Exactly!!!

[Oracle]

It might not happen but If the right call came in I would take A strong look at it if I'm the Pistons.

Man, would I like to have my hands on A young Jo Johnson...... Or A young Paul Pierce to add with Drummonds and KCP.

Jennings has step his game and the rains has been taken off of his game. But If i could upgrade at his position I would go for it.

I understand where Lemon was coming from, but the most important thing is to upgrade intelligently, not to fear upgrading.

The key to doing it right is getting players that will fit the system, not just talented players.

If SVG does that, then we shouldn't miss a beat, just get better. However, we really need more games with us playing this way to truly see what those needs are. Three areas I would hesitate to mess with are,

1. The point guards: It's not that we couldn't upgrade easily, it's that these two have developed chemistry and are running the offense so well, it could be counter productive to make a move right now.

2. Obviously the core big men shouldn't be radically changed. Drummond is untouchable, and at least for the season, Monroe is untouchable because we can get more out of him in a S&T than moving him during the season!

3. The SG's are pretty much set.

But that leaves a sh!t load of stuff you can work on, like SF, better stretch backup bigs, and it never hurts to get another 3 point shooter on the bench, especially if SVG is never going to play Datome(hell, he isn't even getting Darko minutes)

[Oracle]

And numbers don't read either

Oracle, I said 2nd best! The record doesn't reflect it just yet, but what they've been consistently doing and who they've been doing it to and, well numbers don't lie.

DX, I said that the Pistons are top 5! Not #5, there's a huge difference.

The fact is that it's not possible to truly say where they land, but it's relatively safe to say that they land somewhere in the top 5 in the east, and I'm damn glad to be able to feel this way!

Now, let's go out and rape a Raptor tonight for more validation of our new found confidence!

[Phil-Good]

It might not happen but If the right call came in I would take A strong look at it if I'm the Pistons.

Man, would I like to have my hands on A young Jo Johnson...... Or A young Paul Pierce to add with Drummonds and KCP.

Jennings has step his game and the rains has been taken off of his game. But If i could upgrade at his position I would go for it.

[deusXango]

@DX - Yes, the Pistons are top 5 in the east, IMO! Talent wise, we're right there, but our talent is a bit young, but if we continue the way we're going, the light bulbs may really come on at playoff time!

Oracle, I said 2nd best! The record doesn't reflect it just yet, but what they've been consistently doing and who they've been doing it to and, well numbers don't lie.

The only blemish on our record since Josh left is to the Hawks, and they just kicked off into the Wizards ass (who holds the second best record in the east) and they looked weaker, trying to mount a comeback, than we did (we came from 23 down and had them sweating). The loss to the Hawks was a reality or heat check, if you will, so our heads wouldn't get too big; the object is not to beat the Wizards, Raptors, or Hawks, but to put a real whipping on the Trailblazers, Warriors, Rockets, and my personal favorite, the Grizzlies. We along with the Hawks are the teams in the east that are destined to put fear in the west and begin bringing parity back to the league. This team is playing Detroit basketball. What's Detroit basketball? Tough, scrappy, fight 'yo ass until the "fat lady sings," type basketball; every night, against everybody, it's us against the world and go help the world because we got each other! We're the 2nd best and no one sees us; we've got plenty of time to get better.

Wise, Oracle, don't worry about those 3's; we've got fight to go along with that "live by the 3" game, and SVG's Orlando team didn't, so we won't be going down that easy when the 3's aren't falling. Get comfortable with the breathtaking excitement....it's going to be a fun ride.

[deusXango]

Could Joe Johnson be the answer, or are we to be "gun shy" because of Dumars reckless spending and inability to evaluate top tier talent?
   Which is it?

Don, your boy Kyle Singler had me gasping for breath the other night; when he put up 6 shots I got dizzy, 9 shots my knees buckled, but 12 shots?! I damn near passed out! This is what I've been saying all along, when he gets the touches, make them pay off (in the flow of the offense) to compensate for the areas he's lacking in. That was the best all around game I've seen him play and I'd like to see more of that; Kelly Tripucka 2.0! I thought I'd give Singler his props for a job well done.

[FlyDog]

Thanks for the scouting reports on KCP. He looks to have a huge upside.

Although I could not bring myself to root for the Packers, that ending was just spectacular. Kudos to the NFL script writers.......I mean really......the Cowboys lose in large part because of the "Calvin rule", just 1 week after the refs, Chris Christie and Dean Blandino (Of Jerry Jones party bus fame) practically carried Romo off the field on their shoulders in their victory over Detroit last week? Has the NFL employed Vince McMahon and his group of writers from the WWE? Good grief.............

[Oracle]

@Lemon - If it ain't broke? Yeah, that's a good thought, but I wouldn't kick a good SF out of bed, for fear the wifey shows up  (of course, in my case, SF better stand for Sweet Female)

@DX - Yes, the Pistons are top 5 in the east, IMO! Talent wise, we're right there, but our talent is a bit young, but if we continue the way we're going, the light bulbs may really come on at playoff time!

@Wise - I totally agree, this live by the 3 stuff is bad! I don't mind them shooting the 3 a lot, but in crunch time, PLEASE stop looking for the easy way out, get in there and grind out the win, or go down fighting!

@Don - I also feel really good when that 2nd unit comes in, actually I find myself praying that they come in sooner, as the starters appear to fade! This team has an interesting balance between talent and depth! However the biggest difference is that now the chemistry between every unit is so good, it's producing great play!

@Fly - My Dog is back and batting 1000!!! Two excellent posts, first the one on tanking was really good in spite of the minor flaw, but we have to start somewhere, and that looks like a good start to me! The second on KCP, and yes, over the summer he looked like a star being born, but slumped starting the season. The one consistent thing has been his defense! Once they stop trying to use him as just a spot up 3 point shooter, and more as a scorer, he's going to shine a lot better!

