Who Knows What The Pistons Will Look Like This Season, But I Can Promise You It Won't Be Team USA
by Packey on Aug 27, 2010 1:19 AM EDT
in Detroit Pistons Previews
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PrintIt's not poorly written, the comparison took balls (I like balls), and it provided the Detroit Free Press with some offseason fluff, I guess, but this? Really? A post saying the Pistons are like the 2010 USA team was actually allowed to be published on one of the bigger Detroit sports media outlets?
Stop me if this starts sounding familiar: The Americans have one legitimate center on the roster. They have a number of skilled big men who will play multiple roles. They also have a few guards who are asked to play both point guard and shooting guard. The rest of the team is made up of versatile, talented players.
I shouldn't stop you.
Granted, the talent level on Team USA far exceeds that of the Pistons, but the gap isn't that big. And the Pistons will have more than just a couple of weeks to mesh and develop chemistry and one can see a glimmer of Dumars' vision materializing.
The gap in talent between the Pistons and team USA is the gap between Michael Strahan's maxillary central incisors. I get it that their lineups are unconventional, they both wear red, white, and blue and the Pistons are America's team (right?), but nuh-uh. This comparison should've never been thought of, let alone published on Freep.
But, hey, fluff meet fluff. Thanks, Freep.*
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poor man's Team USA
"Don’t really know shit about White other than he is a colon of Stuckey" - das SmittyJ
And here I thought I knew White like the palm of my hand
by bearded thundar on Aug 27, 2010 8:44 AM EDT reply actions
Not to pile on, but it also ignores
The relative importance of bigs in the NBA. Few if any international teams have more than one truly skilled, really big (7 ft or near) guy. But Boston has had several over the past few years. And LA beat Boston last year (and Orlando the year before) in part because they had even more/better/bigger guys. Boston, in the past year plus, didn’t say, “hey, we got a good big in Garnett and a bunch of skilled guys at swing man.” They developed Perkins and Big Baby AND went out and got Rasheed last year AND when he left picked up Shaq. That’s because the title goes through a team that can play a frontcourt of P. Gasol, Bynum, and Odom.
In other words, even if Ben Gordon turns into vintage Ray Allen & CV31 turns into Paul Pierce, or even if Rip turns into Kobe, we’re still not getting anywhere in the NBA without more quality bigs.
by Toledo Joe on Aug 27, 2010 9:24 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Oddly enough...the #1 ranked team in International play is Spain
And they have a pair of brothers you may have heard of…both of whom are over 7 foot and play mainly inside…Pau and Marc? I also know that they have at least one other 7 footer on their team or close to it since he was playing in the exhibition match against the US.
Not arguing that there is a huge difference in relative importance and agree with your post overall, just an interesting thing to point out I guess.
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
Not Surprising
I’m convinced the FREEP started publishing these user created articles just to make their own sloppy journalists seem better.
Granted, the talent level on Team USA far exceeds that of the Pistons, but the gap isn’t that big.
Yeah, I was listening until this exact sentence.
by Big Z in Orlando on Aug 27, 2010 9:42 AM EDT reply actions
Free Press
Why doesn’t it surprise me they would make something like this?
by Detroitsportsfan3 on Aug 27, 2010 12:04 PM EDT reply actions
Another point of likeness
both teams passed on Rondo.
Where in the world is Trent Plaisted?
by Kriz on Aug 27, 2010 12:43 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
When did we pass on Rondo? Certainly not in 2006 when he was drafted...
or are we talking about the rumors of us being able to trade Rip and Tay for Ray and Rondo?
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
If Stuckey kept us from getting Rondo, he just inadvertently became my last favorite player
I’m only half joking.
by Biz Markie Moon on Aug 27, 2010 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Stuckey will be better than Rondo at some point in their careers.
It may only be for a game…BUT IT WILL HAPPEN.
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
He will briefly transform into the Mikhail Prokohorov’s Dwyane Wade and drop 99 points, because he’s so humble, he wouldn’t want to embarrass Wilt Chamberlain.
by Biz Markie Moon on Aug 27, 2010 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Actually Stuck was better in a head to head against Rondo just last season
One of the few highlights of last season was our win over Boston at home…
Stuck dropped 27 points, grabbed 11 boards, dished out 6 dimes, 2 steals and only 2 turnovers
Rondo had 21 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals and 1 turnover.
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
Right, but overall, I’d rather have Rondo than Stuckey. Stuckey can do stuff like that sometimes, but Rondo’s gotten pretty consistent day in and day out.
by Biz Markie Moon on Aug 27, 2010 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions
lets not allow this to devolve into a debate as to which is better
Even I, one of the last remaining Stuckey supporters, would not be foolish enough to try and substantiate a preference of Stuckey over Rondo. But its interesting to see that Stuckey has the ability to drop games like this…I mean sure he shot 11 of 24 from the field so it took him plenty of shots (Rondo was 8 of 16), but the potential is there.
It really makes me wonder how he’ll do with some consistency in coaching.
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
That must make us....
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
Oh, of course
I just don’t know how I feel about Stuckey. Right when I give up on him, he flashes that potential and I get my hopes up. He’s really a frustrating player. I’m rooting for the guy, and I really feel for him because he’s had a rough go, but I’m giving him this season to finally show he can be the team leader. Otherwise, I’m going to think of him as a great sixth man.
by Biz Markie Moon on Aug 27, 2010 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions
nothing, no one
Move along.
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
It depends
When he’s the future of the franchise and our GM thinks he can be a point guard/franchise player, I think it is. If we had a point guard, I’d be pretty satisfied.
I really like Stuckey and I feel like he’s collapsed under the weight of his expectations.
by Biz Markie Moon on Aug 28, 2010 9:03 PM EDT up reply actions
There's a lot to like on the current iteration of Team USA
The douchefactor has been drastically diminished from the previous team. The Miami slumber posse is off two stepping somewhere to Usher, Boston is not repping noway no how, instead you get young hungry cats like Eric Gordon, and you get humble but respectable leadership from Kevin Durant. I hope they win it all. I always like to see America curb-stomp the comp when it comes to Basketball.
I don’t want add player does not have blue collar mentality,
even if he is great player. Piston should not quit your job. - OK from J
I'd rather have Eric than Ben, but I aint pullin' strings like that.
I don’t want add player does not have blue collar mentality,
even if he is great player. Piston should not quit your job. - OK from J
Strange
I’m pretty sure “far exceeds” would mean that the gap is “that big”.
Maybe we can move the team to Belarus and win 50 championships
by Biz Markie Moon on Aug 29, 2010 10:51 AM EDT reply actions
Don't Provoke Prokohorov
I don’t want add player does not have blue collar mentality,
even if he is great player. Piston should not quit your job. - OK from J
by Skylar on Sep 6, 2010 8:17 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
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