Glenn
11-24-2007, 08:00 AM
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Neither rain nor snow nor … hey, the U.S. Postal Service has nothing on Mailbag, which even delivers on Turkey Day. On with the mail …
David (Grand Rapids): Everyone’s talking about the good things the Pistons are doing, but shouldn’t we all be a little worried? The Pistons have lost to teams like Sacramento and Portland and were down 22 to a poor Golden State team. What are your thoughts?
Langlois: Given that eight of their first 10 were on the road and they endured significant injuries over that stretch, to come out of it not merely afloat but in first place in the division and only three down in the loss column to the sizzling Celtics is perfectly acceptable, David. Not only that, but the Pistons have learned that they can count on young players like Amir Johnson, Cheikh Samb and Arron Afflalo under duress. If they get healthy soon, as it appears they will, and stay that way, there’s no reason for discouragement.
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Odeh (Dearborn): Over the last few years, successful NBA teams have had a penetrating guard – LeBron James, Tony Parker, Dwyane Wade. It seems Rip Hamilton is trying too hard to fit into this role and is getting away from his catch-and-shoot game. Do you think Joe Dumars will trade him for someone better in one-on-one situations?
Langlois: I don’t think Hamilton is consciously attempting to emulate anyone. I think he’s trying to be aggressive offensively. Maybe he’s trying to expand his game to include an off-the-dribble move or two. Ultimately, he’s not going to stray too far from what’s made him a two-time All-Star. Don’t forget, he missed a solid three weeks with a sprained ankle and the birth of his son. It might take him another week or two to find his groove.
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Macy: I was disappointed in the poor performance in the fourth quarters of the West Coast losses, with or without our starters, especially Chauncey Billups. Our bench looks promising, though.
Langlois: He was hurt in the Portland game, missed the next two and was clearly not fully confident in his physical condition in the Sacramento game. I’d expect to see the familiar Chauncey Billups starting with this four-game homestand. The Pistons played under some adverse conditions out West. If they’d have been able to close out the deal in Sacramento to finish it up and come home 3-2, everybody would be saying it was a great trip. As it was, they certainly avoided a catastrophic start, which would have been understandable given the heavy road schedule and the injury toll.
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B.F. (Miskolc, Hungary): Basketball isn’t very popular in Hungary but my friends and I like it very much and my favorite team is Detroit. My question is do you think the Pistons can win games even when the situation is difficult, as when they played Golden State?
Langlois: Mailbag’s Postmaster General believes this is our first delivery to Hungary, so congratulations on that, B.F. Yes, the Pistons have long exhibited the ability to win games when the odds appear stacked against them. It’s a great quality to possess, but they’d rather take their chances with a fully healthy team than play a significant number of games with a shorthanded roster. Thanks for your interest in the Pistons.
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Eric (Greensboro, N.C.): I watched the Sacramento game and I think it’s terrible how the refs treat Rasheed Wallace. He gets called for a bogus technical foul, while Mikki Moore reacted to one call and got away with it. Let me know what you think.
Langlois: Rasheed is among the most demonstrative players in the NBA and it costs him. There’s no question he’s watched more closely than most players because of his history. That said, he’s been pretty close to exemplary so far this year. It’s clear he spent considerable time in reflection over the off-season and concluded – grudgingly, no doubt – that there is no winning the war with NBA referees.
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Ryan (Saginaw): Jason Maxiell is quickly filling the void Ben Wallace left when he went to Chicago – great leaper, rebounder, shot blocker and unrelenting tenacity that seems to put him in the middle of every play. Only this guy can score. McDyess has said he liked his role off of the bench. How long do you think until Maxiell becomes a starter?
Langlois: I think the Pistons are committed to McDyess as a starter unless something unforeseen happens, Ryan. McDyess has been a starter the vast majority of his NBA career. He got comfortable coming off the bench in Detroit because when he got here he was coming off three seasons of significant injuries and Ben and Rasheed Wallace were ahead of him. All of that has changed and he’s been convinced that starting is in his and the team’s best interests. Maxiell has a bright future, but right now what he offers is a valuable tool to bring off the bench.
