The Official Detroit Pistons 2004-2005 thread

[Ted Cikowski]

Ever since the sports got seperated the Detroit people don't post about the NBA anymore. Where did Davids26, Ian Mcracken and the others go?

Nevertheless the Pistons are now healthy and ready to lay the smack down on the hapless Pacers Friday. They are 4-3 right now and looking at their schedule I predict they will improve to 30-3 before they lose another game.

They are the defending NBA champions of course and can beat anyone whenever they want without much effort. They should finish the season with about 74 or 75 wins. Chauncy Billups is easily the best point guard in the league, Rip Hamilton is the 2nd best off guard (next to Reggie Miller of course), Tayshaun Prince is the best small forward since Larry Bird, Rasheed Wallace is better than Duncan and Garnett combined and Ben Wallace is reminiscent of Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Moses Malone and Lew Alcinder all in one package. Of course their bench is full of players who would be the go-to-guy on any other team like Lindsey Hunter, Elden Campbell, Darko Milicic (he was robbed last year in the rookie of the year voting), Darvin Hamm, Carlos Delfino (the best non-American in the league), Derrick Coleman (ok, DC sucks) and Mehmet Okur. I know you guys think Okur actually plays for the Jazz but he's really a spy for the Pistons.

[ibreak4coffee]

Ever since the sports got seperated the Detroit people don't post about the NBA anymore. Where did Davids26, Ian Mcracken and the others go?

Nevertheless the Pistons are now healthy and ready to lay the smack down on the hapless Pacers Friday. They are 4-3 right now and looking at their schedule I predict they will improve to 30-3 before they lose another game.

They are the defending NBA champions of course and can beat anyone whenever they want without much effort. They should finish the season with about 74 or 75 wins. Chauncy Billups is easily the best point guard in the league, Rip Hamilton is the 2nd best off guard (next to Reggie Miller of course), Tayshaun Prince is the best small forward since Larry Bird, Rasheed Wallace is better than Duncan and Garnett combined and Ben Wallace is reminiscent of Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Moses Malone and Lew Alcinder all in one package. Of course their bench is full of players who would be the go-to-guy on any other team like Lindsey Hunter, Elden Campbell, Darko Milicic (he was robbed last year in the rookie of the year voting), Darvin Hamm, Carlos Delfino (the best non-American in the league), Derrick Coleman (ok, DC sucks) and Mehmet Okur. I know you guys think Okur actually plays for the Jazz but he's really a spy for the Pistons.


Wow this thread is about to get really interesting :)

[Ted Cikowski]

The Pacers are just a bunch of bitches. Great they won. Just like last year when they were the first place team. Look at what winning in the regular season got them.


Detroit will get Indiana back and Detroit will again prove that they are built for the post season while Indiana are simply a good regular season team unable to win the big one.

Unless Reggie Miller finds a fountain of youth and starts hitting miracle shots again, I'm not worried about the Pacers or the Heat.

[vmax71]

Ever since the sports got seperated the Detroit people don't post about the NBA anymore. Where did Davids26, Ian Mcracken and the others go?

Nevertheless the Pistons are now healthy and ready to lay the smack down on the hapless Pacers Friday. They are 4-3 right now and looking at their schedule I predict they will improve to 30-3 before they lose another game.

They are the defending NBA champions of course and can beat anyone whenever they want without much effort. They should finish the season with about 74 or 75 wins. Chauncy Billups is easily the best point guard in the league, Rip Hamilton is the 2nd best off guard (next to Reggie Miller of course), Tayshaun Prince is the best small forward since Larry Bird, Rasheed Wallace is better than Duncan and Garnett combined and Ben Wallace is reminiscent of Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Moses Malone and Lew Alcinder all in one package. Of course their bench is full of players who would be the go-to-guy on any other team like Lindsey Hunter, Elden Campbell, Darko Milicic (he was robbed last year in the rookie of the year voting), Darvin Hamm, Carlos Delfino (the best non-American in the league), Derrick Coleman (ok, DC sucks) and Mehmet Okur. I know you guys think Okur actually plays for the Jazz but he's really a spy for the Pistons.