Football: I am sooooo happy at the way Dallas lost to Green Bay! I initially wanted a blowout, but this is supremely so much better! Those chumps lost on a ref call that hurt the Lions in the past, sort of like a voodoo hex on them from Megatron! As the great James Brown said... I Feel Good!!!

[cool breeze]

For so long our team has been so bad that a fan could rarely ever stay glued to a Piston game like we did when our team was making the Final 4 so often. It seems that you can never count this team out anymore. Jennings has a horrible shooting streak in the first half and took the game over for awhile in the 2nd half. Monroe has never played for the Pistons as hard as he has played lately especially in this game. And he is impressing me with his defense. Monroe somehow scores when everyone else on the Piston team is ineffective on offense. The spacing looks so good with the 2nd unit. It seems that I never fear and have great expectations when the 2nd unit comes in now. Remember in previous seasons where the rotations were so limited and players like Maxiell would play so many minutes? I love the way players do through bad moments only to come back in the same game to make great plays. Drummond has had a tough time over the past two games but last night he made a key block and ran the court in the 2nd half really hard. Jerebco seems to never make a mistake. He might not make every shot but he only takes good shots and plays amazing help defense. I am really enjoying this team and find myself having difficulty sitting down because the Pistons are playing so hard while never getting down mentally over mistakes they make. We have to credit Stan Van Gundy's staff and of course the players for fantastic chemistry we are witnessing. This has been a ball busting schedule of games lately and our guys have not backed down for one minute. They have to be bone tired and have to suck it up again on Monday in Toronto.

[cool breeze]

[quote="FlyDog"]I flipped the channel to "NBA Coast to Coast" last night just in time to see KCP make several defensive plays in a row, one of them culminating in a tremendous finish at the hoop.  Don't read much about him in here.......but those were some impressive athletic plays.

Flydog KCP struggled along with Meeks for most of the game. The weak position was shooting guard until KCP checked came in to play outstanding basketball in the 4th quarter. He was so quick on defense and running the court I couldn't help but yell way to go Pope.

[FlyDog]

I flipped the channel to "NBA Coast to Coast" last night just in time to see KCP make several defensive plays in a row, one of them culminating in a tremendous finish at the hoop. Don't read much about him in here.......but those were some impressive athletic plays.

[WTF]

Wow Tay a Celtic now I bet he hates being a loser again.  He be okay though he'll likely be back on a winning team next season in going home to play for the Clippers next season if he doesn't decide on the Lakers.  I think either team will love having him at the MLE sticker price for an aging vet.  I couldn't stand him here but best of luck Prince.

Is it me or do the East looks just as good as the West?  Maybe things will look a little more clearer in the second half of the season but I'm not hearing a lot of banter on the West being that much better.   The shock for me is seeing the Hawks and Wizard atop of the East right now and the Warriors and Blazers on top in the West.

Okay if the Pistons keep beating the teams they should beat they'll likely work their way into a playoff spot and might even advance pass the 1st round who would've thunk!!!!! Beat the teams you should and win at home should be their theme from here on out, but SVG has to pull back from this live by 3 dying by the 3 approach.  I'm not sold on the shooters we have because they're too inconsistence.

Shout Out to my second favorite NFL team Go Patriots! Shout Out to my second most hated NFL team Go Packers!

I'm not in favor of SVG standing pat and if he see an opportunity to improve the team be it now or in the future he should do it even at the expense of how well the team has played the last 8 games.  Some of you need to stop putting a ton of hope in all these role players and backups we have on this team just because we're 7-1 in the last 8 games.   I still see the flaws on this team, and the needed areas for improvement and SVG should be still focus on the future of what might happen with Monroe next season.  You all are mistaking if you think SVG will give Monroe a Max Deal for obvious reasons he can't then offer a Max Deal to Andre, and that Monroe will except less than a Max Deal and stay here.   New York, Brooklyn, LA  and others will make a hard push for Monroe.  The only hope is what we might get back in a sign and trade and even then I don't think we can offer a Max Deal without sacrificing the potential to sign Andre to a Max Deal.

[cool breeze]

Which Piston players had below average games last night. Certainly Drummond, Meeks, and KCP had a lot of bad moments especially in the first half. Drummond should have gone to the bench earlier as he looked like a lost puppy. Both of our shooting guards had off nights both offensively and on defense. At one time in the 4th quarter, KCP failed to box out on the weak side and just stood and watched his assigned man get a offensive rebound and easy put back. But good team chemistry can create a never give up philosophy. Atlanta played perhaps their best game of the season last night and they are playing as well as any NBA team right now. Yet even though our Pistons shot poorly and make huge mistakes on defense, they were in position to win the game with a minute to play. Stan Van Gundy has made some incredible player pick ups with Anthony and Tolliver. Both appear to be tough defenders and shot blockers. They also offer really good energy off the bench. Imagine with maybe two more players added to the this team how good the Pistons can be. Even with the current roster and another year of experience, our Pistons could among the top teams in the NBA. I believe unless there is a chance to obtain a super great big man in exchange for Greg Monroe, everything possible should be done to keep him on the team. In the future I expect higher percentage shooting from the shooting guard and point guard positions. In Van Gundy's system, those two positions are counted on to provide the bulk of the scoring on nights when our big men are not effective. Jerebco is another player who is very important to how this team functions. He has made few bad decisions with the ball and never forces shots. Jonas has the potential to get a lot better. This is a perfect fit for Stan Van Gundy's system.

I was so happy to see the Palace full of Piston fans. Everyone loves a winner.

