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Thread: LLTP: Pistons Mailbag Playoff Edition 5.12.08

  1. #1
    Glenn's Avatar
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    LLTP: Pistons Mailbag Playoff Edition 5.12.08



    Monday, May 12, 2008

    I read somewhere once that the rule in talk radio was that for every one person compelled to call in and go on the air, there are 100 merely content to listen. So I’m applying that to the level of response I got to the most recent Mailbag when, in answering a reader who felt the Pistons were destined to be done in by the Chauncey Billups injury, I wrote, “Over? Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?” And then I implored her to invoke the fighting spirit of Bluto – the John Belushi’s “Animal House” character who used that line to rally his frat brothers when they were resigned to be decertified by college administration for repeated transgressions. So … yeah, I am fully aware it was the Japanese who bombed Pearl Harbor. But thanks for the history lesson, anyway, readers. On with Mailbag …

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    John (Macomb Township, Mich.): Would you sit Chauncey Billups for Game 5? My thinking is the Pistons should be able to take care of business without him at home after already doing so on the road. I assume the Cavs-Celtics series will go at least six and probably seven. That would give him ample time to be fully recovered for the start of the conference finals.

    Langlois: Good plan … except what happens if he sits and the Pistons lose Game 5? That might start them on a slippery slope to elimination. With the momentum of a road win, Orlando would like its chances of winning Game 6 back at home – then taking a two-game winning streak to The Palace for Game 7. I say you base the decision on one thing only – whether Billups feels like he could play well enough to be an asset. If he can – and as long as the medical staff says there is zero risk of worsening the injury, as they’ve maintained so far – then you play him the second he says he can go.


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    Treva (Toledo, Ohio): I understand the Magic are frustrated about their loss Saturday, but don’t play the “physical play” card to the refs. Van Gundy is talking about how physical the Pistons were with Dwight Howard. Orlando was up 15 at home in the third quarter with very little from Howard, then Orlando got cocky and took some ill-advised shots. Dwight needs to develop another shot besides dunking.

    Langlois: Physical play should play to Howard’s advantage. He’s the biggest, youngest, strongest guy out there. I’m not sure where Van Gundy is going with that one. But you’re right that Howard desperately needs to develop something approaching a reliable low-post move. To have a force like him and not be able to throw the ball into him late in tight games is a waste of an enormous talent. Then there’s also the fact that he doesn’t make his free throws. He could be the most dominant player in the league if he could only figure out a signature low-post move.


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    Kevin (Clio, Mich.): I’m a big fan of Rodney Stuckey and see him being a star. But shouldn’t he change his number – it’s Ben Wallace’s number and they might raise that to the rafters for Big Ben. He did win four Defensive Player of the Year awards and led us to an NBA championship.

    Langlois: Maybe when Stuckey’s done, they’ll raise No. 3 to the rafters twice – once for Wallace, once for Stuckey. It could happen.


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    Richard (Las Vegas): Willis Reed, Bill Bridges, Rick Mahorn, Otis Thorpe, Al Attles, Ricky Sobers, Calvin Murphy, Bill Cartwright, Jim Luscutoff, Cliff Hagen. Did I forget anyone? All-time tough guys. Add Antonio McDyess.

    Langlois: Ricky Sobers – good call. I think I’d put Buck Williams on and take Bill Cartwright off.


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    Matthew (Fostoria, Ohio): What are the chances of the Pistons signing Grant Hill next season for a one-year deal to come off the bench?

    Langlois: He’s under contract for next season to Phoenix. After that, who knows? My guess is retirement.


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    Sam (St. Louis): Jarvis Hayes was used in Game 4 instead of Arron Afflalo or Walter Herrmann. Did Flip think the offensive boost was more important with Chauncey Billups out? The third-quarter comeback was done with defense, something both Afflalo and Herrmann play well.

    Langlois: Hayes played all of 4:13, Sam, but you’re right – without Billups, when Flip Saunders went to his bench to rest either Rip Hamilton or Tayshaun Prince, he felt he needed a bigger scoring threat on the floor than Afflalo provides. It was a good sign that Hayes knocked down his first 3-point try after basically being out of the rotation since early in the Philadelphia series.


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    Charlotte (Brooklyn, N.Y.): What a fantastic game on Saturday. The Pistons are the best team in the world. They’re taking care of business without Chauncey. Thanks for making my Mother’s Day weekend extra special.

    Langlois: Nice touch, Charlotte.


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    Marcus (St. Joseph, Mo.): Why does Flip continue to play Walter Herrmann instead of Amir Johnson? He is a much better athlete and would give us a better matchup against the more athletic big guys.

    Langlois: Wrong question. If you’ve got a quibble with who’s playing instead of Amir, it should be Theo Ratliff. They’re using Herrmann to guard one of Orlando’s two hybrid forwards, Hedo Turkoglu or Rashard Lewis, out on the perimeter. They’ve never asked Amir to guard a perimeter player yet. And even if you think Amir is savvy enough and athletic enough to figure it out, it’s a pretty risky time to find out.


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    Mia (Detroit): What are the chances of getting Ben Wallace back on our team? Playing with the Bulls he showed a sense of unhappiness and now playing with Cleveland he looks really unhappy. We need Ben. When he was with Detroit, we had the best rebounder in the game. Now he doesn’t hustle for the ball as much as he did with us.

    Langlois: I don’t think it has anything to do with the jersey he’s wearing, Mia, and everything to do with the fact that the process that we saw taking hold when he was still with the Pistons – a guy who was losing a little bit of that raw explosive power that separated him from the field – has been accelerated with age since leaving. He’s not getting to as many loose balls not because he’s fat and sassy for signing a $60 million contract, but because his legs won’t take him where his mind tells him to go nearly as fast as it once did. If he came to the Pistons now, he’d be a role player – with the highest salary on the team. At best, he’d be fighting Jason Maxiell for minutes. Pretty awkward situation all around.


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    Kristie (Windsor, Ontario): Could you please tell me the real story behind Chris Webber? Where is he? What is his injury? And where did he go so quickly?

    Langlois: The real story? There’s no conspiracy theory on this one. Webber’s knee had had enough. He came back with Golden State at mid-season, played in nine games, averaged 14 minutes, 3.9 points and 3.6 rebounds but couldn’t move anymore. He called it quits before the season ended and has signed on with TNT as a studio analyst.


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    Mohib (Memphis, Tenn.): Is there a chance of drafting Chris Lofton? If he hadn’t had cancer last season, he would’ve had a better season than he did as a junior and would have been a candidate for Player of the Year. I would love to see him rain 3-pointers all day for the Pistons.

    Langlois: Much will depend on how well Lofton plays when he goes through individual workouts. I know the Pistons are well aware of him. Jeff Weltman, who left with John Hammond to be Milwaukee’s assistant GM, scouted him very early last season, so he’s been on their radar for a long time. And he certainly passes the character test that Joe Dumars values so highly. If Lofton tests out well, he would definitely be a candidate to be a late first-rounder, which is where the Pistons will be selecting. The trouble is, the Pistons have a pretty crowded backcourt and might be more inclined to draft big, all things being equal.


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    Kevin (Bloomfield Hills): What do you think the chances are of the league doing something to limit or penalize flopping, as Jeff Van Gundy recommends. It seems like everyone is flopping. As a basketball junkie, that really irritates me.

    Langlois: I’d stop short of calling personal fouls for flopping. But I’d like to see the league make it a point of emphasis next year. If a guy clearly flops – and somebody like Anderson Varejao does it two or three times a game – you could call a foul on him not for the flop itself but for the impact his sprawling to the floor has on the path of the ballhandler. Or you could make it a non-call, which would by itself help discourage flopping. If it gets into a guy’s head that there’ll be no benefit to him – and, in fact, by going to the ground and making his team play defense 4-on-5 – by flopping, he’ll be apt to stay upright next time. This really is in the hands of the officials. I’m surprised they fall for it as often as they do. The bottom line is that floppers have been rewarded for their acting ability and referees haven’t done a very good job of figuring them out. I think it’s the one area where NBA officials need to come the farthest.
    Find a new slant.

  2. #2
    hhahahahahhah! What is the real story with Chris Webber? The dude can BALL!

    ahahhahahahahaha

  3. #3
    I just wanted to show Glenn this one again, just in case he missed it:

    Kevin (Clio, Mich.): I’m a big fan of Rodney Stuckey and see him being a star. But shouldn’t he change his number – it’s Ben Wallace’s number and they might raise that to the rafters for Big Ben. He did win four Defensive Player of the Year awards and led us to an NBA championship.

    Langlois: Maybe when Stuckey’s done, they’ll raise No. 3 to the rafters twice – once for Wallace, once for Stuckey. It could happen.

    Quote Originally Posted by WTFchris
    MoTown is right.

  4. #4
    Glenn's Avatar
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    Thanks, Mo.

    I've already accepted it as fact that Stuckey's number will be retired.

    I'm thinking opening night, 2008/09 season.
    Find a new slant.

  5. #5
    The Healer Black Dynamite's Avatar
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    It was a good sign that Hayes knocked down his first 3-point try after basically being out of the rotation since early in the Philadelphia series.
    and missed everything else afterwards?

    including the biggest brick i ever seen from a shooter in the paint w/o his shot being altered.
    ^
    Stalked by a Mod who gives 1 percent credence.

  6. #6
    NOT TO BE FUCKED WITH Uncle Mxy's Avatar
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    Kristie (Windsor, Ontario): Could you please tell me the real story behind Chris Webber? Where is he? What is his injury? And where did he go so quickly?
    Can Evil Keith continue to resist?

  7. #7
    The Healer Black Dynamite's Avatar
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    Damn i see Kristie doesnt watch tnt.
    ^
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