What time did you get to work today? Nine o’clock? Chances are Arron Afflalo had you beat by an hour and a half. From Joanne Gerstner of the Detroit News:
He gets up at 6:30 a.m., something he’s done since arriving at Pistons training camp early last fall. By 7:30 a.m., he’s at the Pistons practice facility to work out and practice shooting.
Never mind that the official team practice usually doesn’t start until 10:30 a.m.
Or that it’s an off-day, and Afflalo could stay home.
“That’s just the way I’ve always been; I like to get up early and head off to practice,” said Afflalo, 22. “It just feels good, because I like working hard and making myself better. Being in the gym is actually a pretty peaceful place for me. It’s going to the office and getting my work done.”
It’s no act — his teammates have been praising his intensity for months, and Flip Saunders has called him one of the hardest workers he’s ever coached. His playing time has been cut lately due to Rodney Stuckey’s emergence, but I’ve seen enough to predict with confidence that Afflalo will have a very long career in this league.
My boy. I can see why he’s gotten less minutes because of Stuckey but I think it would benefit everyone if Flip found Aaron some more minutes. He makes a difference when he’s out there. I’m hoping they’re running Chauncey and Rodney together so Stuck can learn while in a game situation from a master.
I don’t think he works harder than me, and I have the air miles to prove it. That being said, his work ethic is pretty good, he’s obviously focused, and he will be around a long time.
For as much as Dumars gets slammed for some of his draft picks, there was nothing wrong with this year’s. The guy he couldn’t keep, Mejia, is apparently tearing up the D-League.
Afflalo makes his free throws and is better against dribble penetration than Rip and Billips - would not mind seeing him come in at the end of a close game to provide some really good Defense
No suprise there, Affalo has that impression. I didn’t get a chance to read the highlights after the game with celtics coz i don’t wanna hear any of it. I wasn’t that dissapointed though, besides its the regular season, im more worried about the playoffs. I just can’t believe what Posey and Pierce said or/and claimed right after the game……..I can’t wait to see what Sheed would say about that. The reporters have got to ask him about it. I hope I hope.
Hey, I get up earlier than Afflalo. I think he has me in the working harder part. I am most certainly not playing basketball at 7:30 a.m. It would be too difficult, while dragging around my coffee I.V.
This bench is F-ing sweet.
Afflalo really seems like a player’s player. In that first Boston, his 4th quarter D was impressive to say the least.
Hopefully Flip doesn’t concentrate too hard on Stuckey, because Afflalo, in my opinion, will be just as valuable off the bench in the playoffs as anyone with the exception of Maxiell. Defensive stops win playoff games, Afflalo looks capable of really putting the clamps on whoever he’s defending.
sadly, I think if anyone believes that come playoff time Flip will be giong more than 2 1/2 deep they’re fooling themselves. Maxy and Stuckey will get good minutes, but I have a feeling Hayes will be the new Delfino, he’ll get time, but he’ll get benched the second time he misses a shot.
Flip is used to people asking him why he didn’t have Garnett on the floor for every second of every game. His instinct is just to leave it to his starters, so that no matter what, it’s not his fault. As great a job he’s been doing about getting the bench minutes, I think it’s more a function of Joe D’s pressure rather than a new coaching philosophy. As the season progresses the starters minutes will creep up and everyone not named Stuckey or Maxiell (even them, probably) will see their minutes diminish.
I could certainly be wrong. I hope I am.
the questions remain:
why did jason maxiell only get one shot attempt in the second half?
why was mcdyess on the floor so much in the second half, especially considering Chauncey and Rip didn’t want to pass it to him?
Kyle, I have a lot of those same concerns about Flip. My guess though, he’ll continue to give them time to develope because they’ve already proven their worth. Just a couple of nights ago in Toronto, it was the bench that was able to extend the lead when the starters began playing stagnant offensive. Though, Afflalo really didn’t get any minutes that game either.
I know it’s probably just me beinga fan with wishful thinking, but I really can’t see Flip having the same pitfalls as last season.
kyle, i do have the same concern as you however waltonlikesmen1 has a better explanation not justification on why. what im seeing from the pistons compare to last season in regards to the bench is flip is using this reg season similar to d-league for the bench with the exception of maxie to develop or/and improve hayes, stuck and affalo. though flip might be pressure on what joe whats to happen, flip understands that joe’s perspective works and he has now a different perspective on trusting his reserves….i do agree with you when he was coaching garnett, however, he himself have learned things in detroit just like all the players when they move to pistons….as to why maxie only took one shot, my guess is similar to wallace, he wasn’t as agressive as he was in the fourth quarter….pistons had a poor execution in the 2nd half overall….i have a huge confidence on our guys beating the celtics in the playoffs, considering they have destroyed a team filled with all star (lakers 03-04) in the past, with the consideration of our bench will be more agressive than theirs, or it should at least be the equivalent of celtics reserve.