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Renee (Troy): Any ideas on what we can do to improve our roster seriously? Are you sure we can’t get rid of Ronald Dupree or Nazr Mohammed?
Langlois: Minor deals are possible, Renee, but I wouldn’t expect anything dramatic. If the Pistons found someone interested in Dupree to clear a roster spot and also make it possible to sign a free agent for the veteran’s minimum – such a move would save the Pistons from exceeding the luxury-tax threshold – they would consider it. I can’t see anything else happening, at least until it gets closer to the trade deadline and every team has a better handle on its needs.
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Ryan (Dallas): I was incredibly impressed with Amir Johnson and Cheikh Samb against Los Angeles on Friday. They were awesome. What do you think of them so far? Also, when are the Pistons going to start closing out these games that are winnable?
Langlois: It doesn’t surprise me that Johnson is doing what he’s doing. If anything, I’d expect him to start scoring more garbage points – he’s got an uncanny nose for the ball and an ability to find ways to get it back in the basket. Samb is the real surprise. After seeing him in Las Vegas over the summer, the potential was obvious but he appeared to be at least a year or two away. He still has lots of rough edges and will have some difficulty holding his spot defensively, but he does a few things so well and so instinctively that it looks like he can be of help now while the rest of his game, and his body, fills out. As for closing out games, let’s hold off on thinking we’ve spotted a trend just because the Pistons ran out of gas on the road with a shorthanded bench a few times in November.
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Ziga (Slovenia): What does Kobe’s no-trade clause mean? I don’t see the Pistons getting enough steals or doing enough defensive rebounding. What can Flip do to address the matter?
Langlois: Kobe has the only full no-trade clause in the NBA, which means, basically, that he has the right to veto trades he doesn’t like. Flip sees a big connection between how his team plays offense and defense. Put another way, if they’re playing well offensively – not turning the ball over, taking good shots, working deep into possessions – then he finds they usually are playing well defensively because they get a chance to set their defense.
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Kevin (Bloomfield Hills): I think the West Coast trip emphasized the need for Webber on two levels. When Billups out, the Pistons had no one to run their offense because Flip Murray is not a true point guard. They also need another low-post scorer.
Langlois: You raise two valid points, Kevin. But there are only so many spots on an NBA roster and you can only plan for so many contingencies. Last year, when the Pistons were loaded up front, they found themselves groping for reliable minutes off their bench at the perimeter positions. With the additions of Rodney Stuckey, Arron Afflalo and Jarvis Hayes, that appears to be solved. There is a chance that Webber could join the team at some point this season, but it won’t come at the expense of their improved perimeter depth.
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Markail (Auburn Hills): Thinking about all the talent we’ve let go to play veterans – guys like Darko and Delfino are now playing very well elsewhere – and I make the argument that even though Nazr Mohammed and Flip Murray might be better than Amir Johnson and Arron Afflalo now, they are not part of the future. We need to give our young guys serious burn.
Langlois: I don’t know about the future, but they’re definitely part of the present. There’s a line that must be walked, Markail. It’s important to have young players in the pipeline to ensure that the franchise doesn’t go into a tailspin when the starters get closer to the end of their careers, but it’s also important to win games and prepare for the playoffs. So far I think the Pistons are doing a pretty nice job of balancing those objectives.
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Steve (Madison Heights): OK, after watching the West Coast games I am angry. We do not have a consistent scorer. I say trade Rip, Tayshaun and Amir for Kobe and bring back Chris Webber. As fans, we don’t care about the development of our young players – we only care about championships!
Langlois: I’ve got to disagree with your contention that fans don’t care about the development of young players, Steve. In fact, I’ve been consistently amazed at the volume of mail I get suggesting the Pistons should brush aside veterans to hand playing time to young players whether their practice and game performance warrants it or not. Developing young players and winning championships, by the way, should not be mutually exclusive objectives. The Pistons aren’t developing young players at the expense of winning. Look around the NBA. There aren’t a handful of teams that have both bright presents and futures. The Pistons definitely do – and I think that makes fans happiest.
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Sue (Gaylord): What is going on with Rip? It doesn’t seem like his head is in the game.
