Andre Iguodala has shot just 5-for-24 from the field and averaged half of his 19.9 points per game in the first two games of the season, but I’m convinced that at some point before this series is over he’ll have his breakout game. Tayshaun Prince is ready for the challenge:
Prince wasn’t about to give away any secrets about how he has kept 76ers leading scorer Andre Iguodala relatively quiet the first two games of this first-round series.
“I really don’t know,” he said Thursday when asked what he expected the 76ers to do to get Iguodala going. “Whatever it is, I just have to be ready for it.”
Conventional wisdom suggests that the Sixers will try to jumpstart Iggy by getting back to what they did for most of the year: running in the open court. From Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer:
Coach Maurice Cheeks has emphasized the importance of getting easy baskets in transition. Yet Detroit rarely allows easy baskets. In the opening 90-86 win, the Sixers earned 16 fastbreak points. For a Pistons team that allowed 9.6 fastbreak points per game during the regular season, that was good production for the Sixers.
Without those easy baskets, Andre Iguodala has been struggling, relying too much on his jumper. He has had to shoot the jumper over the long-armed Tayshaun Prince and the results haven’t been pleasant. Iguodala is shooting 5 for 24 and he remains the key in this series. Yes, the Pistons did a good job of slowing down Andre Miller with a variety of traps in Game 2, but the biggest key is for Iguodala to get untracked on offense.
Now the Sixers have to adjust, which means Iguodala could be handling the ball more in the open court. And if he could get a few easy baskets early in transition, that would give the Sixers some needed momentum.
Can they succeed? That’s why they play the games. The ball’s about to tip on ESPN2 — leave your thoughts in the comments.
We look pretty disinterested on defense to start. That’s all I’m going to say.
“disinterested” or do you mean, they’re not hustling… there’s a difference between not wanting to play, and being outplayed.
Oh come on Detroit
Not hustling. And I’ve been a “let’s wait it out before we start calling for Flip’s head” person, but color me confused about the substitution pattern so far.
Also, I don’t think we could’ve played much worse in the 1st quarter, and I don’t think the Sixers could have played much better, and it was tied. That is why this is the most frustrating team to follow, ever.
And Rattler with 2 jams. I guess I don’t know what I’m talking about.
Pretty quiet here tonight… If we keep shooting like this, and get Maxiell more involved on defense, we’re going to come out with a nice W.
Mike - are you in Philly right now?
Looks like Rip is on, which is a good sign…
Okay, how many turnovers in a row is Flip going to let this go on now, four in a row, lol.
10 turnovers already?!? you couldn’t be playing into philly’s hands any more.
Am I the only one watching this game wondering what in the hell is happening? I know we’re shooting something close to 243% from the field, but we can’t be playing much worse, can we?
I’ll give Philly MAYBE half of those turnovers because of their D. The others, just flat out playing dumb.
11 Turnovers???????
Why doesn’t Flip stick with the same type of rotation as game two. Wher’s Amir, Afflalo.
Too many God Damn Turnovers!!!!!
Rob G– no, I meant here on DBB.
yeah, we’re just playing silly on the TOs. I imagine we’ll ratchet that out by quarter three. Thank god for Rip, otherwise we’d be in a hell of a lot of trouble.
Hopefully those calling for Rip to be traded will be singing a different tune by the end of this game.
I was wondering what to have for dessert tonight, and I guess the Pistons answered it for me:
turnovers.
Philly in 5
Mike Payne,
I don’t care if Rip breaks the all time playoff scoring record, I still want him gone. Perhaps if he does break the all time scoring record, it’ll increase his value!
tayshaun is taking cash right out of iguodala’s pocket. when he comes asking for that big contract this summer, management’s going to look at him and say “you shot 20% in the playoffs and you want how much money?”
Yeah they will change to “Trade Chauncey” or something
I hate this game. There better be a brand f-ing new team on the floor in the 2nd half or I’m going to be seriously pissed.
Chauncey Missing Fts= Good night
we’ve already missed 5 free throws? there are not a lot of good signs in the box score for this game.
lol detroit’s playing like garbage and it’s a 4 point game
We are the Spurs of the Eastern.
what’s our FT% right now?
c’mon, what is it?
it’s a joke, right? right?
If only I could trade you, Boney.
yeah, to go into the half only down two scores is some lucky s***. silly, silly play.
hey, did you guys know that Tyler Hansbrough is staying at UNC for his senior season?
25% ft
Boney, you’re SO wrong.
Philly in six.
Yeah, Boney, T-Hands is fixing to make himself the Kenyon Martin of the 2009 NBA Draft.
I would love to see how Amir handles Reggie Evans. Might we see some of that in the third quarter?
oh Mike Payne I’m sorry… I didn’t know you were in charge of changing Richard Hamilton’s tampon. My bad dude. you’re right, he’s the best!
No, Amir produces too much. If we still had Dale Davis, though, I’m sure he’d be in there.
Philly in 9.
haha Keegan… I was hoping that Prophecy_Projektz or whatever would see that I said 6ers in 5. only because he offered up a Bill Walton-esque “I have the 76ers winning in 6″ prediction
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-32-118/Liveblogging-Sixers-vs–Pistons.html
“This is the time of year when coaches are up all night, and up all day, and they’re watching film all the time, preparing every little detail. This is not a time when coaches have nice tans. Right? Well check out Flip Saunders. He’s pretty tan!”
Have fun, Flip! Slap on that bronzing lotion!
Boney: so you’re suggesting Rip has a vagina? …might begin to explain why you hate him so much.
Keegan: very good point. if only we had motumbo…
sure does Mike Payne! change that tampon!
I know it was baiting, but I’m so tired of watching this team’s c rap.
I still care and all, and there’s several players I love, but the”Going to Work” mantra is clearly inapplicable to this team. That’s why people like Amir, Stuckey and Afflalo so much, which people like McCosky never understand. They’re the only thing that’s reminiscent of that era. They might do something boneheaded, but they’re trying their asses off.
I used to get so emotional about it, but now I just watch the house burn down from afar.
I’ll have to wait until he stops scoring so much, Boney. You want me to mail it to you when I’m done? Sauce keeps telling me you’re into that!
Chris McCosky on TV 20 halftime with Kelser and Blaha:
Pistons are playing hard, but not smart. He wants to see Detroit play Pistons basketball more than one game in a row.
Boy, don’t we all.
sure, whatever floats your boat!
If Detroit does not win it this year, Rip will be gone.
Perhaps, Boney. But 1) that’s no reason to turn our backs on him now, especially with the way he’s playing tonight. 2) what do you think we could get for Rip that would honestly be an improvement at the 2 guard?
Can I guess the content of the insightful McCosky segment?
“They really need Ratliff’s experience. Dixon will really come in handy in the playoffs. Lindsey is like a coach on the floor. The youngsters aren’t meant for playoff action, just so the starters are rested for the playoffs. Fresh legs, fresh legs, fresh legs. Amir will NEVER develop a jump-shot.”
You missed a sentence Keegan: “oh yeah, and f#2k the bloggers.”
lol how the hell did Detroit shoot 61 percent for the half - is that a TV 20 typo?
lol McCosky failed to say all that, he was mostly saying matter-of-fact stuff like Boston’s killing Atlanta and whatnot.
I already said I’d take a complimentary player, and a lottery pick for Rip… several posts ago. There’s no arguing he does what he does well, there is arguing that he plays with the team in mind when he dribbles and goes one on one and plays outside of himself.
NICE series by Detroit - Tayshuan buzzer beat J, later a Rip 3 ball, then a Tayshaun charge-take on the other end.
Meanwhile, Billups is undoing EVERYTHING and getting humiliated by Miller.
Rip?!?!?! palming the ball?!?!?!?! NO! that NEVER happens!
9 steals on a half?
Did Philly start 5 Stocktons?
I mean, I know D will win the series and all, but…
Man, Billups and McDyess. Race to choke harder between the two of them.
He’s like Flip’s mouthpiece. (Sarcasm, not an idiotic conspiracy theorist comment).
Ooooh…back within 2. But let’s not live and die by the three, please guys?
There’s a Miller layup, that’s more like it.
and is this like the 5th palming violation we’ve had called against us this series? Is 2008 the year of the YMCABA?
sound the feasting horn!
Mike Payne, I’m a huge Rip fan, he’s probably my favorite out of the core 4, and I think he’s gone (along with Flip) if we don’t go down playing some good basketball. It’s nothing personal, I think he’s the one with the most value. We’d never get rid of Billups, good PGs are too hard to find and he has a really reasonable contract. I think the answer is to trade Rip for a late lottery or mid round pick and a vet, and plug Stuckey in at the 2. Stuckey is going to be that good. Even Rasheed could go, he’s a massive expiring contract that could bring a lot in return, but we have nobody to back fill for him (save the Amir talk, I love him as much as the rest of you, but there is no replacement for Sheed).
I don’t like it, but if this team doesn’t respond this year, that’s it for this version of the Pistons. And rightfully so. This team has woefully underachieved the last 2 years.
