I think Rip should move to the bench. I think he should provide enough “offensive punch” that the Pistons should put Dice back into the starting lineup. Dice far and away led the team in rebounds/game as a starter last year and he’s our best rebounder per 48 minutes. He almost leads the team already in only 24 minutes/night of work!

Um, I would assume you would want Amir to start with Ra and have McDyess come off the bench with RIP so it would provide 2 scoring threats inside and out. He would be doing a big favor to Bynum as well since he would be able to actually play backup to Stuckey and showcase some of his talents.

Stuckey
Iverson
Prince
Amir
Sheed

Bynum
RIP
Hermann
J-Maxx
Mcdyess

Looks good to me.

AI off the bench still makes the most sense. Watch Rip’s numbers drop DRAMATICALLY when he starts coming off the bench. AI could still put up 17-20 ppg off the bench; I think Rip will struggle to stay in the teens unless most of his minutes are with Stuckey on the floor also. Either way, I feel bad for the guy— being made to go to the bench so that a declining former-star doesn’t take an ego hit (even though AI off the bench makes perfect logistical sense). Not to mention how this is going to cut into AA’s minutes. Maybe we should look into a trade with OKC.

I think it should be based on matchups.

I like AI in the starting lineup against Boston. He can stay with Rondo on Defense and Boston will be forced to have Ray Allen guard either AI or Stuckey. Either one will blow by him.

Against Cleveland, you may want Rip out there for defense. Against Atlanta, I wouldn’t trust AI to guard Bibby or Joe Johnson.

Ronnie D:

How could you forget Afflalo? Herrmann is struggling really bad while Afflalo has been playing really good. Herrmann should get benched, not Afflalo.

I would prefer AI to come off the bench once Rip gets healthy, but it’s not a huge deal if Curry can structure his rotations right. Stuckey needs to be running point as much as possible when Rip is in, and when Afflalo plays AI should be his back court mate. If we use enough 3 guard rotations Curry can make it happen.

My reasoning for Rip and not AI to the bench is that these last six games we’ve had Stuck and AI together on the court developing a rapport and what’s happened? Stuckey or AI has led the team in +/- the last 5 games. Only the first game without Rip (Milwaukee) did another player (Sheed) lead the team in +/-. Granted, Sheed was unavailable for the better part of three of those games, but that suggests to me that Rip should come off the bench.

Think about it for a minute. The Pistons are 13-3 with Stuckey in the starting line-up, and 7-0 since RIP has been out. If RIP is a trooper, he will accept a role off the bench (similar to Ginobli of past)…with RIP coming off the bench, the Pistons can start McDyess and bring Amir/Max/Kwame off the bench as necessary.

We start Stuck, AI, Prince, Dyess, & Sheed. RIP & Amir as first options off the bench. We could always bring Dyess from the bench and return to starting Amir, but I love Dyess as a starter this year.

Unfortunately, AI cannot come off the bench, he needs the mintues and would be most effective as a starter anyhow.

“Stuckey or AI has led the team in +/- the last 5 games.”

It ain’t hard to lead the team in +/1 when you’re allowed 19 shots per game. Of those, Iverson is shooting just shy of 40% in the last five games. Next to Stuckey, he’s not playing with the ball in his hands and he’s going to the basket a lot less. He’s not getting to the line as much and his jumpers are anything but consistent right now.

Rip, on the other hand, is a more consistent option than AI, and if we’re talking about developing a rapport— we want Rip next to Stuckey, bonding not just for this season but going into 2009-10 (when AI will be long gone).

Rip needs max time next to a point guard, playing catch-and-shoot. Iverson needs max time with the ball in his hands. Bring Iverson off the bench, he’ll have more minutes with the ball in his hands when Stuckey sits and when the two play in tandem.

“I love Dyess as a starter this year”

The problem we had during Dyess’s month vacation was lack of scoring from our bench bigs. No matter which 2 guard comes off the bench, we’ll still need that scoring punch. I think it makes the most sense to pair Sheed with a young, energetic big like Amir/Max, and pair Dyess with the same.

Additionally, its kind of a waste to have both of our scoring bigs in the starting lineup when we have Stuckey/AI or Stuckey/Rip in the backcourt. We don’t need five offensive players on the floor at any given time, especially when our bench will become offensively anemic as a result.

MP, I don’t think that volume shots have anything to do with +/-. I agree with dyse off the bench for scoring balance. Additionally, I think we’re a better team with ai starting, but due to rip’s limited handle and need to be set up for scoring, he’d be best used starting with ai off the bench. You also contradict yourself when you say “he’s not playing with the ball in his hands” and then saying, that when he came off the bench, that “he’ll have more minutes with the ball in his hands when Stuckey sits and when the two play in tandem”. How would he have the ball in his hands more if he came off the bench? Are you suggesting that as a reserve, he would become the point and stuckey the off guard?

Nick: Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Who to bring off the bench really a difficult question in the least unless you are overly attached to a bygone era in Pistons history.

Remember, overcoming attachment leads to a state of becoming…

@Craig:
Seems like I did a poor job of explaining myself :)

In the 5-10 minutes per game that Stuckey is on the bench, AI should be playing the point. When combined, Stuckey will play the point, but occasionally slide to the 2 like Chauncey did last year.

As for Rip, if he’s coming off the bench, who is going to create for him? AI can create all day, Rip is at his best when paired with a solid distributor.

@Petey:
Not following you, care to elucidate?

DBB: Where Eastern Philosophy meets Eastern Conference happens.

Who to bring off the bench really a difficult question in the least unless you are overly attached to a bygone era in Pistons history.

We should make the decsion using the Hubbard Consultant Outpoint-Pluspoint List.

@Shinons:
Funny enough, last week I drove through Clearwater, Florida on a visit to the Tampa area. I drove right past the Scientology World Headquarters. A bastion of creepy. Next time I do that, I’m wearing my tinfoil hat.

You wouldn’t think that Scientology would be based in Clearwater, Florida of all places. Then again, you wouldn’t think that the largest collection of Salvadore Dali’s art is a few miles away in St. Pete, either. Unlikely places…

the only real argument i buy for rip coming off the bench is that he can essentially fill in for stuck, ai, or tay, thus still getting solid minutes.

however, it still seems to me that most of what ai does is cancelled out by stuckey. he’s not going to get to the line with the ball in stuckey’s hands.

rip on the other hand, is a better set jump shooter. which is perfect to pair with a drive and dish pg like stuckey. he’s a better defender than ai, which is nice to start games. and as far as i’m concerned, rip coming off staggered screens is the best first option in basketball. there is a reason that play used to be run at the beginning of almost every play. if he gets two steps on you, it’s an automatic bucket. think of that everytime ai gets the ball and decides to iso on the perimeter for 5 seconds before throwing up an off-balance shot.

ai is clutch, i want him on the floor at the end of every quarter and at the end of the game. but rip is more efficient, shoots a better percentage and he’s a better defender. all things you want at the beginning of the game.

Kyle: Couldn’t have said it better myself.