[cool breeze]

I'm also in the Singler is a decent backup camp.
For this year we need to be careful to see what we really have before sacrificing the future for a playoff run... we all agree that SF is the primary need but we're not going to get a legit starter without moving a pick... the only asset I can see sacrificing is one of our PGs (assuming Dinwidie could step in for DJ)... we are finally in a position where we could sell high at PG.
I'm fine with waiting it out til next year and address the need via draft/trade/FA in the summer.
This streak has folks re-evaluating what we thought was gonna happen (high pick & Monroe walking)

Where do we get this fatalistic view of everything that's easily remedied concerning this team? We're still shaking in our boots with outrage over the way Dumars conducted business the last half dozen years; this is a new day y'all.

Allow me to use your post Merc, to make a point, not to attack you, okay? No one has said Singler wasn't a decent backup, the consensus of opinion is that he's not a quality starter! The team is winning because of the balance that's being realized and the chemistry is coming together, as it should; we don't have to move anyone off a roster that's showing promise.

The team is winning not because of our small forward play, but in spite of the lack of statistical contribution coming from that spot; is there a better time to give Datome a few games as our starting SF, to actually see what we have and not negatively guess at it? We're paying a young, seasoned pro after all, so let's see if he fits or not. Why are some fans reluctant to take a look at that? The only thing that would make Singler a clear-cut superior SF over Datome is, Gigi would start, play 20 minutes and come out with zeros across the board, while severely hindering the teams success; I don't think any devout, knowledgeable, Pistons fan thinks that'd be the case. If it works out to the teams benefit, what's wrong with Gigi starting, Singler coming off the bench, and Butler doing situational duty? No sacrifice through trades, no major overhauling of the teams rotation in any way, just exploiting the tools at hand for the push to be as competitive as possible when the playoffs come. I'm not a Singler hater, but all who think he's our best option as a starter and Datome is not being unfairly overlooked, I say shame on you! As m'man Sebastian often says, Singler is an 8th or 9th man on a contending team; we're in contention now!

dX you are beating a dead horse relating to your proposed change in the lineup involving Datome. Have you actually watched Datome play or closely watched how he plays defense? Has he ever shown that he can knock down open shots? And do you think that Stan Van Gundy and his staff of coaches ignore players who have amazing skills? Do you think that you know more about the upside of Singler or Datome than the coaches do who are professional long time coaches? I have been a high school coach and did work for awhile in college coaching and I have no idea what in hell is going on relating to how this coaching staff evaluates existing talent on this team. But i believe that these coaches and the head coach know a lot more than I do and you can bet that they have thought of every angle regarding which players fit their system best. Some fans suggest that Jerebco start at small forward. However, I can see myself that this would not be a good idea. Jerebco is a great fit for Van Gundy's system at PF and is one of the key players responsible for this winning streak. He seems to get better every game and really brings a lot of energy as an interior defender. He also brings a opposing power forward out of the paint area because he can knock down jump shots. Jerebco fills a big hole for the second unit playing power forward. Yet he would have difficulty defending most small forwards in the NBA. Based on what I see with my own eyes, it would be stupid to start Jerebco at small forward based on Stan van Gundy's system. You would need to fire the coaches and implement your own system to make that work.  

The coaches know every strong and weak point for each player that they currently have on the roster. They have been around the players for a long time. The coaches think about how players fit with each other 24/7. Things are not as easy as some of you may think relating to finding the right combinations based on each player's ability to form a good unit. dX I believe that  you once stated that Singler's teammates do not like him based on how many shots Singler gets per game. You made this statement without knowing what the roles are within the team structure as decided by Stan Van Gundy.

It is clear to me that Singler's role is not to score many points. Meanwhile, Butler has a different role. He is a quality small forward with really good shooting skills and he comes off the bench offering a change where the team plays more of a spread offense with Jerebco, Meeks, and Butler capable of knocking shots down from long range. This opens up easy opportunities for Monroe and Augustin in the paint. The starting group offers size with Monroe and Drummond with Singler being big enough to also protect the paint and help the center and power forward on pick and roll plays. Singler has to cover a lot of ground to recover back on his man and if the opposing small forward is a good driver, Singler can get beat because he is moving out to cover the long shot. In those situations, it is up to the power forward or center to stop that drive and our big guys are still learning to rotate quicker. The fan sees that Singler's man has penetrated around him and they say, oh that damn Singler is not a good defender. The opposite is true.  Meanwhile KCP starts because he operates much like Singler in providing good perimeter defense while helping on dribble penetration as Jennings attempts to force his man into  the middle (help) on drives. What I am amazed with since Smith has left the team is how fast both the starters and the 2nd unit have come together playing defense as a unit which didn't happen for 6 seasons before Van Gundy arrived. Many times it takes years on NBA teams to learn how to play with each other in a complimentary way. This team is still a work in progress but we have witnessed an incredible change over the last 7 games. Somehow it seems that Piston fans do not appreciate that fact much. This team as constructed can get a lot better. The tempo on offense is really good for both units. The players all seem to know what their individual responsibilities are and are committed to executing things that the coaching staff has thought of relating to strategy to beat each opponent in a different way. I believe that we are witnessing better coaching regarding especially scouting opponent weaknesses and developing game plans that exploit those weaknesses.

I have disputed Oracle's statements that coaching does matter in the NBA and I have been proven wrong especially relating to what both Steve Kerr and Stan Van Gundy have done this season. SO GREAT ORACLE I SUBMIT TO YOUR WISDOM. Playing up tempo against the Spurs and Dallas really worked. Now what will the Pistons do to combat this Hawks team? What will be done to limit the success of Atlanta's outstanding point guard? I am only trying to point out that suggesting change for the sake of change is not a good idea especially when the team is winning by wide margins. Suggesting that Datome should be given a chance defies logic. He has had many chances and to stick him into the mix as a starter or in the 2nd unit would be committing suicide. Datome is not a good defender. He is often out of position on both offense and defense. Datome is a scorer who hasn't been able to make shots. His role as a starter would have to be one of a shooter for the system to work so an entirely new strategy would have to be constructed by the coaching staff to fit Datome in. If he plays in the 2nd unit, he would need to be a better shooter than Butler. Come on dX why not sit back and pull for the players that the coaches have selected for once? They are not as stupid as you might think. I suspect that our Pistons will have their low moments again this season but perhaps around the end of March this team might be even better than they are now. This team might make the playoffs and could be a tough out because of our size and improving defense.

