Two teams have found the right formula to win who were previously worse off than the Pistons

[cool breeze]

UTAH and The BUCKS have put together teams that kick ass and take names with their defense. What a beautiful sight both of those games yesterday were if you like to watch real basketball. Meanwhile I can't slake the image of of Andre Drummond's failure to box out and jump for the most meaningful potential defensive rebound for the Pistons this season. Andre as usual forgot to box out as if he has ever done it even once. He positions himself too far under the basket with nothing going on in his mind relating to anticipating that this is a big moment where he needs to be at his best and the damage is done. Tell me Stan Van Gundy doesn't want to find a way to remove Andre Drummond from this team. Andre Drummond will never live that moment down as far as the Piston fans are concerned. His only hope is that a lot of Piston followers didn't watch that play so they will have no memory of it. It is up to the rest of us to remind those fans who are buying into the hype that all Drummond needs to do is have a sense of urgency.

The big surprise to me in the games yesterday was the play of Greg Monroe, Joe Johnson's outstanding performance, and the way the entire Bucks team played which was of course all out. The only other time I have ever seen Monroe play as well as he did in his first playoff game was that one game when he was with the Pistons in New Orleans playing before his family. Monroe's teammates have inspired him to finally play hard on both ends of the floor. Great job Greg! And what about the gaining Joe Johnson? He sure didn't look old against the Clippers. Notice how Utah players get back and prevent dribble penetration and provide help defense for each other. That takes hard work something our Piston players try hard to avoid. What a sad state of affairs it is to watch other teams that look a lot like our old Piston teams. Somehow the Teal is back and it makes me ill to think about it. Go down the list and you will see rejects from other teams on our roster and draft picks who have not worked out. Our point guards could not make the rotation on any playoff roster. Not only are both our point guards unable to run an effective half court offense because of their dependence on ball dominance, but both are a huge liability on defense. Did anyone see how Smith was picked on in crunch time 3 times in a row in the last game of the season for Detroit? Imagine what teams would do to him if Detroit ever made the playoffs. And of course Smith is supposed to be the bright spot in this season for the Pistons.

Drummond - is the worst big man defender in the NBA as well as the worst free throw shooter. Could he get much playing time on a real playoff team?? Think hard.

Harris - is the best player on the team but he is not a good defender of power forwards and is a step slow playing defense against small forwards. He could carve out a rotation position coming off the bench on a real team.

Morris - is the 2nd best player on the Piston team but he seldom passes the basketball and will shoot it against strong pressure. Morris is not able to dribble drive and doesn't move well without the basketball. He is an average defender at best at either forward position. Morris is a rotation player but not of starter caliber.

Pope - is not a player many teams would place in the starting lineup. He is not a really good defender as many believe. He cannot stop dribble penetration from starting caliber 2 guards or point guards. KCP is not a consistent shooter any team can count on. He doesn't touch the ball much at times due to the inept point guards and SVG's system. Pope is not a guy who is worth anywhere near the amount of money his agent is asking for and it would be a huge mistake to sign him if the owner is actually serious about building a championship caliber team. Let him go and we will not remember him within two seasons because there are other 2 guards who will be more consistent.

Leuer - was a reject from the Suns that management decided to spend big money for and now he will be next to impossible to trade. Leuer over achieved in the first part of the season and then came back to play his normal game. He has never been a good defender and when playing next to Drummond made the Piston paint a playground for every team in the league.

Johnson, Baynes, Boban, Bullock, Hilliard, and Ellenson are the rest of the crew Piston fans will watch go up against these quality playoff teams that played yesterday and will start their journey today. Only Baynes might make a rotation.

Looking at even Indiana along with the rest of those teams and it is almost laughable how Piston management has managed to secure the services of almost every reject in the league. Of course instead of tanking knowing that this team has no chance in hell of ever beating the good teams, management decided to play to win instead of playing to secure a better future like any sane management team would do. Look at all the lost seasons we have endured as fans. It is so refreshing to watch real teams play the game of basketball. Maybe all of us who purchase PASS need to forget about the Pistons for another 4 years and start watching teams like the Bucks develop into championship caliber teams. How in hell did it happen that since the years of the Billups led Piston teams, management has not been able to secure one player who fits the mold of an alpha dog? Of course Middleton sure played like one in the 2nd half yesterday. He was not good enough to make the rotation in Detroit. When coaches and GMS have an inability to identify real ability and talent fans are doomed to what has taken place in Detroit. The Bucks discarded the ball dominate type point guards such as Brandon Jennings while the Pistons instead went in that lame direction with first Jennings and then Jackson and now Smith. Fake basketball is being played in Detroit where the weak congregate and the only thing management can talk about is the move to the Motor City. Will the TEAL style actually be acceptable there too??

[cool breeze]

How did the Bucks acquire so many hard nosed superior athletes? Fantastic job by the Bucks front office and their head coach. That team is so much fun to watch. I have said it to myself all season long that those Bucks players are having a lot of fun and are all engaged on the defensive end where games are won. Indiana has some real alpha dogs as well.

It is extremely depressing for me to watch other teams get all the players who actually like playing basketball. We have a lot of slower athletes with limited defensive ability who are not superior athletes to start with. The Bucks have great quickness. The team is being built to challenge for a championship. Meanwhile the Piston team is struggling to qualify for the playoffs. One of the problems with our skill players not mentioning the inept point guards, is their inability to put the ball on the floor and blow by anyone and finish at the rim. Small forwards cannot just stand outside the free throw line and launch long range jump shots. This is where Morris is very weak. He cannot drive the basketball. He doesn't have good quickness. If he could get to the rim more, he would be able to shoot more uncontested jump shots. Opposing teams know what Morris can do and they have no fear that he can get by them. Meanwhile, Johnson has lost his touch and gets very confused when he drives. There are big problems with Pope and his ball handling skills as well. Pope is not a natural ball handler. Go down the roster and you will see that this Piston team has defective players at every position. And after watching the young stud big men on the Bucks team, how can SVG talk about how tough it is going to be losing Baynes. I am not a big Baynes fan and I suspect Van Gundy hates to lose him because he knows his starting center is just a fringe player at best. He can trust that Baynes will follow the game plan.

The Pistons need to start over. Detroit needs to lose a lot of games and start getting the cream of the crop in the draft. If only Stan would have tanked the team when he first arrived, he could have had something to look forward to next year.

[cool breeze]

You can sure get the proper perspective of what is going on today in Piston basketball compared to the era of Isiah Thomas. Make sure you watch the entire video on the New York game where Zeke has the out of body experience to force that game to overtime. Also, take a look at the Pistons physical fit center Bill Laimbeer. I was surprised to see how fit he was at the time where he had very little body fat. But even more profound is Bill's ability to play pick and roll defense with Thomas. How both react on one play is like night and day in comparison with Andre Drummond-Jackson/Smith combinations we see now. Both Thomas and Laimbeer knew the pick and roll potential play options that their opponent might use and were both on the same page with their reactions.

