Comments on: Billups isn’t ready to sit … but should he?

By: Renee

Renee — Mon, 26 May 2008 23:31:59 +0000

Okay all of you, are you guys serious right now? I can not believe you all are already counting the pistons out, seriously if we were up 2-1 in the series would you count out the celtics…ummm probably not! It is not fair to say that this series is over…the pistons have been in these situations before and they know how to handle it….so what chauncey had a bad night he will be fine in game 4….If any of you are really piston fans you would support your team and not say this series is over….Now lets go its DETROIIT BASKETBALLL!!!

By: LawyerBoy

LawyerBoy — Mon, 26 May 2008 21:17:54 +0000

QD: +1, hadn’t even thought of that but love it. JackDutch and I will be @ El Guapo on Melrose if you’d like to join.

By: Lakers Blog

Lakers Blog — Mon, 26 May 2008 21:15:32 +0000

There is no reason that the Pistons are struggling to score against these Celtics. They are older and can’t move nearly as fast. Where is the ball movement from the 2004 Pistons??

By: bella

bella — Mon, 26 May 2008 21:12:25 +0000

Not to upset anyone, but I think it’s more than just the hamstring injury that is bothering Billups. I think it’s old(er)age. If you look back on the last couple of playoff seasons, he’s been getting beat off of the dribble, quite often against quicker guards. Even though he can post up smaller guards on offense, he’s become somewhat of a liability on defense over the last couple of years. Plus his “smoothness” or whatever you call it, really irritates the heck out of me. The cameras showed him walking (pimping) into the locker room after the game, and friends and I and were wondering if we’d gotten punked and the Pistons really won the game. He was slapping five with the fans and hugging teammates just like they’d came off of a big win. His decisions in the paint are killing me. It’s not just the hamstring folks. I really believe that it’s time to consider trading him while you can get some value for him, and let Stuckey take over for good. Look at Boston. They’ve handed second year player Rondo the reigns, and he’s done relatively fine. I’m not a hater, but Chauncey is looking really long in the tooth. Time for a tough (long term) decision.

By: Quick Darshan

Quick Darshan — Mon, 26 May 2008 20:12:07 +0000

Either way, Juan Dixon should be activated. He’s got the speed to get the ball up quickly and to pressure the ball on the other side.

By: Trader Jac

Trader Jac — Mon, 26 May 2008 19:45:10 +0000

Chauncey’s being blamed for his lack of aggressiveness in game 3, and that blame is being placed completely on his injury. What I wonder, though, is why no one attributes any of his lack of aggressiveness to his three fouls in the first half, especially the two in the first quarter. I don’t believe Chauncey is completely healthy, and his injury does worry me a lot, but isn’t foul trouble something that is known for making players tentative? It just seems like a factor that could be mentioned.

Also, I hate all the flip-flopping by the media (and some fans). How can the Pistons be lauded for being such a great team after winning game 2, and now be given no chance after losing game 3? Would you count the Celtics out if we were up 2-1 and still had stolen home court advantage? Probably not. When we win tonight, we’re right back on track. If not, our chances are truly slim. But wait until then before giving up on them, at least!

By: Eric

Eric — Mon, 26 May 2008 19:38:43 +0000

I believe he re-injured his hamstring in game 2 , he’s just acting like he didn’t.He is a gamer and he wants to play.

By: JackDutch

JackDutch — Mon, 26 May 2008 19:36:41 +0000

i’m beginning to believe lb is phil saunders in a message board mask.

hearing about this hammy stuff is turning my world upside down. didn’t arnie “god’s own trainer” kander say chauncey couldn’t make it worse by playing? black is white. up is down. michael jordan is a non-gambling addict, non-womanizing wonderful person. i’m so confused.

i think between flip’s “brilliant” adjustments and a potential celtic letdown after stealing back home court, i think we can get this one depending on chauncey. i’m worried about him on both ends of the floor. wasn’t he the primary defender on ray allen in game 2 when allen went off? i just think we need to beat these bastards down and get some momentum going back to beantown. we haven’t whipped a team’s ass in weeks. why can’t we be the team winning by 15-20? get on it, detroit!

guapo at 5, lb.

