1991 finals, the margin of victory is meaningless. If the Pistons can eke out a win tonight, the series will be tied in spite of Cleveland’s dominating performance in game one. As much as I’d like to see that happen, I can’t imagine this Piston team beating LeBron James on his home floor.</p><p> </p><p><strong><br /></strong></p><p><strong>My Pick:</strong> Cavaliers by 14<strong><em><br /></em></strong></p><p><strong><em><br /></em></strong></p><p><strong><em>Update:</em></strong><br /><strong>Final Score:</strong> Detroit 82, Cleveland 94<br /><strong>Notes:</strong></p><ul><li>LeBron James is playing basketball at a higher level than any perimeter player this millennium. </li><li>If this Cavalier team has a weakness, I can’t spot it. Their bench is a little thin, but they have enough quality players to fill out a playoff rotation. Aside from that, this team does everything well.</li><li>The difference between the current Pistons and the contenders from the past several years starts with the interior defense. Ben Wallace is gone and the remaining players – Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess, and Tayshaun Prince – look older and slower by the day.</li><li>Will Bynum, Arron Afflalo, and Amir Johnson led a 20-2 fourth quarter run. When the Pistons finally pulled within single digits, Amir Johnson was pulled and Cleveland immediately regained control. </li><li>Delonte West and Mo Williams were the primary beneficiaries of all of the defensive attention LeBron drew. </li></ul>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-61345424904068914302009-04-20T16:58:00.000-04:002009-04-20T16:59:08.797-04:00Piston Powered's "Pistons Roundtable"Dan from <a href="http://www.pistonpowered.com/">Piston Powered</a> was gracious enough to include me in a question and answer session featuring several prominent writers who cover the Pistons. The panel included the following writers, each of whom answered six questions.<br /><ul><li>Chris McCosky, <a href="http://detnews.com/section/sports0102" target="_blank">Detroit News</a> </li><li>Michael Rosenberg, <a href="http://www.pistonpowered.com/freep.com" target="_blank">Detroit Free Press</a> </li><li>Greg Johnson, <a href="http://www.mlive.com/pistons/" target="_blank">The Grand Rapids Press</a> </li><li>Dave Dial, <a href="http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/" target="_blank">Full Court Press</a> </li><li>Matt Watson, <a href="http://www.detroitbadboys.com/" target="_blank">Detroit Bad Boys</a> </li><li>Zack Slabotsky, <a href="http://countthatbabyandafoul.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Count That Baby And A Foul</a> </li><li>Brian Packey, <a href="http://www.motownstringmusic.com/" target="_blank">Motown String Music</a> </li><li>Jesse Murphy, <a href="http://pistonsnationblog.com/" target="_blank">Pistons Nation</a> </li><li>Dan Feldman, <a href="http://www.pistonpowered.com/pistonpowered.com" target="_blank">Piston Powered</a> </li></ul><p>Be sure to check out the entire Pistons Roundtable, which can be found <a href="http://www.pistonpowered.com/2009/04/pistons-roundtable/">here</a>. </p>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-27884401330871664162009-04-18T11:00:00.006-04:002009-04-19T11:14:10.451-04:00Pistons at Cavaliers, 4.18.09, Round 1, Game 1<strong>Matchup:</strong> Detroit Pistons at Cleveland Cavaliers<br /><strong>Series:</strong> 0-0<br /><strong>Spread:</strong> Cavaliers -12<br /><strong>My Pick:</strong> Cavaliers by 11<br /><br />The Pistons open the playoffs in Cleveland. Cleveland is heavily favored for good reason. Excluding the meaningless final game of the season, the Cavaliers went 39-1 at home this season. For what it’s worth, the Pistons beat the Cavs once during the regular season and kept two other games close. The Pistons best hope of keeping this afternoon’s game close is if the Cavaliers perimeter shooters play erratically under the pressure of the top seed. Don’t count on it.<br /><br /><strong><em>Update:</em></strong><br /><strong>Final Score:</strong> Detroit 84, Cleveland 102<br /><strong>Notes: </strong><br /><ul><li>I’ve seen teams play worse defense than Detroit played yesterday -- for instance, I watched the Knicks play <a href="http://countthatbabyandafoul.blogspot.com/2009/04/pistons-at-knicks-40809.html">this game</a> -- but I can’t remember ever seeing playoff defense as porous as what the Pistons displayed yesterday.</li><li>King James scored 38 points on 20 shots, committed zero turnovers, and added eight rebounds and seven assists. LeBron scored 25 straight Cavalier points to decimate the Pistons’ championship aspirations two seasons ago. Since then, he’s improved mightily. At this point, any NBA analyst who calls Kobe Bryant “the best player in basketball” is an analyst I can’t take seriously. </li><li>Antonio McDyess and Tayshaun Prince, among others, looked a step slow defensively.</li><li>Rodney Stuckey was aggressive, but he needs to do a better job trying to finish plays instead of hoping for a whistle. </li><li>Kwame Brown and Arron Afflalo both had nice games off the bench. </li><li>Detroit did a nice job of taking care of the basketball, thus limiting LeBron’s opportunities in the open court. Unfortunately for the Pistons, Cleveland did an even better job avoiding turnovers.</li></ul>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-41648180001304387852009-04-18T02:32:00.005-04:002009-04-18T11:02:09.454-04:00Pistons vs. Cavaliers, Playoff PreviewBeginning this afternoon, the eighth-seeded Pistons will take on the heavily favored Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening round of the NBA playoffs. If the Pistons are to extend their streak of conference finals appearances, they will need to pull off a major upset. What follows is a breakdown – player by player – of the series.<br /><br /><strong>Point Guard: Rodney Stuckey vs. Mo Williams.</strong> Stuckey had an up and down sophomore campaign. While the circus surrounding his second season was nothing like his relatively calm rookie year, his per-minute statistics were almost identical, save for a nearly 4% improvement in field goal percentage. Williams was given an All-Star spot after his teammates, coaches, and owner bickered about the fact that was (correctly) excluded from the initial roster. While he may not have deserved that honor, he had an excellent first season in Cleveland. According to <a href="http://www.nba.com/hotspots/">NBA.com’s “Hot Spots</a>,” Williams converted a remarkable 45.9% of long twos and 43.6% of threes. He made defenders pay for doubling LeBron all season long.