How about the meeting Isiah Thomas calls for the team during his rookie season. If you don't want to win then don't play. Oh how I wish the current Piston team had an alpha dog leader. I am sure that Andre Drummond would not last a month on Isiah Thomas led team. Andre would be provided with a one way ticket out of Detroit very quickly. Another Free Press article provides more insight on what Stan Van Gundy has had to battle with relating to Andre Drummond this season. He signed that big contract and then said screw the Pistons. When Van Gundy says Andre has no sense of urgency that means Andre Drummond is one of those players that would be content to say OK then I won't play if he had been in the locker room with Zeke when he made that comment "if you don't want to win then don't play". Thomas came in as a rookie with all the fundamentals down after working his butt off a long time before he was drafted. On the other hand Andre Drummond relied on his physical gifts and never put in the physical or mental work or had the desire to ever even think that being on a winning team is the most important goal. Isiah Thomas came into the NBA in his first interview saying I came to Detroit to win a championship. That is all he ever wanted. Andre Drummond is content to get some attention for securing some rebounds.

The article on Stan Van Gundy and Andre Drummond really provides insight on the frustration the entire coaching staff has had this season with Andre Drummond. Stan is trying to be kind and is taking a lot of the blame but it is just as I thought. Drummond is not a coachable player. He doesn't pay attention so he makes incredible mental mistakes. Andre is not physically fit enough to play hard for an entire game. He still has no idea how to play defense the right way within the system created by the coaching staff. The Piston organization really knows what they have in this man. And they also know it won't be easy to get rid of him.

Watching some of the game film from that article where the Pistons had a really young team with a 20 year old team leader point guard in Thomas reveals that you have to have smart driven players to start with or there is no hope at all of creating a winning championship caliber team. You will always be floundering around near the basement with the type of players who currently wear the Piston uniform. For that reason, I would have no issue with management making major changes and would encourage them to keep on making changes until you get the right mix of players. Right now this franchise is doomed with the current group led by the franchise idiot, Andre Drummond. When you have to talk to a guy who is making in excess of $20 million a year about the need for him to have a sense of urgency meaning he is a over weight lazy ass mentally weak faker who could care less about becoming a outstanding player, then you should not mess around and get rid of the rat. Drummond has had 4 or 5 seasons to perfect his mental approach to playing in the NBA. He is a complete failure to his teammates and he could care less. That is the way it was when he played in college and nothing has changed. Time to cut your losses and try something new. SVG is right, Andre Drummond's potential is off the charts but when you are dealing with a guy like Drummond you will end up on the losing end every time. Just by watching Laimbeer play pick and roll defense and then recall Andre Drummond's feeble effort when he switches because he is a lazy ass and brain dead as well should be enough proof that this guy needs to go now. His value will be even lower after next season.

[Oracle]

I totally agree!!!

Add a sense of urgency and a mean streak, and we'll have a real center, IMO.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Stan Van Gundy has a reputation for candor, so when he was asked to evaluate the development of star center Andre Drummond, the Detroit coach's matter-of-fact response was no surprise.

''I think that he needs to have a sense of urgency to elevate his game,'' said Van Gundy, who is also the Pistons' team president. ''He's been in the league five years now. He's still young. He hasn't turned 24. So he's got time. He's a very talented guy. He's been one of the elite rebounders in the league. He's got some great things to work with, but there's more there. The sky is the limit for him.''

[cool breeze]

Vince stated that it appeared as if Johnson did not look excited about starting the last game and instead looked as if he might be going to a funeral. Something is causing Johnson's decline or lack of progress this season other than the change he has made with his jump shooting technique. He was a very tough defender last season and seems to have lost his edge in that area of the game. There are references discussed by Vince Ellis as to everyone not being on the same page and Johnson's remarks about the little things that prevent the Pistons from winning. I know one thing, Johnson is a guy much like Arron Gordon. They are both very emotional and hate to lose and have an incredible work ethic. They have never been satisfied with themselves and are always trying to find ways to improve. We heard all about Johnson's work ethic last summer. He was encouraged to change his jump shot and he worked hard on it. Some who don't know Johnson think he was a big mistake. Maybe some think he cannot guard small forwards or cannot do a lot of things well enough and shouldn't been drafted in the first place. I am in complete shock the way things turned out for him this year. I really am not sure if he fits SVG's system or if it is his fit chemistry wise with the players who are on their 2nd contracts and what their attitude might be relating to the TEAM. From reading between the lines with what Ellis has been saying there is a big issue with team chemistry. Everyone is not on the same page. I know that Johnson has always been in step with his coaches and has always done everything he could to create good team chemistry because he hates to lose and is very embarrassed when his team loses. It could be that the team practices doing things a certain way and when game time comes around some of the players ignore the game plan and become selfish or ignore their obligations on the defensive end. Looking at the way Orlando players responded to each other last night after suffering a humiliating loss the game before, it appeared that they had a one for all and all for one type attitude that our Piston players have not had all season long. Failure to make the extra pass and instead shoot a contested shot or failure to do your job on the defensive end will have a wearing effect on the players who do want to play the right way.

If individual players or groups of players in clicks are responsible for causing dysfunction either on the court or off the court, then Stan Van Gundy has a huge problem. If the players who are causing problems either by not giving the team what the coaching staff and other players have requested relating to their individual role on the team and are ignoring basic game plan instructions, then regardless of how much money those players are making or how difficult it might be to move them out of a Piston uniform, Stan Van Gundy must find a way to remove the virus. I know of one player who has a long history of ignoring his coaches and had a major negative impact on his team during his one year of college. His college team looked much like this Piston team and that is why I mention this subject. Who has gained weight this season after signing a huge contract? Who has failed to perform on the defensive end to the point where he can't be in the game in crunch time? Who might not pay attention during practice or in sessions where the upcoming game plan is discussed with the team? I think there are several reasons why Drummond does not have the coaches trust other than his free throw percentage. I am not saying Andre Drummond is the creator of the virus. He might not be the chemistry killer at all. Stan Van Gundy needs to find who those individuals might be. When one or several players do not want to do the right thing, it wears on the others who are on the same page as the coaches. If Johnson is the problem then he should be traded. If it is Drummond it is even more important to remove him from the team whatever it takes within reason. The teams that Detroit has had who won big all tell how hard it was to come together to form the best possible team chemistry. The leaders really worked at it during the regular season and over the summer. There was a real bond between the players, coaches and their fans. Something other than talent, executing the Xs and Os might be involved or the popular cop out Reggie Jackson's injury. That killer losing streak at the end of the season where our Pistons were blown out of 6 or 7 games is not normal. Something big changed within the team. What was it? Stan Van Gundy has to have a lot of insight that he has not share with the public. At least I hope he knows that chemistry is everything in basketball. And this team doesn't have it. If the players just do not have the basic talent or aptitude to become good NBA players and that is the problem instead of mental issues related to creating good team chemistry, then everyone will just need to work harder to improve. If you can remove one suspected rat in a group with others who do pay attention and want to do the right thing, then a miracle is possible and "a loser now can be later to win". I like the fact that SVG is asking everyone from the coaches to the players what they think needs to happen to improve this team.