Typical playoff effort by Chauncey, by which I mean, none so far as I can see.
“Waiting for them to flips the switch”
Even if they could find the switch I don’t think they could keep their hands on it long enough to flip it.
Channeling Sauce:
YEEEAH CHAUNCEY!!! WAY TO GO 0-4 FROM DOWNTOWN!!!
Oh shit that’s a gusher on Dice.
‘Sheed has sleepbugs in his eyes. I just saw it.
3:16 drought for scoring from Detroit, and counting.
that’s what I like to see… 1 on 1 basketball with Richard Hamilton dribbling worse than Flip Murray. NICE!
McDyess has a broken nose, according to Zaret.
Thaddeus just got a matcher.
Take Hamilton out of the game, force this team to move the god damn ball and spread the wealth on offense. This is bullshit basketball
Pretty depressing knowing thats what it took to get Max in the game.
Good job Maxy!!! Way to get out-hustled by the 19-year-old you have 50 pounds on!!
12 steals. 12 steals. Gowwdang, i’m-a start rooting for philly not to win, but at least to break 50 and get some kind of Mortal Kombat-styled fatality reward.
c’mon detroit. find something.
lol@ dude on ESPN
“Maybe its time for Flip Sauders to go the bench”
Captain Obvious FTW!
BENCH. Try it, Flip. It’s just not working now.
that shot of flip said it best: he had nothing to say, why are they not moving the damn ball?
thirteen.
a good Big Star song, but, in this case…
and prince shooting like 112%.
I think its simply adorable that the Pistons are paying tribute to the 50th anniversary with the same amount of turnovers in this game.Surely, thats what there going for right? What’s that you say? A game to win? Playoffs? pffft nevermind that.
have a seat bitch.
Rip’s gonna say fuggit and just foul out.
W/ frustration comes the T. Surprised it took this long.
HAYES FOR THREE!!! GREAT DECISION-MAKING!!!!
Locker room footage during halftime said it all. Flip’s lost this team. They’ve tuned him out.
lol, Reggie Evans is soooooooooooo gonna be the next Jerome James.
Jarvis Hayes?
With the Sixers getting out on the break now, this is a carbon copy of Mavs/Warriors, right down to style of play.
and hayes goes 17 whole seconds before hoisting up a miss. bravo!
@ G - That’s saying at one time that he ‘had’ them. Which is suspect.
lol that’s a bullshit call for Evans.
And that’s what happens when you don’t play bright and with enough energy.
fuck this team. Reggie fucking Evans? Where the fuck is Rasheed? Where the fuck is the heart?
This is disgraceful. I’d like to officially declare myself for the “Fire Flip” camp. A good coach does not have his team this under prepared. We are getting embarrassed by a sub .500 team in the playoffs. There’s no offensive flow to this game. There’s no substitution pattern. Now we have to go to the bench and they’re playing tight because they know their coach is afraid to play them in the playoffs. There’s no boxing out. We literally have no answers.
Detroit, if they lose this, will absolutely be that lack of brains and energy team, getting the tag “they didn’t want it enough.”
the series and season is over
I swear to god if Chauncey says after the game they have nothing to lose and they are still the better team, I am going to personally go down to Philly and punch horse boy in the mouth….
We can absolutely lose this series, and I think that’s an even money proposition right now. They have become the antithesis of what got them a ring. We have somehow become what we defeated in 04.
Philly on a 16-4 run.
Nice one Maxiell.
Race you, Prophecy.
The Series/season isn’t over but it’s going to go 7 which is 2 games longer than it needed to be. Plus, as a result of frustration and messy playing, we’ll be more banged up than we should be.
I am not watching any more. Tell the Philly fans trolling this site that I am out drinking. Again.
This is much worse than that Game 1, regardless of us being away for this game. Game 1 was inexcusable to lose, but the play in this game is much more disheartening than that of Game 1.
I’m a little mad, but the backlash from the fans after this loss is gonna be stupendous! I can’t wait, it’s like Christmas Eve.
What Philly fans? Even trolls dont even come here cause they expect this from us.
I hate my life
How come we run a nice offensive continuity with a 10 point lead but only work mistmatches once we are behind? Clearly the best option with this lineup is to iso Prince everytime right?
I hate Flip.
I would like to call out the jerks who would freak out everytime someone on this board complained about effort or coaching or whatever. Do we look like champion contenders tonight? How good of a coach do you think flip is now? One game… er Two games doesnt mean squat… but still what will it take for some of you to wake up to some of our flaws? I still think we win this series… philly is that bad… but what does that say about us that their giving us such a good what for.
Flip will put Orlando Woolridge in before Amir.
Again let me restate: This is beyond Flip’s fault
lol at any given time, Detroit’s employing a 3-man-standing-around strategy. There is absolutely no desire from the team to play the motion offense. And Billups is not providing a hell of a lot of leadership.
It’s like Detroit is dumbing down to this level of scrap ball, and they can’t play that way because it’s not them.
This is horrible. How can Detroit have no solutions to offer when the problem is so clear? Frankly, I think Billups´s play is a major part of this mess. He is being ouplayed consistently by Miller, who is good, but no match to a motivated, humble Chauncey. How can Tayshaun have the same amount of shots as Chauncey? Flip, get a clue and be forceful in the face of such shit. Can you?
I’d love to be inside Joe D’s head right now. I’m sure he sees himself in a headlock w/ Chauncy grinning that stupid ‘we’re still better’ grin of his counting $$$.
And here’s the ringer, if we do come back? People will be all about that instead of the reason we needed the heroics in the first place.
I’m ill.
That was a brutal, BRUTAL, third quarter.
mwhyte72, I think the 2 quarters in the 1st game and the first 3 quarters of this game are not going to be forgotten. I know I won’t forget it.
The Pistons can come back and possibly win, and everyone will cheer, but nobody in their right mind will take away an air of dominance out of this Detroit Soft Boys team.
I think it is becoming more clear every minute that this is the last run of this core. Even IF we win this series, the statement is being made that this group has no more answers to playoff situations. Philly is possibly the worst team in the playoffs! Not that this organization can’t continue to contend but this story with this group has gotten so old. I can’t wait for the post game comments about “hey, we’ve been here before…..” Like a broken record.
I really hate following the Pistons, the last few years this team has sucked the fun out of being a fan. I almost give them a pass for the Miami series in light of the way the games were called in the Finals. Last year was like a personal insult the way we just f-ing gave up against Cleveland, and now it’s happening all over again. This team has quit on its coach, on its general manager, and on its fans.
Keegan, if Amir doesn’t get any playing time tonight the only people that will be happy are Flip and Sauce
Last 10:41 of 3rd quarter = 0 field goals by Detroit.
19 turnovers in the game.
Half of it’s Philly. The other half is “we’re the better team.”
I’m gonna throw this out there, are the Pistons shaving points? I mean, this effort is so pathetic, so unashamedly bad, that I have to ask the question.
Well said Other Matt. That’s what it feels like the last 3 years in the post season. A whole lotta talk and even more BAD post=season basketball.
Since when can’t we bull into the paint? Theo had a good post-up there. Wow, got an 8-on-5. Maybe Mr. Smooth Choke and Tanny Flip Nodder will realize how you can get beat by Cleveland AND Philly doing what they’re doing. Wait, that would mean that both those guys can see the big picture. They can’t.
Sad that it takes a goal tend to score.
This game is over, why is Theo in and not Amir?
I’m actually looking forward now to the one time that Philly finally drives hard (w/out getting fouled) and jams. If for no other reason than to embarrass us further.
Give it to me.
sit down bitch
We would have to be pretty obtuse to make a worse use of the bench than Flip. Not just in this series, either. The bench is deep enough that if 2 o 3 guys don´t have it on a particular game, you can turn to other players who will bring positive things to the table. Hustle and heart, for one! Look, Flip, maybe you can´t understand it, maybe you can´t give rational reasons for it, but the young ones make good things happen. Maybe you wish it wasn´t the case, but guess what? Amir and Afflalo can and often help this team.9 minutes left, 5 points from the bench…
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! There were like 4 fouls on that possession and now they’re in the bonus for the rest of the game.
Flip absolutely had to get T’d up there (I’ve long had that complaint about him, not nearly firey enough). Pathetic.
57-78…I say we’re screwed. What the hell is wrong with these Pistons.
You know, Billups should think about keeping quiet about being down 3-1, 3-0, and it doesn’t matter to him. Because what is he going to do about his better team if they’re down 4-1?
Pitiful.
This is so pathetic.
Where´s the rebounding? One of the most worrying trends of all…
If it ain’t rough, it ain’t right. Or very good.
Pass until you’re so frantic that you’re facing the clock and then turn it over because nobody is willing to go inside.
Nice.
Scrubs.
There is no defense for why this team drops 2 games if not the series to Philly. None. Even all of the reluctant, panic button pushers have to be nervous. We are seeing the same flaws that we displayed all season long be exposed.
I’m still watching to see a fight break out between Hamilton and someone.
