i still think pistons could be as good as to challenge hawks for the 4th spot, and if not get the 5th spot… no doubt in my mind they make the playoffs at the very least

I’m torn between the “let’s not waste too much time analyzing meaningless preseason games in which we’re playing guys and lineups we won’t play during the regular season” (as this post suggests) and trying to read some tea-leaves, especially given all the changes.

Specifically, so on one hand, maybe Stuckey’s lack of assists and the small-ball-with-Tay-at-the-4 is no big deal for the reasons listed above (plus Charlie V. not playing). But on the other hand, aren’t we still genuinely unsure about Stuckey’s pure point guard skills? And after last year, weren’t we all hoping that small ball — or at least any lineup with Tay at the 4 — would be dead, dead, dead?

Beyond that, as I said in another thread, I hope Charlie V. gets healthy soon so we can see how the team looks with a key new starter.

Austin Daye and Jonas Jerebko look like they belong, so that’s 12, meaning DaJuan Summers and Deron Washington may not even dress for much of the year.)

Not to be a downer, but something tells me that Summers isn’t going to last in the NBA … And not to beat a dead horse, but has anyone been watching the other DaJuan’s box scores? Disgusting.

Rodney Stuckey seemed to spend more time at small forward than he did point guard, which helps explain why he tallied one assist last night (and three in three preseason games).

Anyone else worried about this? Not just his lack of assists, but his awful TO rate. The kid has roughly twice as many TO’s than assists (iirc).

Instead, focus on Detroit shooting 49.3% and Atlanta just 39.5%. That’s been the trend: through three games, the Pistons are shooting 50.9%; the opposition, 39.9%.

To me, this is baffling and a welcomed surprise. (Given, CV hasn’t suited up yet, and he will probably shoot more and less efficiently than the PFs whose minutes he will be taking) But overall, our FG% has been fantastic — something to be encouraged about, for sure.

Tayshaun Prince is now 4-of-18 (.222)

It would be interesting to combine last year’s playoffs with this year’s preseason … gotta be one of the worst in the league for the minutes.

Ben Wallace … potential starter?

Yes, please. I love the idea of Kwame and Ben starting — setting the tone for defense, boards, and effort. Then, sub out Ben and Rip/Stuckey/Prince after 6-8 minutes and bring in CV and Gordon (and maybe Wilcox/Max). Set the tone for defense early, then bring in some firepower to close the quarter. In theory, seems like it could work well.

@ TJ:

Beyond that, as I said in another thread, I hope Charlie V. gets healthy soon so we can see how the team looks with a key new starter.

You think CV’s a shoe-in starter? From everything Q-ster’s been saying, that doesn’t seem like a lock at all …

This hamstring injury for CV31 might be a blessing. It’s given the team a chance to establish a defensive identity BEFORE integrating him.

I think he’s the one everyone is (rightly) worried about when it comes to the defensive end. He has the physical tools to be a good off-the-ball defender but the commitment has to be there. I think the team will only be as good as his commitment and focus on the defensive end of the ball. I think it’s good that the level of expectation on that end of the floor is being set by Big Ben and Kwame first instead of CV and Kwame.

“… no doubt in my mind they make the playoffs at the very least.”

Given that every single guy on our team is drinking the defensive kool-aid, I also belief this is a lock. 12 of the top 13 teams in both pts/game given up and fg%/game against all made the playoffs. It’s a fact— if you’re reasonably good on defense, you WILL make the playoffs (the one exception was Charlotte, who was only 2 games behind us). Just take a look at our opponents’ fg% in these games— 39%. Yeah, it’s preseason, and yeah guys can be having off games, but after three games I call it a slight trend. NBA players don’t naturally shoot sub-40%— you have to make them. So far we are, and it’s extremely encouraging.

brgulker:

Maybe it is an open question whether CV will start. He’ll probably get a decent chunk of minutes even if he doesn’t, though, so I’ll stick by my point of wanting to see how he fits with the other guys.

Also, if CV doesn’tT start, that would mean that our two biggest FA acquisitions (CV and Gordon) would both be bench players. Which would be more than a little weird.

And yeah, I’m worried about Stuckey’s assist-TO ratio, but I’m trying to let this post reassure me a bit.

Over in the mailbag Langolis breaks down our contract situation for next season. so we have first dibbs on MFWB. and it appears that we can resign him fairly cheaply. Kwame will be worth 7 mill per. the only ? marks are Wilcox and Maxiel, although he will still be signed Who knows how he will fit into our plans. At this point when CV comes back. who do you think is the odd man out Max or CWill?
Also with the way minutes have been distributed this pre-season. no one has played more than 30 per game. How nice it would be if we could keep that up throughout the season.
1. that would confirm us as one of the most balanced teams
2. We could certainly go into the playoffs with the most well rested roster.
3. kinda redundant, but our bench would be head and shoulders above most as far as versatility and balance. looks like all of those combos may pay off.
I am really starting to get excited about this roster. Wallace has proven to be the greatest investment. Probably best bang for the buck league wide. can anyone think of a better example? You know immediately by the difference of fg% that he has rubbed off on these guys.not jumping the gun or anything. but wasn’t our opp. fg% around the same during the run in 04? Shooting 10% better than your opponent on a regular basis certainly has to move you to the front of the pack.

Also, if CV doesn’tT start, that would mean that our two biggest FA acquisitions (CV and Gordon) would both be bench players. Which would be more than a little weird.

Biggest in terms of money. I would consider the Ben Wallace signing a huge signing for this team, even though it was the vet’s minimum. And at the end of the day, the coach’s job is to put the best possible line-up on the floor, not the highest paid players.

Yeah, it would be weird for CV and BG to come off the bench. But it would be weirder if Q-ster didn’t put the lineups that give us the best chance to win on the floor (a.ka., MCIAFI redux).

But in reality, CV is making just above MLE money, and while that’s typically a starter’s wage, it’s not as if it would be unheard of to bring a guy like that off the bench.

Someone’s going to be the odd man out in the frontcourt. And given performance over their careers and preseason indications, I just don’t want that to be Ben Wallace, because I think he helps us more than people realize. If that means CV averages 25 minutes per, I’m fine with that.

Not to be a downer, but something tells me that Summers isn’t going to last in the NBA … And not to beat a dead horse, but has anyone been watching the other DaJuan’s box scores? Disgusting.

I don’t get what you mean here. Daye and Summers are probably going to be competing for playing time, and Daye’s numbers looked worse – worse fg% and way worse +/-. That’s the second straight game that Daye was at a -8 and Summers a -1, which is not bad considering this is comparing a second rounder to a fifteenth pick.

Summers isn’t ready to contribute much yet, but he has the kind of skillset that if he buys in to what the Pistons are all about he’ll have a great future here. We usually have a place for strong athletic 6’9 guys who can also play on the perimeter, but he certainly needs to do quite a bit of work to his game – most glaringly as contributing as a rebounder.

Someone’s going to have to take over for Tay pretty soon, and I feel pretty good about it with Daye and Summers hopefully pushing each other.

I don’t get what you mean here

Well, hopefully the latter part of my comment was obvious. Blair is dominating the preseason just like he did summer league, and we passed on him twice … because he doesn’t fit our system. So, a guy who dominates the game of basketball doesn’t fit our system (dead horse).

But to the former comment: the vast majority of 2nd rounders don’t end up sticking in the pros. Yeah, Summers has athleticism and some basic skills. And yes, it’s far too soon to know for sure. But what I have seen out of him, well, I’m just not as encouraged about him as the rest of DBB seems to be. I think it’s more likely than not that he’s going to follow the path of most 2nd rounders than he is to buck the trend.

But I’ll be happy to be wrong about that.

Someone’s going to have to take over for Tay pretty soon, and I feel pretty good about it with Daye and Summers hopefully pushing each other.

Agreed. But I think Daye’s about 15-20 pounds away from being that guy. And personally, I think it’s much easier to add weight than it is to add skills, and Daye (at least as a preliminary judgment) seems to have more skills than Summers.

We are the Knights of Kwame Brown. We are pleased that our liege has found a Wise Old Wizard to teach him the ways of the defense.

Well, hopefully the latter part of my comment was obvious. Blair is dominating the preseason just like he did summer league, and we passed on him twice … because he doesn’t fit our system. So, a guy who dominates the game of basketball doesn’t fit our system (dead horse).

Oh, that’s where I lost you. Blair’s name is DeJuan, not DaJuan.

Agreed. But I think Daye’s about 15-20 pounds away from being that guy. And personally, I think it’s much easier to add weight than it is to add skills, and Daye (at least as a preliminary judgment) seems to have more skills than Summers.

You’re probably right that Daye has a wider range of than Summers right now. Chances are Daye will end up being the guy, which is why he went 20 spots higher in the draft. Summers already has an NBA body along with some good skills while Daye has a league-ready game with a decent frame, that’s just where they’re at right now. What direction they go from here is probably outside the realm of projection and has more to do with their own work ethic than anything else.

I don’t read that much into preseason. It’s time for guys to get into better game shape, get those rookies who might see the floor some actual time on the floor and instituting new schemes.

If CV comes off the bench, I think he’ll be fine. My problem is Kwame/Ben starting. This allows the other team to help tremendously on the D end and since neither one of them can hit a shot outside the key, really pack the middle where MFWB & Stuck can make a living.