[Sparma]

I have a hard time imagining us losing more often next year, but it's also tough to see us getting really good.

Maybe you can build a decent team around KCP and Harris, but not an outstanding one.  Besides, I see Harris as one of our more probable trade options, along with Leuer, partly in quest of some financial relief, partly to create minutes for Ellenson next year.

I'm not real hopeful with either Drummond or Jackson, although I expect both to be better next year.  I wouldn't let go of AD (yet) unless there's a real nice return.  He should become more consistent as well as a better post player and FT shooter with age, but I'm not expecting a ton of improvement.

Boban's earned minutes next year, but then isn't Baynes one of our top +/- guys, and he's leaving.  Again, tough to see a lot of improvement.

We can dream of top 3 in the draft.  The team's super young and should improve some, this year's fiasco notwithstanding.

SVG wants shooters, but so does everyone else, and it's tough to see how we're going to get the major shooting upgrade we need. There too, I guess we'll get better as people like Leuer, bounce back to career norms, but we need to big infusion of shooting talent and it's hard to see that happening given our circumstances.

If it were football, maybe we could hope for a young genius offensive mind as assistant, but that doesn't seem to be how the NBA works.

Lemonpen:

"Thanks for the update.

Honestly I don't have that comfy feeling that something good is about to happen.  My gut is churning and telling me whatever changes are made will fail to address the root causes.  
Reggie will open the season in our uni. backed by a corporate-wide belief that his health is all we need.
Dre will still be CHARMIN, sub 40% at the stripe and all close competitors whipping boy.
KCP will get paid, get a little mo better, but continue reek of inconsistency by swinging for the fences. (I guess chicks love the long ball)
SVG will continue designing 3pt shot attempts out of timeouts, and pressing non-shooters to hoist away.
Defense will continue to be played with one shoe in the paint so we never close-out on time.

Color me sad."

[cool breeze]

The answer is nothing at all.

Right to the end even in the last meaningless game, Stan Van Gundy featured the one man show of Ish Smith. Does that remind anyone of the season where Joe Dumars featured Will Bynum in the same role?? When you have a horrible team than management must create some excitement and bring in fake basketball to trick the fans. Bring in the Globetrotters for a dribbling exhibition where a quick small journey man rises to star level and the fans love it. It is Will Byum or Ish Smith against the world. Last night the game started very predictable much like almost every game this season. The Pistons dig themselves into a big hole in the first quarter. The first offensive possession is planned out where almost everyone touches the basketball. Instead of dribbling to the free throw line to create horrible spacing, Smith actually made the right entry pass early in the shot clock from the center of the court further out and there were at least two screens set while everyone was moving without the basketball. Stanley Johnson eventually penetrated and set himself up for an easy 5 foot shot which he missed. The coaches instructed Johnson to change his jump shot last summer and now I cannot recognize him anymore. His base is not good where his legs are too close together to get proper balance and his release looks like he has no control of the basketball at all. Granted he needed to create a quicker release but Johnson now has no touch at all.

Back to the game where on the 2nd Piston possession the team or should I say Smith decided to play his street basketball style again and he dribbled around and shot the ball and missed. I think he missed 9 straight shots never thinking it might be a good thing to get his teammates involved in the offense. Meanwhile, Orlando was getting good looks in transition and making a lot of open 3 point shots. The Orlando lead grew and grew with Arron Gordon doing whatever he wanted to do against Leuer and Andre was nowhere to be seen allowing dunks and layups as the first quarter moved forward. Instead of slowing things down after every Piston player was out of rhythm because no half court offense was actually being run and perhaps run a set play that everyone had worked on, Smith increased the tempo. Pope finally touched the basketball a few times and hit some difficult shots or the blowout would have been worse in the 1st quarter. Stan must have been thinking that he better sign KCP to that max contract quickly. This first quarter was typical of many first quarters this season for the Detroit Pistons. My opinion is that the Pistons had the most dysfunctional offense in the entire NBA and nothing changed all season long for the better. This is what Stan Van Gundy created. The players are doing what he has instructed. If Reggie Jackson couldn't play, Stan decided he would fool the fans by using Smith in Reggie's role but Smith is even worse at running a half court offense than Jackson. Hilliard came in in the 2nd quarter and I thought even though the pistons still struggled a lot, the team actually looked more like a real team. Then in the 2nd half Smith started making a lot of shots and Orlando played their 3rd stringers a lot so Detroit cut into the lead. Smith plays hard. I can see that and I appreciate it when players play all out which he does. But this is supposed to be a 5 man game. I was even feeling sorry for Andre Drummond at limes on offense because I could see that is was puzzled as to if he should go out and set a screen or not because he had no idea what Smith was going to do. Nobody on the team knowns what Smith is going to do on any possession. There are no set plays that a player can count and feel comfortable with. Smith plays like a wild man always trying to create something out of nothing. But that always ends bad when you don't have a plan and the players you are playing with have no idea what the point guard is trying to do. Other teams have worse records than the Pistons but most of those teams suffered critical injuries to key players. Stan can use the excuse that Reggie was injured but some of us are not buying it.

These players have appeared to look like they had never practiced together or played a game together when they started the first quarter of almost every basketball game this season. There are no set offensive plays that the players can count on to be successful. It is just wild and crazy one on one basketball where the shooter throws up a hope and a prayer type shot and Stan Van Gundy wonders why their shooting percentages are so low. This coaching staff needs to be fired. All of them need to go. And I am the last person who usually talks that way. I usually blame the players. But these players look lost and do not understand how Stan Van Gundy's system can ever work for them. The point guards are so ego driven and ball dominate that they make their teammates look much worse than they really might be. All I know is that when Beno was on the floor the players all looked better they they ever looked with either Jackson or Smith. But this is the Ish Smith era much like we witnessed the Will Bynum era. Management will do that when they know they do not have a winning hand. They need to bring out the circus act.

Oracle mentioned that he purchased PASS this season and has experienced disappointment. I am in the same boat and for the first time in years am questioning if I will renew this fall. Piston basketball has become a big downer. The mosre you watch the more depressed you can become. Be careful how much you watch Piston fans. This season has been the most boring, predictable, inept style of basketball that I have ever watched relating to the Pistons. The overall quality of play for the entire Eastern Conference has not been good either and for this experienced team to not even make the playoffs is incredible. And all of the Eastern Conference teams in my opinion have a lot more to look forward to than Piston fans. I like a lot of those young Orlando players who appear to enjoy playing with each other. You can go through the rosters of the Eastern Conference teams that finished with worse records than the Pistons and see more potential for the future and more to get excited about. If the coaching staff is fired and trades can be made to bring in at least one new solid player and Ellenson can somehow get himself ready to contribute in a big way, this team might be more fun to watch and follow. If not and we get the status quo from this owner the Detroit Pistons will be no better and perhaps no worse than they were this season.

