I can't believe Detroit played Defense for the first time in many years!

[Phil-Good]

The boys played Defense and rebounded the basketball tonight people. ILLY plays with some fire in his belly on defense. WOW! He not great at it but he try his best. So does Morris AKA poor man's Paul Pierce. Kid did A good job. I would love to see the Morris brothers playing together In Detroit.

I don't know what the knock on Reggie Jackson is but I love the kids game. I think he is A up and coming all star in the making. He is going to have to learn how to win games and close games but that goes for everybody wearing Pistons uniforms. Detroit has been bad for A really...really.. long time.

S.Johnson look good. I said this during summer league and i saw it again tonight. It's been years since I have seen A rookie get double team. That kid is going to be really good.

The Australian guy looked solid in the second half. That guy is pure power and muscle man. He got A smooth jump-shot also. Reminds me of the Polish HAMMER...Gortot A little bit.

My bad Oracle. 42-40. But I'm telling you, If Detroit can find A power forward, and don't give up too much. Detroit can shoot to 46 wins easy.

[merc]

Not having Monroe clogging the lane and failing to close out makes a big difference... the perimeter D was tighter than we've seen in awhile.

I was also disappointed in Jackson tonight he missed some wide open guys on the wings that he shunned for off-balanced shots... hopefully just opening night jitters.

Really liked how they crashed the boards... the Hawks were overmatched in the paint.

Nice to see a team that can stretch the floor... they tried packing the paint and it bit em in the ass.. once the shooting rep has been established we can see Dre at his best.

For the first time it doesn't look like any major weakness at a position.... gonna hold judgment on Illy for a minute.

Real solid two way game by KCP tonight.

[Oracle]

It was Morris down the stretch that kept us alive and secured the game.

Reggie Jackson sucks really bad! He gets the ball taken so many times in critical situations, and he can't break down a defense to save his life. He can't even pass the ball to relieve the pressure, he just dribbles until they either take it or he launches a ill fated brick!

How badly did he run the team? The Pistons missed 20 of their last 22 shots from the field, with only Morris making those shots, Reggie simply couldn't initiate any offense, Morris just had to take over!

But the news is that Drummond looks better, KCP looks good and Johnson had a good stretch, and the biggie, we finally have a difference making SF(Morris) to help out!

BTW, I didn't really think we could win this one on their court, but I'm more than happy to be wrong!

Now don't have a let down with Utah coming in!!!

[Oracle]

We're kicking their ass in every way possible... so why are my knees knocking and my bowels not fully under control?

Amazing play by Drummond hitting his FT's on a regular basis, KCP drilling 3's, Morris playing well, and Johnson playing like he can't spell rookie!

Don't get me wrong, there are issues, but they're winning, and even if we win, I still don't like the way Reggie Jackson is playing!

[Oracle]

Nba game time thinks charleston, sc is close to Atlanta.  Has it restricted.  Anyone know of a link I can watch?

I haven't tried it in awhile, but this used to work - First Row Sports

[Go Stones!]

Nba game time thinks charleston, sc is close to Atlanta. Has it restricted. Anyone know of a link I can watch?

[cool breeze]

Flip was a great man in many ways. I had dinner with him at a coaches clinic many years ago and found him to be a fun guy to be around. He was an excellent coach in Detroit and few appreciated him.

When Piston management decided to hire Rasheed as an assistant coach, I wanted to puke. Flip was a really good basketball player in his day and always at least wanted to do things the right way and live his life the right way. How he could put up with Rasheed Wallace is amazing. Rasheed has for sure changed for the better but as a player was a coaches worst nightmare. And his mental lapses cost the Pistons another championship in that Finals game at Detroit against the Spurs. Sure Zeke made a huge blunder in Boston but Thomas was a good guy and a great teammate and all fans knew he was more disappointed than anybody with the outcome of that game we will never forget. But Rasheed was screwing off with the refs which he had done hundreds of times and forgot he had a responsiblity to his team to do his damn job.

Thanks for all the memories Flip!

[Sissy1946]

How is Andre's free throw shooting coming? Will Jackson now that he's learned to shoot better with his leg exercises he has gone through? How will the P & R look? At least we'll be feeling alright when Jackson goes out leaving it in sure hands of Steve Blake, will & can Illyasova & Morris score on a continuous basis?
Now that Jodie Meeks is finally healthy can he go back to the Meek's scoring before he came here? We seem to be missing the go to scorer on this team & am not sure who's going to make up that scoring but we have a talented group, maybe together they can find the void that they are looking for or need, anyway, let's roll & see where we're at after tonight's & tomorrow's game, let's give them what for Boyz & kick some azz & get off to a good start.
By the way Mr. Flip Saunders, RIP, you were a well beloved coach & we're going to miss you for sure.

[Oracle]

It's Christmas Day again.  

Al I want this Christmas is for the Stones to understand that on most nights losers are determined by their number of mistakes.  If wining is in our future it will be because we have figured out how to play longer stretches of mistake free ball.

Can these guys close out close games!!!

It's very related to mistake free ball, with the difference being NOT making those mistakes when they will hurt you the most!

I was disturbed how we had the lead over Charlotte for almost the entire game, but couldn't close them out in the 4th!

This wasn't a preseason game, because SVG put Reggie & Drummond back into the game to win it, and they couldn't.

IMO, this falls almost 100% on the PG! When Zeke or Chauncey ran our teams, if we had a lead, you could turn off the TV and check the winning margin later, and if we were behind, you'd watch and see how we won and how big!

With these guys, I'm sweating bullets if we have a 10 point lead in the 4th against scrub teams... that's got to change, and it falls on Reggie!

[Oracle]

1. Straight to the point Clippers and Cavs Final with CP3 winning his first NBA Title in an epic 7 game series.   If the Clippers stay healthy the addition of both Pierce and Josh will prove to be huge pickups.  You're a brave dude, I'm not even close to guessing on this one

2. Stanley Johnson will get the rookie of year honors provided the Pistons finish as a .500 or above team.   Johnson could have a Grant Hill like impact on this team if SVG doesn't screw it up. Hard to say, but he's solidly in the running and will win it if he closes out the season strongly!

3. The Western Conference will have at least playoff match ups that will go 7 games.  The Spurs will knock off Warriors, OKC will fall to a revived and healthy Kobe Lakers in 7 games and meet Clippers in WCF who Knocks off the Spurs again in 7 games.  

4. The Cavs will walk through the East but Lebron won't get a ring this season but will next season.  Right now, I don't see who could stop them unless the Bulls somehow get their chemistry right and Rose is healthy!

5. The Rockets will start think rebuild by trade deadline and move Dwight Howard destination unknown.   LOL, they trade him to Detroit and Drummond comes off the bench until he learns how to shoot FT's and defend

Good stuff Wise!

Edit: Wise, IMO, LeBron is almost done, I think his body is close to giving out! If he doesn't win it this year, I don't think it ever happens again for him. BTW, if they don't win this year, that team is likely to be deconstructed!

[Oracle]

The whole entire coaching staff needed to be fire no just the on the offensive side but defense as will.

They're all stinkers, and Caldwell was named worst coach in the NFL!

Ranking the best and worst NFL coaches, from No. 1 (Belichick) to 32 (Caldwell)

Edit: Big props to Fennis for the Jim Bob Cooter update, again, I stole from you and posted that on the Lions board!!!

[Oracle]

You pays your money and you takes your choice... this is a big day for the Pistons!

BTW, Phillip, if the Pistons go 42-42, there will be a serious investigation into their 84 game season

Here is where we stand, only awaiting Cool Breeze Don & Sparma!

Member	Wins
Lemonpen	49
Sebastian	48
Merc	45
DX	45
Oracle	44
Wise	44
Sissy	43
Fennis	42
Phil1980boy	42
Stones	41
Murph	40
Cool Breeze
Sparma
Others
Vince Ellis	35
Perry A. Farrell	36
Drew Sharp	38

[lemonpen]

It's Christmas Day again.

Al I want this Christmas is for the Stones to understand that on most nights losers are determined by their number of mistakes. If wining is in our future it will be because we have figured out how to play longer stretches of mistake free ball.

[WTF]

The whole entire coaching staff needed to be fire no just the on the offensive side but defense as will.

[WTF]

Even without an NBA Title Flip was always the second best coach this team ever had. If Joe was as smart as Trader Jack and had balls Flip might have been the best ever.

[WTF]

1. Straight to the point Clippers and Cavs Final with CP3 winning his first NBA Title in an epic 7 game series. If the Clippers stay healthy the addition of both Pierce and Josh will prove to be huge pickups.

2. Stanley Johnson will get the rookie of year honors provided the Pistons finish as a .500 or above team. Johnson could have a Grant Hill like impact on this team if SVG doesn't screw it up.

3. The Western Conference will have at least playoff match ups that will go 7 games. The Spurs will knock off Warriors, OKC will fall to a revived and healthy Kobe Lakers in 7 games and meet Clippers in WCF who Knocks off the Spurs again in 7 games.

4. The Cavs will walk through the East but Lebron won't get a ring this season but will next season.

5. The Rockets will start think rebuild by trade deadline and move Dwight Howard destination unknown.

[Sebastian]

Flip Saunders was a good man. WE know this guy. WE saw him coach a Timberwolves team all the way to the Western Conference Finals in '03-'04. OUR Pistons had a ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals for three years straight. Flip had a 176-70 record coaching OUR Pistons, the last time that WE were a NBA relevant team.

I still say that the most under-reported move, last season, was K.G.'s return to the Minnesota. That move and the future career evolution of K.G. will because of the relationship that Flip and K.G. developed over the years. Also, Flip had a genuine and significant relationship with Sam Mitchell, who was a mentor to K.G. Flip also had brotherhood with Kevin McHale, too, that went way back to their college days, as teammates on the University of Minnesota's basketball team.

Flip was a good dude, plain and simple.

I wish that I would have had the chance to meet the guy!

Rest in peace ... Flip.

[Phil-Good]

OK. After looking at the preseason I have A idea of what the Pistons will do this season.

42 and 42. If A big trade is make, and the Pistons land that Power Forward they really need, I would say 44 to 45 wins. But as presently constructed, I would say 42 and 42 is where the Pistons should land, give or take two or three games.

[Fennis Dembo]

Prediction: Pistons 42 wins and make the playoffs.

For what it's worth: As bad as the Pistons have been the last six years, at least they haven't become the carnival side show that is the Detroit Lions.

Good to know: Jim Bob Cooter was promoted to the Lions Offensive Coordinator. Cooter has never called a play in the NFL. He played QB at the University of Tennessee. He only played in three games.
He's been arrested twice. Although Cooter hasn't had any legal problems since becoming an NFL coach, he was arrested twice during his time at Tennessee. In June 2006, Cooter was suspended indefinitely from the Volunteers football program after being arrested and charged with DUI. In 2009, Cooter was hit with an aggravated burglary charge after he "climbed through a woman's window, stripped down to his underwear and got into bed with the woman," according to WVLT-TV in Knoxville.
This is almost as good as the assistant coach under Marinelli who went to the fast food drive-thru naked.

[Phil-Good]

Dang!!!! Flip. I guess his cancer was worse then was lead to believe originally.


Rest in peace Flip. May God bless your soul brother on the eternal journey brother.

[Oracle]

You're recorded, but this is a sad day, as Flip Saunders passes away at only 60!

Great man, and even better person! He will truly be missed!!!

Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders dies of cancer

[Sissy1946]

Make your final predictions, it's locked in when the season starts!

I'm going to try to get the time to give my reasons for the number of wins I picked based on the current roster before the season starts, but it may be shortly after.

Current Predictions:

Member	Wins
Lemonpen	49
Sebastian	48
Merc	45
DX	45
Oracle	44
Wise	44
Stones	41
Murph	40
Cool Breeze
Phil1980boy
Sissy
Fennis
Sparma

Oracle: 43-39. After pondering, pulling hair I've finally came up with a prediction that I feel good with on the basis that if the Pistons don't jell out of the gate that Stan will work a miracle or two so I'm going with 43-39. I worry about Jackson & Illasova about their consistency.

[Oracle]

Make your final predictions, it's locked in when the season starts!

I'm going to try to get the time to give my reasons for the number of wins I picked based on the current roster before the season starts, but it may be shortly after.

Current Predictions:

Member	Wins
Lemonpen	49
Sebastian	48
Merc	45
DX	45
Oracle	44
Wise	44
Stones	41
Murph	40
Cool Breeze
Phil1980boy
Sissy
Fennis
Sparma

[Oracle]

Here are some interesting names that didn't make their final NBA roster cuts:

Perry Jones III
Ryan Boatright
Quincy Miller
Austin Daye
Samuel Dalembert
Nick Johnson
Jeremy Tyler
Chuck Hayes
John Lucas III
Keith Benson
Nick Wiggins
Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Dejuan Summers
Jimmer Fredette
EJ Singler
Josh Harrellson
Ish Smith

Good luck in the D-League fellas.

Cue up the twilight zone music when Charlie V has a solid gig, and none of these dudes can snag a veterans minimum... WTF!

I did catch Daye playing this preseason and he looked like warmed over sh!t... I was a bit shocked at how far down his game has fallen!

@DX - There must be something wrong with Nick Johnson, he shouldn't be on that list, but he is... odd!

[deusXango]

Personally I'd make a place for Nick Johnson on this team; Dinwiddie? Meeks? I haven't forgotten the hellacious promise this young man has consistently shown.

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