Antonio’s the rebounding. But Antonio’s a no-win player. Rebounds, but average defense and a spotty shot that everyone encourages him to shoot out of when it doesn’t fall. Turnover machine - pure pop-shot player. But we need him as the other post said, specifically, due to the fact that rebounding is really streaky without him.
really? is this really going down? Does anyone on our squad have any sense of pride?
Detroit: where fucking up “the real season” becomes a way of life.
Rasheed doesn’t even care. That was like the third lob to Dalembert in a row. You know if he was thinking about the game, he’d be looking for it. But he doesn’t even care. At least Hayes contested it.
This is such an unlikeable team, wow. Flip has to be gone, even if we get to ECFs right?
We can’t beat the 7th seed how could we ever beat Boston?
I’ve never jumped on this bandwagon before, but I feel the need. Flip Saunders just doesn’t have it together. He doesn’t know what the f*ck to do. We’re deep… use what you have! WHY is Juan Dixon in street clothes?
Either that or none of these guys give a care about what plays he calls or what he says. They do whatever they want, and shame on them.
I’ve watched, like most of us this entire season. And I’m by no means a hater or fair weather, but I’ve seen this before from this team. And I’m scared I’m gonna see it again.
We’ll get out of this round. But 7 games? Pretty weak. And the rest of the playoffs. I cringe.
the whole bench is playing…what the fuck?
Now flip puts amir and afllalo in? what a piece of crap. You didnt think they deserved a shot at earlier even though half of our squad decided to skip showing up to the arena today?
This game is on the players. Flip didn’t turn the ball over 20 million times.
The only thing I can think of is that it was really ugly bloody scene in the lockerroom trying to stop the bleeding in McDyess’s nose and everybody was really concerned with his health. Other than that, they laid the biggest egg I’ve seen in a LONG time in an important game.
I was urging calm after game 1, I am in full blown PANIC mode now. This is unforgivable to me and I may not come back full time watching every game and following everything unless there is a major change because I’m done being invested in this pile of shit.
Hey Chauncey, are you going to consider game 4 as a “must win” now?
okay, now im convince that complacency exist in the blood of these pistons players, especially the starters! so to all the people who said there isn’t any complacency in this team such as keith langlois, matt watson, and to others, obviously they were in complete in denial and wanted to make the pistons in disbelief.
I can only hope that public outcry now will be so loud that front office can’t avoid it any longer.
I’ve been on the fence all season with Flip. I’ve even given Flip the benefit of the doubt, that he has changed this team, but a 20 or more point lead through-out the whole 4th quarter is ridiculous. This should not be happening, especially, if you are suppose to make adjustments during half-time. And things have gotten even worst. I’m not happy at all about the performances of Chauncey and the coaching of Flip. Something needs to be done, seriously.
-Starts to climb over the “Fire Flip” side of the fence-
Flip: “Just so people don´t come after me for not playing the young ones, I´m going to put them in when the game is hopelessly lost. Maybe no one will notice if the box-score says they played…”
Keep dreaming, Flip. Why not when the game is on the line? Because we could lose? Oops…
camera on Billups has him not even caring. WTF? Time to take it serious Pistons.
no flip didnt turn the ball over 20 million times. He wasnt missing wide open shots and he wasnt missing free throws. He also wasnt coaching. What do you think a coach is? just a cheerleader? You don’t think the lack of focus has anything to do with the head coach? You don’t think flip could have done something to slow down the bleeding?
Kelser:
What was missing - Rasheed’s play inside.
Rasheed and Antonio, 4 points combined.
Kelser just compared Philly to Golden State. Anyone nervous now?
Another team Pistons fail for the national media to lap up and run with . . . . thanks Billups, Detroit could be down any number of games and you’re the better team, I know what you mean man, no honest, I’m sorry I’m chuckling, I can’t help it . . .
and by the way whoever is gna say or keep using “they (pistons) been there” F*** THAT!!!! THAT IS WHAT’S MAKING THEM LOSE GAMES, WHENEVER THEY THINK THAT WAY!!!
Frustrating..embarrasing..disgraceful..
I could only imagine if San Antonio played like this. Popovich would light em up in the locker room. What do you think the odds are of Flip getting fiery and telling them this is unacceptable? It’s staggering how little control he has over this team.
Game 1 I was on Flip, Game 3 I am on the team for losing. I think Joe Dumar should coach the Piston starting Game 4 this Sunday.
Andre Miller didn’t just burn Billups bad . . . Flip took him off Andre at times. Andre tore up Stuckey, too.
So how many times are we going to watch a point guard slash and burn our defense before it becomes a sitcom?
I have officially switched to the Hornets v. Mavericks game now. Anyone care to join me?
Apparently we have to be up by 20 or down by 20 for Amir to get on the floor.
If we drop another game in this series, I’d be ready go get behind firing Flip during the playoffs.
This sucks.
joejoejoe… that’s bullshit and you know it bro. Flip doesn’t wear shorts and sneakers either, so the entire blame falls on those that do? Game 3 has always been a problem for Detroit, whether on their home court or on the road. They always play complacent, bullshit basketball in Game 3.
If I can see it, then why can’t a coach who is getting paid millions can’t see it?
I’m with you “Mr Monday” At least Dallas and Hornets are playing their hearts out.
joejoejoe, laying a major egg in a really important game isn’t on the coach? Not even a little bit? Read my post from above about there’s been no adjustments. Our game plan is “stop Iguodala”. There’s no substitution pattern and when we get in foul trouble and injured and absolutely must go to the bench they’re tight because they haven’t played and the rotation is all f-ed up.
I’m already joined the Fire Flip movement tonight because this was disgraceful. I’m seriously contemplating joining the “Trade Everybody” movement because you’re right, it is on the players. Nothing has changed since 2005. We’re living on one title and one-almost-title when we’ve come up empty two straight times (three overall). This team buys it’s own hype and the only way to change that is to change the makeup of the team.
wow…Larry Brown resigned as vice president of the Sixers. Looks like Brown is going back to Detroit is Joe Dumar has anything to say about it.
I also hate how Flip is so careful to “coach beyond reproach.” If he were to sit Dice for a while this game and play Amir and we lose by 2, what happens? Chris McCosky scream bloody murder, talks about how great Dice was in Game 2, how Amir is too young, etc. But what colunist is going to criticize him for playing Ratliff or Hunter? Hey they’re wily veterans!
I wonder if Thad Young was intimidated by Ratliff’s age?
And you know what was really great coaching? The line 1/line 2 hockey bullshit rotation we had at the end of the year. Because clearly the way to build a bench is to play them exclusively as a 5-man unit when you have no intention of ever using said combination of players in a playoff game.
Philly is beating us the same way we used to beat teams back in the early 2000s: Playing hardnoise defense and causing turnovers. How ironic…
I’ve been a big “Fire Flip” guy for the past season and a half but this goes beyond Flip. This group thinks they are better than they are. When they won that title in ‘04 they were OVERACHIEVERS. Ever since Big Shot Bob broke our hearts this team has been fatally flawed and transformed into a group of UNDERACHIEVERS. I love the Pistons but it gets harder and harder to get behind this group when the same things occurs over and over.
I can wonder if Philly paid for every secret Larry Brown could conjure for notes on the Pistons.
Following the game through the internet at work. This series could always build character like being down to Orlando 3-1, Nets 3-2, Heat 3-2, and Spus 2-0…or it could turn out like Cleveland last season. Right now it’s even money that they could lose this series, or make it back to the Conference Finals (I still think both Orlando and Toronto matchup pretty poorly against Detroit) But I have a hard time envisioning them beating Boston. They appear way more focused than Detroit. I do think Atlanta is good for a game in that series though.
Welcome to the ‘trade everybody’ camp, Other Matt. Too bad we can’t dish Chauncy w/ that contract. With Rip’s becoming more and more erratic (playing and attitude) his value is up/down all the time, Dyess will retire and ‘Sheed will… I don’t know what he’ll do.
I mean really, where do you start and what’s available to you in way of coach or players?
It’s ugly. No way around it.
Wow. I’m numb. That’s just……….pitiful. For a professional basketball team. Wow.
I think the team needs to be shaken up, much like when Joe D traded Stackhouse for Rip. Bring in a guy like Josh Smith from Atlanta, who can get his own buckets off hustle plays and also help Sheed on D.
“Sauce1977″ you know I have never thought of that.
This game was an absolute failure across the board. Tay-tay is on fire? “Why give him the ball?” Chauncey can´t make a 3-pointer? “Let´s keep trying, we are taking such good care of the ball we can waste possessions!” We are getting killed on the boards? “Who needs Amir?”
“This series could always build character like being down to Orlando 3-1, Nets 3-2, Heat 3-2, and Spus 2-0…or it could turn out like Cleveland last season.”
The biggest problem with that statement is that this series shouldn’t be a character-building series. It should be a take-a-steaming-dump-on-Philly-and-their-fans series where Detroit lays a beat down on them and doesn’t look back.
oh and by the way…whoevers gonna blame flip saunders for this is a f****** complete idiot!!!! flip doesn’t need to have control and tell them what they need to do with double digit turnover after the half (even though he should) the f***** players should know already on what to do!!!!!
probably shouldn’t have watched the 2004 championship video last night. sigh.