Moving downtown will not change a thing once the ball is put in play. The only excitement might be the same as this season where the pre game dancing of Andre Drummond in the circle of his teammates makes Piston fans feel complete. I wonder how much money Andre pays his teammates to look excited about his dancing. Remember the serious look on Bill Laimbeer's face or Ben Wallace's face before the opening tip when they played. It wasn't all laughs and giggles for them because they were thinking about what they would need to do and were prepared to do it. Andre is all smiles and always goofing off making light of the event that is about to take place. Isn't it weird when the fans are serious and worried before the games start but the players aren't. It might be time to bring back the teal uniforms for a few years when Detroit plays downtown. We are in the soft and sensitive years of Piston history. Get ready for more of it.

At least Stan Van Gundy's team will not create any new scars at the Palace. Nobody will remember this group but we will remember the real players who connected so well with Piston fans and created so much excitement in our lives.
Have a good summer everyone and enjoy the playoffs.

[lemonpen]

@Lemonpen - Yes, there will be a bump in the salary cap and the luxury line, which will help. However, it's expected to be not as large as previously thought.

In a surprise turn, the NBA is pulling back on its salary-cap projection for the 2017-18 season, according to a league memo obtained by ESPN, and it could complicate the Golden State Warriors' efforts to keep their new super team together.

The league previously projected the 2017-18 cap to hit $107 million but lowered that number to $102 million Thursday and lowered the luxury-tax-line projection from $127 million to $122 million.

@Don - I'd be surprised if you weren't down a bit on the team after all that has happened this season, I'm feeling a bit off as well. However, I'm sure great things will begin to happen and with a new rookie to get excited about, a trade or two to inject new talent and possible a sweet FA acquisition, all true blue Piston fans will find reason to get excited again.

What I don't think will happen is any wild projections for next season 

I think we'll all take a more wait and see attitude and make them prove it!

Thanks for the update.

Honestly I don't have that comfy feeling that something good is about to happen.  My gut is churning and telling me whatever changes are made will fail to address the root causes.  
Reggie will open the season in our uni. backed by a corporate-wide belief that his health is all we need.
Dre will still be CHARMIN, sub 40% at the stripe and all close competitors whipping boy.
KCP will get paid, get a little mo better, but continue reek of inconsistency by swinging for the fences. (I guess chicks love the long ball)
SVG will continue designing 3pt shot attempts out of timeouts, and pressing non-shooters to hoist away.
Defense will continue to be played with one shoe in the paint so we never close-out on time.

Color me sad.

[lemonpen]

When I lived in North Carolina the old southern boys use to say about Dean Smith
"He Could Beat You With His-un or He Could Beat You With You-rin" (pronounced urine). The point being that some coaches were well versed enough to make winners out of almost any roster.

After last nights debacle in Orlando the broadcast crew to a man was shockingly candid and critical of the Stones 2017 performance. What surprised me most was the level of criticism directed toward SVG regarding
(1) an inability to match players to his system,
(2) his long delayed reach into the bench for solutions,
(3) no adjustment of his system to accommodate the team skillset once the depth of our shooting woes became evident.

I guess Dean Smith is shaking his head in disbelief at us.

[Oracle]

DRUMMOND: This subject was not talked about last season but some of my friends who needle me because I am a Piston follower said the only reason he made the All Star team was due to the power his agent has in setting up big contracts for his players. The timing sure was a good thing for Andre and he did accumulate a lot of rebounds. Andre was rejected in his bid to make the Olympic team of course for good reason. So how was he considered to be among the best of the best centers in the NBA when he was a player that other NBA teams targeted as being an inferior defender in the regular season? Was the timing of adding Drummond to the All star team another indicator of just how powerful agents have become? Once Drummond signed his ridiculous contract he could sit back and smell the roses and that is just what he did this season. He didn't show anyone that he had worked at all over last summer to improve in at least one area. In fact he looked like he added some weight in the wrong places and had less stamina and less ambition on the defensive end(And the offensive end as well! While I think his stamina will improve as he reaches his peak, I still wonder about his killer instinct). According to everything I have read the two sure things we can count on is the return of Stan Van Gundy, Jackson and Andre Drummond.

JACKSON: Is SVG trying to sell snake oil to the fans(YES)? Stan Van Gundy wants Reggie Jackson to take it easy over the summer and come back strong next fall. Stan talks a lot about Reggie's knee but I don't think that was the real problem do you? It appeared that Reggie was out of breath or in oxygen debt every time he tried to drive into the paint. Does Reggie have a cardio issue(That is EXACTLY what I saw, and even Reggie stated that he had no knee pain, all while sweating worse that Chauncey on his worst night!)? What type of insurance does Stan Van Gundy have that he can cash in on if Reggie comes back the same way next fall instead of being the Reggie two years ago? Will he be talking it up about Brown again? We need a real point guard who can create harmony in the half court offense which means we need a point guard who will share the ball more than Jackson and Smith do. And the team needs better defenders than Smith and Jackson can offer. 

The bottom line is that management will have to place a positive spin on their two franchise players or season ticket sales will tumble off the charts. The only reason why those two players will be back is the fact that no team in their right mind would take on those crazy contracts that management agreed to(True) . That will cause more heartache for Piston fans next season for sure. But who cares about the fans????

DRAFT: Because Detroit will most likely get the 11th pick, all the quality point guards will be long gone. NBA Draft Net has Detroit taking a center from Gonzaga, Zach Collins. He is a competitor but mostly played against bench opposition in a small conference. I think he has some real talent and could fit SVG's system but might take several years to be able to make a rotation.(I like this kid mainly because he's such a great competitor and his size, but he will be a bit of a project, so if SVG drafts him, he better be willing to wait)He has a lot to learn on the defensive end and won't learn much watching Andre play that end of the floor. Jarrett Allen who played at Texas is listed as the Piston's choice in Draft Express. He appears to be another project type player as well. Both of those players should stay in college for two more years. My pick the dark horse winner in this draft will be the team that decides to draft Dillon Brooks from Oregon. He is listed far down in the 2nd round at pick 55 with NBADraftnet and number 40 on Draft Express. This guy was the Alpha Dog in the PAC 12 and was voted MVP player of the year. He had his worst game of the season against North Carolina in the Final 4. That was not the Dillon Brooks I have been watching for the past few seasons. He is an incredible shooter when the game is on the line and can score in many ways. He has a complete offensive game and I have watched him drill game winning 3 pointers with two defenders on him several times. He was the most feared player in the PAC12 and every coach who prepared for Oregon had a Dillon Brooks game plan that never seemed to work. Brooks is an over achiever who is extremely smart in his recognition of what is going on within the game. He is not a guy like Stanley Johnson who had not developed a complete offensive game before he entered the draft. As I look down the draft board, I see a lot of players with extreme defects in their games. The NBA is getting weaker and until something is done to prevent freshman from entering the draft, the NBA will continue to go downhill in the product they offer basketball fans.   