<br /><br />Stuckey should be able to use his superior size and strength to get past Williams; however Cleveland has a fierce frontline protecting the paint. Stuckey did not reach double figures in scoring in any of the four meetings with Cleveland this season. On the other end, Stuckey would normally be able to handle Williams, but LeBron James changes that equation. Every Piston defender has to be conscience of James. As a result, Williams should have several open jumpers each game. Based on his track record, that could prove to a major thorn in the side of the Pistons.<br /><br /><strong>Shooting Guard: RIP Hamilton vs. Delonte West.</strong> Hamilton is the Pistons’ best hope on offense in this series. Unfortunately, as <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=PERDiem-090415">John Hollinger pointed out</a>, West is among the league’s most improved defenders. Hamilton has three inches on his counterpart, but the Piston offense too often stagnates when they run post plays through perimeter players. Detroit should run plenty of plays for RIP, but expect West to hold his own. On the other end of the floor, West is another excellent shooter who is vital to Cleveland’s floor spacing. He cannot quite match Williams’ accuracy, but few can. West knocked down a career-high 39.9% of his threes this season.<br /><br /><strong>Small Forward: Tayshaun Prince vs. LeBron James.</strong> Tayshaun Prince is one of the better small forwards in the league. The only small forward who can be reasonably compared to LeBron James is Larry Bird. James averaged 25.8 points and 6.5 assists per game against Prince this season. For a normal player, that production would be outstanding, but for James, that constitutes a drop-off from his regular output. On the other end, Prince, who is usually a weapon in Detroit’s offense, should probably try to conserve energy and simply spot-up for his jumper. Normally it is a good idea to make opposing stars work on defense, but with James, “normal” gets thrown out the window.<br /><br /><strong>Power Forward: Antonio McDyess vs. Anderson Varejao.</strong> McDyess was awesome the second half of the season. He will need to match his March production if the Pistons hope to be competitive. Varejao will start in place of injured former Piston Ben Wallace. While Varejao’s stats have remained relatively unchanged, he is playing smarter basketball and better defense than earlier in his career. McDyess has a better shot and is a better rebounder than Varejao, but Varejao is a much better help defender. Varejao is not much of an offensive threat, but he will make teams pay by finishing in the paint if opponents ignore him. On paper, this matchup appears to be a draw.<br /><br /><strong>Center: Rasheed Wallace vs. Zydrunas Ilgauskas.</strong> Wallace’s gentle decline continued this season, as he posted his first season with a PER below the league average in more than a decade. While Wallace is clearly not the player he once was, his shooting stroke and his interior defense remain stellar. On the other end, Cleveland’s center has many of the same strengths and weaknesses that Wallace possesses. Like Wallace, Ilgaukas is a deadly outside shooter who protects the paint on defense. Both players lack the quickness to defend the pick and roll. As is the case with the power forwards, neither team should gain a significant edge via this matchup.<br /><br /><strong>Backup Point Guard: Will Bynum vs. Daniel Gibson.</strong> The Pistons’ biggest edge in the series comes in the battle of backup point guards. Gibson is a nice outside shooter (career 41.2% on threes), but he brings little else to the table. Bynum is the exact opposite. He struggles to shoot the three, but he does everything else well. Bynum should be drive to blow past Gibson at will. If he does not need to help on LeBron, Bynum should also be able to shut down Gibson, thus creating a mismatch Detroit must exploit.<br /><br /><strong>Backup Wing: Arron Afflalo vs. Wally Szczerbiak.</strong> Afflalo has greatly improved his shooting accuracy and is a rapidly improving defender. Szczerbiak is a deadly outside shooter (notice a pattern?) who brings little else to the table. This is another matchup that would favor the Pistons until one considers all of the open looks LeBron will create for Wally.<br /><strong><br />Backup Power Forward: Jason Maxiell vs. Darnell Jackson.</strong> Maxiell kills opponents on the offensive glass. He hurts his own team with his inability to control the defensive glass or defend taller players. Jackson saw minutes because Ben Wallace and J.J. Hickson were sidelined with injuries. The guess here is that Jackson winds up the ninth man in a competition for eight rotation spots in the playoffs.<br /><br /><strong>Backup Center:</strong> Kwame Brown vs. Joe Smith. In the battle of former top picks, Smith will attempt to use his sweet stroke and veteran savvy to outplay his bigger, more athletic counterpart. Brown’s ability to defend the basket may prove useful, but his shortcomings on offense will keep him from playing extended minutes.<br /><br /><strong>Series Prediction:</strong> I believe the Pistons will play well, but it is not going to matter against the Cavaliers. LeBron James is on a mission to win a championship and I do not see any team denying him in 2009. Defensively, Detroit lacks the athletes to shut down Cleveland. Meanwhile, Cleveland’s defense has the potential to dominate a Piston offense that struggled all season long.<br /><br />In each of the first two games, I expect the Pistons to remain competitive early, only to watch Cleveland slowly build a lead, and then pull away in the fourth quarter. In game three, I see Detroit playing its best game of the playoffs as it attempts to extend the series. With that said, I don’t think Detroit’s best is enough to overtake Cleveland. Cleveland wins a close one in game three. The Cavs finish off the sweep with a blowout after Detroit mentally checks out before game four. I hope I’m wrong. <strong>Cavaliers in four.