Don, you're always talking about your coaching experience, but I'm addressing those who've played in any sport and in competing for a spot, found themselves looking at an inferior player rated higher than them by the coach, routinely making mistakes they knew in their heart of hearts they'd never repeatedly make, if given half a chance; this was born out in the many practices that the fans and family couldn't/wouldn't see. On top of that, not only did they not backup that inferior player, but weren't played at all?! High school? That is the breeding ground for that type madness where the entire student body knew the better player was not playing, but they were forced to pull for the lessor player because of school loyalty.

I realize "I'm beating a dead horse," but when did you see Datome do all these things under SVG's regime? What I saw this year was when Gigi played 8 glorious minutes, he didn't hurt the team, but contributed and those contributions were acknowledged, the hope across the fanbase was positive and SVG hinted there would be more to come, but the fact is, he hasn't seen the floor since! That's fair?! Don you represent yourself as an open-minded coach (on multiple levels of competition), but can make a statement like "Suggesting that Datome should be given a chance defies logic?" WTF??!!! I've said in the past, cut him if he's as worthless as you and others paint him, just cut him. The reports I've read about what he's been doing in practices, let him do that in another teams gym and see how he fares out. You guys are quick to send players to San Antonio, let's see what "Pop" does with him....he did choose Detroit over San Antonio because he mistakenly reasoned his opportunities would be greater here. One final salvo, you're championing the coaching mindset that drafted Robert Covington #1 in the D-League draft, but failed to sign him to our roster, at a time we clearly could use him? Competition at SF that they didn't want?

The only reasoning I've read that makes any logical sense to me is Lemon's simple statement of "As long as we are streaking, KEEPA YOU HANDS OFFA."

You most likely believe that it was Singler's fault that the Pistons lost last night. I am joking with you dX. Everyone has a right to their opinion. I believe that Singler will become a prime time 3 point shooter within his 5th season in the NBA. He has always been an outstanding shooter. I recall the year when Derek Williams was playing for Arizona and they met Duke in the Sweet 16. Singler had been the MVP of the previous year's NCAA tournament as a champion. Sean Miller's game plan was created to stop Kyle Singler not Irving who everyone considers to be among the best point guard's in the NBA. Arizona doubled Singler every time he had the ball. Singler is smart and is a better defender than some of you believe. With this current team we have some really young and talented players who are getting great experience this season. I see KCP getting a lot better along with Drummond, Monroe (if he stays) Jennings and Augustin. I see our Pistons competing for the NBA championship sooner than expected under Stan Van Gundy. Maybe Singler won't be a part of it if Detroit happens to get lucky in the draft, but Singler is not a guy I would ever discard from my team.

[cool breeze]

Actually had a half decent game stat wise almost Josh like now lets see if he can keep it up. Not a bad use of his 26 minutes last night, he's still a defensive liability but at least he put up decent stats to justify those minutes.

Moose I'm torn if to be critical of his game last night or offer up some excuse for him not having Andre most of the night.  One thing is clear though is that Max Deal Players rise their game in adverse moments and Moose didn't.   I still find it hard to cheer a player who wants out and I'm not getting caught up in the propaganda the media been laying out of him potentially staying.  

Wisefan I believe that Moose might stay if our Pistons keep on improving. Who would want to leave this team if you were a player. The chemistry is great. The players are having fun. Moose provides inside scoring when the team struggles. He can score against any NBA team. And he will gladly improve his effort on defense if this team keeps winning. But if the deal is right, perhaps Van Gundy might trade him if he doesn't get positive feed back from Monroe's agent. Monroe's value has greatly increased since our Pistons have started to look like a real NBA team.

[Phil-Good]

Can't say anything bad about the Atlanta Hawks. They run the Spurs offense and they play the 07 Boston Celtics type of Defense.

They got three, high IQ all stars in my opinion. Millsap, Hartford and Teague. They well coached and they have to be respected.


Respect..

[WTF]

Actually had a half decent game stat wise almost Josh like now lets see if he can keep it up. Not a bad use of his 26 minutes last night, he's still a defensive liability but at least he put up decent stats to justify those minutes.

Moose I'm torn if to be critical of his game last night or offer up some excuse for him not having Andre most of the night. One thing is clear though is that Max Deal Players rise their game in adverse moments and Moose didn't. I still find it hard to cheer a player who wants out and I'm not getting caught up in the propaganda the media been laying out of him potentially staying.

[WTF]

I think that was the case in last night loss. The team jacked up 43 attempt and only hit a total of 13 and that IMO played a huge role down the stretch in why they end up with the L.

Was the team got to with I believe it was 7 and still more than 5 minutes to go they needed to clamp down defensively and run some offense. It was a free for all on 3's and some of the attempts were far worse than some many would've killed Josh for taking in a game.

All In All it was a good comeback from being down 23 in the first half but while this style of play can be entertaining at times and may even win some games I don't think the team should adopt this style in crunch time when the game is close. I think we gave this game away in the last 5 minutes or so.

[deusXango]

...to be convinced that the Detroit Pistons are the 2nd best team in the east; keep striving to be the best fellas!!

[deusXango]

I'm also in the Singler is a decent backup camp.
For this year we need to be careful to see what we really have before sacrificing the future for a playoff run... we all agree that SF is the primary need but we're not going to get a legit starter without moving a pick... the only asset I can see sacrificing is one of our PGs (assuming Dinwidie could step in for DJ)... we are finally in a position where we could sell high at PG.
I'm fine with waiting it out til next year and address the need via draft/trade/FA in the summer.
This streak has folks re-evaluating what we thought was gonna happen (high pick & Monroe walking)

Where do we get this fatalistic view of everything that's easily remedied concerning this team? We're still shaking in our boots with outrage over the way Dumars conducted business the last half dozen years; this is a new day y'all.