My only hope left is for Henry Ellenson to have a great game tonight(I hope he does as well, but I also want to see Boban have a great game). He could be fun to watch next year if he gets a fair shot. 

IMO, a bench unit of Boban, Ellenson, Morris, Stanley & Ish is a lineup that has both size and speed and could do some damage. You could also move Ellenson over to center for a small ball lineup then add another forward. Ellenson is close to 7', so you keep decent size in the post without Boban.

BTW, best night to have league pass, there will be some good ball being played tonight. Sadly, this wasn't the reason I got league pass, I wanted to be able to watch the Pistons competitors during the season to know them well, but we aren't going to make the dance, so 

[cool breeze]

DRUMMOND: This subject was not talked about last season but some of my friends who needle me because I am a Piston follower said the only reason he made the All Star team was due to the power his agent has in setting up big contracts for his players. The timing sure was a good thing for Andre and he did accumulate a lot of rebounds. Andre was rejected in his bid to make the Olympic team of course for good reason. So how was he considered to be among the best of the best centers in the NBA when he was a player that other NBA teams targeted as being an inferior defender in the regular season? Was the timing of adding Drummond to the All star team another indicator of just how powerful agents have become? Once Drummond signed his ridiculous contract he could sit back and smell the roses and that is just what he did this season. He didn't show anyone that he had worked at all over last summer to improve in at least one area. In fact he looked like he added some weight in the wrong places and had less stamina and less ambition on the defensive end. According to everything I have read the two sure things we can count on is the return of Stan Van Gundy, Jackson and Andre Drummond.

JACKSON: Is SVG trying to sell snake oil to the fans? Stan Van Gundy wants Reggie Jackson to take it easy over the summer and come back strong next fall. Stan talks a lot about Reggie's knee but I don't think that was the real problem do you? It appeared that Reggie was out of breath or in oxygen debt every time he tried to drive into the paint. Does Reggie have a cardio issue? What type of insurance does Stan Van Gundy have that he can cash in on if Reggie comes back the same way next fall instead of being the Reggie two years ago? Will he be talking it up about Brown again? We need a real point guard who can create harmony in the half court offense which means we need a point guard who will share the ball more than Jackson and Smith do. And the team needs better defenders than Smith and Jackson can offer.

The bottom line is that management will have to place a positive spin on their two franchise players or season ticket sales will tumble off the charts. The only reason why those two players will be back is the fact that no team in their right mind would take on those crazy contracts that management agreed to. That will cause more heartache for Piston fans next season for sure. But who cares about the fans????

DRAFT: Because Detroit will most likely get the 11th pick, all the quality point guards will be long gone. NBA Draft Net has Detroit taking a center from Gonzaga, Zach Collins. He is a competitor but mostly played against bench opposition in a small conference. I think he has some real talent and could fit SVG's system but might take several years to be able to make a rotation. He has a lot to learn on the defensive end and won't learn much watching Andre play that end of the floor. Jarrett Allen who played at Texas is listed as the Piston's choice in Draft Express. He appears to be another project type player as well. Both of those players should stay in college for two more years. My pick the dark horse winner in this draft will be the team that decides to draft Dillon Brooks from Oregon. He is listed far down in the 2nd round at pick 55 with NBADraftnet and number 40 on Draft Express. This guy was the Alpha Dog in the PAC 12 and was voted MVP player of the year. He had his worst game of the season against North Carolina in the Final 4. That was not the Dillon Brooks I have been watching for the past few seasons. He is an incredible shooter when the game is on the line and can score in many ways. He has a complete offensive game and I have watched him drill game winning 3 pointers with two defenders on him several times. He was the most feared player in the PAC12 and every coach who prepared for Oregon had a Dillon Brooks game plan that never seemed to work. Brooks is an over achiever who is extremely smart in his recognition of what is going on within the game. He is not a guy like Stanley Johnson who had not developed a complete offensive game before he entered the draft. As I look down the draft board, I see a lot of players with extreme defects in their games. The NBA is getting weaker and until something is done to prevent freshman from entering the draft, the NBA will continue to go downhill in the product they offer basketball fans.

My only hope left is for Henry Ellenson to have a great game tonight. He could be fun to watch next year if he gets a fair shot.

[Oracle]

@Lemonpen - Yes, there will be a bump in the salary cap and the luxury line, which will help. However, it's expected to be not as large as previously thought.

In a surprise turn, the NBA is pulling back on its salary-cap projection for the 2017-18 season, according to a league memo obtained by ESPN, and it could complicate the Golden State Warriors' efforts to keep their new super team together.

The league previously projected the 2017-18 cap to hit $107 million but lowered that number to $102 million Thursday and lowered the luxury-tax-line projection from $127 million to $122 million.

@Don - I'd be surprised if you weren't down a bit on the team after all that has happened this season, I'm feeling a bit off as well. However, I'm sure great things will begin to happen and with a new rookie to get excited about, a trade or two to inject new talent and possible a sweet FA acquisition, all true blue Piston fans will find reason to get excited again.

What I don't think will happen is any wild projections for next season 

I think we'll all take a more wait and see attitude and make them prove it!

[cool breeze]

While I don't agree that the players look the same between starters and benchers and I stated the reasons a few posts down, we do agree on something.

SVG really needs to take a HARD look at everybody on this roster to see how they match the offense he wants to run if that's the only way he can coach.

What we know:
1. Harris does not fit his offense at all, although I do believe he can add the 3 point shot if he focused on it.
2. Reggie is not the best PG for his system, but if he could change as much as Westbrook has, there is hope.
3. Morris is average, but he's a steady average and he's a huge value
4. KCP is NOT a max player and if SVG keeps him around, his pay needs to reflect that.
5. The bloom is way off the Drummond rose, but we don't have any options with him.

Stanley Johnson doesn't look like much, but as always, I caution about getting too down on a guy in his rookie contract. We need to take our time and let him regain his confidence, this has been a terrible year for all involved.

I should have listened to you more about Leuer, he's not the player I thought he was, and I'm sure SVG can see that now. He's serviceable, so if it's limited minutes off the bench, that would be fine, but that's not the way he's being paid, so I'd look to move him for sure.

My guesses:
Staying: Harris, Morris, Reggie, Drummond, Ish & youngsters

Likely going: KCP

Going: Leuer, Baynes

KCP poses a real financial challenge that never seems to get talked about.

We will lose Baynes and get some money there and hopefully move Leuer. However, without a sign & trade for KCP, we can't replace KCP.

We can go over the cap to sign KCP, but not his replacement, so if the team we S&T him with doesn't have the right pieces, we're a bit up a creek.

It's real tricky, but they've done tricky before, so we'll see.