</strong>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-14723990728921253002009-04-18T00:30:00.002-04:002009-04-18T00:34:58.749-04:00How's That Back Injury?Just in case there was any remaining doubt about the real reason Allen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Iverson</span> is no longer playing for the Pistons:<br /><blockquote>Pistons president <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3689">Joe <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Dumars</span></a> reiterated Wednesday via e-mail that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Iverson's</span> leave from the team -- granted on April 3 after <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Dumars</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Iverson</span> met to address the 33-year-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">old's</span> increasing frustration with a reserve role -- will remain in effect for the duration of Detroit's stay in the playoffs.<br />–<a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4071848&campaign=rss&source=NBAHeadlines">ESPN.com’s Marc Stein</a></blockquote>The back injury was a convenient excuse, but the facts got in the way of anyone believing that. Piston doctors <a href="http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090303/SPORTS0102/903030383">found no structural damage</a> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Iverson</span>’s back, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Iverson</span> had played through pain his entire career, he returned from the alleged injury to play three games just as effectively (or ineffectively) as he had earlier in the season, and he <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20090402/SPORTS03/904020435/">repeatedly</a> <a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=site%3Awww.freep.com+Iverson+bench+april&btnG=Search">complained</a> about his role. When he was shut down for the season, his back injury was <a href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20090404/SPORTS0102/904040363/1127/sports0102/Pistons++Allen+Iverson+s+done+for+the+season">reported as the primary culprit</a>. It never made sense. It is unclear if the decision for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Iverson</span> and the Pistons to part ways had to do with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Iverson</span>’s refusal to accept a bench role, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Dumars</span>’ refusal to accept a player who was doing more harm than good while in the game, or a combination of the two. However, it is more clear than ever that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Iverson's</span> professed back injury had little to do with the separation of player and team.Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-33410034824796315052009-04-16T03:37:00.001-04:002009-04-16T03:39:12.390-04:00Playoff Schedule<p>The first round playoff schedule <a href="http://www.nba.com/2009/news/04/16/playoffssked20090416/index.html">has been released</a>.</p><blockquote><p>Cleveland vs. Detroit</p><ul><li>Game 1 - Sat April 18 Detroit at Cleveland 3:00PM ABC</li><li>Game 2 - Tue April 21 Detroit at Cleveland 8:00PM TNT</li><li>Game 3 - Fri April 24 Cleveland at Detroit 7:00PM ESPN</li><li>Game 4 - Sun April 26 Cleveland at Detroit 3:30PM ABC</li><li>Game 5 * Wed April 29 Detroit at Cleveland TBD TBD</li><li>Game 6 * Fri May 1 Cleveland at Detroit TBD TBD</li><li>Game 7 * Sun May 3 Detroit at Cleveland TBD TBD</li></ul></blockquote>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-50232528796008441372009-04-15T18:57:00.005-04:002009-04-16T03:22:36.948-04:00Pistons at Heat, 4.15.09<strong>Matchup:</strong> Detroit Pistons (39-42) at Miami Heat (42-39)<br /><strong>Spread:</strong> Heat -2<br /><strong>My Pick:</strong> Pistons by 4<br /><br /><strong>Three reasons the Pistons will win:</strong><br /><br /><ol><li><strong>The Heat Don’t Care.</strong> They are locked into the fifth seed. The Heat is already focused on the Hawks.</li><li><strong>No D-Wade.</strong> Wade, Udonis Haslem, and Jermaine O’Neal sat out last night are not expected to play tonight. As <a href="http://www.peninsulaismightier.com/2009/4/15/838595/hawks-beat-heat-in-meaningless">Peninsula Is Mightier</a> noted, this is “meaningless game number 2” for Miami. </li><li><strong>Strong Depth.</strong> The Pistons won’t be playing their regulars, but Walter Sharpe is the only Piston incapable of holding his own in an NBA rotation. The Pistons will be fine playing Will Bynum, Arron Afflalo, Walter Herrmann, Jason Maxiell, Amir Johnson, and Kwame Brown heavy minutes.</li></ol><p><strong>Three reasons the Pistons will lose:</strong></p><ol><li><strong>The Pistons Don’t Care.</strong> The team is locked into the eighth seed. This game will be little more than a glorified scrimmage. </li><li><strong>No Sheed.</strong> The Iverson-free Pistons <a href="http://countthatbabyandafoul.blogspot.com/2009/04/reason-to-hope.html">play their best</a> with Rasheed in the lineup. Sheed will be joined by RIP and Antonio McDyess on the inactive list as they rest for the playoffs. (<em>Update: In contrast with early reports, Sheed started the game.)</em></li><li><strong>Michael Beasley.</strong> The dynamic young forward could go off for the Heat. Neither Watler Herrmann nor Jason Maxiell is up to the task of defending him, although <a href="http://countthatbabyandafoul.blogspot.com/2009/03/defending-amirs-defense.html">Amir Johnson might have a chance</a>.</li></ol><p><strong><em>Update:<br /></em>Final Score:</strong> Detroit 96, Miami 102 (OT)<br /><strong>Notes:</strong> </p><ul><li>Michael Curry did not take this game for granted. He played his top-five bench players most of the game in hopes that the experience will pay off in the playoffs. </li><li>The Pistons outplayed the Heat in the second quarter, but were outscored when Miami hit several contested three pointers, plus a difficult 22-foot jumper by Chris Quinn. Only five of Miami’s 22 points in the quarter were scored within 20 feet of the basket.</li><li>Michael Beasley combines a high release point with an extremely accurate jump shot. He’s flown under the radar a bit this season, but he and Wade could form an awesome one-two punch for several seasons to come. </li><li>Chris Quinn and Michael Beasley both hit several difficult shots. Those shots proved to be the difference in the game.</li><li>Jason Maxiell and Kwame Brown had nice games. Both were very active in the paint.</li><li>I don’t want to beat a dead horse so I’m not going to mention that Amir Johnson was a menace disrupting the entire Heat offense whenever he was on the floor. </li></ul>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-37525824727991080402009-04-14T22:59:00.007-04:002009-04-14T23:12:13.726-04:00A Reason to HopeLast night’s devastating loss to Chicago has relegated the Pistons to a playoff series with LeBron James. It also clinched Detroit’s first below-.500 season since 2001. As mediocre as the Pistons’ final record may be, the current incarnation of the Piston roster has actually been performed very well. As <a href="http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/12/16/really-the-answer-is-iverson/">David Berri explained</a>, Allen Iverson is an even worse basketball player than people realize.<br /><ul><ul><li>Iverson left Philadelphia and the Sixers got better. </li><li>Iverson was expected to transform the Denver Nuggets into a title contender. Denver, though, never got out of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.</li><li>Iverson left the Nuggets and the team got better. </li><li>Iverson has arrived in Detroit, and the team got worse.<br />–David Berri, <a href="http://wagesofwins.com/"><em>Wages of Wins</em></a></li></ul></ul>This season, Iverson played in 57 games (three of which were with Denver). His team was 25-32 in those games. Denver has excelled without Iverson. Before too much of that success is attributed to the arrival of Chauncey Billups, consider how well the Pistons have played when Rasheed Wallace has played, but Iverson has not.<br /><br />This season, in the 17 games when Rasheed Wallace has played while Iverson has not, the Pistons are 13-4. In a sample size large enough to warrant one’s attention, the Pistons have won more than three fourths of their games. The chart below lists the results of every game the Pistons have played with their starting center and without their alleged superstar. (Road games are in <em>italics</em>, losses are in <span style="color:#ff0000;">red</span>.)<br /><br /><iframe src="http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pUeDg-Rpbht4W0BOs-ba8LQ&output=html&gid=0&single=true&range=B2:D19" frameborder="0" width="500" height="300"></iframe><br /><br />In those 17 games, the Pistons have a scoring margin of +6.1 points per game. Extrapolated over the course of an 82-game season, a team with that scoring margin would be expected to win roughly 58 games. To a certain extent, the Pistons benefitted from a less than intimidating schedule, however they did earn road wins against Boston and Orlando, as well as home wins over Denver and Orlando. Of the four losses, three came against playoff teams and none were by more than five points.<br /><br />This probably does not mean much for the playoffs because LeBron James is ridiculously awesome. It also can only shed so much light on the Pistons’ future considering that Wallace’s days in Detroit are probably coming to end in the near future. What it does say is the team the Pistons bring into the playoffs is probably the fourth-best in the East.<br /><br />In a season where so much has gone wrong for the Pistons, the team is not that far from returning to contention. Rodney Stuckey, Arron Afflalo, and <a href="http://countthatbabyandafoul.blogspot.com/2009/03/defending-amirs-defense.html">Amir Johnson</a> <em>should</em> each continue to improve. Will Bynum and Kwame Brown <em>should</em> be better next season when there is more certainty regarding their roles. RIP Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince <em>should</em> remain effect for several more seasons, even though the decline phase of their careers has begun in subtle ways.<br /><br />The only concerning components of the Piston rotation are Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess, both of whom could potentially depart this summer. If Amir Johnson is given the opportunity, he is capable of taking up the slack for Dice. The drop-off in jump-shooting and veteran savvy would be compensated for with Johnson’s superior athleticism and defense.<br /><br />If the Pistons can replace Rasheed Wallace, the team may find itself hosting a first round playoff series as soon as next season. The task may be easier than it sounds given the state of the economy. Players like Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap will struggle to find reasonable offers, while several team owners will be looking to trade away valuable players in exchange for financial relief.<br /><br />The Pistons lost more than half of their games and are likely headed toward a very brief postseason appearance. Regardless, the Pistons sans Iverson are better than people realize. A return to prominence may not be as far off as common wisdom would suggest.Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-48293630771095315642009-04-13T17:19:00.004-04:002009-04-14T16:56:35.939-04:00Pistons vs. Bulls, 4.13.09<blockquote>I will be participating in a Live Blog (<a href="http://www.pistonpowered.com/2009/04/live-blog-detroit-vs-chicago/">link</a>) on <a href="http://www.pistonpowered.com/">PistonPowered.com</a> during the game. Piston Powered is a Detroit Piston's blog that is a part of the ESPN.com TrueHoop blog network. During the Live Blog, I will discuss the game, the state of the team, and will be available to answer questions. Thanks to Dan Feldman of Piston Powered for helping set this up.</blockquote><br /><strong>Matchup:</strong> Detroit Pistons (39-41) vs. Chicago Bulls (40-40)<br /><strong>Spread:</strong> Pistons -4<br /><strong>My</strong> <strong>Pick:</strong> Pistons by 5<br /><br /><strong>Three reasons the Pistons will win:</strong><br /><br /><ol><li><strong>No More Noc.</strong> The Pistons had to be thrilled to see Andres Nocioni sent to the Western Conference. Nocioni. Nocioni averaged 17.3 points with a ridiculous 67.9% effective field goal percentage in his last nine games against Detroit. </li><li><strong>Return to Health.</strong> RIP Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace did not play when the Pistons fell to the Bulls in March. With those two back, Detroit should play much better tonight.</li><li><strong>Homecourt Edge.</strong> The home team has won the first three meetings of the season between these teams. As hot as the Bulls have been, they team has had most of its success at home. The Bulls have dropped nine of their last 11 road games, with the only wins coming against doormats Oklahoma City and Washington.</li></ol><p><strong>Three reasons the Pistons will lose:</strong></p><ol><li><strong>Midseason Acquisitions.</strong> Brad Miller and John Salmons, who allegedly was Joe Dumars’ backup plan in the 2002 draft had Tayshaun Prince not been available, have led the Bulls to an 11-3 record in their last 14 games. The two players acquired from Sacramento have been the Bulls’ best players during that stretch. </li><li><strong>Ben Gordon.