“mwhyte72″ I’ll tell you what Sheed will do. If the Pistons get eliminated he’ll probably kill everyone on the team. Either that or he’ll just go straight to his car and drive home without changing.
Oh “ric” I am so not on the “Fire Flip” bandwagon anymore. The starters were all to blame for this shitty display. Joe Dumar has to be flipping at this very moment.
im still with our pistons win or lose in this series coz im a true fan, but joe needs to start thinking about the trading 1-2 starter for next season. dyes, sheed, prince, rip and billups. 1-2 of these players has this complacency and this contagious!!!!
mwhyte, I’m not quite there yet. But I feel the same way UTEP2STEP does. This team has been fatally flawed. They are certainly talented enough to win another title (or two), but they’re physically incapable of focusing long enough and playing hard enough over the course of a 7 game series against a good team to do so.
I find it interesting that those of us who have been cautious about Flip are moving into the “Fire Flip” camp and those who were already there are moving into the “Trade Everybody” camp.
-Starting to get flashbacks of last year’s ECF and the year before-
I feel sick.
Theo’s the sub of the game on four points and 2 blocks!!!! GREAT!!!
Like Amir can’t F-ing do that and jump out of the gym while he’s at it.
Chauncey is a choker. He is a total choker.
Diesel said something on WDFN that was completely, plainly true.
“People quit tonight.”
Joe D should coach. And at this point he should probably suit up and play, too. He could probably hit a 3 or two.
WHERE IS LAWYER??????
YOU ARE A FRAUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How are your Pistons now BIG SHOT?
STOP UNDERESTIMATING THE SIXERS and STOP OVERESTIMATING YOUR PISTONS!
Atleast you’ll have 2 facemasks for Game 4.
Choke on it Pistons!
Nobody has ever done so little to earn the nickname Mr. Big Shot.
thanks for letting me know hb, joe has provided what this team needs to be energize in the playoffs….less minute in the reg season, amazing supporting cast…what else can he for these starters to play better…its time to shop around the league!!!!!
Maybe the whole team needs to be hypnotized or something to get that flaw out of them. I heard it works great for getting smokers to stop smoking.
BTW, Lindsey Hunter truly is a coach on the floor. He produces exactly what an average NBA head coach would produce if you suited him up and put him on the court.
Joe D wouldn’t do any better trying to motivate these guys than Flip does. He’d surely do better w/ the match ups and substutions but that’s not it right now. It’s the motivation.
Right about now give me a screamer, give me somebody who’s willing to stand up and say, ‘you’re playing like a bitch, sit down’.
It’s not a “trade everybody camp” but it’s pretty clear, even if we make the ECF that this team may have peaked and some changes are necessary. The Miami thing was one, Cleveland, last year (and Chicago series) was two, and this is basically rock bottom for a perrenial contender. Right? Dropping 2 games to PHILLY?! Inexcusable.
David, Philly’s just gonna run into the buzzsaw that we would.
even Isaih Thomas couldn’t coach these guys. I want Larry Brown back.
I missed the game. I looked up the score and now I just feel sick. How did that happen?
Look, for those who think placing some blame on Saunders is ridiculous, keep this in mind: many of us don´t think it´s all his fault. We complain because there are legitimate reasons to do so, but if the Pistons still were a hardworking, hungry team, they would find a way to win games. On a percentage basis, I honestly think 65% of the mess rests solely on the starters´s shoulders.
I personally don´t want the entire core to be traded. My biggest beef is with Chauncey, and unfortunately his skillset is one of the least expendable. As long as he remains the PG of the team, I think they will underachieve. With his recently anointed contract, I guess Joe D will have to be very creative to turn things around.
“JesseC” don’t find out because it was pretty bad. Like game 7 against Cleveland bad.
It obviously doesn’t mean anything, but it’s kind of ironic that Afflalo and Amir are the only Pistons with +/- > 0.
One note on LB. Great Coach but sucks at life. He’s a slimeball.
If it wasn’t such a team choke effort, then I’d encourage a call-out nasty-fest in those lockers. Right now, there’s too much ammo to pass around to pull a successful sesssion.
I actually don’t think Philly is as bad as everyone seems to think they are. That said, we should absolutely not be losing more than 1 game to them.
How about Joe D going out and trade Billups for Gilbert Arenas from WAshington? I mean the Pistons seemed to be getting a Wizard player for each season. Arenas’ contract is up after this season anyway.
Also, when we’re winning, isn’t in fun to say things like “Rasheed’s such a good teammate, he doesn’t want to take over games. He is the most talented player in the NBA”? Today he was 1-6 with 2 points, 5 boards and 4 To’s. I’ll take a big fat douchebag of a teammate who shows up every game.
Trade rumors after game 3 of an opening series. AWESOME and terrible at the same time.
Other Matt - I’m not defending Flip or damning him. I’m just saying that Flip can’t make free throws and take care of the basketball.
This game is either a freak glitch or it’s a bigger problem. If it’s a bigger problem like the players not being on the same page as Flip (like last year) then some of that blame goes on Joe Dumars for not fixing it. I’m not going to kill Flip Saunders for BEING Flip Saunders. Joe Dumars obviously saw the ability to grow and change from last year. If Flip is the same, it’s poor judgement by Joe for hiring a less-than-championship quality coach. It’s also possible that the Pistons have less-than-championship quality personnel.
My view about all sports is the better team always wins. The answer is for the Pistons to be better than the Sixers. It’s that simple.
“UTEP2STEP” I was kidding about wanting Brown back. He’ll probably be here for 1-2 months then looking for another high paying job.
Larry Brown? Please, no. He was great during a specific time in Detroit. We can´t be pining for a return to the past, it´s what has the starters in this mess. Detroit needs to change drastically its make-up, not give up on everything it stands for.
dgbutt…..are u halucinating!!!????? did u take ur pills today???? did u see how chauncey played tonight!!!? but i wouldn’t mind larry brown taking the head coach but not because flip was the one to blame for this team losing but because a coach with a focus on defensive plays fits better in the pistons.
Philly’s a solid defense. Their offense has been getting some mad-lucky shots though. Dalembert is hitting 16 footers he shouldn’t even be taking. When Andre Miller’s not too busy tearing us up off the cut, he’s making a few lucky shots of his own. Reggie Evans is this year’s Jerome James, but the oddity (I just checked) is that he’s already signed at a 4-5 mil/per range through 2011. In particular, Evans has always had frenetic defense, when the officials let him play that way and swallow the whistle . . . it’s his offense - it’s waaaaaaaaaaay over his head. Evans would be lucky to set off a bigger stretch of games than these for the rest of his career.
Rasheed is 100% one of the chief quitters tonight.
Ric, what was so admirable about Chauncey´s play tonight? I´m curious.
I still don’t think it’s time to panic. Obviously there was a major lack of effort out there tonight. But if the Pistons come back and win 3 straight, everybody, EVERYONE HERE, will shut their mouths and love the Pistons again.
It’s actually pretty despicable that so many “fans” on this website are so fairweather. It’s win or bust. Why don’t you take that attitude and go to Boston, where the rest of the fairweathers are.
You have to believe in your team, in the organization, and follow them all to the end (which we are far from, by the way. Just in case you can’t count to 4…). There will be adjustments made, there will be changes in attitude. Take it easy and be Pistons fans, damn it!
I think we are seeing the fundamental flaw of a team with no superstar. Who is the leader of this team? Who steps up and says f this, we can’t control whether we hit shots, but we can clean up the turnovers and not get outrebounded.
Consider this. Both Cleveland and Detroit played awful Game 3’s and need to bounce back. Which team will have an easier time doing that (forgetting for a moment that Washington is better than Philly)? I’d argue Cleveland really just needs LeBron to go nuts, and everyone else will fall in line. But for us to turn it around, EVERYONE has to decide to put in effort. You might object and say “but LeBron is the best player in the league, it’s unfair to compare anyone to him” — but you also probably think the Pistons are better than the Cavs. Which leaves me to question: which team concept makes more sense?
Hey everyone. Let’s see how the Pistons do this Sunday? Then we can go full on about all kind of shits because it is still too early to judge on two loss games.
Philly chanting “Detroit Fallin off” was pretty sobering…
Brad, I don’t mean this in a mean-spirited way at all, but I find some irony in telling people on a blog that averages 200 comments per playoff game not to critique their team
No, I’ll still complain. This is horrendous play that echoes the past two years. If I hadn’t seen it all before, that’d be different. But it’s the same crap over and over.
It’s to the point where I bristle when I hear the phrase “Detroit basketball” as in, “they need to just play Detroit basketball.”
This IS Detroit basketball.
Sobering stat of the game: Slammin Sammy Dalembert had as many boards as all of our bigs put together (I’m counting Sheed + Dice + Max + Amir + Rattler).
I’m in Washington D.C. and just realized that the Wizard laid the smackdown on Cleveland yesterday. I guess Game 3 is the turn around game. If that is true then the Suns is going to take the Spurs to school tonight.
