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NBA draft bio: Gonzaga's Domantas Sabonis linked with Pistons at No. 18 -- MLive
A fun fact I did not know is that Domantas' mother, Ingrida Mikelionytė, was the first Miss Lithuania (1988).
The more you know.
Detroit Pistons: Lots of homegrown talent in NBA Draft -- isportsweb
Nice reminder about the NBA ready talent in the beautiful state of Michigan besides those Spartans Denzel Valentine and Deyonta Davis.
Kay Felder is a guy the Pistons could use desperately. His draft stock continues to rise. He averaged 24.4 points and 9.3 assists per game for the Oakland Golden Grizzlies last year. If he were five inches taller, he would be selected at the top of the draft. Felder is a jet, can shoot, pass, jump, defend, do it all. The only thing he lacks is size. He would be a great fit behind Reggie Jackson and would provide value in the second round of the draft.
Caris LeVert had a college career that was marked with injuries. Many people look at him and see a shorter and less talented Kevin Durant, because of his slim frame. He can shoot and score at an elite level when healthy. He is another guy that would provide great value in the second round of the draft, as long as the Pistons can keep him on the court. In just 15 games, he averaged 16.5 points during his final year at Michigan.
Oakland PG Kay Felder drops by Lakers; visiting Detroit Pistons soon -- Detroit Free Press
Felder is the 55th ranked prospect according to DraftExpress.com; NBA.com's David Aldridge ranks Felder as the fifth-best point guard on the draft board.
For those interested, a RealGM article published last weekend on Felder is here.
Why The 2005 Pistons Should Give Cavs Fans Confidence Heading Into Game 3 -- DimeMag
The Spurs won Game 1 that year in dominating fashion: 84-69. Thankfully for the Pistons, that was their worst scoring output of the series, but the Spurs beat them down well enough in Game 2, as well, winning 97-76. A 15-point drubbing and a 21-point drubbing must've meant the series was over, right?
The Pistons were too tough for that, and the Cavs need to be the same. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili torched the Pistons in Game 1 and the then-floppy-haired Ginobili continued his torrid touch by scoring a team-high 27 points on just eight shots (he was 4-of-5 from deep and 11-of-13 from the charity line) in their Game 2 Pistons beatdown.
So how did Detroit respond in Game 3? By limiting Manu and Tim to a combined 21 points, and with Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups (the latter of whom was Detroit's lone bright spot in Game 1) combining to score 44. Game 4 was more of the same, with the Pistons forcing Duncan and Tony Parker into a combined 11-of-30 shooting while rolling to a 102-71 blowout to even the series.
Yes, the Spurs won Game 5 and eventually Game 7 back in San Antonio, but the Pistons made them earn it by playing their butts off in the cozy confines of the Palace at Auburn Hills. The Cavs need that same mentality at the Q on Wednesday.
The funny stuff begins:
Plus, there are some things pointing in Cleveland's favor as we come up on Game 3.
Kevin Love may not suit up. Yes, his 3-point shooting opens up the floor on the offensive side of the ball, and he's an underrated passer and cutter, but he's a sieve on defense, and when he's on the floor, whichever big he's matched up against is setting the high pick for Steph or Klay nearly every time down the floor.
Let me make it clear. I'm not in any way comparing the 2005 Pistons to these 2016 Cavaliers -- well, at least not until the Cavaliers beat the Warriors in Game 3 and 4. But I'll believe it when I see it. **(written prior to Game 3 of The Finals which saw the Cavs thump the Warriors)
Too many games: The NBA's injury problem is a scheduling one -- ESPN
For decades, getting injured used to be chalked up to dreadful luck. Injuries, as we say, are just part of the game.
"Is it the Billy Goat? I don't know what it is. Babe Ruth never played for us," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said after his team's most recent injury plague. "We didn't trade him. There's no jinx there. I don't know. It's bum's luck three years in a row."
But what we're learning now is the current high rate of injuries to the hardest working players is no accident. And the league knows it.
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"Life is too short for self-hatred and celery sticks." -- Marilyn Wann