Langlois: He hasn’t played up to his standards so far, no question, but the double whammy of missing time with a sprained ankle and then becoming a father for the first time creates some pretty obvious and understandable obstacles. The Pistons get to spend 11 consecutive nights in their own beds now. Between that and getting closer to full health, I’d expect to see more consistency emerging across the board, Sue.
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Jem (Manila, Philippines): What’s wrong with the Pistons? They’ve been allowing opposing teams to score too many points. Over the last four games of their trip, they allowed the other team to score more than 100 points. What gives? When I first started following them, they were often holding teams below 70.
Langlois: A few things to consider, Jem. Since the 2004 season, the NBA has mandated less contact be allowed defensively, which has changed the game. That’s for starters. On the trip, the Pistons were playing teams that generally don’t grind out long possessions, which means more scoring is likely. And as Flip Saunders noted, the injury situation meant more fatigue which led to more turnovers than usual which leads to easy transition baskets that inflate scores. When it’s all said and done, the Pistons will almost certainly rank very high in team defense statistics. With everything you noted, the Pistons still returned home from the West Coast trip ranked No. 11 out of 30 in scoring defense and No. 8 in field-goal percentage defense.
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Tony (Goshen, Ind.): It’s hard to say that injuries benefit a team, especially when they are players the caliber of Billups and McDyess. But it gives younger players a chance to prove themselves and work their way into the rotation. Do you think their injuries will benefit or hurt the Pistons in the long run?
Langlois: Benefit – as long as it doesn’t become a recurring trend, Tony. The Pistons have carved out playing time for the likes of Cheikh Samb, Amir Johnson, Flip Murray and Arron Afflalo that otherwise wouldn’t have been available and found much to like in all of their performances. That can’t be a bad thing.
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Ron (Grand Rapids): I agree the Pistons shouldn’t try to run with teams like Phoenix and Golden State, but what’s the problem with moving the ball up the floor quickly to take advantage of positive situations? Why is it necessary for Chauncey to walk the ball up the floor and give the defense the opportunity to get set? It is maddening to me.
Langlois: Flip Saunders is all for taking advantage of running situations, but the reality is that the Pistons aren’t built to be a running team. Saunders’ analogy to football is apt: The Pistons need to establish their ground game, grind out possessions and wear teams down. That’s their strength. It’s not the type of stuff that’s going to dominate “SportsCenter,” perhaps, but it’s been a pretty successful formula for this group.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eddie: After hearing the Kobe rumors, I began to wonder if it’s not the worst idea to make some changes. Good teams aren’t afraid to make changes. It’s still early and there’s no reason to panic, but holding on to players for too long isn’t good business in today’s game. What do you think?
Langlois: If Joe Dumars has proven anything in his seven years on the job, it’s that he acts quickly when he senses something isn’t right. But I’ll tell you that his confidence level in this team is higher now than it was last season. He believes they have a nice balance now of experienced veterans and promising youngsters who’ve altered the chemistry enough to provide the spark that wasn’t always there a year ago. If he senses something’s amiss between now and the midway point, he’ll do something before the trade deadline to tweak the roster again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dominic (Sterling Heights): I’ve always tried to protect Flip Saunders, but I’ve come to the conclusion that he’s not the right fit for the Pistons. If he gets the boot, which coaches do you believe will be interested in the Pistons and is there any chance Bill Laimbeer would be the coach? What about our assistant coaches?
Langlois: In my role as a newspaper columnist who followed Detroit-area pro and college teams for 20 years, I found you could get a feel for when coaches began to lose their touch with their teams. I don’t get that sense at all with Saunders and the Pistons. Indeed, I think he’s more comfortable and in charge this year than ever. He was clearly agitated last year at the uneven attention spans. This year, it’s been smooth sailing since camp opened because of the work that his leaders have put in. I think Laimbeer’s going to get his shot to coach in the NBA one day, but it would be difficult for a contending team to give him his first chance. It’ll either be a rebuilding project or an assistant’s job with a contender, I’m guessing, for his NBA launch. Both Terry Porter and Michael Curry from Saunders’ staff figure to get head coaching gigs. Dave Cowens seems pretty content to be an assistant at this point, but he’s been a well-regarded head coach in the past and could be again if that’s what he wants.