V, I think Afflalo’s logged a lot of air miles too. I don’t know if anyone’s tried playing basketball on jet lag, I never realized how tough it is after I did it once. After flying from Cali to DC to play in a North Indian vs. South Indian basketball game (the glorious South won!).
Also, what I love about JoeD is that he learns from his mistakes. After the Darko debacle, he seems to really concentrate on getting people like Maxiell, Afflalo and Stuckey. Mentally and physically tough.
Hold on, Maxy wasn’t being aggressive in the second half? Then why was he being rewarded with playing time that other bigs would love? Why did Tay take (and miss) 8 shots? Was he being that much more aggressive than Maxy? Maxy is one of the few players on the team that can really create his own shot, but that takes the faith of a coach to put the ball in his hand, and despite the overwhelming evidence, Flip will never have that kind of faith in Maxy. He’s not a starter.
not to turn this into a bash Flip thread, but to me, Flip has fallen into the exact same pitfalls every year:
Chauncey gets pressured and the offense stops.
Our pick and roll defense gets torn apart.
Tay has a tough defensive assignment and we can’t make up for his lost scoring.
Other teams improve during 7 game series and we seem to get worse.
The bench unit, while talented, isn’t effective.
Flip can’t keep Sheed in line.
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Of these key issues only one of them seems to have been addressed, and even that took the phenomenal play of Jason Maxiell and Rodney Stuckey and the threat of being FIRED by Joe Dumars to force Flip’s hand. To me, that isn’t exactly learning your lesson.
ric,
In ‘04 we had a far superior coach (playoff-wise anyway) and a bench that was at least 4 deep (Williamson, Okur, James, Hunter). I don’t think you can compare this team or situation to that one. Our coach is NOT a playoff coach and unless we finally trade all our little goods for one big good we’ve only got a 3 deep bench.
Kyle,
Maxiell didn’t play as much in the 2nd half because he’s not used to playing that many minutes.
And I’m sure Jarvis will get a lot of playoff minutes. He’s a four year veteran who has started before. They trust him.
People seem to get on Flip about not playing the bench like it’s a trait that’s specific to him (Remember Larry Brown? And Rick Carlisle?).
All coaches would be the same. That’s because ALL coaches fear for their job. They want to win. Or alternatively, if they’re on a crappy team, they have to play their new draft pick even if a veteran might give them a better chance of winning.
Flip is more willing to play the bench this year because A.) they are better than the last two years and B.) because he knows his job is safe and will be unless the team underachieves during the playoffs or he gets clearly outcoached.
The big difference with the bench this year verses the last two years is that now, at everyone more or less knows their roles and what is expected and that expectations are realistic.
Delfino was always under pressure to produce and could not deal with it and Darko was under tremendous pressure as the number 2 pick. Evans just could not play yet he was supposed to be a great scorer and defender. Hunter was expected to be a real point guard, and Dice was supposed to score. Carlos arroya was a huge question mark and no one really knew what he was supposed to do and he is too short and cannot defend well. Flip Murray was supposed to play point guard and shoot out the lights. Maxiell was not a factor last year
Now, everyone on our bench knows their role and what is expected of them. Hunter defensive bulldog, Jarvis is supposed to just shoot, Afflalo - tough D and smart playing, Stuckey - dribble penetration and Maxiel energy and eating babies.
The bench will only get better as Stuckey and Afflalo get more experience and if Jarvis does not make his shots, Herrmann may take his place.
Amir - I would like to see him play more and run Big Baby into the ground, but he is this year’s maxiel - take what you get, do not complain and next year you will get a bigger role.
I still would like to see Flip murray and some draft choices get traded for a big man who lives in the paint - even if he will be a free agent next year and may not sign with us.
Afflalo certainly works harder than me. I work about three days a week, unless you count reading books and drinkin’ work.
Random thought: Does anyone see Sheed coaching an NBA team in the future? Seems like he would be a gereat coach if he was able to channel and instill his passion into younger players. Especially young bigs.
