Going to be a dogfight.

The Paris of the West

http://p.vtourist.com/833027-Tower_of_Power-Paris.jpg

Isn't Paris, the Paris of the West?

the line on thegreek has the big 3 all at +250

I like the pistons myself and I am also pondering putting 1000 on that bet to win 2500.

Detroit Pistons +165
1522 Cleveland Cavaliers +225
1523 Chicago Bulls +245

changed to this overnight, dam I should have jumped on that as soon as I saw it

Okay, where are all of you that were predicting doom and gloom?

There was talk of being a 6 or 7 seed from some here.

Okay, where are all of you that were predicting doom and gloom?

There was talk of being a 6 or 7 seed from some here.


Can't understand why, we built the perfect regular season team.

Can't understand why, we built the perfect regular season team.
100% agree. If only we had Carlisle we'd be the pinnacle of regular season greatness.

Can't understand why, we built the perfect regular season team.

Okay, so I can see that we'll be hearing this line of thinking all season long, can I at least ask what makes this team a good regular season team and not a good playoff team?

A lack of a "true superstar"? Flip's propensity to wear down the starters? Why am I providing answers for you?

I just hope we don't have to hear this after every big win.

Prolly will.

Yeah I dont get that either. You are good enough to win games, or youre not. All the games are 48 minutes, you can score 2 or 3 per shot depending on where you are standing, and there is a halftime. The only logic I could see is something like Lebron and Wade get calls in the postseason that they wouldnt normally get, but that is getting into conspiracies. Maybe when teams play you 4-7 times in a row it gives them a chance to figure you out, but that works both ways and I dont see why the Pistons would be less able to do that than other teams.

I voted Pistons.

I said the exact same thing the entire year last year including getting into it with Uncle Cliffy before the hire. This was including when we were at a record setting pace. On D, we are not tough, we can not lock down on any opposing player and force the ball out of his hands, and in no way do we defend the tin, even less than last year. With the ball in our hands we do nothing to tire a team out over a series and with no inside/outside system we become predictible in our halfcourt sets. Yes, Flip does pull out some advanced stuff (maybe more now that ben is gone), but its all defended from the same base rotations. This leaves us choosing the "shoot from here for 40% or here from 45%" options. Works fine as other teams are scouting you for about an hour, not so much over a week or two.

Its the same reason it failed in Minny, same reason Rick Adelman's teams get served, and the mirror twin of why Prick gets upset by lesser teams while Pop has SA right at their peak at the right time (sans injuries). Regularseasonriffic.


I don't buy most of the "worn down" crap, and the superstar thing is a defendable arguement, but we have this team, and this method of playing is not the way this team needs to win games in May and June.

Do we really need a thread explaining how playoff basketball is different from regular season basketball?

A whopping 9 to nothing in Detroit's favor. I wonder why this is?

On D, we are not tough, we can not lock down on any opposing player and force the ball out of his hands, and in no way do we defend the tin, even less than last year.

Besides Zo, and maybe Posey, who does Miami have that locks down on D and defends the rim? What about Dallas? Phoenix? Lots of contenders are in that same situation. Is it really necessary to have a "lockdown capable" defensive team in today's NBA?

We do have some very good defensive players on this squad.

If you see progress/corrections to these other concerns that you list, will you change your tune or is it the kind of thing that is your predetermined belief and nothing that you see during the regular season will change how you feel?

I guess as a fan it's just depressing that we haven't even seen a regular season game played by this team and they've already been pigeonholed and dismissed by some of their own fans.

Don't get me confused for a blind faith fanboy either, I was one of the few here last here that was openly critical of the team's jumpshot-first gameplan, even when things were going well.

I'm just intrigued by what is going to unfold and what the new players may or may not add to the mix, and it would be nice to have everyone wait at least a few games before deciding exactly how the playoffs are going to unfold.

Not that you can't have your opinion, I just want to hear what the logic behind it is, which I thank you for providing to some degree in your last post.

I put Chicago just to screw up Daviticus' post.

Besides Zo, and maybe Posey, who does Miami have that locks down on D and defends the rim? What about Dallas? Phoenix? Lots of contenders are in that same situation. Is it really necessary to have a "lockdown capable" defensive team in today's NBA?

We do have some very good defensive players on this squad.

If you see progress/corrections to these other concerns that you list, will you change your tune or is it the kind of thing that is your predetermined belief and nothing that you see during the regular season will change how you feel?

I guess as a fan it's just depressing that we haven't even seen a regular season game played by this team and they've already been pigeonholed and dismissed by some of their own fans.

Don't get me confused for a blind faith fanboy either, I was one of the few here last here that was openly critical of the team's jumpshot-first gameplan, even when things were going well.