By: LawyerBoy

LawyerBoy — Mon, 26 May 2008 17:46:54 +0000

HB: If we win the title, everyone will forget all the confusing, painful losses we had to endure. That’s the problem: when you’re winning, nothing is wrong and when you’re losing everything is wrong. It’s somewhere in between. Flip has made beautiful adjustments all playoffs (putting a billion different one-on-one defensive looks on Howard, McDyess on Garnett, any of these ring a bell?). His boys have not done their best at times. If Joe D. thought there was a “switch” or problems with this team being led by Flip, he would’ve said so instead of going out of his way to state the exact opposite.

By: adalvi5

adalvi5 — Mon, 26 May 2008 17:27:17 +0000

If he’s hurt, he’s hurt. But his quote about leading better makes me angry. Yeah, he might not be able to do the things he normally does, but he wasn’t even getting the offense into its sets. That’s just unacceptable. If he’s that hurt, he shouldn’t play. And if he’s capable of playing, there’s no excuse for not leading. What Chauncey fails to see is that when he’s in control, the Pistons offense usually clicks. Simply, the team takes their cues from him. And if he hasn’t gotten that by now, in my opinion, its time to go in another direction. I want a PG who’s going to lead every night.

By: Jason

Jason — Mon, 26 May 2008 16:56:54 +0000

For what it’s worth I think chauncey’s leg isn’t 100% and he had a bad game. We should start Stuckey and bring billups in based on performance. Stuckey can play well enough to give us a chance to win. Our defense was just so horrible, that if we fix that alone it should give us a good shot. If C is hurt, we need to put him on the bench where his injured leg isnt a detriment.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Mon, 26 May 2008 16:29:41 +0000

my question: is this really a result of the hamstring or is this just the time in the playoffs where chauncey billups becomes a detriment? it’s happened the last two ecf’s.

i know it must hurt, but it doesn’t make you pass up shots. it may limit your ability to drive, but it shouldn’t make you afraid to do so. i’m honestly starting to think this is just chauncey being chauncey, not a result of his injury. it’s not like he’s limping around, he’s mobile. he’s just playing badly, same as last year and the year before that.

Sit Chauncey, start Stuckey. If Chauncey earns his spot back by the finals so be it, but as it is now chauncey’s not earning his minutes. it’s disgraceful that for three games in a row we’ve been massively outhustled in the first six minutes of the game. that’s on our precious, bulletproof starts. everybody can mock those of us who actually think the bench makes a difference, but when your starters are playing like absolute shit and your captains are proudly adding their links to the pile, it’s time to mix things up.

By: HB

HB — Mon, 26 May 2008 15:54:11 +0000

Stuckey should starts in game 4. Billups as much as we all love for him to play he is not 90-100% himself. If we go down 3-1 after tonight at home then the series is over and done. But then again if a coach doesn’t trust his captain of the team to play like how Flip did to Billups then it is on his head on how game 3 turned out. New coach will be needed regardless if the Pistons by a miracle chance wins the Championship because Joe D absolutely cannot stand by and wait for better results after a single loss in the Playoffs anymore. Joe D has done everything except for replacing the coach during the summer last year. Maybe changing the coach maybe the last thing to do. Right Joe D?

By: Toledo Joe

Toledo Joe — Mon, 26 May 2008 15:08:45 +0000

It’s impossible to answer this without knowing how bad Chauncey’s injury is. But let me be honest: if Chauncey can’t make a significant contribution, Detroit is not going to win this series. Yes, Stuckey is playing extremely well for a rookie guard in his first ECF. But Boston isn’t Orlando. For Detroit to do well, they have to dominate the point guard matchup, they need the type of experience and ability Chauncey has when he’s 100%. Maybe Detroit could steal a game without that, but it’s a pretty big risk to not at least try him tonight, because if we go down 1-3, the series is pretty much over.

On the other hand, I have some optimism. Boston’s win in game 3 was based in part on CB’s absence, but also on Detroit missing a bunch of open shots early, Detroit not getting a number of defensive rebounds, and Boston’s role players stepping up in an atypical way. I think most or all of those could easily be different tonight.

By: O-town General

O-town General — Mon, 26 May 2008 14:59:56 +0000

Oh and maybe give Joe D a W as a belated B-day present!