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Erik (Troy): The front office and coaching staff has to be encouraged by Cheikh Samb’s performance. Seeing Samb and Amir Johnson battling with Andrew Bynum in Los Angeles was exciting and hopefully a preview of the up-and-coming talent at center in the NBA.
Langlois: Agreed, Erik. The intriguing thing with Samb is no one knows how good he can become. It’s remarkable to see how far he’s come so fast in the 17 months he’s been Pistons property and really makes you wonder what he’ll be in another two or three years. As for Bynum, I think the Lakers have been right to keep him out of trade packages in talks for the likes of Jason Kidd and Jermaine O’Neal in an attempt to appease Kobe Bryant. There is grumbling in LA about his development, but it’s fair to remember that he’s even younger than Amir Johnson. He could develop into a monster by the time he’s 23 or 24.
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Oriel (Panama City, Panama): I think there is still a problem with complacency on this team and I don’t think injuries affected those losses on the West Coast.
Langlois: Can’t agree with you, Oriel. That was a long road trip that came with a fair amount of adversity. I think the injuries had everything to do with the fourth-quarter turnaround against the Lakers. Those two Flip Murray turnovers that started the Lakers’ rally came at a point where Chauncey Billups would have been coming back into the game rested. Instead it was Murray who, for all his talents, is more turnover prone and was, in fairness, bone tired after already having played nearly 40 minutes. And by the time they got to Sacramento, the Pistons were on fumes. To chalk those games up to complacency misses the mark.
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Travis (Chicago): What are the duties of an official scorer? In ambiguous scoring situations, how do they decide whether a pass was indeed an assist or who secured the rebound? Is there one scorer per arena, or are they randomly assigned?
Langlois: The duties are to make sure every shot, assist, turnover, free throw, substitution, etc., is properly recorded and assigned. Things like crediting assists and assigning rebounds when it bounced off two or three sets of hands and rolled to somebody else are largely judgment calls, same as a baseball official scorer who must call it a hit or an error. There is a scoring crew in each NBA arena consisting of personnel employed by the home team. The NBA reviews every game and will make scoring adjustments when necessary.
Neither rain nor snow nor … hey, the U.S. Postal Service has nothing on Mailbag, which even delivers on Turkey Day. On with the mail …
David (Grand Rapids): Everyone’s talking about the good things the Pistons are doing, but shouldn’t we all be a little worried? The Pistons have lost to teams like Sacramento and Portland and were down 22 to a poor Golden State team. What are your thoughts?
Langlois: Given that eight of their first 10 were on the road and they endured significant injuries over that stretch, to come out of it not merely afloat but in first place in the division and only three down in the loss column to the sizzling Celtics is perfectly acceptable, David. Not only that, but the Pistons have learned that they can count on young players like Amir Johnson, Cheikh Samb and Arron Afflalo under duress. If they get healthy soon, as it appears they will, and stay that way, there’s no reason for discouragement.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Odeh (Dearborn): Over the last few years, successful NBA teams have had a penetrating guard – LeBron James, Tony Parker, Dwyane Wade. It seems Rip Hamilton is trying too hard to fit into this role and is getting away from his catch-and-shoot game. Do you think Joe Dumars will trade him for someone better in one-on-one situations?
Langlois: I don’t think Hamilton is consciously attempting to emulate anyone. I think he’s trying to be aggressive offensively. Maybe he’s trying to expand his game to include an off-the-dribble move or two. Ultimately, he’s not going to stray too far from what’s made him a two-time All-Star. Don’t forget, he missed a solid three weeks with a sprained ankle and the birth of his son. It might take him another week or two to find his groove.
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Macy: I was disappointed in the poor performance in the fourth quarters of the West Coast losses, with or without our starters, especially Chauncey Billups. Our bench looks promising, though.
Langlois: He was hurt in the Portland game, missed the next two and was clearly not fully confident in his physical condition in the Sacramento game. I’d expect to see the familiar Chauncey Billups starting with this four-game homestand. The Pistons played under some adverse conditions out West. If they’d have been able to close out the deal in Sacramento to finish it up and come home 3-2, everybody would be saying it was a great trip. As it was, they certainly avoided a catastrophic start, which would have been understandable given the heavy road schedule and the injury toll.