Just the picture of Sheed in a suit, running up and down the coaches box screaming “BALL DON”T LIE!” is enough to crack a smile on my face.
If the NBA doesn’t want him, maybe the Shock will. Lambier, Mahorn, and Wallace. Now that would be classic!
I could see him as a Mahorn-esque assistant, but not a head coach. He knows too well what pressure does to him, I doubt he’d seek out that much.
there was a thing in a recent article–simmons, I think–about sheed being one of the smartest players in the league and being able to run all the offensive plays from all 5 positions, etc, which led to thinking about the hilarity of coach rasheed.
and, related to the above comment, my dad and uncle have been saying for a couple years that laimbeer should be the pistons’ next coach, under the logic that he would improve the team’s ratio of opposing players being knocked on their asses in the paint. that helps you win.
Was there an actual interview on Chauncey about he’s response about how Pierce and Posey’s attitude right after the game? Please post the link if there is, anyone? Thanks.
yeah, here it is -
http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/langlois_blog_080107.html
Not an interview, but does have Chauncey discussing Boston’s postgame behavior in comparison to theirs.
From my HOOPSWORLD post-game blog entry:
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After the game, Paul Pierce was seen celebrating the victory, telling the Detroit crowd that the Celtics were the best team in the league. When asked about Pierce’s reaction, Chauncey Billups acknowledged that this game may have meant a little more to Boston than Detroit. “They’re a little more happy than we was when we won our game out there,” he said. “It was just like a regular game for us. Two good teams playing. They’re kind of playing like it’s the Super Bowl, man. It’s just a regular game, two good teams playing. There’s a little more at stake for them and their psyche than [for] us, but they won, it’s cool.”
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That piece by Langlois, which points out that Boston is on pace to win 74, doesn’t mention that their hardest tests are ahead of them. I’d be stunned if they got to 70, let alone 72 or 73.
And that’s why we pay you the big money, Matt W!
i sometimes wonder what it would be like to have laimbeer coach the team. i think he’d bring back some hardcore defense and be able to control sheed a little better. i hope flip gets his chance this year, and i’m not saying laimbeer could do it, but i seriously question if flip can out-coach popovich in a seven game series.
I heard that Boston’s on the right track for like 79-0 or something crazy like that!
Who was the Boston player who ran out to center court at the final buzzer and jumped in the air to hip-check one of his team mates in celebration? Weak.
I enjoy Paul Pierce when he pops his jersey out so everyone can read that it says Boston.
Boston would scare me more if Paul Pierce weren’t on the team, but with Paul Pierce and his constant reminders that he’s “The Truth”, there’s no real need to fear. If they did in fact actually make the Finals, Pierce would somehow screw it up. I’d put a year’s salary on that too…
COMPLETELY OT: Fuck the guys doing commentary on the Spurs-Warriors game. They just claimed that if Boston (think Detroit) were in the West their record wouldn’t be as good cuz they’re playing “tomato cans” in the East. The Southwest is the only division in the West better than the Central 1-5. Period. Get off it, Warriors commentators. Sorry for the outrage, but what a load of BS. While the West MAY be better as a whole 1-15, the East is deceptively competitive and even a team at 15-16 like Atlanta is 6-4 against the West with wins over Phoenix, Dallas, Utah (and Orlando to boot). I don’t appreciate this West Coast bias one bit.
Garret: Kendrick Perkins? I’m just kidding. I don’t know who it was, but if it was Ol’ Perk, I’d sure have a chuckle over it.
i mean, is there a video interview with chauncey?
HA HA! Lawerboy, I watch almost every Warriors game with those commentators. They’re ridiculous. They have gone on several times about how they can’t stand Eastern Conference basketball and how they’d be out of the job if everyone played the half-court style. Can really be annoying. But the Warriors are my western team. If for nothing else, they play in the most irrational, illogical manner, but sometimes make it work and look great doing it.
Great OT win for the Warriors over the Spurs tonight might I add.
LawyerBoy: Judging by the way this lithe player jumped a few inches off the ground to bump his teammate, I’d say it definitely was not Perkins.
the nba really needs to wise up and realize that these games are broadcast globally. if they expect us to pay money to see out of market games, i’d rather not have to hear homer announcers talk about how horrible all the other teams are. it just hurts the overall product. Heinsohn the other day was the perfect example, no one outside of hardcore Boston fans could have possibly enjoyed his commentary.