Good post Oracle. I wonder if KCP is a good fit with SVG's style of offense. Maybe if we have to endure another season with SVG as coach and he refuses to change his style of play, then maybe management needs to look harder for a 3 point shooting specialist to man the 2 guard position. The way the offense works, it is not necessary for the 2 guard to be able to dribble drive or move around screens to shot the mid range shot. SVG wants the 2 guard to stand at the baseline and wait for a pass and then shoot it. How dull that must be for our 2 guards but just the same, if that is the way it is going to be, then it will be up to the coach to get the right 2 guard to fit.

I am more negative about the future of this team than I was way back before Drummond was drafted. At least we got a higher draft pick. But miracles can happen and the young players might function better next year. I think Lemonpen made the best statement today as he said he is waiting for the day that our Piston team will be able to do at least one thing well. Is that too much to ask?

[lemonpen]

Was there for the festivities last night.  Sure gonna miss the place.  I was a season tix holder for the first three years.    What a run.  Who knew it would be the Stones best three years.  ranks up there as some of the best $$$$ I've ever spent.  If you have never been to a Finals in person, go.  You will be knee deep in celebrities, worldwide media and NBA legends.  

It was difficult to cram 30 years of highlights into a halftime show.  I sure hope each of the returning Pistons were interviewed for broadcast later.

[lemonpen]

While I don't agree that the players look the same between starters and benchers and I stated the reasons a few posts down, we do agree on something.

SVG really needs to take a HARD look at everybody on this roster to see how they match the offense he wants to run if that's the only way he can coach.

What we know:
1. Harris does not fit his offense at all, although I do believe he can add the 3 point shot if he focused on it.
2. Reggie is not the best PG for his system, but if he could change as much as Westbrook has, there is hope.
3. Morris is average, but he's a steady average and he's a huge value
4. KCP is NOT a max player and if SVG keeps him around, his pay needs to reflect that.
5. The bloom is way off the Drummond rose, but we don't have any options with him.

Stanley Johnson doesn't look like much, but as always, I caution about getting too down on a guy in his rookie contract. We need to take our time and let him regain his confidence, this has been a terrible year for all involved.

I should have listened to you more about Leuer, he's not the player I thought he was, and I'm sure SVG can see that now. He's serviceable, so if it's limited minutes off the bench, that would be fine, but that's not the way he's being paid, so I'd look to move him for sure.

My guesses:
Staying: Harris, Morris, Reggie, Drummond, Ish & youngsters

Likely going: KCP

Going: Leuer, Baynes

KCP poses a real financial challenge that never seems to get talked about.

We will lose Baynes and get some money there and hopefully move Leuer. However, without a sign & trade for KCP, we can't replace KCP.

We can go over the cap to sign KCP, but not his replacement, so if the team we S&T him with doesn't have the right pieces, we're a bit up a creek.

It's real tricky, but they've done tricky before, so we'll see.

Don't forget the cap is taking another bump up.

[lemonpen]

What does this mean? Watching either Smith or Jackson vs Hilliard and Johnson playing point guard reveals to me at least that the overall look of the team seems about the same. One difference is how much time the point guards dominate the basketball on offense. The other difference is that the defense actually looks to be better with either Hilliard or Johnson playing point guard as I expected. Somehow Stan Van Gundy looks for point guards who dominate the basketball for from 12 to 16 seconds of the shot clock. Opposing teams know that and can easily defeat the Pistons by encouraging our chosen point guards do keep doing it. This means that the other 4 Piston players also know that the Piston point guards will not pass the basketball much within the first 12 to 16 seconds of the shot clock so there is little to no movement within the half court offense. When or if the basketball is finally passed by the point guard (Jackson/smith) then the guy who receives the basketball (Harris/Morris up to 85% of the time) then are so crazed that they decide to shoot the ball even though they might be double teamed. Usually as the opposing team knows and practices against the lame offense of Stan Van Gundy they will double either Harris or Morris. If those two players were doing the right thing they would be looking for the open man who could shoot the ball without anybody around him. But the other 4 players who are out there with Morris and Harris know that those two will not pass the basketball to the open man. This is insane but that is what has happened all season long on most possessions. Of course there is Stan Van Gundy's bread and butter play the pick and roll play between Drummond and the point guard. That worked a lot last season but not this season. Opposing teams have taken that away from the Stan Van Gundy offense. This is what the owner is paying for this season Piston fans. The most stupid offense in the NBA keeps on ticking and forcing the Pistons right out of the playoffs.
Better look again. Both Johnson and Hilliard struggled mightily to keep from turning the ball over when pressed. Both were rattled easily. Granted I thought Ish was rather shoot happy last night.

Stanley Johnson has taken 10 steps back this season. There is not doubt that he has lost a lot of confidence in his ability to play within Stan Van Gundy's offensive system. Last night the coach decided that Hilliard would man the point guard position when Smith went to the bench. I didn't see anything special about Hilliard's performance but it was no worse than Smith's and more players were involved in the offense with Hilliard. However, in the 2nd half Johnson took over the point guard role at times and I thought that was the old Johnson that I used to know. He used to be the alpha dog player on his team until he arrived under Stan Van Gundy's leadership. Johnson quickly got his players set up in the half court offense and MADE THE CORRECT PASS to get things going. The players were moving without the basketball and got the pass at the right moment. Johnson seemed to gain more confidence when he touched the ball more. Then I ask myself how would I perform if I played the 2 guard in Stan Van Gundy's point guard dominating style of offense. You seldom touch the ball. You are told to stand beyond the 3 point line because of course Stan Van Gundy believes in the 3 point shot. No I would lose my confidence as well and would never feel the flow of the offense because there is no flow at all. Our Pistons have played amateur basketball that you see on the play ground.
I have an uncomfortable feeling about Johnson. Offense doesn't come easily for him and nothing about his O game seems to happen smoothly and without much thought. SJ can't guard guards; at least without fouling.

Meanwhile I was watching how Beal was always involved in Washington's offense. He was moving without the ball. The ball was going from side to side. The Washington point guard was not screwing around with the basketball for 12 to 16 seconds on every possession. No Washington looked like a basketball team. Regardless of who plays in Stan Van Gundy's system, you will have to be very selfish once you touch the basketball to every be successful. Therefore, the overall team chemistry will of course suck.
There was a great deal of separation (on both ends of the court) between a top 4 conference team and one not making the playoffs. AND that was without Wall and Porter.

Notice that Stan Van Gundy's ace player Lauer was brought in in this last game in the 4th quarter after Boban was injured. Washington immediately took it to Lauer when he was on defense. I felt sorry for him. But somehow Stan Van Gundy thought that Lauer should be a starter earlier in the season. Stan never seemed to see how bad the starters were when he played two defective big men together in Lauer and Drummond on defense.
Like it or not Jon Lauer will be competing for his job next season against the Wisconsin Rook. The Rook seemed less adverse to using his body in a crowd (spelled greater toughness). I look forward to the competition.

