Glenn
01-26-2008, 02:17 PM
:mccosky:
Gearing up
I really like what Flip Saunders and Joe Dumars are doing with the rotation right now. (I include Dumars in the discussion because it seems to me that, more than ever, deciding on a rotation has been a collaborative effort between Dumars and the coaching staff.)
Here's what's going on: The schedule is easing up, at least in terms of travel. They play six of eight before the All-Star break at home. Even though there will be some tough tests -- Lakers, Mavericks, Blazers -- it's a perfect time to experiment with players and combinations. Use these next couple of weeks to determine who you can and who you can't count on down the stretch. Amir Johnson, thus far, has responded positively to the challenge. He has brought great energy at both ends of the floor the last two games. Can he be the fourth big man in a playoff series? I think Saunders and Dumars want to collect more data on that before deciding whether or not to make a deal before the Feb. 21 trade deadline.
I suspect they have already made a ruling on Primoz Brezec -- not a favorable one. Brezec has played with energy, perhaps too much energy. He's been too wild, too erratic and too unproductive. All things considered, I don't think he's a guy they feel they can count on.
The jury is still out on Walter Herrmann. Saunders liked using him in some situations at power forward, but with Johnson emerging, that experiment is on hold. You would think he might get some run at small forward, especially with Jarvis Hayes struggling. But Saunders is seeing how effective Arron Afflalo can be at small forward. So far, Afflalo has been solid there. Afflalo just never hurts you when he's on the floor. Yes, he has some offensive limitations. But if he plays within himself and doesn't try to force his offense -- which he hasn't done much since November -- then he's fine. Defensively and in terms of bringing intensity and hustle, he's been a major asset.
The other thing Saunders is doing that I like, he's taken the baby gloves off Rodney Stuckey. At first it was like, OK, Stuckey is going to play 20 minutes no matter what. Now, if Stuckey isn't bringing it, if he's tentative or erratic, he takes him out of the game. He's holding him accountable now. It's sort of a tough love thing, but playing time is the best motivator in the game. You would be surprised how your learning curve speeds up when your minutes are threatened. The game must seem like a blur to Stuckey right now, but this is what it's like for a rookie point guard. Remember, it took Chauncey Billups three seasons to settle in.
Billups, I thought, imparted sage advise to Stuckey after the game Friday. He said, essentially, stop worrying about every little thing and focus on the things you know you do well. Trust your talent. Attack, be aggressive, look for your own offense first. Once you establish yourself, then everything else will open up. Of course, that is easier said than done, especially from the point guard position. Stuckey is a pretty strong kid, though. He's due for a breakout game, fairly soon I would bet.
Random stuff:
Hayes is going through a frustrating stretch. The minute he gets into the game, the opposing team isolates him defensively. Doesn't matter who Hayes is guarding, that guy is getting the ball and he's attacking Hayes. This is what happens when you have a reputation as a poor defender. Hayes has been picking up a couple of fouls before he even touches the ball on offense. Then when he does finally get a touch, he's trying to score 10 baskets with one shot -- in other words, he's forcing things, going too fast. And, as a result, he's completely out of sync right now. Maybe Saunders could help him a bit by deploying a zone defense when he first gets in, protect him a little bit so he can get into some kind of flow. I don't know. Bottom line, though, I hope they don't give up on him. When Hayes is cooking, he really changes the dynamic of the Pistons' bench.
Bet Keith Bogans wishes he could play against the Pistons every night. Except for having to guard Richard Hamilton -- which didn't work out so well for him Friday -- the guy hardly ever misses a shot. In three games, Bogans has made 9 of 12 shots and 9 of 10 three pointers. He made nine straight triples until he missed one in the fourth quarter Friday.
Speaking of ridiculous, the officiating Friday got out of hand. Steve Javie is one of the game's best officials -- maybe the best -- but he clearly has no patience for the Pistons, particularly young Rasheed Wallace. And Marc Davis -- man, for a young and in my opinion pretty bad official, he has a lot of attitude. Those two and another newbe David Guthrie sent the Magic to the free throw line 39 times while the Pistons, who were attacking the paint more vehemently than normal, got there 17 times. Obviously, the calls didn't impact the outcome of the game, they just rendered the second half unwatchable. The Magic shot 19 free throws in the second half. Javie slapped Sheed with his seventh technical foul, though Wallace wasn't even talking to him. Sheed was on the bench screaming at Guthrie, who was at midcourt. Javie was on the baseline near Wallace, listening intently. When he heard the magic words, he T'd him up. Javie almost hit him a few minutes earlier. Wallace was again yelling at another official and Javie was watching him. You could see that Javie had the whistle ready and was poised to hit him. Wallace backed off in the nick of time on that one. But tech No. 7 was inevitable.
Maybe you've noticed, the latest hot rumor about Chris Webber has him reuniting with Don Nelson in Golden State. The two have met and apparently patched up their previous differences. Personally, I can't see how Webber fits into that small-ball, run and gun system, but more power to him. The Warriors have 15 players on their roster, but there is talk they might release oft-injured Troy Hudson to clear a spot for Webber.
Gearing up
I really like what Flip Saunders and Joe Dumars are doing with the rotation right now. (I include Dumars in the discussion because it seems to me that, more than ever, deciding on a rotation has been a collaborative effort between Dumars and the coaching staff.)
Here's what's going on: The schedule is easing up, at least in terms of travel. They play six of eight before the All-Star break at home. Even though there will be some tough tests -- Lakers, Mavericks, Blazers -- it's a perfect time to experiment with players and combinations. Use these next couple of weeks to determine who you can and who you can't count on down the stretch. Amir Johnson, thus far, has responded positively to the challenge. He has brought great energy at both ends of the floor the last two games. Can he be the fourth big man in a playoff series? I think Saunders and Dumars want to collect more data on that before deciding whether or not to make a deal before the Feb. 21 trade deadline.
I suspect they have already made a ruling on Primoz Brezec -- not a favorable one. Brezec has played with energy, perhaps too much energy. He's been too wild, too erratic and too unproductive. All things considered, I don't think he's a guy they feel they can count on.
The jury is still out on Walter Herrmann. Saunders liked using him in some situations at power forward, but with Johnson emerging, that experiment is on hold. You would think he might get some run at small forward, especially with Jarvis Hayes struggling. But Saunders is seeing how effective Arron Afflalo can be at small forward. So far, Afflalo has been solid there. Afflalo just never hurts you when he's on the floor. Yes, he has some offensive limitations. But if he plays within himself and doesn't try to force his offense -- which he hasn't done much since November -- then he's fine. Defensively and in terms of bringing intensity and hustle, he's been a major asset.
The other thing Saunders is doing that I like, he's taken the baby gloves off Rodney Stuckey. At first it was like, OK, Stuckey is going to play 20 minutes no matter what. Now, if Stuckey isn't bringing it, if he's tentative or erratic, he takes him out of the game. He's holding him accountable now. It's sort of a tough love thing, but playing time is the best motivator in the game. You would be surprised how your learning curve speeds up when your minutes are threatened. The game must seem like a blur to Stuckey right now, but this is what it's like for a rookie point guard. Remember, it took Chauncey Billups three seasons to settle in.
Billups, I thought, imparted sage advise to Stuckey after the game Friday. He said, essentially, stop worrying about every little thing and focus on the things you know you do well. Trust your talent. Attack, be aggressive, look for your own offense first. Once you establish yourself, then everything else will open up. Of course, that is easier said than done, especially from the point guard position. Stuckey is a pretty strong kid, though. He's due for a breakout game, fairly soon I would bet.
Random stuff:
Hayes is going through a frustrating stretch. The minute he gets into the game, the opposing team isolates him defensively. Doesn't matter who Hayes is guarding, that guy is getting the ball and he's attacking Hayes. This is what happens when you have a reputation as a poor defender. Hayes has been picking up a couple of fouls before he even touches the ball on offense. Then when he does finally get a touch, he's trying to score 10 baskets with one shot -- in other words, he's forcing things, going too fast. And, as a result, he's completely out of sync right now. Maybe Saunders could help him a bit by deploying a zone defense when he first gets in, protect him a little bit so he can get into some kind of flow. I don't know. Bottom line, though, I hope they don't give up on him. When Hayes is cooking, he really changes the dynamic of the Pistons' bench.
Bet Keith Bogans wishes he could play against the Pistons every night. Except for having to guard Richard Hamilton -- which didn't work out so well for him Friday -- the guy hardly ever misses a shot. In three games, Bogans has made 9 of 12 shots and 9 of 10 three pointers. He made nine straight triples until he missed one in the fourth quarter Friday.
Speaking of ridiculous, the officiating Friday got out of hand. Steve Javie is one of the game's best officials -- maybe the best -- but he clearly has no patience for the Pistons, particularly young Rasheed Wallace. And Marc Davis -- man, for a young and in my opinion pretty bad official, he has a lot of attitude. Those two and another newbe David Guthrie sent the Magic to the free throw line 39 times while the Pistons, who were attacking the paint more vehemently than normal, got there 17 times. Obviously, the calls didn't impact the outcome of the game, they just rendered the second half unwatchable. The Magic shot 19 free throws in the second half. Javie slapped Sheed with his seventh technical foul, though Wallace wasn't even talking to him. Sheed was on the bench screaming at Guthrie, who was at midcourt. Javie was on the baseline near Wallace, listening intently. When he heard the magic words, he T'd him up. Javie almost hit him a few minutes earlier. Wallace was again yelling at another official and Javie was watching him. You could see that Javie had the whistle ready and was poised to hit him. Wallace backed off in the nick of time on that one. But tech No. 7 was inevitable.
Maybe you've noticed, the latest hot rumor about Chris Webber has him reuniting with Don Nelson in Golden State. The two have met and apparently patched up their previous differences. Personally, I can't see how Webber fits into that small-ball, run and gun system, but more power to him. The Warriors have 15 players on their roster, but there is talk they might release oft-injured Troy Hudson to clear a spot for Webber.