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B.F. (Miskolc, Hungary): Basketball isn’t very popular in Hungary but my friends and I like it very much and my favorite team is Detroit. My question is do you think the Pistons can win games even when the situation is difficult, as when they played Golden State?
Langlois: Mailbag’s Postmaster General believes this is our first delivery to Hungary, so congratulations on that, B.F. Yes, the Pistons have long exhibited the ability to win games when the odds appear stacked against them. It’s a great quality to possess, but they’d rather take their chances with a fully healthy team than play a significant number of games with a shorthanded roster. Thanks for your interest in the Pistons.
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Eric (Greensboro, N.C.): I watched the Sacramento game and I think it’s terrible how the refs treat Rasheed Wallace. He gets called for a bogus technical foul, while Mikki Moore reacted to one call and got away with it. Let me know what you think.
Langlois: Rasheed is among the most demonstrative players in the NBA and it costs him. There’s no question he’s watched more closely than most players because of his history. That said, he’s been pretty close to exemplary so far this year. It’s clear he spent considerable time in reflection over the off-season and concluded – grudgingly, no doubt – that there is no winning the war with NBA referees.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ryan (Saginaw): Jason Maxiell is quickly filling the void Ben Wallace left when he went to Chicago – great leaper, rebounder, shot blocker and unrelenting tenacity that seems to put him in the middle of every play. Only this guy can score. McDyess has said he liked his role off of the bench. How long do you think until Maxiell becomes a starter?
Langlois: I think the Pistons are committed to McDyess as a starter unless something unforeseen happens, Ryan. McDyess has been a starter the vast majority of his NBA career. He got comfortable coming off the bench in Detroit because when he got here he was coming off three seasons of significant injuries and Ben and Rasheed Wallace were ahead of him. All of that has changed and he’s been convinced that starting is in his and the team’s best interests. Maxiell has a bright future, but right now what he offers is a valuable tool to bring off the bench.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Renee (Troy): Any ideas on what we can do to improve our roster seriously? Are you sure we can’t get rid of Ronald Dupree or Nazr Mohammed?
Langlois: Minor deals are possible, Renee, but I wouldn’t expect anything dramatic. If the Pistons found someone interested in Dupree to clear a roster spot and also make it possible to sign a free agent for the veteran’s minimum – such a move would save the Pistons from exceeding the luxury-tax threshold – they would consider it. I can’t see anything else happening, at least until it gets closer to the trade deadline and every team has a better handle on its needs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ryan (Dallas): I was incredibly impressed with Amir Johnson and Cheikh Samb against Los Angeles on Friday. They were awesome. What do you think of them so far? Also, when are the Pistons going to start closing out these games that are winnable?
Langlois: It doesn’t surprise me that Johnson is doing what he’s doing. If anything, I’d expect him to start scoring more garbage points – he’s got an uncanny nose for the ball and an ability to find ways to get it back in the basket. Samb is the real surprise. After seeing him in Las Vegas over the summer, the potential was obvious but he appeared to be at least a year or two away. He still has lots of rough edges and will have some difficulty holding his spot defensively, but he does a few things so well and so instinctively that it looks like he can be of help now while the rest of his game, and his body, fills out. As for closing out games, let’s hold off on thinking we’ve spotted a trend just because the Pistons ran out of gas on the road with a shorthanded bench a few times in November.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ziga (Slovenia): What does Kobe’s no-trade clause mean? I don’t see the Pistons getting enough steals or doing enough defensive rebounding. What can Flip do to address the matter?
Langlois: Kobe has the only full no-trade clause in the NBA, which means, basically, that he has the right to veto trades he doesn’t like. Flip sees a big connection between how his team plays offense and defense. Put another way, if they’re playing well offensively – not turning the ball over, taking good shots, working deep into possessions – then he finds they usually are playing well defensively because they get a chance to set their defense.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kevin (Bloomfield Hills): I think the West Coast trip emphasized the need for Webber on two levels. When Billups out, the Pistons had no one to run their offense because Flip Murray is not a true point guard. They also need another low-post scorer.
