The reason I am asking this question is the Spurs have a key game tonight vs the Kings if they lose the Pistons overall lead will be 3 games and they will hold the tie breaker which means essentially they are 4 games ahead of SA.

With that being said I cannot see Detroit finishing 4-4 with games against, Miami, Orl, Indy, Clev, To, NY, Mil and Wash. So barring a SA win we should have HC wrapped up tonight in essence. Plus SA has a fairly tough Schedule SAC, Mem, Dallas, ORl Sea, Minny, Utah and Houston.

So I am asking how would you handle the rest of the season if you are Flip.

IMO I would try to win the rest of the games but not kill the team(starters) in games versusClev, Miami or Indy. I think both of those teams have a lot to gain by hurting a key Pistons player. That is not to say I think they will try to but why risk it?

I would really like to see Detroit use the bench a lot and make sure that we have the right 12 men on the roster for the playoffs.

I expect us to lock up the best record in the NBA, and as soon as that happens, I expect Flip to rest everybody important.

If we have at least 2 meaningless games left at the end, I'd like Joe D to call up Amir and Alex, and activate Max.

we arnt techically up 3 games because of the tie-breaker, because if we do lose 3 games they will actually have the best record. We are two games up, and if we tie, we get the advantage.

Just solid wins.

We're two and a half games up now with San Antonio's loss tonight. IF we can win tomorrow at Miami, we'd be three games up with seven games to play. And since we have the tie-breaker I think we could feel reasonably safe.

Miami will be interesting, I don't believe they give a rats ass about being 2nd or 3rd seed in the east, they're all about getting healty for the play-offs. They've shut down Jason Williams for the remainder of the season and are going to run Payton, Wade and Derek Anderson at the point the rest of the way out. I think they might have stumbled on something with Wade at the point vs Billups, firstly he won't have to chase around Hamilton, and secondly I think he can beat Billups off the dribble.

With White Chocolate out, Wade is going to play a lot of minutes the rest of the way out though.

I have a really bad feeling about tomorrows game. I just think Miami is going to play a little dirty.

Wade playing as the point guard won't affect who we guard him with and if he guards Chauncey then Gary Payton will die of exhaustion sometime in the 3rd quarter.

Win basketball games.

I would rest/experiment/whatever with Orlando and Indi. Beat Miami, rest some guys for a couple games, get them back in against Cleveland (to send a message/make sure the guys don't get rusty). we should have home court wrapped up by then hopefully anyway.

I wouldn't bench the starters, but I would shave back their minutes in all but the Miami and Cleveland games. Play the starters around 28-30 minutes instead of 35-38 minutes.

If we are guaranteed home court I'd bench all 5 starters for the last 3 games.

It's all about being healthy for the real season.

I expect us to lock up the best record in the NBA, and as soon as that happens, I expect Flip to rest everybody important.

If we have at least 2 meaningless games left at the end, I'd like Joe D to call up Amir and Alex, and activate Max.

THAT would be sweet. it'd be nice to see if Amir and Alex gained some experience and confidence playing in the NBDL.

how about a starting lineup of:

Acker, Delfino, Amir, Maxiell, and Davis

that'd be fun to watch. they'd probably get spanked, but it'd be fun to see all the youngins get some PT [smilie=applause.gi:

WHy risk DD's health?? That's what Cato is for...

WHy risk DD's health?? That's what Cato is for...

i was just thinking it'd give DD some time to get into better shape for the playoffs. he's barely played all season.

We're two and a half games up now with San Antonio's loss tonight. IF we can win tomorrow at Miami, we'd be three games up with seven games to play. And since we have the tie-breaker I think we could feel reasonably safe.

Miami will be interesting, I don't believe they give a rats ass about being 2nd or 3rd seed in the east, they're all about getting healty for the play-offs. They've shut down Jason Williams for the remainder of the season and are going to run Payton, Wade and Derek Anderson at the point the rest of the way out. I think they might have stumbled on something with Wade at the point vs Billups, firstly he won't have to chase around Hamilton, and secondly I think he can beat Billups off the dribble.

With White Chocolate out, Wade is going to play a lot of minutes the rest of the way out though.

I have a really bad feeling about tomorrows game. I just think Miami is going to play a little dirty.

Just because they won't have Wade guarding Rip, doesn't mean Rip won't guard Wade. Wade can beat Chauncey off the dribble, so they'll keep Rip on him. Chauncey can guard any two-guard in the league because of his strength.

I think you're right about tomorrow's game. But I really think the Pistons will probably rest some players for it. It'll be a half-assed game for them.

(We'll take it up the ol' poopshoot)

If we have at least 2 meaningless games left at the end, I'd like Joe D to call up Amir and Alex, and activate Max.

I wouldn't call up Amir or Acker. I wouldn't disrupt their routine for a couple games of action.

I would rather see Delfino, DD, Cato, Evans and Max get the heavy minutes. Those are the guys you might use in the playoffs (probably not Max though) and you want to know how they are playing going into the playoffs. You could still field a good team without the starters:


PG Hunter 30/Delk 18
SG Delfino 33/Delk 15
SF Evans 33/Maxiel 15
PF Maxiel 18/Dyess 25/Davis 5
C Davis 23/Cato 25

33 MPG: Delfino, Evans, Maxiel, Delk
30 MPG: Hunter
28 MPG: Davis
25 MPG: Dyess, Cato

If we have at least 2 meaningless games left at the end, I'd like Joe D to call up Amir and Alex, and activate Max.

I wouldn't call up Amir or Acker. I wouldn't disrupt their routine for a couple games of action.

I would rather see Delfino, DD, Cato, Evans and Max get the heavy minutes. Those are the guys you might use in the playoffs (probably not Max though) and you want to know how they are playing going into the playoffs. You could still field a good team without the starters:


PG Hunter 30/Delk 18
SG Delfino 33/Delk 15
SF Evans 33/Maxiel 15
PF Maxiel 18/Dyess 25/Davis 5
C Davis 23/Cato 25

33 MPG: Delfino, Evans, Maxiel, Delk
30 MPG: Hunter
28 MPG: Davis
25 MPG: Dyess, Cato

Considering the NBDL season is over in 2 days, we won't be taking them out of their routine.