Allow me to use your post Merc, to make a point, not to attack you, okay? No one has said Singler wasn't a decent backup, the consensus of opinion is that he's not a quality starter! The team is winning because of the balance that's being realized and the chemistry is coming together, as it should; we don't have to move anyone off a roster that's showing promise.

The team is winning not because of our small forward play, but in spite of the lack of statistical contribution coming from that spot; is there a better time to give Datome a few games as our starting SF, to actually see what we have and not negatively guess at it? We're paying a young, seasoned pro after all, so let's see if he fits or not. Why are some fans reluctant to take a look at that? The only thing that would make Singler a clear-cut superior SF over Datome is, Gigi would start, play 20 minutes and come out with zeros across the board, while severely hindering the teams success; I don't think any devout, knowledgeable, Pistons fan thinks that'd be the case. If it works out to the teams benefit, what's wrong with Gigi starting, Singler coming off the bench, and Butler doing situational duty? No sacrifice through trades, no major overhauling of the teams rotation in any way, just exploiting the tools at hand for the push to be as competitive as possible when the playoffs come. I'm not a Singler hater, but all who think he's our best option as a starter and Datome is not being unfairly overlooked, I say shame on you! As m'man Sebastian often says, Singler is an 8th or 9th man on a contending team; we're in contention now!

dX you are beating a dead horse relating to your proposed change in the lineup involving Datome. Have you actually watched Datome play or closely watched how he plays defense? Has he ever shown that he can knock down open shots? And do you think that Stan Van Gundy and his staff of coaches ignore players who have amazing skills? Do you think that you know more about the upside of Singler or Datome than the coaches do who are professional long time coaches? I have been a high school coach and did work for awhile in college coaching and I have no idea what in hell is going on relating to how this coaching staff evaluates existing talent on this team. But i believe that these coaches and the head coach know a lot more than I do and you can bet that they have thought of every angle regarding which players fit their system best. Some fans suggest that Jerebco start at small forward. However, I can see myself that this would not be a good idea. Jerebco is a great fit for Van Gundy's system at PF and is one of the key players responsible for this winning streak. He seems to get better every game and really brings a lot of energy as an interior defender. He also brings a opposing power forward out of the paint area because he can knock down jump shots. Jerebco fills a big hole for the second unit playing power forward. Yet he would have difficulty defending most small forwards in the NBA. Based on what I see with my own eyes, it would be stupid to start Jerebco at small forward based on Stan van Gundy's system. You would need to fire the coaches and implement your own system to make that work.  

The coaches know every strong and weak point for each player that they currently have on the roster. They have been around the players for a long time. The coaches think about how players fit with each other 24/7. Things are not as easy as some of you may think relating to finding the right combinations based on each player's ability to form a good unit. dX I believe that  you once stated that Singler's teammates do not like him based on how many shots Singler gets per game. You made this statement without knowing what the roles are within the team structure as decided by Stan Van Gundy.

It is clear to me that Singler's role is not to score many points. Meanwhile, Butler has a different role. He is a quality small forward with really good shooting skills and he comes off the bench offering a change where the team plays more of a spread offense with Jerebco, Meeks, and Butler capable of knocking shots down from long range. This opens up easy opportunities for Monroe and Augustin in the paint. The starting group offers size with Monroe and Drummond with Singler being big enough to also protect the paint and help the center and power forward on pick and roll plays. Singler has to cover a lot of ground to recover back on his man and if the opposing small forward is a good driver, Singler can get beat because he is moving out to cover the long shot. In those situations, it is up to the power forward or center to stop that drive and our big guys are still learning to rotate quicker. The fan sees that Singler's man has penetrated around him and they say, oh that damn Singler is not a good defender. The opposite is true.  Meanwhile KCP starts because he operates much like Singler in providing good perimeter defense while helping on dribble penetration as Jennings attempts to force his man into  the middle (help) on drives. What I am amazed with since Smith has left the team is how fast both the starters and the 2nd unit have come together playing defense as a unit which didn't happen for 6 seasons before Van Gundy arrived. Many times it takes years on NBA teams to learn how to play with each other in a complimentary way. This team is still a work in progress but we have witnessed an incredible change over the last 7 games. Somehow it seems that Piston fans do not appreciate that fact much. This team as constructed can get a lot better. The tempo on offense is really good for both units. The players all seem to know what their individual responsibilities are and are committed to executing things that the coaching staff has thought of relating to strategy to beat each opponent in a different way. I believe that we are witnessing better coaching regarding especially scouting opponent weaknesses and developing game plans that exploit those weaknesses.

I have disputed Oracle's statements that coaching does matter in the NBA and I have been proven wrong especially relating to what both Steve Kerr and Stan Van Gundy have done this season. SO GREAT ORACLE I SUBMIT TO YOUR WISDOM. Playing up tempo against the Spurs and Dallas really worked. Now what will the Pistons do to combat this Hawks team? What will be done to limit the success of Atlanta's outstanding point guard? I am only trying to point out that suggesting change for the sake of change is not a good idea especially when the team is winning by wide margins. Suggesting that Datome should be given a chance defies logic. He has had many chances and to stick him into the mix as a starter or in the 2nd unit would be committing suicide. Datome is not a good defender. He is often out of position on both offense and defense. Datome is a scorer who hasn't been able to make shots. His role as a starter would have to be one of a shooter for the system to work so an entirely new strategy would have to be constructed by the coaching staff to fit Datome in. If he plays in the 2nd unit, he would need to be a better shooter than Butler. Come on dX why not sit back and pull for the players that the coaches have selected for once? They are not as stupid as you might think. I suspect that our Pistons will have their low moments again this season but perhaps around the end of March this team might be even better than they are now. This team might make the playoffs and could be a tough out because of our size and improving defense.