Langlois: You raise two valid points, Kevin. But there are only so many spots on an NBA roster and you can only plan for so many contingencies. Last year, when the Pistons were loaded up front, they found themselves groping for reliable minutes off their bench at the perimeter positions. With the additions of Rodney Stuckey, Arron Afflalo and Jarvis Hayes, that appears to be solved. There is a chance that Webber could join the team at some point this season, but it won’t come at the expense of their improved perimeter depth.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Markail (Auburn Hills): Thinking about all the talent we’ve let go to play veterans – guys like Darko and Delfino are now playing very well elsewhere – and I make the argument that even though Nazr Mohammed and Flip Murray might be better than Amir Johnson and Arron Afflalo now, they are not part of the future. We need to give our young guys serious burn.
Langlois: I don’t know about the future, but they’re definitely part of the present. There’s a line that must be walked, Markail. It’s important to have young players in the pipeline to ensure that the franchise doesn’t go into a tailspin when the starters get closer to the end of their careers, but it’s also important to win games and prepare for the playoffs. So far I think the Pistons are doing a pretty nice job of balancing those objectives.
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Steve (Madison Heights): OK, after watching the West Coast games I am angry. We do not have a consistent scorer. I say trade Rip, Tayshaun and Amir for Kobe and bring back Chris Webber. As fans, we don’t care about the development of our young players – we only care about championships!
Langlois: I’ve got to disagree with your contention that fans don’t care about the development of young players, Steve. In fact, I’ve been consistently amazed at the volume of mail I get suggesting the Pistons should brush aside veterans to hand playing time to young players whether their practice and game performance warrants it or not. Developing young players and winning championships, by the way, should not be mutually exclusive objectives. The Pistons aren’t developing young players at the expense of winning. Look around the NBA. There aren’t a handful of teams that have both bright presents and futures. The Pistons definitely do – and I think that makes fans happiest.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sue (Gaylord): What is going on with Rip? It doesn’t seem like his head is in the game.
Langlois: He hasn’t played up to his standards so far, no question, but the double whammy of missing time with a sprained ankle and then becoming a father for the first time creates some pretty obvious and understandable obstacles. The Pistons get to spend 11 consecutive nights in their own beds now. Between that and getting closer to full health, I’d expect to see more consistency emerging across the board, Sue.
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Jem (Manila, Philippines): What’s wrong with the Pistons? They’ve been allowing opposing teams to score too many points. Over the last four games of their trip, they allowed the other team to score more than 100 points. What gives? When I first started following them, they were often holding teams below 70.
Langlois: A few things to consider, Jem. Since the 2004 season, the NBA has mandated less contact be allowed defensively, which has changed the game. That’s for starters. On the trip, the Pistons were playing teams that generally don’t grind out long possessions, which means more scoring is likely. And as Flip Saunders noted, the injury situation meant more fatigue which led to more turnovers than usual which leads to easy transition baskets that inflate scores. When it’s all said and done, the Pistons will almost certainly rank very high in team defense statistics. With everything you noted, the Pistons still returned home from the West Coast trip ranked No. 11 out of 30 in scoring defense and No. 8 in field-goal percentage defense.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tony (Goshen, Ind.): It’s hard to say that injuries benefit a team, especially when they are players the caliber of Billups and McDyess. But it gives younger players a chance to prove themselves and work their way into the rotation. Do you think their injuries will benefit or hurt the Pistons in the long run?
Langlois: Benefit – as long as it doesn’t become a recurring trend, Tony. The Pistons have carved out playing time for the likes of Cheikh Samb, Amir Johnson, Flip Murray and Arron Afflalo that otherwise wouldn’t have been available and found much to like in all of their performances. That can’t be a bad thing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ron (Grand Rapids): I agree the Pistons shouldn’t try to run with teams like Phoenix and Golden State, but what’s the problem with moving the ball up the floor quickly to take advantage of positive situations? Why is it necessary for Chauncey to walk the ball up the floor and give the defense the opportunity to get set? It is maddening to me.