The Suns are one of the biggest cake-teams of the league. They absolutely can’t respond to the slightest adversity. The Spurs are totally in their heads at this point.
@ Brad Bice - No, they win 3 straight and I’m still going to be angry that they had to take it to 7, had to come back from 3 half’s of really, really ugly basketball. Say they do win the next 3 and then lose the next round. When the excuse floats that they were tired, beat up following the series w/ Philly what are you going to say then?
Fairweather? We’re passionate about a team that we know can do so much better. If they played hard the entire playoffs, never slept and lost in the ECF then I’m fine w/ that. I don’t necessarily want wins, I want serious effort, serious heart and I’m not seeing it on a consistent basis from this squad.
Just because I question the heart, question the organization’s moves, it doesn’t make me less of a fan.
Speaking of Detroit Basketball, anyone catch when the Philly commentator yelled “Detroit” and the Philly crowd yelled basketball? To your point Keegan, I think it was probably more appropriate than they intended.
Brad Bice, yes, if the Pistons win 3, we will love them. Even if they don´t. We love them right now, as a matter of fact. But for some of us, loving the team doesn´t mean not criticizing it. Haven´t we got legitimate reasons to find the Pistons´s effort lacking? I get that you and many others prefer saying everything will undoubtedly turn out for the best, but it´s not fair to declare that it is the only way to be a true Pistons fan.
Brad Bice, I won’t shut my mouth.
3 wins vs. Philly doesn’t erase the sickening underachievement of 2 losses to a sub-500 club. It’s a tough club, and it’s the toughest sub-500 club I’ve seen, but the world will absolutely not care about anything but Philly as defined by that record in triumph over a lazy Dallas-like club. The Pistons have totally eroded any respect they could have had by handling their business this week. 1-2 is not handling it.
If Boston gets into a hole, during this run, nobody is going to say, “well, Sam Cassell won championships with the Rockets back in the 90s, so . . .” - that’s essentially what Billups is doing this year. He hasn’t lived one game yet. He’s referring to the past, and he should remember that you’re only as good as your last series. That last series was 4 straight chokes to Cleveland. We had a 5th choke and a total stinker tonight. That’s a pretty weak 2nd season team, even if Detroit turns it around from here.
Detroit has to play for today, every day. Isiah can look back on his playing days. So can Joe, Laimbeer, everyone - but not Chauncey. He’s proved that someone should take away his rear view mirrors.
C’mon Forty, if it ain’t rough, it ain’t right, you know that.
@Forty: I’m not saying don’t critique them. Not at all. They played horrible We should let them know that. But to call for their heads? To say “Fire Flip” and “Trade the team away”? That’s silly.
Yeah, if playoff series were just decided by which team Chauncey thinks is better, we’d be working on our 5th straight title!
Brad-You are probably talking to a large percentage of the HARDCORE PISTON fan base and NBA fanbase. Your attitude is a little unrealistic. I didn’t panic after game 1 but getting blown out by a 7 seed? BY 20?! Yeah, I’m gonna panic. Stop reading all the post game comments and form an opinion of your own. Anything less than a Ring is a wasted season for this group. I will always be a Piston fan and always have but this storyline of talking big about the playoffs and than crapping their collective shorts against teams that they are better than is a rerun. I can’t, for my own sake, continue to drink the Kool-Aid. I will sip. I suggest you do the same.
Oh, and Forty, agreed on the “a superstar can make good things happen more easily when things are bad than a team where nobody thinks of himself as the leader.”
@Dg.But & Sauce1977: Same thing. I’m not saying don’t criticize them! God, you guys are so damn angry. I’m just saying it’s crazy how quickly people turn. You can’t tell me that the same percentage of people weren’t calling for Flip’s head after the game 1 loss. It’s absolutely insane. No one is happy unless the Pistons absolutely dominate every single game.
Forty with Line of the Year, right there.
Bice, I gotta break this to you. If they lose this series, somebody’s (and probably more) getting a bus ticket out of town.
I know I was one of the Pistons biggest apologists after game 1, but right now I feel stupid. This team has had its wakeup call, it slept through it and has now missed the bus.
I thought they should’ve made a move this past summer.
Brad, I hear you that it’s easy to overreact to one game. And we’re all guilty of it at times. But I don’t think the sample is that small here. Since Flip has been the coach of this team, we’ve really failed as an organization to perform to our ability. Between Cleveland and Miami in ‘06, Cleveland (and to a lesser extent Chicago) in ‘07, and now Philly in ‘08 — we don’t seem to play as well as we look on paper. And I think it’s common to associate the failure to turn good on paper to good in practice with poor coaching. You may think Flip shouldn’t be fired — that’s a defensible position. But I think it’s tougher to argue that people are crazy for even suggesting it.
Brad, it’s come down to Billups for me.
Talk all you want, Chauncey, but bring it. Ben Wallace was a damn liar about goin’ to work, lovin’ Detroit, and all that nonsense. He killed his legacy. Chauncey’s busy doing that right now. Nobody’s going to care one damn bit about what he did in 2003 if it ends like this. You’re damn right we’re angry. We want to cheer this team, cherish, remember, heckle opponents and their fans, and we can’t do any of that. All the Pistons did tonight was dump trash on our doorstep.
@UTEP2STEP: I have formed an opinion of my own. “It’s not time to panic.” I opened my initial comment with that statement. And not all of the hardcore Pistons fans read DBB (though they should.) Not EVERYONE is calling for major changes. Hey, it was my first reaction after this horrible game. But after thinking about it, there’s no way the Pistons will have a terrible game like this again. Things went horribly through 2.5 quarters, and they gave up. They’ll save their energy for Sunday.
If they lose game 4? Yeah, panic time.
I don´t know, Keegan, I think UTEP2STEP´s “I will always be a Piston fan and always have but this storyline of talking big about the playoffs and than crapping their collective shorts against teams that they are better than is a rerun” also nails our fellings with accuracy.
We’re also real, Brad. We know the Pistons would be in for a huge fight against Boston. We didn’t expect Detroit to play like a 32-50 club through the first 3 games of the playoffs. This is some serious bullshit, and nobody on here is over-reacting.
Pistons are 4-8 in their last 12 playoff games. Not good.
Lol, we’ll vote on it at the end, put it on a plaque, and mail it to Joe.
“How about Joe D going out and trade Billups for Gilbert Arenas from WAshington?”
NO, Gilbert has been rumored to have some really serious career ending knee issues. Yes, he is playing right now but there is word out that he may never fully recover from these knee injuries, making him a liability.
Also, I would be very mad if the Pistons go to 7 games and win this series,(I’m mad right now, that we have to atleast go to 6 games with this team). This should be a “4 and out” or a “5 and out” but the Pistons are letting 76ers make this an actual series. It would have to take a complete sweep and then some in the next round to get this bitter taste out my mouth.
I still like Detroit over Philly, and I think we probably get by Orlando too. But I think Boston is actually better on paper than we are. And somehow I see them as being a little bit less likely than us to give a game away by laying an egg. While I have no way of proving it, I think KG may have kidnapped Kendrick Perkins’ family before the playoffs and told him if he doesn’t hustle for every loose ball he’s going to start breaking knees.
I don’t want to try and keep up a me vs. DBB argument here. I’m not trying to go against the grain. I was just saying that I don’t think it’s time to start calling for firings and trades just yet. You may be right, and the next few days will tell. But I don’t want to try and argue with everybody.
I think matchups are a huge part of the NBA. Obviously the 76ers match up very well. Orlando would too, and of course, Boston. Any other team we’d take care of much easier. Philly has beaten us 4/5 games. It’s going to take massive adjustments that I think can be made. We’ll see.
That’s why they play the games! Peace to everyone
When things take a turn for the worse, these Pistons´s excuse always is that they save their energy for the next game (even if it´s never a must-win game according to Chauncey). How is that the sign of a hardworking, blue-collar team?
Brad- I hope they do but there are no “fair weather fans” here. The real fans are realistic fans. Even if they pound Philly 3 straight by 35 points a game, the same thing that has poisoned us for 3 years has already surfaced. Complacency. Taking games off. You just can’t do that and this team just fails to learn that. It’s frustrating, hence the negativity.
Brad, I don’t want you to feel like we’re attacking you. I think I’m about as defensive as the rest of the people showing up right now. I get what you’re saying, and some of this is over the top.
Some of us have watched a LOT of this team’s basketball. We remember that they beat the crap out of championship-caliber teams, and they play down to the weaker opponents. Right now, it seems like it doesn’t matter what level Philly brings . . . Detroit will slink right under it. That limbo feeling isn’t good.
No Zoo Crew again tonight and no win again tonight.
Well the consolation is that Ratliff and Hunter won’t be back next year and probably Flip won’t be either unless he starts playing the Zoo Crew in the 2nd quarter starting Sunday.
So yeah, Brad, I’m sorry.