Don, you're always talking about your coaching experience, but I'm addressing those who've played in any sport and in competing for a spot, found themselves looking at an inferior player rated higher than them by the coach, routinely making mistakes they knew in their heart of hearts they'd never repeatedly make, if given half a chance; this was born out in the many practices that the fans and family couldn't/wouldn't see. On top of that, not only did they not backup that inferior player, but weren't played at all?! High school? That is the breeding ground for that type madness where the entire student body knew the better player was not playing, but they were forced to pull for the lessor player because of school loyalty.

I realize "I'm beating a dead horse," but when did you see Datome do all these things under SVG's regime? What I saw this year was when Gigi played 8 glorious minutes, he didn't hurt the team, but contributed and those contributions were acknowledged, the hope across the fanbase was positive and SVG hinted there would be more to come, but the fact is, he hasn't seen the floor since! That's fair?! Don you represent yourself as an open-minded coach (on multiple levels of competition), but can make a statement like "Suggesting that Datome should be given a chance defies logic?" WTF??!!! I've said in the past, cut him if he's as worthless as you and others paint him, just cut him. The reports I've read about what he's been doing in practices, let him do that in another teams gym and see how he fares out. You guys are quick to send players to San Antonio, let's see what "Pop" does with him....he did choose Detroit over San Antonio because he mistakenly reasoned his opportunities would be greater here. One final salvo, you're championing the coaching mindset that drafted Robert Covington #1 in the D-League draft, but failed to sign him to our roster, at a time we clearly could use him? Competition at SF that they didn't want?

The only reasoning I've read that makes any logical sense to me is Lemon's simple statement of "As long as we are streaking, KEEPA YOU HANDS OFFA."

[lemonpen]

I'm also in the Singler is a decent backup camp.
For this year we need to be careful to see what we really have before sacrificing the future for a playoff run... we all agree that SF is the primary need but we're not going to get a legit starter without moving a pick... the only asset I can see sacrificing is one of our PGs (assuming Dinwidie could step in for DJ)... we are finally in a position where we could sell high at PG.
I'm fine with waiting it out til next year and address the need via draft/trade/FA in the summer.
This streak has folks re-evaluating what we thought was gonna happen (high pick & Monroe walking)

Where do we get this fatalistic view of everything that's easily remedied concerning this team? We're still shaking in our boots with outrage over the way Dumars conducted business the last half dozen years; this is a new day y'all.

Allow me to use your post Merc, to make a point, not to attack you, okay? No one has said Singler wasn't a decent backup, the consensus of opinion is that he's not a quality starter! The team is winning because of the balance that's being realized and the chemistry is coming together, as it should; we don't have to move anyone off a roster that's showing promise.

The team is winning not because of our small forward play, but in spite of the lack of statistical contribution coming from that spot; is there a better time to give Datome a few games as our starting SF, to actually see what we have and not negatively guess at it? We're paying a young, seasoned pro after all, so let's see if he fits or not. Why are some fans reluctant to take a look at that? The only thing that would make Singler a clear-cut superior SF over Datome is, Gigi would start, play 20 minutes and come out with zeros across the board, while severely hindering the teams success; I don't think any devout, knowledgeable, Pistons fan thinks that'd be the case. If it works out to the teams benefit, what's wrong with Gigi starting, Singler coming off the bench, and Butler doing situational duty? No sacrifice through trades, no major overhauling of the teams rotation in any way, just exploiting the tools at hand for the push to be as competitive as possible when the playoffs come. I'm not a Singler hater, but all who think he's our best option as a starter and Datome is not being unfairly overlooked, I say shame on you! As m'man Sebastian often says, Singler is an 8th or 9th man on a contending team; we're in contention now!

dX you are beating a dead horse relating to your proposed change in the lineup involving Datome. Have you actually watched Datome play or closely watched how he plays defense? Has he ever shown that he can knock down open shots? And do you think that Stan Van Gundy and his staff of coaches ignore players who have amazing skills? Do you think that you know more about the upside of Singler or Datome than the coaches do who are professional long time coaches? I have been a high school coach and did work for awhile in college coaching and I have no idea what in hell is going on relating to how this coaching staff evaluates existing talent on this team. But i believe that these coaches and the head coach know a lot more than I do and you can bet that they have thought of every angle regarding which players fit their system best. Some fans suggest that Jerebco start at small forward. However, I can see myself that this would not be a good idea. Jerebco is a great fit for Van Gundy's system at PF and is one of the key players responsible for this winning streak. He seems to get better every game and really brings a lot of energy as an interior defender. He also brings a opposing power forward out of the paint area because he can knock down jump shots. Jerebco fills a big hole for the second unit playing power forward. Yet he would have difficulty defending most small forwards in the NBA. Based on what I see with my own eyes, it would be stupid to start Jerebco at small forward based on Stan van Gundy's system. You would need to fire the coaches and implement your own system to make that work.  

The coaches know every strong and weak point for each player that they currently have on the roster. They have been around the players for a long time. The coaches think about how players fit with each other 24/7. Things are not as easy as some of you may think relating to finding the right combinations based on each player's ability to form a good unit. dX I believe that  you once stated that Singler's teammates do not like him based on how many shots Singler gets per game. You made this statement without knowing what the roles are within the team structure as decided by Stan Van Gundy.