Tom Gores sure that a lot to ponder this summer and I hope he has identified that Stan Van Gundy and his staff of coaches have no clue what they are doing. He also needs to understand that his entire team has no alpha dog player who can lead a team and inspire high effort. The guys who do not player seem to be on a par with the starters. The franchise player who makes in excess of $20 million dollars is not good enough to be in the game during crunch time. The two reliable scorers Morris and Harris do not share the basketball. The point guards who play are both selfish always looking to find their own shot. Sometimes the point guards make difficult shots after exhausting the shot clock and then again often when the games gets into crunch time, they just can't make it happen. That might be due to the fact that opposing teams turn up the defense on the point guards right at those big moments. Our Pistons are so easy to figure out and create a successful game plan to beat them it is silly. Will the owner allow this same thing to happen again next season or will he clean house and start over?

We need a star. A star that can talk the talk and walk the walk. We need an identity too. Is there anything we can begin to do really well.

[Oracle]

While I don't agree that the players look the same between starters and benchers and I stated the reasons a few posts down, we do agree on something.

SVG really needs to take a HARD look at everybody on this roster to see how they match the offense he wants to run if that's the only way he can coach.

What we know:
1. Harris does not fit his offense at all, although I do believe he can add the 3 point shot if he focused on it.
2. Reggie is not the best PG for his system, but if he could change as much as Westbrook has, there is hope.
3. Morris is average, but he's a steady average and he's a huge value
4. KCP is NOT a max player and if SVG keeps him around, his pay needs to reflect that.
5. The bloom is way off the Drummond rose, but we don't have any options with him.

Stanley Johnson doesn't look like much, but as always, I caution about getting too down on a guy in his rookie contract. We need to take our time and let him regain his confidence, this has been a terrible year for all involved.

I should have listened to you more about Leuer, he's not the player I thought he was, and I'm sure SVG can see that now. He's serviceable, so if it's limited minutes off the bench, that would be fine, but that's not the way he's being paid, so I'd look to move him for sure.

My guesses:
Staying: Harris, Morris, Reggie, Drummond, Ish & youngsters

Likely going: KCP

Going: Leuer, Baynes

KCP poses a real financial challenge that never seems to get talked about.

We will lose Baynes and get some money there and hopefully move Leuer. However, without a sign & trade for KCP, we can't replace KCP.

We can go over the cap to sign KCP, but not his replacement, so if the team we S&T him with doesn't have the right pieces, we're a bit up a creek.

It's real tricky, but they've done tricky before, so we'll see.

[Oracle]

Bittersweet watching the last game at the Palace. My last time there was Big Ben's
last game in 2012. It was definitely rocking that night as we celebrated the career of a Pistons legend. I can only imagine the energy there tonight with Pistons royalty in the house.

That being said... may the lottery gods be with us.


Go Pistons!

You and me both, we need all of the luck we can get!

[cool breeze]

What does this mean? Watching either Smith or Jackson vs Hilliard and Johnson playing point guard reveals to me at least that the overall look of the team seems about the same. One difference is how much time the point guards dominate the basketball on offense. The other difference is that the defense actually looks to be better with either Hilliard or Johnson playing point guard as I expected. Somehow Stan Van Gundy looks for point guards who dominate the basketball for from 12 to 16 seconds of the shot clock. Opposing teams know that and can easily defeat the Pistons by encouraging our chosen point guards do keep doing it. This means that the other 4 Piston players also know that the Piston point guards will not pass the basketball much within the first 12 to 16 seconds of the shot clock so there is little to no movement within the half court offense. When or if the basketball is finally passed by the point guard (Jackson/smith) then the guy who receives the basketball (Harris/Morris up to 85% of the time) then are so crazed that they decide to shoot the ball even though they might be double teamed. Usually as the opposing team knows and practices against the lame offense of Stan Van Gundy they will double either Harris or Morris. If those two players were doing the right thing they would be looking for the open man who could shoot the ball without anybody around him. But the other 4 players who are out there with Morris and Harris know that those two will not pass the basketball to the open man. This is insane but that is what has happened all season long on most possessions. Of course there is Stan Van Gundy's bread and butter play the pick and roll play between Drummond and the point guard. That worked a lot last season but not this season. Opposing teams have taken that away from the Stan Van Gundy offense. This is what the owner is paying for this season Piston fans. The most stupid offense in the NBA keeps on ticking and forcing the Pistons right out of the playoffs.

Stanley Johnson has taken 10 steps back this season. There is not doubt that he has lost a lot of confidence in his ability to play within Stan Van Gundy's offensive system. Last night the coach decided that Hilliard would man the point guard position when Smith went to the bench. I didn't see anything special about Hilliard's performance but it was no worse than Smith's and more players were involved in the offense with Hilliard. However, in the 2nd half Johnson took over the point guard role at times and I thought that was the old Johnson that I used to know. He used to be the alpha dog player on his team until he arrived under Stan Van Gundy's leadership. Johnson quickly got his players set up in the half court offense and MADE THE CORRECT PASS to get things going. The players were moving without the basketball and got the pass at the right moment. Johnson seemed to gain more confidence when he touched the ball more. Then I ask myself how would I perform if I played the 2 guard in Stan Van Gundy's point guard dominating style of offense. You seldom touch the ball. You are told to stand beyond the 3 point line because of course Stan Van Gundy believes in the 3 point shot. No I would lose my confidence as well and would never feel the flow of the offense because there is no flow at all. Our Pistons have played amateur basketball that you see on the play ground.

Meanwhile I was watching how Beal was always involved in Washington's offense. He was moving without the ball. The ball was going from side to side. The Washington point guard was not screwing around with the basketball for 12 to 16 seconds on every possession. No Washington looked like a basketball team. Regardless of who plays in Stan Van Gundy's system, you will have to be very selfish once you touch the basketball to every be successful. Therefore, the overall team chemistry will of course suck.

Notice that Stan Van Gundy's ace player Lauer was brought in in this last game in the 4th quarter after Boban was injured. Washington immediately took it to Lauer when he was on defense. I felt sorry for him. But somehow Stan Van Gundy thought that Lauer should be a starter earlier in the season. Stan never seemed to see how bad the starters were when he played two defective big men together in Lauer and Drummond on defense.

Tom Gores sure that a lot to ponder this summer and I hope he has identified that Stan Van Gundy and his staff of coaches have no clue what they are doing. He also needs to understand that his entire team has no alpha dog player who can lead a team and inspire high effort. The guys who do not player seem to be on a par with the starters. The franchise player who makes in excess of $20 million dollars is not good enough to be in the game during crunch time. The two reliable scorers Morris and Harris do not share the basketball. The point guards who play are both selfish always looking to find their own shot. Sometimes the point guards make difficult shots after exhausting the shot clock and then again often when the games gets into crunch time, they just can't make it happen. That might be due to the fact that opposing teams turn up the defense on the point guards right at those big moments. Our Pistons are so easy to figure out and create a successful game plan to beat them it is silly. Will the owner allow this same thing to happen again next season or will he clean house and start over?

[KaySlay]

Bittersweet watching the last game at the Palace. My last time there was Big Ben's
last game in 2012. It was definitely rocking that night as we celebrated the career of a Pistons legend. I can only imagine the energy there tonight with Pistons royalty in the house.

That being said... may the lottery gods be with us.


Go Pistons!

[cool breeze]

Sound harsh, but if the report is true, I suppose the Pistons are acting in conformity with NBA rules.  

This is a classic example of why I favor the players over SVG. After the positive contributions made by Beno this season one would think the training staff and rehab facilities would be at his disposal, not a pat on the ass and "see 'ya." We have 2 games left and I'm thinking IR for Beno and signing Lorenzo to a 10 day contract is in the NBA rules also. SVG seems to be searching for new and ridiculous ways to suck.

SVG plays hard ball with Beno who I believe was the best point guard on the team this year when you consider how much better he was than either Smith or Jackson on the defensive end. Who did opposing coaches target the most? Was it Andre Drummond's lame effort on defense or how much both Jackson and Smith were on defense against opposing starting point guards? That is difficult to answer knowing how inept Drummond was in most games.

Tom Gores should be thinking about a lot of things this summer. Why did Stan Van Gundy talk him into making Andre Drummond the franchise player? Andre is a nice man off the court but he will never be an alpha dog and any owner is an idiot to believe that Andre Drummond will ever be an alpha dog like Ben Wallace or a host of other incredible Piston players from the past. This team has no alpha dog leader who is feared by any team. Instead our franchise player is a target of weak man who should always be exploited by opposing teams because of his basic inability to grasp how to play winning basketball. Out of shape and over weight, this low basketball IQ franchise player will be very difficult to trade any time soon. But this is what Mr. Gores should do now. He needs to present an option to Stan Van Gundy to either find a way to trade Andre Drummond or resign this summer before the draft.

Even if SVG could somehow pull off a miracle trade which I highly doubt is possible, he clearly shows that his style of play doesn't fit the players he has signed. Still in his recent interview, Stan believes that an offense featuring his 3 point shooters is the only way to go. Maybe other teams can shoot a lot of 3 point shots and get away with it mostly because those teams have players who are a big threat to hit mid range shots and finish at the rim. Who can finish at the rim consistently? Is it Ish Smith who dominates the basketball for 12 to 15 seconds on every possession and then can't make his wild shots enough times to shoot 50% from inside the free throw line? Stan Van Gundy got lazy this season. He insisted on playing offense his way even though he didn't have the right players. And to think that you can't be a winner playing another way show me he has lost his mind. Tell me that if Richard Hamilton were in his prime he wouldn't torch most teams even more in today's game with his mid range jump shots than in his era? I believe that today's players are weaker in every respect on the defensive end than they were in any other era of the NBA. Players are soft in today's game. They don't work hard to get open shots from inside the 3 point line. It takes less effort to jack up 3 point shots. And this season, Stan's inept team has shown that his players just stand in place most of the time on offense. There was not only zero ball movement but also zero player movement on most possessions especially during the months that count in December, January and Feb. when real men do more than show up for every game and the fakers give as little effort as possible. To me this was the time period when our Detroit Pistons showed their real colors. Andre Drummond appeared to be fairly fit during training camp. But in the months when the good teams would building character through hard work, the team leader and franchise player was gaining weight and looking real tired. What happened? Was it that Andre and his buddies started tuning out their coach? Was the coach lazy as well and didn't have the courage to change the style of play that was not working? Has Stan Van Gundy watched too many AAU games? Have our players played in too many AAU games and believe playing defense is not part of being a real basketball player?

Mr. Gores is a good businessman. He wants to win. He must know that nothing will change next year if the coach coaches the same way his the players compete the way they did this season. Our team looked and acted like losers on too many nights. There was no one alpha dog who loved the game so much that he would not only challenge himself but have the courage to get in the faces of his teammates. Perhaps Tom Gores should read the Navy Seal book that I just finished. When top notch soldiers get invited to BUDS they are incredible people. However, if the director invites 200 or the usual 150 candidates the same thing happens at the end of training. Usually only 30 to 33 incredible men graduate from BUDS. Those men are not necessarily the fastest, strongest, or most powerful men. They are identified as alpha dogs. They are the few who never give up and can operate during the times of the most intense pressure one can comprehend. If they survive, they get back up and do it again and again. When you try to identify the alpha dogs in pro basketball, they are easy to find. We have none as you all know. That is why our players will continue to lose more than anything else. You have to have the right players to start with. Somehow now just because you are a nice guy and are really big and do show up on time, you become the leader. Has Piston management gone mad? Do you turns over the keys to a player who doesn't clash hard on the boards when it matters and just stands too far under the basket and watches? No in real life when people do not have guaranteed contracts to hide behind, when you play lazy physically and mentally a bell should go off or the player should ring the ball and go home like the guys who don't make it out of BUDS. Does management really think all Piston fans are idiots? Who in hell will buy a season ticket next year after this display by these Piston players and Stan Van Gundy?

[deusXango]

Sound harsh, but if the report is true, I suppose the Pistons are acting in conformity with NBA rules.  

This is a classic example of why I favor the players over SVG. After the positive contributions made by Beno this season one would think the training staff and rehab facilities would be at his disposal, not a pat on the ass and "see 'ya." We have 2 games left and I'm thinking IR for Beno and signing Lorenzo to a 10 day contract is in the NBA rules also. SVG seems to be searching for new and ridiculous ways to suck.

[Sparma]

Sound harsh, but if the report is true, I suppose the Pistons are acting in conformity with NBA rules.

[Oracle]

The winning is true, but what it means is something a bit different.

The winning shows us what's possible, and also supplies an obvious solution, the question is if SVG is the coach that can deliver that solution.

You only have a deep team if you play the players like the team is deep. This team should have been played 10-11 deep, but that's not SVG's style. Carlisle would have easily played this team that deep.

We have the makings of a solid strong 2nd unit, but they will never get that way unless they are given the chance to build chemistry. If SVG insists on playing 8-9 players in varying combinations, this effect is hard to achieve.

So what's true? We've seen a couple of things.
1. We have very good bench capability that needs to be given the chance to develop. In that bench capability, we have enough players to then squeeze in an 11th man for limited minutes while keeping a core of 5 in the 2nd unit.
2. If anybody had any doubt about how well this team can perform with very good ball distribution, I hope they've seen it at work again. However, after the Jennings experiment and the Ish blowup twice, the trend should be crystal clear.

What's not true? How well they're playing. In a real regular season, it's possible, but not likely that they look this good. Right now, these guys are playing with house money, they're free from the pressure that real NBA games would represent. So we do need to take some of this with a grain of salt, but not all of it.

Can SVG do this or will he go back to business as usual?

We won't know until next year I guess.

[Oracle]

That's what you get with great PG play!

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