It’s good that we’re setting the tone with defense. The NBA is about match ups and our ability to match up athletically is definitely better than it was last year. I also think having CV who can draw the defenses like Sheed did and the addition of BG makes us very dangerous if we can remember to play consistent defense and not resort to ’outscoring my guy is good defense" mentality.

It will be an interesting season, one where we’ll struggle and hopefully find out “who belongs.”

Oh, that’s where I lost you. Blair’s name is DeJuan, not DaJuan.

Gosh, I always get that wrong.

Sorry, it’s my first comment and I don’t know html.

But in response to Brgulker’s comment: “Blair is dominating the preseason just like he did summer league, and we passed on him twice … because he doesn’t fit our system.”

I think we (and many other teams) passed on Blair more out of concern about his fragile knees than out of the belief that he wouldn’t fit our system.

Was it a bad call? Maybe. Maybe the dude will pull a McDyess and surprise the world. But it’s easy not to blow out a knee after a few pre-season games. After a few NBA seasons? Not so much.

If your starting SF gave you 1 assist per game you’d say he doesn’t pass the ball well.

DE-troit passed up DE-Juan Blair to take A chance on DA-Juan Summers.

+2 to joejoejoe. I shan’t forget again.

ben gordon is the best three point shooter the pistons have had in how many years?

the new coach seems so much better prepared than curry. his interviews are interesting and make sense.

the team’s depth is real. and no one can expect to play without earning their minutes. last year and it’s fallout got that over with. it seems like twenty some minutes is going to be the expectation for a lot of players.
    let us pray that kuester can make sense of it and get everybody clear about their roles and rotations.

I vote the name be changed to ElJuan.

charlotte had the best defensive stats of any team to miss the playoffs because they were dead last in PPG. and trading okafor for chandler makes them worse on the offensive end.

at the other end of the spectrum, I watched wizards-mavs on nbatv the other night, and the wizards gave up about 130 points.

hopefully, these will be fatal flaws, resulting in these teams finishing behind the pistons in the standings.

Sixers waived Stromile Swift… wouldn’t mind it.

@andyfrombrooklyn

not since the days of jud the stud buechler and three mills.

or, ya know, chauncey the two years we went to the finals

Will be at the Dallas – Detroit preseason game thurs.

OT: Sheed says Celtics can definitely make a run at the Bulls 72 wins record.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Rasheed-Wallace-Celtics-can-surpass-Bulls-72-w;_ylt=AgiVG5jRn8zumMzOEAUw6c.8vLYF?urn=nba,195434

Riiiiight

I gotta say, I was a big Rasheed supporter while he was here, but he’s already making it easier for me not to miss him.

Not gonna miss Sheed at all will miss Dice.

I really liked Sheed………..that one time he came in and we won a championship. It’ll be interesting seeing how he fits in with Boston.

I’m also glad to see US hitting some buzzer beaters for a change. I posted the other day that last season drove me crazy because it seemed like every team hit them against us and it was so demoralizing. Now we’re doing the demoralizing and it feels good.

heat sign arroyo

Was reading the fanhouse article and plucked this out.

“It’s really going to be tough for [opposing] big guys to score now,” Rip Hamilton said Sunday. “I think they’re both probably in the top five defenders in the post in the league, and they [are] really playing well off each other in such a short time.”

Anyone else get a glimmer of hope out of it?

My hopeful take.

Rip’s final season with the Wiz as he was kinda pushed out the door was also Kwame’s rookie season. It’s possible that Rip saw that Kwame had some skills, but was a dumb kid. And Rip put in a good word for Kwame with the Pistons. And now Big Ben is back, Mr. underappreciated himself, and can relate and teach Kwame. Considering Kwame’s dogged NBA career. Could relate to Kwame coming into his own. Hopefully so. Anyway, I like what i’m hearing.

That is a very hopeful take. I am just happy that players are happy with each other and seem to be playing well as a team. And that the frontcourt is looking not too bad.

small will never win in the nba!! Sorry

JOD once said some of his best moves were the ones that didn’t happen ,maybe coach Q was the right choice, he seems to get the most out of his team .

So far I’m really digging Q-Star. I like what he says, and I like how he seems to be handling the players. I haven’t actually seen a game yet so I can’t really comment on their offensive and defensive sets, but so far he seems like a breath of fresh air after the Curry debacle. And he might be the perfect fit for us as a coach with a chip on his shoulder — MBIAFI won coach of the year last year. That would be enough to make me coach my ass off if I had been his assistant.

Garrett very nice photography.Agreed 100% about Q-Star.

I still think we have the best God damn backcourt rotation in the league. Seriously, name a rotation four deep as good as we are.