We developed a bench throughout the season, and what happens? Where the hell is Amir? Flip doesn’t think he can handle these guys? Midway through game 1 when I didn’t see Amir I knew Flip was going to bail on him through the series. And now being down 2-1, you know Flip is going to shorten up his bench even more. “Fire Flip” is exactly what should be said if they don’t make it to the ’ship. This should have been a sweep, no questions asked. The Pistons can’t claim elite status when they continually fail to show up for the easy one’s.
I don’t think it’s necessarily a case of fans being fair weather, but if you want to see some real overreacting/panic, go back and read the Detroit Tigers Weblog comments during the 0-7 start. One dude started saying that Cabrera was a bust like 4 or 5 games in. He was only signed for like 1,300 games after that, but hey — it’s never too early to rush to judgment!
I hope you´re right, Brad Bice, and the Pistons manage to make the necessary adjustments in the next days. I´m sure they can, but I think, deep down, something is rotten in Detroit. How many wake-up calls that still haven´t made a lasting impression?
But yes, we would all prefer, I think, to win this championship and make the necessary adjustments for the franchise after leaving on a high note.
The adjustment to make is very simple.
Play the Zoo Crew as a unit in the 2nd quarter like we were doing the last month of the year with great success even against teams competing for a playoff spot.
Dump Hunter and Ratliff.
Even Herrmann would be more effective than Ratliff
I also love how, after ridiculous losses like this, there’s no game recap on pistons.com for quite awhile. But if they beat Minnesota in a meaningless early-April stretch game, that sucker’s up their with press conference footage immediately.
It’s all good, Sauce1977. I’m glad that even though we’re pissed off we can still be cool with each other.
If it ain’t over 30 and unathletic, it ain’t right
Brad, I take a little exception when you start throwing around the “fair weather” label. I grew up going to Piston games, I was on the bandwagon before the unexpected 50 win season. I’m never not going to be a die-hard Piston fan. When I say things like “I might not follow full time unless changes are made” it’s just emotional bullsh*t after a bad loss.
I think a large collection of us have spent a lot of money and effort following this team, posting on a blog about them, getting out to home games, road games, shelling out for season pass, consuming every bit of Pistons related info, buying jerseys, shirts, championship DVDs, and everything else. All I want is an honest effort. I got one in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005. I have not got an honest effort from these guys since then. And tonight certainly wasn’t. It’s sickening. I’m not saying I deserve it because I’ve followed them so much, but we’ve all earned the right to come here and bitch about what was one of the most disgraceful efforts this side of Michigan vs. Appalachian State.
I was very careful before the playoffs to say that I wasn’t on the “Fire Flip” bandwagon, and might not get on even if we lost to Boston in the East Finals. I would be able to live with that loss if we gave an honest to goodness effort and they were just the better team. But it’s pretty clear that it doesn’t matter. These guys have bought into their own hype and something has to change. I’m not sure if it’s the players, but it damn sure needs to be the person who prepares them (at the very least).
Read this, and tell me that Abbott didn’t mistake the ’sign’ for Coach Saunders.
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-32-117/The-Sixers-vs–the-Starlings.html
And I’d also like to say that I’m down with opposing view points. If you think you’re right, stick to your guns, all I’m trying to do is articulate the anger and frustration I have after watching whatever that was.
Well said, Other Matt. Well said.
OT; Have I mentioned how much I love Jeff Van Gundy as a commentator? He’s doing the Spurs/Suns game right now.
Amazing how all of you turn on yourselves…you won 59 games this year, 5 straight seasons in ECF’s or better….you have run into a buzzsaw this series…it happens.
But actually,. you’re right, your time HAS passed…it happens. Focus on the future..best of luck with Amir, Maxiel and Stuckye…Pistons in ‘12…YEAH!!!
PS….Sixers in 6!
David: I don’t think we’re turning on ourselves; we’re just frustrated by a complete lack of effort from our guys. It’s hard to stomach, and it gets tiring after a few years even for the most die-hard fans.
How ’bout them Sixers?
LB:
I wonder what the spread on Bodog was tonight. But seriously, I never saw this game coming. I will tell you, however, the 2nd half was the Sixers A game, no doubt. When they’ve played well this year, it looks a lot like tonight, except Igoudala plays better. Prince is in his head or something.
No, David, I’d say everybody here’s pretty united.
Luckily for your guys, they ran into us. It seems to work wonders for a lot of teams that face us. I’ll always treasure your astute observations, though, thank you.
You should be frustrated, but I’m glad you are cause most of you on here were so god damn arrogant about your Pistons and after game 2 you were even cockier saying Pistons in 5. NO RESPECT for one of the hottest teams in the NBA since Feb 5th…..no respect=early exit…..thanks for the memories.
Get ready for 7 games, people. Detroit won 59 games this year, I think it’s safe to say no team has played you like this yet.
Bro, if your team won almost 60 games, and faced a sub-.500 team in the first round, you’d probably assume your guys would win handily as well.
Hats off to the Sixers, they hustle their asses off. Our team can’t or won’t. The Sixers actually limped into the playoffs over the last dozen games, and they STILL are taking it to us.
Anyway, I got this sweet 2005-2006 SP Game Used Rookie Exclusives Auto of Louis Williams I’m gonna put on EBay. A first round exit might nab me a cool $100, at least.
But…why flame a board where the regulars are tearing apart the team in worse ways than you can even muster?
your “regulars” are too busy nit picking on a team that won 59 games this year. Respect the opponent more mand you’d be more accepting. Things run in cylcles, you’ve had a good run for the last 6 years, time to start a new regime, bring back Isiah or something. I hear Laimbeer could use a job (besides local drunk)
Unfortunately I forgot that Blaha was calling on TV20, and watched this whole thing on ESPN2. (Though Jon Barry and the other guy weren’t that bad)
How were Blaha and Kelser handling it all?
As hard as it is for people to accept we only won 59 games this year because the Zoo Crew played in the regular rotation for the second half of the year.
If we had used the same rotation during the year as we have used in this series we probably would have won between 45 and 50 games.
Ok, so I missed the game tonight due to work! Yes, I was pissed at first.
So….
Tay- 8-9….seems like he was the only one that could make a basket tonight. ONLY 8 SHOTS!?!?!?
Sheed- WOW, He was nowhere on O or on D…1 of 6 shooting….WTF!?!?!?!?! WHY ONLY 6 SHOTS???????????????
Rip- 9-18, what more could he do, i guess
Chauncey- 2-11, he is NOT the same player he was a few years ago!! NOT EVEN CLOSE!!! Hmmmm…..but, if he isnt scoring….why hardly any assists??? AND DOES CHAUNCEY PLAY D ANYMORE!?!?!?!?!?!?
Stuckey- love’em, he is young, aggressive, strong,fast…learning the game…1-7 tonight, guess he was following chaunceys lead!!
Max- WTF!!!! 0 SHOT ATTEMPTS, no rebound put backs??? NOTHING!?!?!?!? COME ON!!!!! Was he moving tonight at all!?!?!?
Theo- got mins bcuz dyess was hurt…and was TOTALLY UN-PRODUCTIVE!!!! 2 rebounds in 13 minutes….SCREW PLAYINGAMIR????!!! F U Flip saunders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jarvis- Spose to be our BEST pure shooter….and he probably would be if he ever got consistent mins….1-7, 9 mins!!!!!!!!
AMIR JOHNSON & Afflalo- YEA, THEY GOT IN WITH 6 MINUTES LEFT AND THE GAME WAS OVER!!!!! Even though Dalembert was going off on us because he is young abd athletic….so nahhhhhhhhhh lets not put our young athletic guy on him….that would be stupid!!!!
I was saying at the beginning of the season I do not like Flip,,,,now I AM YELLING IT!!!!!! He can not motivate, he can not adjust…..there is no reason we should be losing like this!!!!
Granted, I did not see the game tonight. But I am a four year season tix holder, including this year, and was @ games 1 and 2. I may be selling my tix for the remaining games…..
Nice Laimbeer blast with no basis in reality. Reggie Evans actually sexually assaulted Chris Kaman. Hell, he’s figuratively doing it to the entire Pistons team right now.
Last I heard, Blaha and Kelser were holed up watching the Tayshaun block on repeat, chanting “Ask Flip what happened” over and over.
Without a good coach the Pistons are merely an avergae team when it matters. Carlisle was good, Brown was very good, Saunders is weak. Your team needs good coaching cause its players lack heart and desire. You suspected it, everyone else knows it.
Dont get me wrong…I give Phily a lot of credit…they are built to be very good for the next couple years. They are out hussling, they want it more!!! Which again, if flip saunders can not motivate this team to play hard EVERY night, ESPECIALLY NOW IN THE PLAYOFFS, GET RID OF HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is no excuse for this!!!!!!!!!
David,
We aren’t the team. We know Philly’s a tough opponent. And we knew it before you started to comment. We give ‘em credit.
Rick Nation Lives!!!!!!!!!
Give me 69-65 box scores all day, baby!
PS -
http://www.hoopsstats.com/basketball/fantasy/nba/standings/08/19
Sixers were the 9th hottest team since All-Star weekend. Detroit? 8th. Facts. Learn ‘em.