I'm just intrigued by what is going to unfold and what the new players may or may not add to the mix, and it would be nice to have everyone wait at least a few games before deciding exactly how the playoffs are going to unfold.

Not that you can't have your opinion, I just want to hear what the logic behind it is, which I thank you for providing to some degree in your last post.

1. MIA and DAL were 2 of the best defensive teams in the league last year despite having far inferior talent to us on that side of the ball. I'll expound if you'd like, but the numbers and any observations tell a different story. I don't believe PHO can win the title as they are now (or at least shouldn't, shit happens).

2. Yeah, if we change and play differently or I see us peaking into the year I'll make note. I've never been one to not admit when I'm wrong. Last year I said firing LB was stupid. Turns out I was wrong, he did have serious health problems and would have been a distraction greater than the year before.

3. I'm excited for the year to begin, I share season tickets, I look forward to rooting for them every game they play. I live and die with them, but I have a philosphy when it come to winning in the league, and history supports it. Is it 3 active coaches who have titles now? None of them (or Rudy T or ChuckD or LB) teach a style anything like this. The league may be changing, but who keeps finding ways to get rings hasn't.

Fair enough.

Maybe I need to learn more about Phil Jackson's defensive coaching style leading him to all those championships.

Lord knows that Bill Wennington, Luc Longley et al were monstas when it came to defending the rim.

It's very clear that the league is much, much different than it was in '04 when the Pistons won. Stern wants to make damn sure that doesn't happen again.

If the Pistons play solid D and work on slashing to the hoop, play a little inside/outside, and get to the line (where they will make more of them this year), and develop that bench, there is no reason they can't win the title IMO.

Maybe I need to learn more about Phil Jackson's defensive coaching style leading him to all those championships.

Lord knows that Bill Wennington, Luc Longley et al were monstas when it came to defending the rim.



I'd venture to say that Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen during their tenures under Jackson may both be in the top 5 all time in preventing fellow opposing wing players from reaching the hoop...and don't hate on Luc, dude could block some shots.

The rest of your post is perfectly fair. If the ball bounces right we could win a title. But I'll give the advantage to guys stressing defense regardless of Stern's changes.

I think we are going to win the division, or tie up with Cleveland. We'll have a good regular season. I forsee a semifinals playoff loss.

When we went through the entire season last year not caring about rebounding or paint scoring or easy baskets, not to mention starter minutes i had grave worries. Oh and Flip's "low turnover high assist offense" (which is code-word for jump shooting only offense). I think Flip is a bad decision maker, and I see a complete repeat of last year, just on a smaller scale.

It'll be amusing to see if the same names who defended all that stuff during the season (before they were proved wrong on EVERY SINGLE GODDAMN POINT, from jump-shooting offense which dried up to starters minutes to the team being incapable of getting easy inside baskets), also pipe up this season.

There is at least one poster who I am convinced is wrong about everything and immediatly start being convinced of the opposite the moment he posts. I won't say who though, let that be a mystery.

I wish I would have asked this poll question today instead.

If you put any faith in what Bucher has to say...


Ric Bucher: (1:18 PM ET ) Keep in mind with all prognostications: we're watching the game change before our very eyes. The precepts for winning championships are not the same. You can have a mediocre defense and win a title, but you have to have a great offense. It used to be the other way around. Now where the scales fall between O and D, that's what we're going to learn this season.

From the same Bucher chat.

This would have been great for your Memo thread, Fool.


Victor (Detroit): Ric, answer this question and earn a life long following...will Detroit miss Ben as much as they missed MEMET OKUR last year?

Ric Bucher: (1:37 PM ET ) Yes. Which is, or was, not very much.

I know not this MEMET but those of you wishing to know more about the Turkish Tornado Mehmet Okur and his dominance of Detroit Basketball, visit this thread. (http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:M6xgF4yhGfoJ:wtfdetroit.com/viewtopic.php%3Fp%3D13773%26sid%3D69816a08da21c850 16644f3276703020+%22memo+owns+us%22&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1)

Bill Simmons decided that the Pistons will finish 5th in the East, with a 46-36 record, and will lose in the first round. He says the teams that have a legit shot to win the NBA title are New Jersey, Houston, Pheonix, Cleveland, Miami, Clippers, Dallas and San Antonio.

I've never been a fan of Simmons due to his huge homerism, but his blatent hate for the Pistons is showing.

I picked the Bulls in the Central. After watching the 'stones tonight, there's obvious there's a huge hole in the middle. WAAAAY too many offensive rebounds and points in the paint. I've got the Pistons at 3rd in the Central, and 4th in the East behind Chicago, Miami, and New Jersey.

Yuck.....this NBA sucks.[smilie=sayitaintso: