Off the High Glass: Tayshaun Prince

“Off the High Glass” is a segment on CTBAAF where I profile one of the Pistons. Today, Tayshaun Prince goes under the microscope.

Tayshaun Prince is tied with RIP Hamitlon as the longest-tenured Pistons. Prince is in his seventh season, which has been a lot like his sixth, which was a lot like his fifth, which was a lot like the two before that. For the fifth consecutive season, Prince has started every game, averaged roughly 14 points per game, posted a PER close to the league average, and played stellar defense. Prince was taken with the 23rd pick in 2002 draft. Nearly all of the teams that passed on Prince wish they could have a do-over. Among 2002 first round picks, only Yao Ming, Amare Stoudemire, and Caron Butler have come close to matching Prince’s production.

Offense: Prince has one of the most diversified offensive arsenals in the NBA. Among his many strengths, he is effective running the offense, shooting three pointers, and scoring in the post. Prince has a high basketball IQ and is a proficient ball handler so the Pistons are able to use him as a point forward. This ability has been especially useful this season because Rodney Stuckey is the only reliable point guard on the roster.

However, Prince is best suited to man the wing as a forward. Prince is 6’9 and possesses exceptionally long arms which allow him to attack defenses in a variety of way. Thanks to his length and a high release point on his shot, Prince is able to shoot over almost any defender. This skill proves most useful at the end of the shot clock, when Prince is often asked to create a shot out of a busted possession. He excels at making contested jump shots as the shot clock expires.

Prince is also a valuable threat in the post. He prefers to get the ball on the right block, where he likes to dribble into the paint and take a lefty hook shot. If his defender overplays against this move, Prince will spin baseline and go to the basket. Prince is one of few players who can contribute both in the post and on the wing of a fast break attack. The Pistons have never been much of a running team, but when they do run, Prince likes to soar in for alley-oop dunks from the left side of the basket.

Prince has never averaged more than 15 points per game in a season. He is surely is capable of such a feat, but he tends to defer to his teammates and he is patient almost to a fault. When Prince catches the ball while open early in the shot clock, he often makes an exaggerated pump fake and then decides how to proceed. If his defender jumps at him, he often will absorb the contact, put up a shot, and head to the charity stripe. If the defender flies past him, Prince will either drive to the hoop, or take one dribble and rise up for a jumper. If the defender does not bite on the fake, Prince likes to back up and either set up a play or isolate against the defender. Prince would probably be best-served to simply shoot the ball a bit more frequently.

Defense: Prince is an excellent defender. He has been voted to the NBA’s 2nd All-Defense team each of the past four seasons. Again, Prince relies on his superior length and intelligence to succeed. As a result of his length, he is able to play a step behind his man while still being able to contest jump shots. Prince can guard four positions and has given fits to players like Kobe Bryant, Antawn Jamison, and Michael Redd. Just two games ago, he did a number on ex-Piston point guard Chauncey Billups down the stretch of a close Piston victory.

Despite a wiry frame, Prince is rarely outmuscled. Opponents who have had success against Prince have often had him try to guard the pick and roll. Prince does a fine job defending the play, but guarding players like LeBron James on the pick and roll without proper help is nearly impossible.

One of the best aspects of Prince’s game is that he rarely bites on pump fakes. Over the last four seasons, he has never averaged more than 1.4 fouls per game despite playing heavy minutes and usually guarding the opponent’s best scorer. Prince does not often gamble for steals, but almost always stays between his man and the basket. He does not block many shots, but the blocks he does make are often spectacular. Prince is one of the best ever at coming from behind a player to block a fast break layup or dunk. He usually times his jumps perfectly and his infamous 2004 block on Reggie Miller set the gold standard for this type of play.

Prince grabbed between 4.2 and 5.3 rebounds per game each of the past five seasons. This season, he has dramatically increased his board work. He is averaging 7.2 rebounds per game. Prince has been more committed to the glass partially because he has been asked to play power forward, but he has also rebounded better while playing small forward.

Overall: Michael Curry has been campaigning for Prince to make the all-star team for the first time in his career. However, LeBron James, Paul Pierce, Caron Butler and Danny Granger all play small forward in the East, so Curry’s mission is probably a lost cause. Prince did have his play recognized when he was named to the gold medal-winning Olympic Basketball team.

Prince does not wow with any one skill, but he is the complete package. He is cerebral on the court and was named team captain because of his poise and leadership. LeBron James is clearly the best small forward – and overall player – in basketball, but Prince is in the next tier in terms of elite small forwards. Since the trade of Billups, Prince has emerged as the Piston’s best player. He is only 28 and under contract through 2011 so expect Prince to continue to be the Piston’s do-everything small forward for several years to come.

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Off the High Glass: Arron Afflalo

“Off the High Glass” will be a segment on CTBAAF where I profile one of the Pistons. Today, Arron Afflalo goes under the microscope.

Joe Dumars selected Arron Afflalo out of UCLA with the 27^th pick in the 2007 draft. Coming out of college, Afflalo was touted as a scorer and a strong defender, but there were concerns about his athleticism. Afflalo has exceeded expectations defensively, but his relative lack of athleticism has manifested itself on offense. Even with the merely mediocre contributions offensively, the man Rasheed Wallace dubbed “Aflac” has played more than well enough to justify the first round selection.

Offense: Afflalo struggled offensively as a rookie. He was unable to find the shooting stroke that served him well as a Bruin. Afflalo finished the season with a 41.1% field goal percentage, including just 20.8% on three pointers. He lacks a quick first step or a deceptive crossover dribble and thus had very little success trying to penetrate defenses.

This season, Afflalo has rediscovered his jump shot. While he still has not shown the quickness to consistently maneuver past defenders, Afflalo has found an offensive niche as a spot-up shooter. He has made over half of his shots and more than doubled his three point field goal percentage. By knocking down open shots, Afflalo is forcing defenders to stay with him, thereby opening up the middle for players like Stuckey and Iverson.

Defense: “I have the potential to be great on defense,” Afflalo said in a recent interview. The assessment was spot on; there are stretches where he is brilliant defensively. However, there are also occasions where he is overly aggressive and winds up either out of position or committing a foul. Even with the occasional miscue, Afflalo has established himself as the best defensive guard on the Pistons. At 6’5, he can defend all shooting guards along with most point guards and small forwards.

In the Pistons two biggest road wins of the young season, Afflalo played excellent defense against a trio of Western conference stars. In Los Angeles, Afflalo entered the game with the score tied at 12. Kobe Bryant already had five points and had earned assists on two of the three baskets he did not score. Curry put Afflalo in the game to slow Bryant down and the California native delivered. The Lakers made more turnovers than field goals over the remainder of the quarter and the Pistons jumped out to a seven point. The lead did not dip below five after that point.

Against San Antonio, the results were similar. Afflalo entered the game with the Pistons trailing by two at the start of the fourth quarter. He and Rodney Stuckey took turns defending Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli. The pair of second year guards thwarted the Spurs’ attack by denying dribble penetration. During that stretch, the Pistons scored 15 points compared to seven for the Spurs. Once again, the lead that Afflalo helped build lasted the remainder of the game as the Pistons pulled off the upset.

Afflalo relies on preparation, lateral quickness, and toughness on defense. He knows each of his opponents’ strengths and does his best to take those away from the players he is guarding. He possesses above average lateral quickness and stays right in the face of his man. Afflalo is a hard-nosed player who refuses to surrender an inch. This occasionally leads to unnecessary fouls, but more often frustrates his opponents.

Overall: The Iverson trade and subsequent switch to small ball should reduce Afflalo’s minutes. Although he is a perfect fit for that style of play, the fact that the Pistons are playing Iverson almost exclusively at shooting guard creates a glut at the wing positions. Between Afflalo, Iverson, Hamilton, Prince, and Hermann, there are not enough minutes to go around. As a result, Hermann will be forced to play out of position at power forward and Afflalo’s minutes will be squeezed. Even with the shortage of minutes, Afflalo will surely see the court if an opposing perimeter player is hurting the Pistons. The way Iverson plays defense, there should be plenty of those opportunities.

Afflalo still has room to grow, but is already one of the better perimeter defenders in the league. Offensively, Afflalo needs to find a way to get to the basket and also prove that his hot shooting this season is no fluke. For now, Afflalo is a very good backup. If he continues to improve – his work ethic is well-regarded – he has the potential to develop into a player similar to Bruce Bowen or Raja Bell. On a team that has struggled defensively this season, Afflalo has proven that he can be a part of the long term solution.

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