I wanted to grab scott skiles as a coach, someone that will get in these guys face, and if you do not produce on the court, then you do not play, i dont care who you are or how much you make….as how flip coaches….
Sauce, your team is soft, your coach is weak and your comments are old……I hope you have your health….see ya on Sunday night
phily was not that hot entering the playoffs…..no disrespect to phily, but they should have been lucky to win one game against us!
On a positive note, the Suns are getting stomped.
yeah, so they’ve won 2 now…what’s your point? Soft, weak, outclassed, Pistons of ‘07-’08 legacy.
Everybody step back from the ledge. All-Everything PG Chris Paul was 4-18 tonight in Dallas. These aren’t robots playing. Lace ‘em up for Game 4 and play ball. If Detroit has 23 TOs again, they could have Gandalf as their coach and it’s not going to make a difference. For now, all credit to Philly, no credit to Detroit.
“Ball don’t lie” cuts both ways.
You watch David, Flip’s gonna fidget us to victory! He’s gonna play with his tie SO hard you won’t believe it!
Spurs by 20! YES!
He’ll crane his neck just so, mess with his collar, and BAM! Your playoff dreams are dashed…
Spurs are tough to defend when Duncan is knocking down jumpshots.
With Dyess having a broken nose and probably not playing Sunday Maxiell or Ratliff will probably start.
Now you would think that this would mean more minutes for Amir on Sunday, but it is highly likely that Flip may play Herrmann in the rotation rather than Amir simply because Herrmann has more experience.
Stay tuned.
No ledge jumping here….do you want to say we have looked good in the playoffs!? We have played 4 good quarters, out of 12!!!!! against phily!!!!! no disrespect to phily…but with our experiance and depth this is unacceptable!! granted, i do thing we match up better with boston or cleveland if flip is not going to play our youth to match philys youth…but this is unacceptable. screw this flipping the switch crap, i am sick of it!!!!!!!!!! i want a team that plays 48 minutes all the time!!! especially in the playoffs!!!!!!!!
if you remember correctly, we did not have this ‘flip the switch’ mentality before flip got here…larry brown WOULD NOT have that crap!!!!!!!
with that i leave you with joe dumars biggest mistake…..FLIP SAUNDERS……think about it….losing to miami….losing to cleveland…..this lazy mentality the pistons have had since he has been here……the team reflects their coach!!!!! I HATE IT!!!!
“i want a team that plays 48 minutes all the time!!! especially in the playoffs!!!!!!!!” Kind of like the Sixers did tonight huh? Any time someone says “no disrespect to philly” the next thing said is disrespect. Face it Detroit doesn’t come to play every game anymore and you can’t win like that in the playoffs. The Sixers may not be as talented as Detroit but they sure do work harder. That used to be a signature of your team, but not anymore, evidenced by 1-6 in the last 7 playoff games to perceived lesser opponents. No need to jump off the ledge let but I think Detroit fans should finally come to the realization that they can get beat in this series by the same thing that made them so good - hard work and defense.
we would have won if amir was in.
and actually I think our loss was tracy mcgrady’s fault.
and damn that flip saunders for causing so many turnovers.
thats for the pdx crew! this message board, i love it, it is nearly as entertaining as the pistons-in that maligned, painful way. Drama, whatever it’s nature, sure makes good entertainment.
we would have won if amir was in.
and actually I think our loss was tracy mcgrady’s fault.
and damn that flip saunders for causing so many turnovers.>>
If Flip has stayed with the rotations that he used the last month of the year we would be up 3 - 0 right now. Breaking up the Zoo Crew and expecting Stuckey a rookie point guard to play effectively with two Hunter and Ratliff is just plain dumb. They slow down the whole second unit which relys on energy and athleticism.
McGrady didn’t play tonight and no beers were spilled so it wasn’t McGrady’s fault
Almost all of the turnovers were caused by the starters. Play the Zoo Crew.
Well it might be a moot point now with Dyess having a broken beak and most likely out for Sunday.
So maybe Dyess has helped us in ways that he couldn’t have imagined. It depends what Flip does with the rotations. Send Hunter and Ratliff on scouting trips, anything to keep them away from the court.
i forced myself to watch this debacle. my thoughts:
-philly fans were not that impressive. they certainly didn’t have a hand in unsettling the pistons. there were empty seats in the 1st quarter.
-if sam dalembert has figured things out, then that will be trouble. he was their best player when we played them last time in the playoffs. even better than iverson.
-compare and contrast: mo cheeks addressing his team in the locker room… all the players are watching him intently, lou williams nodding along to everything mo says. flip saunders addressing his team… nobody looking at him, sheed staring into the middle distance.
-this is going in a direction that reminds me of the magic series where rick carlisle unearthed tayshaun for the first time and his defense on mcgrady saved the day. do we have any first round rookies considered defensive specialists who are currently getting ZERO minutes?
-speaking of 1st round rookies, stuckey had lanes in front of them that he didn’t attack. it’s pointless for him to be on the floor swinging the ball around the perimeter.
-you have to wonder how tight things are feeling for the pistons. there is no way if we lose this series that at least one of the main 4 guys aren’t dealt and that saunders isn’t fired. and considering the way things blew up last year with sheed’s meltdown, it’s going to get really ugly if it keeps going the way it’s going.
D’Antoni’s probably available. LOL. Disappointed, but hopeful. I gotta believe that 59-23 is not a fluke, then again 67-15(?) I think the Warriors were just a nightmare matchup for Dallas, so I don’t really buy the 1 vs. 8 logic (they had beaten the Mavs six straight times and had their former coach) I don’t think Philly has that kind of edge, it’s just a matter of playing harder.
Flip Saunders is terrible, but he’s not the reason for this team losing these games. Granted he doesn’t do anything to change our losing habits but the players have to be accountable for playing like ass.
Personally, I’d have sat every starter that wasn’t running their balls off about 3 minutes into the first game of this series. You play like a lazy unfocused jackass… you ride the pine, and i don’t care if we lose the game because of it because we’d lose anyways. My way would at least send a message. What message do the starters get now? “Don’t worry you’ll still get your 32 minutes of playing time even though you’ve turned the ball over 78 straight trips down the court.”
McDyess should be able to play with a mask… I think this would be a great time to drop Amir into the starting lineup. It really needed to happen 3 months ago. Anyways, I’d accept starting Maxiell.
Just a general point, but does playoff experience really help? I say no. Right now all our playoff experience is working against us. The ’stons still think they can flip a switch like the Orlando series with McGrady or that Miami series 3 years ago (Ya… that was 3 years ago. CB was 28, Sheed was 30, and Rip was 26) where we pulled out a game 7. At some point we had some ridiculous stat about winning 12 of 13 straight playoffs games where we were facing elimination. But you see that’s when we could LOCK DOWN teams. Now? We’re a very good defensive team but we can’t lock down like we used to. And this perception is still there… telling us we can win as soon as we start trying.
Here’s a question I’m gonna throw out there: Have the Pistons gotten to the point physically where they just can’t hang anymore?
Could this be another playoff collapse? I’ve run out of excuses. I refuse to criticize them because I’ve got to believe that they are trying. They may simply be unable to maintain the level of intensity and focus that is needed to compete for a championship.
I love the Philly fans coming here trying to flame and pick fights and then saying the exact same thing we’re saying. “You don’t respect Philly.” Our team not respecting Philly is the freaking reason we’re in this mess. I said I don’t think that the Sixers are that bad. Andre Miller has quietly become one of the better point guards in the league and is just abusing Chauncey Billups. We have no answers for Reggie Evans. Read that last sentence again. The problems are freaking everywhere, the rotation is a complete mess, there are NO adjustments, our defensive game plan is “stop Iguodala”, there’s no fire from anybody, Billups is more passive than I’ve ever seen him, Miggity is playing like crap (game 2 excepted), there’s little defensive effort from anyone not named “Tayshaun”. So what are we supposed to say, it’s not like Philly is the sole cause of this disaster-in-the-making, and even Philly fans would have to admit that.
I read a lot of stuff on this site about how great the young players on the Pistons are, but what I saw last night was Rodney Stuckey looking totally lost. He shot 1-7 and even got picked by Miller when trying to bring the ball from the backcourt. He did have a strong Game 2, but did nothing in the opening game. That’s what you usualy get with rookie guards in the playoffs. On the bright sode, Stuckey’s FG% has “skyrocketed” to 42.9% in the playoffs, from his putrid 40% in the regular season.
I am a fan of Amir Johnson, however. To me, Dice is barely adequate as a starter on an elite team, and Detroit needs both Maxiel and Amir as front court “energy guys” if they are going to make noise in the playoffs. Amir scored a point every two minutes on 60% shooting in Game 2, and managed to snag a rebound every four minutes, very solid numbers off the pine. The fact that he didn’t get any burn in Game 3 until garbage time is somewhat curious. Maybe Flip needs to take some notes from Doc Rivers on how to get steady productivity off the bench from young bigs. Note 1: Play them consistently.