Ball don’t lie- neither should you Roscoe

Portland has a better backcourt with Brandon Roy, Andre Miller, Steve Blake and Rudy Fernandez. And Martell Webster and Jerryd Bayless could be good too, they are just a bit green. The Spurs backcourt is pretty sweet too with Tony Parker, Manu, George Hill and Roger Mason.

I’d say those two teams are tied for #1.

Let’s see where we’re at after 20 games. Anything else before then is pure speculation.

coach q-star. it feels good to feel good about the coach.

coach is the most important position on the team

another positive. when playing the lesser teams, there are no expectations. so the game will be contested and if it is a win, enjoyed.
   remember how it felt to lose to Minnesota early last year? i think it was minnesota.

@ Garrett: The coaching system is a fraternity. If you’re a head coach, and barring a Stiembrenner or Cuban, you typically get to call for your own assistants. I’m sure that MB acknowledged internally to his staff their contributions, even though his name is on the trophy.

Drew & King Cake: Saw this, this morning:

Charlie Villanueva is fine with coming off the bench to start the season behind Ben Wallace. He is still nursing a hamstring injury that has caused him to miss the first three preseason games so far.

“I’ve done it before,” Villanueva tells The Detroit News. “It makes no difference. I just want to win some games. If the coach feels that it’s the lineup he wants to go with, I’m all for it.”

I think now that we have a coach who can actually coach and hold a press conference that doesn’t sow discension (sp) and understands what roles he wants his players to play has helped the overall chemistry. It was a pinch after CB traded and would take some adjustment, I just didn’t think it would take the whole season.

Q-ster appears to actually have a plan and a goal in mind and seems to be working towards that on a consisent basis. His specialty was offense so I think that helps alot. Nothing worse than being bitched about playing defense and then to be totally lossed at the offensive end due to coaching only to hear more bitching about defense.

BTW, fuck Sheed. He was brought in for two purposes only: Match up with Dwight when needed and match up with the Lakers front line. Did I mention fuck Sheed?

I’m liking what Villanueva has had to say. Thank God we have Q! (I still prefer that moniker for Kuester) rather than MCIAFI, someone who the new guys can respect and offer a system worth buying into.

BTW whenever I see “Charlie Villanueva,” I always think New Town Charlie. Sounds like a badass 50s gangster name. Just throwing that out there.

@ Shinons: Yeah, gangsta. Lucky Luchianno type name.

You can kinda hear the dialogue now: “Well, you know Tom. . .. Charlie would really like to see this happen. . . . And you know how much he values your support and guidance in the past . . . .and he’s always been there when you’ve needed help. I’m not telling you what to do, but I know Charlie would really like to see this happen.”

Like coming off the bench for 16 & 10 a nite !!

i was 100% in favor of letting him go but i don’t get such hatred for sheed. yeah he had his faults as a player, but he always kept things interesting with the media (and the fans, with his dancing and whatnot) and the bottom line is that he won a title for the pistons.

you don’t need to be cheerleader for him on another team but stop with the hate.

patthepat: Gotta disagree. He didn’t win a title for the pistons, he helped us win the title. Of course he left Horry alone in 2005.

As a “senior” member of this team, it was up to him to set the tone. I remember him at MCIAFI press conference talking all the right things. Shit went south for him in a hurry. He could have been an elder statesman and took AI aside and prevented the missed practice and “sore back.” Perhaps he did, but I’m guessing he didn’t.

And then for him to say some of the things he did in his Celtic intro presser. Fuck him. Don’t hate him. Just fuck him.

Nobody here hates ’Sheed, the only reason he got mentioned in this thread is because he said the Celts would eclipse the ’95-6 Bulls 72-win record.

That’s a ridiculous thing to throw out there in the pre-season, even for Guaran-Sheed.

/Fuck the celtics, not Sheed
/Hate Garnett, not Sheed

I’m gonna continue rockin’ my Sheed #36 for a long time. There’s no way we should hate him – he’s one of the best characters the league has ever seen. I can’t find a clip, but I remember one time he was guarded face-to-face by a guy maybe eight inches shorter than him. I’m not sure how to describe this, but Sheed took the ball and held it out arm’s-length, behind the head of the dude guarding him. Sheed was basically saying, “Why is this short dude guarding me?” Then he sank a jumper.

Sheed’s gonna be my favorite Piston for years to come.

I am squarely, SQUARELY in camp with Skylar and Rob G. I love that crazy motherfucker.

Oh, I love ‘Sheed too, for a lot of reasons. But he is the kind of guy who, when he’s NOT on your team. . . .

sheed might be a generational thing—me and my brothers and cousins loved him, but some of my older family members disliked him for his out of control behavior.