</strong> The notoriously streaky shooter is locked in right now. He has averaged 24.6 points in his last 7 games as he auditions for a new contract. He is 11-20 from behind the long line in the last two games. </li><li><strong>Tyrus Thomas.</strong> Chicago’s developing young forward saves his best for games against Detroit. The Bulls have beaten Detroit twice this year because Thomas has averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds in those games. </li></ol><p><strong><em>Update:</em></strong><br /><strong>Final Score:</strong> Detroit 88, Chicago 91<br /><strong>Notes: </strong></p><ul><li>The Pistons led most of the second half, but the offense went cold down the stretch. The Pistons scored just three points in the final 5:57.</li><li>A first round date with Cleveland is assured, as is the 15th pick in 2009 draft.</li><li>Once again, Amir Johnson received a healthy DNP.</li><li>Derrick Rose put an exclamation point on a season which will earn him Rookie of the Year honors.</li><li>The Pistons failed to match the overall quickness the Bulls possess. </li><li>Detroit’s bench was very quiet in the loss.</li><li>Ben Gordon is a poor defender, but his jump shot is flawless. Few shoot better than Gordon off the dribble. </li><li>Rodney Stuckey had a nice game, but the shot he had blocked in the final minute was a shot he should never have taken. Either Michael Curry diagrammed a terrible play or Stuckey made a very costly decision.</li></ul>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-58018809757048141382009-04-12T22:55:00.008-04:002009-04-13T00:45:57.434-04:00Fastbreak Buckets 4.12.2009<p><em>This edition of Fastbreak Buckets is all about Allen Iverson's separation from the Pistons. </em></p><p><em>I’ve had mixed feelings about posting much more than </em><a href="http://countthatbabyandafoul.blogspot.com/search/label/Allen%20Iverson"><em>I already have</em></a><em> about Allen Iverson, mainly because most everything that can be said, has been said. Nevertheless, one week after Iverson was sent home, I’m going to highlight some of the opinions from around the internet, and offer up a few points of my own.</em> </p><ul><li>The piece on Iverson that has garnered the most attention has been <a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/9436532/No-question,-Iverson-was-never-the-Answer?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=73">Jason Whitlock’s brutal attack</a> on Iverson’s career.<br /><br /><blockquote>Winning has never really mattered to Allen Iverson.<br />…<br />Iverson is a one-man, no-country Army, more than likely the victim of a dysfunctional upbringing that left him incapable of embracing the concepts essential to teamwork, winning and sacrifice for the benefit of others.<br /></blockquote><a href="http://countthatbabyandafoul.blogspot.com/2009/03/fastbreak-buckets-3022009.html">I have been as harsh on Iverson</a> as anyone (<a href="http://dberri.wordpress.com/2008/12/16/really-the-answer-is-iverson/">Wages of Wins</a> has given me a run for my money), but I take exception with a few of Whitlock’s suggestions, namely that Iverson never cared about winning. Iverson doesn't play selfishly (dribble and shoot too much) because of his upbringing or his race, as Whitlock suggests. Iverson plays that way because he believes it is the best way to help a team win. He is wrong.<br /><br />The same unbridled confidence that allowed a 5’11 man to succeed in a league that employs more people above seven-feet than below six-feet is also Iverson’s biggest fault. Iverson believes that the best way to lead a team to victory is for him to dominate the offense and fill up the score sheet. At one point, his one-man offense was able to match that of most NBA teams. At age 33, he has reached the point where any offense he leads will be a terrible one. The gap between his skills and his perception of his skills has only become more pronounced as his game has deteriorated, but his confidence has not.<br /></li><li>Over at Piston Powered, <a href="http://www.pistonpowered.com/2009/04/iverson-experiment-was-worth-the-risk-but-no-longer-the-headaches/">Dan Feldman explains</a> that Iverson’s back injury had little to do with the early ending to his season.<br /><br /><blockquote>Iverson isn’t playing again for the Pistons because he doesn’t want to play again for the Pistons. Sure, his back may be hurting. But he just complained about not getting enough minutes. If he wanted to fight through it, he could.</blockquote>While it is hard to imagine the back injury was a deciding factor, I think Iverson’s desire to leave the team was matched only by Joe Dumars’ desire to get rid of him after it became clear he was not capable of helping the team in a bench role.<br /></li><li>For those who wonder why a former MVP was incapable of serving as a useful role player, Fanhouse’s <a href="http://nba.fanhouse.com/2009/04/04/the-problem-with-allen-iverson/">Matt Steinmetz breaks it down</a>.<br /><br /><blockquote>Even if Iverson is ready, willing and able to lower himself a rung on a team's scoring ladder, that doesn't mean he'll do it well or that he's best suited to do it.As a general rule, role players are better at being role players than stars are at being role players. </blockquote>While that does not apply to all players – David Robinson, Grant Hill, Reggie Miller, and Ray Allen, among others, have been effective as complimentary players after being go-to guys earlier in their careers – Iverson is clearly not suited to be anything other than a team’s primary scoring option. When Iverson was effective earlier in his career, his remarkable scoring ability overcame his several weaknesses, notably poor defense, poor decision-making, and a ball-hogging style of play that takes a team out of its offense. As he has aged, that scoring ability has deteriorated, but the weaknesses remain. What’s left is a player whose cannot help an NBA team unless he drastically changes his style of play. Iverson's only skill is his ability to score. The problem is that he scores in such a horribly inefficient manner that he is a hindrance to team success on both ends of the floor.