Althoough I appreciate your hyperbole and I hope the Pistons do repeat, I am concerned about the loss of Corliss Williamson. He was a very underrated low post option. I wasn't as worried at the beginning of the season because I thought Antonio Mcdeyess would be more than an adequate replacement - after all he won a gold medal on the 2000 olympic team - but he has been majorly dissappoointing so far this season. Delfino may take up some scoring slack but remember he's a guard and he's playing awfully lot like a rooike so far 0 not to worry come April though. By the way, Darko is a waste of air. Another concerning issue is Larry Brown's hip replacement surgery - He came back way too soon from the revision surgery and I hope it holds up.

I think the biggest issue will be that the style the Pistons play is very taxing and it will be hard to sustain the defensive intensity over the course of the year - I really think they are going to have to lay off till about March if they are going to have anything left come playoff time - but can you just turn intensity on and off? We'll see and will Larry Brown tolerate it? .... Oh yeah , and about last night ..... :(

Vik

[Ian McCracken]

Althoough I appreciate your hyperbole and I hope the Pistons do repeat, I am concerned about the loss of Corliss Williamson. He was a very underrated low post option.

The biggest loss in my mind was Mike James. When he came into the game paired with Lindsey Hunter, their defense would wreak havoc on the opposing teams guards. The Pistons had a set game plan last year. Starters played the first quarter. In the second quarter, the starters would get pulled for a rest and the strong bench came in. James and Hunter forced the opposition to keep their starting guards in the game because the backups couldn't even bring the ball up the court against their pressure. Case in point: New Jersey. That pressure on Kidd to play serious minutes wore down the Nets.

[Ted Cikowski]

I agree that the bench may have been downgraded when people were saying it was majorly upgraded.

I miss Corliss too. He was instant low post offense in alot of games. Mike James was good but I'm not sure I agree that he was essential.

The starters look fine and they seem to get in holes when the starters are resting. Overall I think the defense isn't as good as it was last year, even from the starters.

Here is how I grade the bench so far:

Mcyess: C+. He's obviously trying hard but maybe he just doesn't have it anymore. Or he doesn't have the confidence. Who knows. He hasn't been the "old dice" that everyone was hoping for.


Delfino: C+. He either makes a spectacular play of a completey moronic one. Again - he hasn't started off as well as people here had hoped. He makes some really dumb passes, he's a turnover waiting to happen. That said, he does have alot of talent and maybe once he adjusts to the NBA game he will become the Ginobili type that we were promised. He can shoot, he can attack the rim and he can dribble.


Hunter: B-. I would give him a B+ but his play against Indiana was more offensive than the fight. He was awful. Otherwise he is a great defender and solid decision maker.


Coleman: F. Why is he even on the team? He's garbage. Luckily he rarely sees action.


E. Campbell: B-. He is seeing more playing time and he is showing he still has a few moves down in the paint. He isn't all that talented anymore (was he ever?) but he is making the most of his abilities.


Smush Parker: D. I think Indiana was his first action of the year and it wasn't pretty.


Milicic: INCOMPLETE.


As for the starters I'd say Rip B+, Chauncy B+ (he is passing too much this year), Rasheed B, Ben Wallace A-, Tayshaun B- (his defese looks weaker, his offense is improving). The problem is that in the playoffs those "b's" were "A's".

[skipshady]

As for the starters I'd say Rip B+, Chauncy B+ (he is passing too much this year), Rasheed B, Ben Wallace A-, Tayshaun B- (his defese looks weaker, his offense is improving). The problem is that in the playoffs those "b's" were "A's".Is it a problem though? It's only November, and you want your team peaking in May and June.

All things considered, including the inevitable letdown that every championship team goes through, B's ain't so bad.

[vmax71]

Is it a problem though? It's only November, and you want your team peaking in May and June.

All things considered, including the inevitable letdown that every championship team goes through, B's ain't so bad.

This is my take on it also. There is no possible way the pistons or anyteam for that matter can keep up the defensive intensity for two full regular seasons in a row. I am sure Larry brown was secretly glad that ben and rip turned down invitations to the olympic team. That said. Can they just turn up the insity come March. I say, they will.

[capitalist]

The Pacers are just a bunch of bitches.

Watch the incredible video clip
http://www.dailyrecycler.com/blog/

[Ian McCracken]

Man, what a slam by Tayshaun to win the game in double overtime tonight? He drove the lane and slammed over 3 guys! It was awesome, has to be ESPN's play of the day. Pistons win after finishing the game with only 5 players (and being forced to play Darko).

