:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45763668/136223464.0.jpg)
Less than a week ago, Tayshaun Prince was traded by the Boston Celtics to the Detroit Pistons. On Tuesday, Prince will make his first start in over two months.
#DetroitBasketball RT @Keith_Langlois: Prince starts tonight for Pistons pic.twitter.com/UJycGuP5jR
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) February 24, 2015
Prince has been with a team for 55 games this year. He has played in 35 of them. Of those 20 games that Prince has not played in, he had a DNP-CD (Did Not Play - Coach's Decision) for 16 of them. The other four he missed simply show him as inactive: one for the Memphis Grizzlies, and the first three for Boston.
Despite not playing in 20 games this year, he is still averaging 23.6 minutes per game - a far cry from the 33.1 he averaged his last season in Detroit. He has started only nine games this year, the last being on Dec. 22 for Memphis. However, that seemed to be the last straw for Memphis as far as Prince starting was concerned.
As a starter, he was not doing so well. Averaging only 23 minutes a game (which is low for most starters) he was still putting up 6.1 shots per game at a 40 percent clip. Other than that, it appears Prince's stats were inline with his career stats.
Now, there is a method to this madness. Reggie Jackson is still operating on a limited knowledge of the playbook. Prince is also likely only knowledgeable of the same plays. Therefore, instead of limiting two units to just a few plays, Stan Van Gundy is trying to only limit one unit.
SVG leaning toward starting Tayshaun Prince at 3 so both new guys, with limited offensive packages learned, will be on same unit.
— Keith Langlois (@Keith_Langlois) February 23, 2015
Also, according to Vince Ellis at the Free Press:
"Rather than having one guy in the first unit and one guy in the second unit where we're limited all the time, then we can come off the bench with guys who know more stuff," Van Gundy said today after Pistons practice.
"That's my thought right now, but I won't make a decision for sure until after the walk-through tomorrow. But if (Prince's) comfort level is good, we'll probably go that way."
The good thing is, Prince is a fast learner:
WATCH: Stan Van Gundy talks about how Tayshaun is quickly picking up the team's offensive and defensive sets https://t.co/MGZEY1cV8Z
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) February 24, 2015
So how do you feel DBB? Do you think it's a good idea to start the two new guys together so that they know the same plays? And if so, do you think because of who those players are, that should be the starting unit or off the bench?