<br /></li><li>The mainstream media has plenty of coverage of Iverson’s final days with the Pistons. <a href="http://detnews.com/article/20090406/SPORTS0102/904060386/1004/sports/Larry+Brown++Allen+Iverson+can+still+play">Larry Brown says</a> that plenty of teams will want Iverson. Either several teams have misguided GMs, Brown is wrong, or Brown is telling a white lie as not to offend “The Answer.” “He's still a starter in this league; he's going to have a lot of success," <a href="http://detnews.com/article/20090404/SPORTS0102/904040395/1004/sports/Allen+Iverson++Pistons+didn+t+blend+well++Curry+says">Michael Curry told The Detroit News</a>. Again, I cannot imagine that Curry truly believes what he is saying. <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-090404-05">Marc Stein says</a> he has talked to several league executives who do not believe there will be much of a market for Iverson. The market for Iverson will be limited, but it only takes one bad GM for a player to a contract disproportionate to his ability to contribute. <a href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20090401/OPINION03/904010408/1127/rss13">Chris McCosky rails</a> against the way Iverson handled the move to the bench. In light of what has transpired, it is hard to disagree.<br /></li><li>Lastly, for comedy’s sake, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obcKq0p8Y9w">here is Rick Kamla</a> (via <a href="http://www.pistonsnationblog.com/">Pistons Nation</a>) making us question whether paying attention to the NBA is part of the job description for hosting a show that analyzes the NBA. “He’s a Hall of Fame player who’s still in the prime of his career,” Kamla said. If Iverson’s play this year is indicative of the prime of a Hall of Fame career, I can think of a few hundred players who deserve a plaque in Springfield. In 2009, <a href="http://dberri.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/the-other-better-bynum/">Will Bynum is a better basketball player than Allen Iverson</a>. The fact that Kamla has not watched enough Piston basketball to know this led him to go on national television and reveal his ignorance while shouting.</li></ul><p>One last thing I'd like to mention. Brian Packey has launched <a href="http://www.motownstringmusic.com/">Motown String Music</a> as the Piston blogosphere's representative on SB Nation. MSM is off to a great start and has some exciting ideas that should strengthen the Piston blogging community. Be sure to check the site out.</p>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-25764482352443788652009-04-11T18:55:00.004-04:002009-04-12T13:48:01.078-04:00Pistons at Pacers, 4.11.09<strong>Matchup:</strong> Detroit Pistons (39-40) at Indiana Pacers (34-45)<br /><strong>Spread:</strong> Pacers -3<br /><strong>My Pick:</strong> Pistons by 4<br /><br /><strong>Three reasons the Pistons will win:</strong><br /><br /><ol><li><strong>Streaking.</strong> The Pistons have won three in a row. With Iverson sent home, the Pistons appear to be hitting their stride just in time for the playoffs.</li><li><strong>Stability.</strong> <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20090411/SPORTS03/904110376/1051/SPORTS03/Michael+Curry+will+stay+with+Pistons++current+rotation+">Michael Curry announced</a> that his recent rotation will be his permanent rotation. While I wish Amir Johnson was a part of that rotation, the clearly defined roles will benefit the players.</li><li><strong>Rodney Stuckey.</strong> In the two games Stuckey started against Indiana, he averaged 25.5 points, 7 assists, 6.5 rebounds, and 2 steals. He also posted a ridiculous 80.4% effective field goal percentage in those games (50% is roughly average).</li></ol><p><strong>Three reasons the Pistons will lose:</strong></p><ol><li><strong>Offensive Firepower.</strong> The Pacers have scored at least 117 points in all four of their April games. The Pistons need to dictate the tempo and slow the game down in order to push Indiana out of its comfort zone.</li><li><strong>Danny Granger.</strong> The fourth year forward can score with the best of them. He missed time with a foot injury, but he is averaging 29 points per game since returning to the starting lineup 11 games ago. He has lit up the Pistons for 33 per contest this season, although that is partially a result of Michael Curry’s decision to use a small ball lineup earlier in the season. With the small ball lineup, Granger was able to dominate the much small RIP Hamilton. </li><li><strong>Finishing Strong.</strong> The Pistons may be finding their rhythm, but the same could be said of the Pacers. Indiana has won six of nine. </li></ol><p><strong><em>Update:</em></strong><br /><strong>Final Score:</strong> Detroit 102, Indiana 106<br /><strong>Notes: </strong></p><ul><li>Jason Maxiell continues to outperform Amir Johnson on the stat sheet even though <a href="http://countthatbabyandafoul.blogspot.com/2009/03/defending-amirs-defense.html">Johnson consistently outplays his counterpart</a> for the simple reason that there is no stat for forcing the opposition to take a difficult shot. Maxiell was -14 while Johnson was +9, thus widening the already enormous gap between the players’ +/- numbers.</li><li>The Pistons were hammered on the glass in the first half, when they allowed 14 offensive rebounds. In the second half, the Pistons committed to boxing out and limited Indiana to one offensive board.</li><li>One night after doing a masterful defensive job on the Nets perimeter players, the Pacers got 81 points from their four perimeter players.</li><li>The Pistons spent far too much of the game conforming to Indiana’s preferred helter-skelter pace. </li><li>Roy Hibbert should be a quality rotation player for the next decade. He had six offensive rebounds and four blocks in just 20 minutes. </li></ul>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-80973864654704293942009-04-10T18:35:00.004-04:002009-04-11T11:46:54.246-04:00Pistons vs. Nets, 4.10.09<strong>Matchup:</strong> Detroit Pistons (38-40) at New Jersey Nets (32-46)<br /><strong>Spread:</strong> Pistons -8<br /><strong>My Pick:</strong> Pistons by 10<br /><br /><strong>Three reasons the Pistons will win:</strong><br /><br /><ol><li><strong>Flat Finish.</strong> The Nets have lost 11 of their last 16. This team is counting down the days until it can add a forward in the lottery. The forward rotation of Ryan Anderson, Yi Jianlian, Trenton Hassell, Bobby Simmons, and Eduardo Najera is as bad as it gets in the NBA.</li><li><strong>Road Trouble.</strong> The Nets have lost nine consecutive games played outside the tri-state area (they did win a road game in that stretch, but it was a short bus ride away against the Knicks). Also, the home team has won each of the first three games in the season series between the Pistons and Nets.</li><li><strong>Contain Carter.</strong> Vince Carter has had success against the Pistons in the past, but much of that success occurred when Tayshaun Prince had to defend Richard Jefferson. With Jefferson gone, Prince has held Carter to just 11.3 points per game in their three matchups this season.