It is clear to me that Singler's role is not to score many points. Meanwhile, Butler has a different role. He is a quality small forward with really good shooting skills and he comes off the bench offering a change where the team plays more of a spread offense with Jerebco, Meeks, and Butler capable of knocking shots down from long range. This opens up easy opportunities for Monroe and Augustin in the paint. The starting group offers size with Monroe and Drummond with Singler being big enough to also protect the paint and help the center and power forward on pick and roll plays. Singler has to cover a lot of ground to recover back on his man and if the opposing small forward is a good driver, Singler can get beat because he is moving out to cover the long shot. In those situations, it is up to the power forward or center to stop that drive and our big guys are still learning to rotate quicker. The fan sees that Singler's man has penetrated around him and they say, oh that damn Singler is not a good defender. The opposite is true.  Meanwhile KCP starts because he operates much like Singler in providing good perimeter defense while helping on dribble penetration as Jennings attempts to force his man into  the middle (help) on drives. What I am amazed with since Smith has left the team is how fast both the starters and the 2nd unit have come together playing defense as a unit which didn't happen for 6 seasons before Van Gundy arrived. Many times it takes years on NBA teams to learn how to play with each other in a complimentary way. This team is still a work in progress but we have witnessed an incredible change over the last 7 games. Somehow it seems that Piston fans do not appreciate that fact much. This team as constructed can get a lot better. The tempo on offense is really good for both units. The players all seem to know what their individual responsibilities are and are committed to executing things that the coaching staff has thought of relating to strategy to beat each opponent in a different way. I believe that we are witnessing better coaching regarding especially scouting opponent weaknesses and developing game plans that exploit those weaknesses.

I have disputed Oracle's statements that coaching does matter in the NBA and I have been proven wrong especially relating to what both Steve Kerr and Stan Van Gundy have done this season. SO GREAT ORACLE I SUBMIT TO YOUR WISDOM. Playing up tempo against the Spurs and Dallas really worked. Now what will the Pistons do to combat this Hawks team? What will be done to limit the success of Atlanta's outstanding point guard? I am only trying to point out that suggesting change for the sake of change is not a good idea especially when the team is winning by wide margins. Suggesting that Datome should be given a chance defies logic. He has had many chances and to stick him into the mix as a starter or in the 2nd unit would be committing suicide. Datome is not a good defender. He is often out of position on both offense and defense. Datome is a scorer who hasn't been able to make shots. His role as a starter would have to be one of a shooter for the system to work so an entirely new strategy would have to be constructed by the coaching staff to fit Datome in. If he plays in the 2nd unit, he would need to be a better shooter than Butler. Come on dX why not sit back and pull for the players that the coaches have selected for once? They are not as stupid as you might think. I suspect that our Pistons will have their low moments again this season but perhaps around the end of March this team might be even better than they are now. This team might make the playoffs and could be a tough out because of our size and improving defense.

Recognizing the effect a single roster change made raises questions concerning the fragile nature of this squad. Let's not be mistaken, thus far our ALL OR NOTHING squad carries a risk of being easily discombobulated, until proven otherwise. Ya gotta question whether a ball hogging SF would disturb the delicate balance.
As long as we are streaking, KEEPA YOU HANDS OFFA.

[cool breeze]

I'm also in the Singler is a decent backup camp.
For this year we need to be careful to see what we really have before sacrificing the future for a playoff run... we all agree that SF is the primary need but we're not going to get a legit starter without moving a pick... the only asset I can see sacrificing is one of our PGs (assuming Dinwidie could step in for DJ)... we are finally in a position where we could sell high at PG.
I'm fine with waiting it out til next year and address the need via draft/trade/FA in the summer.
This streak has folks re-evaluating what we thought was gonna happen (high pick & Monroe walking)

Where do we get this fatalistic view of everything that's easily remedied concerning this team? We're still shaking in our boots with outrage over the way Dumars conducted business the last half dozen years; this is a new day y'all.

Allow me to use your post Merc, to make a point, not to attack you, okay? No one has said Singler wasn't a decent backup, the consensus of opinion is that he's not a quality starter! The team is winning because of the balance that's being realized and the chemistry is coming together, as it should; we don't have to move anyone off a roster that's showing promise.

The team is winning not because of our small forward play, but in spite of the lack of statistical contribution coming from that spot; is there a better time to give Datome a few games as our starting SF, to actually see what we have and not negatively guess at it? We're paying a young, seasoned pro after all, so let's see if he fits or not. Why are some fans reluctant to take a look at that? The only thing that would make Singler a clear-cut superior SF over Datome is, Gigi would start, play 20 minutes and come out with zeros across the board, while severely hindering the teams success; I don't think any devout, knowledgeable, Pistons fan thinks that'd be the case. If it works out to the teams benefit, what's wrong with Gigi starting, Singler coming off the bench, and Butler doing situational duty? No sacrifice through trades, no major overhauling of the teams rotation in any way, just exploiting the tools at hand for the push to be as competitive as possible when the playoffs come. I'm not a Singler hater, but all who think he's our best option as a starter and Datome is not being unfairly overlooked, I say shame on you! As m'man Sebastian often says, Singler is an 8th or 9th man on a contending team; we're in contention now!

dX you are beating a dead horse relating to your proposed change in the lineup involving Datome. Have you actually watched Datome play or closely watched how he plays defense? Has he ever shown that he can knock down open shots? And do you think that Stan Van Gundy and his staff of coaches ignore players who have amazing skills? Do you think that you know more about the upside of Singler or Datome than the coaches do who are professional long time coaches? I have been a high school coach and did work for awhile in college coaching and I have no idea what in hell is going on relating to how this coaching staff evaluates existing talent on this team. But i believe that these coaches and the head coach know a lot more than I do and you can bet that they have thought of every angle regarding which players fit their system best. Some fans suggest that Jerebco start at small forward. However, I can see myself that this would not be a good idea. Jerebco is a great fit for Van Gundy's system at PF and is one of the key players responsible for this winning streak. He seems to get better every game and really brings a lot of energy as an interior defender. He also brings a opposing power forward out of the paint area because he can knock down jump shots. Jerebco fills a big hole for the second unit playing power forward. Yet he would have difficulty defending most small forwards in the NBA. Based on what I see with my own eyes, it would be stupid to start Jerebco at small forward based on Stan van Gundy's system. You would need to fire the coaches and implement your own system to make that work.