I have a feeling that Detroit isn’t dead yet. They could easily win three in a row if they go down 1-3 to the Sixers. The Pistons are getting outhustled so much that it’s kind of embarrassing. If they do fall to the 7th seeded Sixers, a shakeup will be needed.
om- i respect the philly team and the philly coaching staff immensely. i just don’t respect philly basketball fans right now. they’ve had one of the BEST stories in the nba all season and they still haven’t shown up. even one of the 76ers beat writers admitted today that he didn’t expect this from the team so he had a vacation in disneyworld to go to for games 1 and 2. what kind of “alleged” basketball city is that? the truth of the matter is philadelphia doesn’t deserve this sixers team. and the sad part is that detroit fans don’t deserve this sham of a pistons squad either.
Philly’s hustle (and overall play} smells like french toast.
There-We all respect you Philly but we are allowed to focus on the poor play of our beloved Pistons instead of focusing on the good brand that the Sixers are playing. You, of all fanbases, should understand this. Didn’t you guys boo Santa Claus?
Also, this story is far from over. It only takes one game to swing momentum. Tell Evans to get his castration technique ready because these next few games could get nasty.
Okay, lets lighten things up. I propose a new Haiku contest. The winner will receive 5 punches in the groin courtesy of the Pistons starting five. I’ll kick things off.
Pistons break my heart
Too many turnovers suck
Shoot me in the face
I can’t wait for someone who’s obviously friends with one of the Pistons shows up on here and defends the hell out of them. Like that time when Alex Acker showed up and told everyone how good he is.
JackDutch, I agree completely. I don’t live too far from Philly and I’m friends with a few Sixers fans who after Game 2 were all too quick to tell me about how great the Flyers were doing and that the Phils looked like they were going to be contending for the playoffs. It’s total garbage. I actually really like this Sixers team. I’ll admit I thought they should’ve taken Al Thornton instead of Thad Young, but that has turned out to be a fantastic pick. There’s a lot to like about this team, and I’m watching this series thinking that in a few years when LeBron leaves the Cavs, the Pistons get old and decrepit (happening before our eyes), and the Celtics can no longer count on KG to be a superduperstar, that this Sixers team with the right free agent acquisitions could rise to the top of the East. There’s a lot to like.
What I really hate is telling people I’m a Pistons fan and they always answer with “yuck, I hate that team, how can you watch them?” To which I basically have no answer, except to say that I hate watching them a lot of the time, too, and that I grew up rooting for the Pistons and that this particular version gave me my first title as a fan (I’m a little too young to remember the Bad Boys).
Inconsistency
Careless, again outhustled
“We’re the better team”
The Pistons are like a celebrity that keeps getting in trouble with the law. You know, you really liked them in that movie they were in a while ago, or that one album, but now they have drug problems, get in trouble with the law, and then check into rehab. Then they come out of rehab, and everybody gives them another chance, but they fall off the wagon and back to rehab they go. Then they get out, tell everyone how this time will be different, until they inevitably screw up and return to rehab. Repeat. Meanwhile, those things you liked them for in the first place seem like more and more of a distant memory, and they kind of become a sad joke.
That was a ridiculous analogy.
Of course you Pistons fans are going to focus on the poor play of your team, thats what fans do. However, understand that the Sixers’ strengths are forcing turnovers, rebounding the ball and then using those two elements as a springboard for the fast break. What you saw last night was a Sixers type of game, they imposed their style and will on Detroit. So credit must be given for that, since it’s not something they are pulling out their a**, it’s what they try to do every game.
Also, your much hyped bench, except for Maxiel in game 1, has been a total bust whenever they’ve gotten on the floor. Sorry, but that is this outsider’s view. I can’t speak for the rest of the season, but they’ve shown nothing to me.
Utep2step:
Maybe it didn’t come across on TV, but that game was very very physical. The Pistons were grabbing jerseys, hip checking, elbows and then fouling hard when Sixers got near the basket. To their credit, the Sixers gave as good as they got.
Morty, they won’t get it until the series is over and the Detroit “We’re the better team” Pistons are sitting at home still trying to figure out when the playoffs start.
Triple OT: regarding Stuckey´s bad performances during game 1 and game 3, I think it has a lot to do with something that many here have already pointed out. The young ones have had their confidence undermined by Flip Saunders´s substitution patterns. They know that they are on a very tight leash, they can feel how they are one or two mistakes on the court away from being yanked and left out of the game for good, and so they don´t flourish, they are tentative instead of the all-out enthusiastic players Detroit needs.
Granted, Stuckey is one of the only players on the bench that seems to have some playing time guaranteed for more than 10 minutes a game (Maxiell being the other). But I still stand by the explanation above, and I think it reflects another Flip´s failure. You get the feeling he has decided that his use of the bench in the playoffs will be to insert either Stuckey, Maxiell, Hunter or Ratliff with the starters, no more than 2 at a time. He does not understand that a large part of the Zoo Crew´s success came because they were a 10-deep, sometimes 12-deep unit.
When you have 2 energy guys off the bench on the floor with 3 starters, the energy level doesn´t change much, because the starters still drag down the entire team. The bench guys defer a a lot to the starters, especially when there are more of the latter than the former, so the plays are still being set based on the starters.
This whole rotation is a mess. Even Hayes has fallen out of Flip´s favor. And Prince is busting his ass out on defense every single second he´s out on the floor, so it´s a cause for concern.
While the Zoo Crew´s value as an unit isn´t restored, no individual bench player will have the expected impact.
Morty-I did notice that game 3 was physical (i.e, Dices’s snot locker). I really just wanted to bring up the Evans/Kaman event because it was one of the weirdest/most horrific things I’ve seen on the hardwood. Comical too.
As far as your Sixers imposing their will on us, I agree BUT you also have to understand that this series is the same thing we Piston fans watched last year in Chicago after game 2 AND in Cleveland. In that sense it is not just the inspired play of Philly but also the general lack of focus of Detroit. If I hadn’t seen this for the past 3 years I would have no argument for you.
Also-Nice analogy Keagan.
We could all use a good laugh. Enjoy-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFcinlrgojk&NR=1
At the game, didn’t look like McDyess got hit badly, people were booing him and one guy behind me called him a crybaby. Obviously, he actually did get hit badly. Thad Young took a very hard foul from Maxiel in probable retaliation and got a bloody nose himself. The rest of the game was very chippy as both teams gave and got hard fouls. Green and Igoudala got knocked very hard on drives.
Be careful, Detroit.
Evans will touch your tra-la-la. Your ding-ding-dong.
http://evanskaman.ytmnd.com/
LawyerBoy, Sauce, PG4L, Other Matt, Boney, I checked in to share my frustration with my DBB brotherin and I don’t recognize any of these bloggers. I think our page has been hi-jacked by Philly fans or bangwagon jumpers. Where have these folks been all season? Come on Pistons, make us proud!!!!
Is this a private party?
So sorry to interrupt? Proceed!
I’ve been a visitor to this sight for about a year and a half. Mostly just to read reactions and posts. I am a proud owner of a “Jason Maxiell Eats Babies” Tee and have jumped into many threads this season. My last post in a thread at ‘ole DBB was after a late season loss to Philly. Anytime I posted anything negative or critical I had to defend my fanhood to the “elders.” It was pretty ridiculous.
It’s funny because it seems some of those signs that nobody wanted to acknowledge throughout the season have reared their ugly faces in the playoffs. I only came back to check on the readers’ take on this series during game 3. Haven’t seen much from you guys. I believe that is what they call irony.
UTEP — I’m guessing E-Double was referring more to the Philly fans like David, Morty, Dannie, etc. You’ve definitely been posting here for a while.
UTEP! You’re supposed to have a DBB badge to get in!
Exactly Matt. Utep why are you trying on a hat that doesn’t fit you. An old timer like you, I don’t know why you even responded Bro. Wasn’t meant for you man. Be well.
Must have read it wrong. I guess I hate the term “bandwagon” and “fairweather.” My bad, but it always bothers me when any criticism of the team is bashed. Playoff frustration is getting the best of me.
UTEP - I hate those terms too.
Sauce, I use those terms when they fit. I’m not giving guys a hard time because they are pissed with the home boys. I was calling them out because a lot of those names I haven’t seen all freaking season. Now the boys are letting us down at the moment and there’s all of a sudden a ton of nay sayers, as I said, whom I have never seen on this blog before. That’s all Bro. UTEP, you’be blogged here for a while…bash away. Matt Watson, not trying to stop new traffic to the page. Just funny all these nay-sayers pop up now. That’s all I’m saying. I don’t claim to ‘own’ any real estate on this page. I’m just sayin.
You heard it here first. The Pistons are pulling a Rope-A-Dope, not to screw with Philly, who is a talented, scrappy, hard-working team, but to convince the only team that matters, Boston, that the Stones are through. What Ali did to Foreman, we’re pulling on Boston. How else to explain the total lack of focus, energy, rebounding? I’m reluctant to even post this, because it lets the cat out of the bag, but they did such a convincing job of playing dead that no other team, Boston included, will believe it. I did take the precaution of burying this as like the 412th post in a dying thread, though.