</li></ol><p><strong>Three reasons the Pistons will lose:</strong></p><ol><li><strong>Devin Harris.</strong> Harris has torched the Pistons to the tune of 25.3 points and 7.3 assists per game this season. He has taken an absurd 43 free throws in those three games. Removing Iverson from the defensive equation should help matters, but Rodney Stuckey and to a lesser extent, Arron Afflalo have had their problems with Harris.</li><li><strong>Momentum? </strong>Despite their recent struggles, the Nets played one of their best games of the season Wednesday in Boston. Playing against the defending champs, the Nets built a double digit lead early and had a chance to take the lead in the final seconds. </li><li><strong>They Won’t.</strong> The Pistons are playing at home against an inferior team with playoff seeding at stake. It would be inexusable for the team to not win this game easily. </li></ol><p><strong><em>Update:<br /></em>Final Score: Detroit 100, New Jersey 93<br />Notes:</strong> </p><ul><li>The bench won this game for Detroit. Kwame Brown, Arron Afflalo, and Jason Maxiell all played very well. Will Bynum was outstanding.</li><li>Bynum scored at least 20 points for the fifth time in 12 games. He is far more confident in his jump shot than he was earlier this year. As a result, he is consistently converting open looks that he typically passed up or missed earlier in the season. </li><li>Even ignoring the off-court issues, is there any rational argument that Iverson is a better basketball player than Will Bynum? If the consensus is that Iverson is worth the mid-level exception, would that make Bynum worth 7-8 million on the open market? <em>(My answer: No, Iverson doesn’t warrant the mid level exception, although Bynum would.)</em></li><li>Despite the unremarkable final score, this game was an offensive showcase on both ends. Only a slow pace skewed the final numbers. The teams combined to make more than half of their shots, better than 40% of their threes, and committed just 15 turnovers. </li><li>Rodney Stuckey has taken heat for his defense at various points this season, but he deserves his share of credit for holding All Star Devin Harris to one point. </li><li>Rookies Ryan Anderson and Chris Douglas-Roberts played better than any other Nets last night. Anderson appears to provide everything the Nets hoped to receive from Yi Jianlian. CDR’s ability to get to the hoop and finish was positively Will Bynumesque.<br /></li></ul>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-8104330872402522582009-04-08T19:09:00.005-04:002009-04-09T00:51:39.294-04:00Pistons at Knicks, 4.08.09<strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Matchup</span>:</strong> Detroit Pistons (37-40) at New York <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Knicks</span> (30-48)<br /><strong>Spread:</strong> Pistons -3.5<br /><strong>My Pick:</strong> Pistons by 2<br /><br /><strong>Three reasons the Pistons will win:</strong><br /><br /><ol><li><strong>No Excuses.</strong> The Pistons had two days off, should have a fully healthy roster, and will face a bad basketball team. A loss tonight would be unacceptable. </li><li><strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Midlevel</span> Starters.</strong> The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Knicks</span> handed Chris <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Duhon</span> and Jared <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Jefferies</span> contracts worth the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">midlevel</span> exception. Both are capable backups who play sturdy defense but struggle to score. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Unfortunatley</span> for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Knicks</span>, both are starting as the team rebuilds. <em>(Edit: Apparently <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Jefferies</span> lost his starting spot after failing to score in his last start.)</em></li><li><strong>Giving Up.</strong> The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Knicks</span> have lost 11 of 13 and appear to have packed it in for the year. The good news for Michigan natives is that, partially as a result, two players with local ties may have a chance to score their first NBA points tonight. Former Wolverine Courtney Sims and Detroit Renaissance alum Joe Crawford should both be on the active roster tonight. </li></ol><p><strong>Three reasons the Pistons will lose:</strong></p><ol><li><strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">RFAs</span>.</strong> <a href="http://countthatbabyandafoul.blogspot.com/2009/03/pistons-vs-knicks-31109.html">Once again</a>, soon-to-be restricted free agents Nate Robinson and David Lee are easily the best players on this team. When the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Knicks</span> won at the Palace four weeks ago, Robinson torched the Pistons for 30 points while Lee chipped in 16 points and 18 rebounds.</li><li><strong>Letdown Game.</strong> Sunday’s game against Charlotte was hugely important. It <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">wouldn</span>’t be a shock if the Pistons need to return to the brink of the lottery before they exert full effort again. </li><li><strong>No Swagger.</strong> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Rasheed</span> Wallace says the Pistons’ “swagger will come with the playoffs.” (<a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20090407/SPORTS03/90407073/1051/Pistons++Wallace+++Our+swagger+will+come+with+the+playoffs+"><em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Freep</span> Article</em></a>) Apparently fans will have to suffer through five more games of swagger-less basketball</li></ol><p><strong><em>Update:</em></strong><br /><strong>Final Score:</strong> Detroit 113, New York 86<br /><strong>Notes:</strong></p><ul><li>There’s bad defense, there’s horrible defense, and then there’s what the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Knicks</span> played in the first half. The Pistons – who average roughly 23 points per quarter – scored 21 points in the first 5:44. </li><li>Every Piston starter had at least eight points before halftime.</li><li>The logic behind the “seven-seconds-or-less” offense is that teams should be able to find a high-percentage shot before a defense is fully set. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Knicks</span> ignored the “high-percentage” part of the equation.