[superdave]

The last team Elden was a go-to guy for was the Clemson Tigers...and Dale Davis gave him a run for his money.

[Ted Cikowski]

Ian, that play by Tayshaun Prince was awesome.

What about last week when Iverson was guarding him and he dribbled around the back to get free then dunked on someone.

The pistons had NO SUBS in the 2nd overtime. If one more player would have fouled out then they would have had to play with 4 players.

This suspension might be a blessing in disguise (only as far as the basketball goes) because Mcdyess had by far his best game and this could help his confidence (24 points and 13 rebounds).

[Ted Cikowski]

Ok the Pistons suck.

I am confident they will turn it around, for instance last year they were something like 12-11 and then won 13 straight. So no need to panic this early.

Not to make excuses either but this season has ben downright bizarre for the pistons with the big fight and ben's 6 game suspension, ben missing games due to his brothers death, chauncy missing a game, larry browns hip surgery causing him to miss several games, Delfino's mystery injury and other oddball occurences.

also ben wallace makes a huge difference. they showed the stats last night - when wallace plays they give up 17 points per game less than when he doesn't play and 16 field goal percentage points less. Why isn't he a MVP cadidate again?


All that said, the play of the pistons this year has been garbage. Their defense is sickening thus far. Chauncy and Rip seem to want to be offensive stars now and want to make the all star team or something because their offense has been impressive but both of them are now soft on defense.

Tayshaun seems to be a little weaker defensively as well, I'm not sure why.


I still think Detroit will win 55 games and make it to the finals and lose to the Spurs.

[Microwave]

...and the pistons are back to playing like they did last year now that they are healthy.

[Ian McCracken]

...and the pistons are back to playing like they did last year now that they are healthy.

At 1pm on Friday, when you posted this comment, it looked reasonable. Nine hours later, the Pistons get spanked at home by the lowly Atlanta Hawks. Let's hope it was just an aberration because they were playing pretty solid before this game.

[Microwave]

At 1pm on Friday, when you posted this comment, it looked reasonable. Nine hours later, the Pistons get spanked at home by the lowly Atlanta Hawks. Let's hope it was just an aberration because they were playing pretty solid before this game.

I havn't see the Pistons play that poorly in years. Atlanta Hawks blow out the Pistons on their own home court? I know that Rasheed and Mcdyess were both out but WTF?

If Detroit loses tonight at Memphis then perhaps they are in trouble. Still it looks as if Rasheed is not going to play tonight. What's up with all the injuries this season?

[ibreak4coffee]

At 1pm on Friday, when you posted this comment, it looked reasonable. Nine hours later, the Pistons get spanked at home by the lowly Atlanta Hawks. Let's hope it was just an aberration because they were playing pretty solid before this game.

Not entirely true. On Wednesday they were about as lucky as you can get to walk away with a win over the Raptors, who were playing on the last leg of a 6 game road trip, and who came into the game 2-11 on the road. Plus they didnt have Vince in the second half. Any other team, including the Bobcats, would have closed out that game. That game should have been the warning, not the spanking to the hawks.

[Ian McCracken]

Pistons lose again, this time to Memphis 72-68. They are blowing an excellent opportunity to make a run while Indiana slumps. The Pistons offense has been woeful. Rip and Chauncey are shooting bricks. The injury situation is a concern with McDyess missing another game and now Delfino goes down for an extended period. The Pistons sorely miss the trio of Corliss, Okur, and Mike James from last season. I expect them to turn things around but this is painful to watch right now.

[Microwave]

Ah the Detroit pistons....the great anomoly of 2004/2005 NBA.


Detroit has beat Dallas, Minnesota, Miami and beat the 1st place cavs last night.

Yet they have lost to Atlanta, Charlotte and Memphis.

Ok Memphis has good players but the others don't.

weird.

Anyway they are 12-10 and within a game and a half of first place.

[vmax71]

How depressing was last night's game against the Grizzlies? :mad:

I haven't seen us play that bad since the hawks debacle. Did you see the look of resignation on Larry Brown's face? I think this is the last year for him. Who do you think will be our next coach?

I am not sure anything can be done to salvage this year. I am most dissappointed with Mcdyess. Man , can you believe he was on the olympic team 4 year's ago. I wonder if there is anyone we can pick up before the trade deadline? Webber perhaps - I doubt we could afford him though.