Matt
10-04-2006, 09:03 AM
http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/4671/50796865fp1.jpghttp://www.nba.com/media/espanol/carlos_delfino_254.jpg
A strong bench is needed for Pistons to reach top
October 4, 2006
BY KRISTA JAHNKE
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
There's no doubt about it -- the Pistons' bench was a problem last year.
And the coaching staff knows that must change if the Pistons want a different result from last season's playoff collapse.
"We're hoping that our bench is going to be able to develop and give us minutes," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said Monday. "I think that's going to be a main emphasis through training camp and even the beginning of the season."
Call it a lesson learned the hard way.
The Pistons rode their starters to 64 wins last season. But besides Antonio McDyess' steady contributions, Saunders never found much trust in his other reserves.
Maurice Evans and Carlos Delfino -- both young, small forwards -- canceled each other out.
Point guard Lindsey Hunter missed all but 26 games after a preseason ankle surgery. Veterans such as Tony Delk and Dale Davis never fit fully into the picture.
And little by little the starting unit knew it couldn't expect much help from the bench. By the playoffs, the starters were mentally drained and physically tired. By the conference semifinals, the starters were worn down. By the end of the conference finals, the season was over.
"There's no question" the team needs to address that, McDyess said.
The good news is that now, as training camp got under way Tuesday, the reserve roles are already well defined. And that has eased worries a bit.
"It's a lot easier when I know I have a healthy Lindsey and Flip (Murray) back there, and a young rookie in Will (Blalock) who's going to be pretty good as well," guard Chauncey Billups said. "If I can sit down and know that we're going to be all right and they're going to hold it down tight before I get back in, that takes a lot of pressure off of me, and I think we'll definitely be able to do that this year."
Saunders would like to get the bench players close to averaging 100 minutes as a unit this season.
"If you can get your bench playing 90 to 100 minutes," Saunders said, "now you're in a situation where you're cutting guys down considerably."
To do so, Saunders must allot about 30 minutes a night to McDyess, who will be even more of a "sixth starter" this season, as well as to newcomer Murray, who will back up Billups and Richard Hamilton.
Hunter and Delfino will likely fall into the 15-minute range, while the rest of the reserves will fight for the change.
The starters must do their part, too, and not grumble when their minutes fall slightly from last season. Billups, for one, won't. After analyzing his minutes from last year, he said he'd like to see his 35.9-minute average fall to about 34.
And Saunders said the rest of the team understands that relying on the bench more is a must, even if it results in the occasional loss.
"They understand where we're coming from," he said. "They understand the importance of all those guys. Sometimes you can talk a lot about it ... but they can understand those things once they live it, and they lived it going through those series."
Contact KRISTA JAHNKE at 313-223-4493 or kjahnke@freepress.com
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061004/SPORTS03/610040384/1051
A strong bench is needed for Pistons to reach top
October 4, 2006
BY KRISTA JAHNKE
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
There's no doubt about it -- the Pistons' bench was a problem last year.
And the coaching staff knows that must change if the Pistons want a different result from last season's playoff collapse.
"We're hoping that our bench is going to be able to develop and give us minutes," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said Monday. "I think that's going to be a main emphasis through training camp and even the beginning of the season."
Call it a lesson learned the hard way.
The Pistons rode their starters to 64 wins last season. But besides Antonio McDyess' steady contributions, Saunders never found much trust in his other reserves.
Maurice Evans and Carlos Delfino -- both young, small forwards -- canceled each other out.
Point guard Lindsey Hunter missed all but 26 games after a preseason ankle surgery. Veterans such as Tony Delk and Dale Davis never fit fully into the picture.
And little by little the starting unit knew it couldn't expect much help from the bench. By the playoffs, the starters were mentally drained and physically tired. By the conference semifinals, the starters were worn down. By the end of the conference finals, the season was over.
"There's no question" the team needs to address that, McDyess said.
The good news is that now, as training camp got under way Tuesday, the reserve roles are already well defined. And that has eased worries a bit.
"It's a lot easier when I know I have a healthy Lindsey and Flip (Murray) back there, and a young rookie in Will (Blalock) who's going to be pretty good as well," guard Chauncey Billups said. "If I can sit down and know that we're going to be all right and they're going to hold it down tight before I get back in, that takes a lot of pressure off of me, and I think we'll definitely be able to do that this year."
Saunders would like to get the bench players close to averaging 100 minutes as a unit this season.
"If you can get your bench playing 90 to 100 minutes," Saunders said, "now you're in a situation where you're cutting guys down considerably."
To do so, Saunders must allot about 30 minutes a night to McDyess, who will be even more of a "sixth starter" this season, as well as to newcomer Murray, who will back up Billups and Richard Hamilton.
Hunter and Delfino will likely fall into the 15-minute range, while the rest of the reserves will fight for the change.
The starters must do their part, too, and not grumble when their minutes fall slightly from last season. Billups, for one, won't. After analyzing his minutes from last year, he said he'd like to see his 35.9-minute average fall to about 34.
And Saunders said the rest of the team understands that relying on the bench more is a must, even if it results in the occasional loss.
"They understand where we're coming from," he said. "They understand the importance of all those guys. Sometimes you can talk a lot about it ... but they can understand those things once they live it, and they lived it going through those series."
Contact KRISTA JAHNKE at 313-223-4493 or kjahnke@freepress.com
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061004/SPORTS03/610040384/1051