</li><li>The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Knicks</span> committed just five turnovers, but some of the shots they took were about as bad as turnovers. </li><li>Wilson Chandler shot the ball nicely, but he was brutal defensively.</li><li>Several Pistons played well, but RIP Hamilton and Antonio McDyess stood out. Rodney Stuckey, Rasheed Wallace, and Kwame Brown also had very nice games. </li><li>The Pistons won the rebounding battle 57-33.</li></ul>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2442245791036878897.post-88582094388425566752009-04-07T23:35:00.001-04:002009-04-07T23:38:10.643-04:00Starting Big<p>With the Allen Iverson fiasco taken care of, the Pistons are left with only one significant rotation question heading into the playoffs (assuming they qualify). Theoretically, the Pistons could consider starting the surprising Will Bynum ahead of Rodney Stuckey, but Bynum’s aggressive style has fit in nicely with the second unit. Michael Curry <a href="http://detnews.com/article/20090407/SPORTS0102/904070343/1127/Stuckey+remains+starter+despite+Bynum+s+effort">made it clear</a> that he plans to keep Stuckey in the starting lineup. With the backcourt rotation settled, Michael Curry needs to decide which of his five big men to start and which two of the remaining three bigs will see the bulk of the bench minutes.<br /><br />When Rasheed Wallace returned from injury last week, <a href="http://www.mlive.com/pistons/index.ssf/2009/04/kwame_brown_may_keep_starting.html">Michael Curry hinted</a> that he may keep Kwame Brown in the starting lineup along with Antonio McDyess. As I see it, there are five possible combinations of big men the Pistons could start in the frountcourt.</p><ol><li><strong>Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess.<br /></strong>Wallace and McDyess are the two best big men Curry has, but if he starts both, that greatly weakens his bench. Wallace and McDyess are the only Piston bigs with reliable outside shots. As a result, the Pistons like to have at least one on the court at all times in order to spread the floor. In the regular season – if Curry starts both – there will be stretches where the bench struggles to score. This is mitigated in the playoffs when Curry is likely to increase the playing time for both Wallace and McDyess, thereby ensuring that one of the two is on the court at all times. </li><li><strong>Kwame Brown and Antonio McDyess.<br /></strong><a href="http://detnews.com/article/20090331/SPORTS0102/903310391/1127/sports0102/Rasheed+Wallace+should+be+a+sub+for+Pistons">Chris McCosky of The Detroit News</a> and <a href="http://www.detroitbadboys.com/archives/2009-04-02/rasheed-wont-be-rushed-to-the-starting-lineup/">Matt Watson of DetroitBadBoys.com</a> both endorsed this arrangement, although they stated their opinions under the assumption that Iverson would remain a part of the rotation. According to <a href="http://www.82games.com/0809/0809DETP.HTM">82games.com</a>, the Pistons have performed far better when Kwame Brown plays alongside either Antonio McDyess or Amir Johnson as opposed to playing with Rasheed Wallace or Jason Maxiell. If the Pistons intend to pair Brown and Johnson, they should bring them off the bench behind Wallace and McDyess. The more plausible way to start Brown would be to play him with McDyess. That arrangement gives the starting unit strong rebounding and interior defense, while it adds a scoring threat to the bench in the form of Wallace. While this makes some sense, I can’t support benching Wallace. His all-around game has been more valuable than the play of either McDyess or Brown and the +/- numbers back me up, even if PER gives the edge to McDyess. </li><li><strong>Rasheed Wallace and Amir Johnson.<br /></strong>For all of the reasons stated above, it makes plenty of sense to play McDyess and Brown together. With that said, the Wallace/Johnson combination has been even more effective than the McDyess/Brown pairing. Also, Antonio McDyess has stated on numerous occasions that he is more comfortable with a bench role, while Wallace has started nearly every game he has played over the last 10 seasons. More importantly, in the playoffs, Wallace has typically played about 35 minutes per game, while McDyess has averaged less than two thirds of that amount. Even last year, with Ben Wallace and Chris Webber out of the way, McDyess played only 27.5 minutes per playoff game. Wallace has proven he can handle heavy minutes while McDyess has not, so if the Pistons are only going to start one of the two, it should be Wallace.</li><li><strong>Rasheed Wallace and Jason Maxiell.<br /></strong>As much as I prefer the previous arrangement, Michael Curry would likely opt for this one if he decides to start Wallace but not McDyess. In my estimation, that would be a colossal mistake. Going back to <a href="http://www.82games.com/0809/0809DETP.HTM">82games.com’s “player pairs,”</a> the Pistons have not outscored their opponents when you pair Jason Maxiell with any player currently on the Piston roster. For the reasons <a href="http://countthatbabyandafoul.blogspot.com/2009/03/defending-amirs-defense.html">outlined here</a>, Maxiell struggles because he is a 6’6 player who cannot shoot or dribble well enough to overcome his relative lack of size. He does several things well, but defensive rebounding, shooting, and man defense are not among them. Maxiell should not be starting for a playoff team until those things change. </li><li><strong>Rasheed Wallace and Kwame Brown.</strong><br />If Curry decides he wants to separate Wallace and McDyess and start Brown, he may test this route for the reasons explained under option 3. Brown has been a force defensively and on the glass, so he could prove valuable enough to start during the playoffs. Wallace’s game would seem to compliment Brown’s nicely, but thus far the combination has not performed well. The downfall of this lineup would lie with the bench, as Wallace and Brown are the only centers on the roster. </li></ol><p>In summary, Michael Curry has several logical choices, but the best move would be to start Wallace alongside either McDyess or Johnson. It appears that Johnson has fallen out of the rotation. If that is the case, Curry should maintain the lineup he used against Charlotte, which featured Wallace and McDyess. While this hurts the bench during the regular season, this should be less of a problem in the playoffs. </p>Zack Slabotskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16937295831898393010noreply@blogger.com0