Langlois: Flip Saunders is all for taking advantage of running situations, but the reality is that the Pistons aren’t built to be a running team. Saunders’ analogy to football is apt: The Pistons need to establish their ground game, grind out possessions and wear teams down. That’s their strength. It’s not the type of stuff that’s going to dominate “SportsCenter,” perhaps, but it’s been a pretty successful formula for this group.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eddie: After hearing the Kobe rumors, I began to wonder if it’s not the worst idea to make some changes. Good teams aren’t afraid to make changes. It’s still early and there’s no reason to panic, but holding on to players for too long isn’t good business in today’s game. What do you think?
Langlois: If Joe Dumars has proven anything in his seven years on the job, it’s that he acts quickly when he senses something isn’t right. But I’ll tell you that his confidence level in this team is higher now than it was last season. He believes they have a nice balance now of experienced veterans and promising youngsters who’ve altered the chemistry enough to provide the spark that wasn’t always there a year ago. If he senses something’s amiss between now and the midway point, he’ll do something before the trade deadline to tweak the roster again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dominic (Sterling Heights): I’ve always tried to protect Flip Saunders, but I’ve come to the conclusion that he’s not the right fit for the Pistons. If he gets the boot, which coaches do you believe will be interested in the Pistons and is there any chance Bill Laimbeer would be the coach? What about our assistant coaches?
Langlois: In my role as a newspaper columnist who followed Detroit-area pro and college teams for 20 years, I found you could get a feel for when coaches began to lose their touch with their teams. I don’t get that sense at all with Saunders and the Pistons. Indeed, I think he’s more comfortable and in charge this year than ever. He was clearly agitated last year at the uneven attention spans. This year, it’s been smooth sailing since camp opened because of the work that his leaders have put in. I think Laimbeer’s going to get his shot to coach in the NBA one day, but it would be difficult for a contending team to give him his first chance. It’ll either be a rebuilding project or an assistant’s job with a contender, I’m guessing, for his NBA launch. Both Terry Porter and Michael Curry from Saunders’ staff figure to get head coaching gigs. Dave Cowens seems pretty content to be an assistant at this point, but he’s been a well-regarded head coach in the past and could be again if that’s what he wants.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Erik (Troy): The front office and coaching staff has to be encouraged by Cheikh Samb’s performance. Seeing Samb and Amir Johnson battling with Andrew Bynum in Los Angeles was exciting and hopefully a preview of the up-and-coming talent at center in the NBA.
Langlois: Agreed, Erik. The intriguing thing with Samb is no one knows how good he can become. It’s remarkable to see how far he’s come so fast in the 17 months he’s been Pistons property and really makes you wonder what he’ll be in another two or three years. As for Bynum, I think the Lakers have been right to keep him out of trade packages in talks for the likes of Jason Kidd and Jermaine O’Neal in an attempt to appease Kobe Bryant. There is grumbling in LA about his development, but it’s fair to remember that he’s even younger than Amir Johnson. He could develop into a monster by the time he’s 23 or 24.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oriel (Panama City, Panama): I think there is still a problem with complacency on this team and I don’t think injuries affected those losses on the West Coast.
Langlois: Can’t agree with you, Oriel. That was a long road trip that came with a fair amount of adversity. I think the injuries had everything to do with the fourth-quarter turnaround against the Lakers. Those two Flip Murray turnovers that started the Lakers’ rally came at a point where Chauncey Billups would have been coming back into the game rested. Instead it was Murray who, for all his talents, is more turnover prone and was, in fairness, bone tired after already having played nearly 40 minutes. And by the time they got to Sacramento, the Pistons were on fumes. To chalk those games up to complacency misses the mark.
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Travis (Chicago): What are the duties of an official scorer? In ambiguous scoring situations, how do they decide whether a pass was indeed an assist or who secured the rebound? Is there one scorer per arena, or are they randomly assigned?
Langlois: The duties are to make sure every shot, assist, turnover, free throw, substitution, etc., is properly recorded and assigned. Things like crediting assists and assigning rebounds when it bounced off two or three sets of hands and rolled to somebody else are largely judgment calls, same as a baseball official scorer who must call it a hit or an error. There is a scoring crew in each NBA arena consisting of personnel employed by the home team. The NBA reviews every game and will make scoring adjustments when necessary.