The coaches know every strong and weak point for each player that they currently have on the roster. They have been around the players for a long time. The coaches think about how players fit with each other 24/7. Things are not as easy as some of you may think relating to finding the right combinations based on each player's ability to form a good unit. dX I believe that  you once stated that Singler's teammates do not like him based on how many shots Singler gets per game. You made this statement without knowing what the roles are within the team structure as decided by Stan Van Gundy.

It is clear to me that Singler's role is not to score many points. Meanwhile, Butler has a different role. He is a quality small forward with really good shooting skills and he comes off the bench offering a change where the team plays more of a spread offense with Jerebco, Meeks, and Butler capable of knocking shots down from long range. This opens up easy opportunities for Monroe and Augustin in the paint. The starting group offers size with Monroe and Drummond with Singler being big enough to also protect the paint and help the center and power forward on pick and roll plays. Singler has to cover a lot of ground to recover back on his man and if the opposing small forward is a good driver, Singler can get beat because he is moving out to cover the long shot. In those situations, it is up to the power forward or center to stop that drive and our big guys are still learning to rotate quicker. The fan sees that Singler's man has penetrated around him and they say, oh that damn Singler is not a good defender. The opposite is true. Meanwhile KCP starts because he operates much like Singler in providing good perimeter defense while helping on dribble penetration as Jennings attempts to force his man into  the middle (help) on drives. What I am amazed with since Smith has left the team is how fast both the starters and the 2nd unit have come together playing defense as a unit which didn't happen for 6 seasons before Van Gundy arrived. Many times it takes years on NBA teams to learn how to play with each other in a complimentary way. This team is still a work in progress but we have witnessed an incredible change over the last 7 games. Somehow it seems that Piston fans do not appreciate that fact much. This team as constructed can get a lot better. The tempo on offense is really good for both units. The players all seem to know what their individual responsibilities are and are committed to executing things that the coaching staff has thought of relating to strategy to beat each opponent in a different way. I believe that we are witnessing better coaching regarding especially scouting opponent weaknesses and developing game plans that exploit those weaknesses.

I have disputed Oracle's statements that coaching does matter in the NBA and I have been proven wrong especially relating to what both Steve Kerr and Stan Van Gundy have done this season. SO GREAT ORACLE I SUBMIT TO YOUR WISDOM. Playing up tempo against the Spurs and Dallas really worked. Now what will the Pistons do to combat this Hawks team? What will be done to limit the success of Atlanta's outstanding point guard? I am only trying to point out that suggesting change for the sake of change is not a good idea especially when the team is winning by wide margins. Suggesting that Datome should be given a chance defies logic. He has had many chances and to stick him into the mix as a starter or in the 2nd unit would be committing suicide. Datome is not a good defender. He is often out of position on both offense and defense. Datome is a scorer who hasn't been able to make shots. His role as a starter would have to be one of a shooter for the system to work so an entirely new strategy would have to be constructed by the coaching staff to fit Datome in. If he plays in the 2nd unit, he would need to be a better shooter than Butler. Come on dX why not sit back and pull for the players that the coaches have selected for once? They are not as stupid as you might think. I suspect that our Pistons will have their low moments again this season but perhaps around the end of March this team might be even better than they are now. This team might make the playoffs and could be a tough out because of our size and improving defense.

[deusXango]

If I can kick SVG when he's down (he survived it and took that as an opportunity to rise above my disdain) I can give him his proper due when HIS team begins to show the life I've wished for, for so long; the man can flat out coach!

He's coaching basically the same team Joe Dumars put together, and they're winning....the damnedest thing is, they're playing without the best pieces and highest paid players Joe assembled! The big, big difference is the coach; Joe hired some lunatics, an egotistical asshole, a lost Boy Scout leader, and a senile old pro who's most notable memory is of him chasing his dick around Oakland County. Stan is the man.

Tom Gores took one helluva dogging for hiring SVG as President of Basketball Operations and coach, and with the team stumbling out of the gate the way it did only added fuel to the fire; it seems that the loud naysayers have grown silent on the owner and the decision he had a right make....a righteous decision at that, it seems. I don't care if he resides in Timbuktu and do what billionaires do, his love for the home team is beginning to show in Detroit and I'm glad he has the team. The man is showing a genius, born and bred in Michigan, that's made him one of the countries top money barons, returned home to resurrect a team in a sport I love and, exactly how long has it been?

Gonna reserve comment on Jeff for now.

[deusXango]

FlyDog, your reasoning is spectacular on many fronts, especially for teams like the pseudo-proud teams of Joe Dumars, which refused to "tank," but remained in the late lottery to middle of the draft and were horrible teams that never got better. Hopefully teams that were in need would benefit from your proposed system change and not waste their good fortune chasing "hopeful ghosts" like Austin Daye with the 3rd pick, or "with the 4th pick we select Rodney Stuckey, out of Eastern Washington." On the other hand, teams that tank should be rewarded with 8th or 9th picks, if there is any justice.

[FlyDog]

You are all rendered speechless.

[FlyDog]

Watched a bit of the Knicks game last night, and the announcers were talking about how the Knicks are in tank mode, and it's really a shame. They were trying to come up with ways so that teams could not benefit in the draft from intentionally flushing their season down the toilet.

That got me to thinkin. How about this: 2 separate lotteries. Take the non playoff teams and break them into 2 groups, by record. The 7 teams with the best records, and the 7 with the worst records. The 7 non playoff teams with the best records all get to pick a number out of a hat first. The hat contains the 1-7 slots in the draft. The group with the worst records picks names from a hat and choose for the 8-14 slot.

Everybody will be trying to win games (Except maybe a 7 or 8 seed playoff team....that could be a flaw I guess). Also, it helps teams that are close but not quite there, and it punishes the weaklings and losers that either are stupid or don't care.

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