What’s Going on World?

I guess it back to small-ball. (WE NEED A PISTONS PRAYER!) Maybe Coach Curry will sub in the 1st five minutes but this is still not the ANSWER!

VIA DET NEWS:

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Coach Michael Curry has decided on a familiar starting lineup for Tuesday’s game against Charlotte — with Richard Hamilton in it.

Curry said he’ll start his small lineup of Rodney Stuckey and Allan Iverson in the backcourt, and Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Rasheed Wallace in the frontcourt.

“We want our best players on the court as much as possible,” Curry said. “But for 32 minutes (of a game’s 48 minutes) we need to be big. A lot of nights Alan or Rip will be subbed kind of early but they’ll come back at the start of the second quarter with (Will) Bynum or Stuckey.”

Both Hamilton, who did not speak with the media after Tuesday’s shootaround, and Iverson have been hesitant about a bench role.

“I don’t expect those guys to want to come off the bench, but if we’re at the point we need to do that, we will,” Curry said.

Said Iverson: “You always are supposed to do what the coach asks you to do. I’m not trying to be a distraction. Obviously, it would be difficult for me. It’s something I’ve never done in my career. It would be different. We’ll see what happens. That’s something I’ve never faced in my career, back to when I was a little kid. That’s something I’ve never been through in my life.”

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Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

Pistonsnation hosted a blogger roundtable this week on whether AI or RIP should go to the bench.  You know how Pistonscast feels but check out what some of the other Pistons bloggers had to say.

Okay Pistonscast Posse,  you’ve experienced the end of our 7-game winning streak and it’s almost time for Rip to come back from injury, WHO SHOULD GO TO THE BENCH?

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

What’s Going on World?

How is my Pistonscast Posse doing. I hope you enjoyed the win against the Bulls because I surely did. Watching Stuckey destroy a great young player like Derrick Rose speaks volume to how good Rodney Stuckey really is.

If Derrick Rose is a young offensive minded J-Kidd the Rodney Stuckey might just be a smaller version of say… LEBRON JAMES!

Let me stop now before I get all excited.

Anyway, It’s very simple Episode 75 is here!

WHO ARE YOU SENDING TO THE BENCH?

1. AI.

2. RIP.

Tell us who and why?

Peace,

www.pistonscast.com

Allen Iverson on adjusting to fewer minutes via DET NEWS:

-”I am just in a better situation now, for me,” Iverson said. “Hopefully I get the chance to compete for a championship. That’s what it’s about for me.”

-”It’s different. I am not called upon to score as I was throughout my career. It’s just a different experience for me.

-”I am used to leading the league in minutes every year. This is just something I have to adjust to.”

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What’s Going on World?

John W. Davis here. Even though the Pistons didn’t beat the 76ers, I want to be first to congratulate Mr. Allen Iverson. He played a good game. He picked his spots to score. He was on the money with his passing.

I like it! I like AI!

Now let’s get everyone on the same page, especially defensively!

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

VIA DET NEWS:

“My rhythm is just not there,” said Iverson, who missed seven of nine shots and scored nine points in the Pistons’ 96-85 loss to the Trail Blazers on Sunday. “It’s kind of a different situation for me. I’m finally sitting more than I usually do. This is the most I sat down (during games) in my whole career and my rhythm isn’t there where I want it to be.”

Iverson, 6-6 as a Piston, didn’t say that as a complaint or an excuse — he offered it as a simple fact. He always has played close to 40 minutes a game. He played 32 minutes Sunday and has averaged 31 minutes over the last five. He is shooting under 40 percent as a Piston and has now had three nine-point games.

“I am positive,” Iverson said. “And I have enough confidence in my game to know it’s going to come back. It’s early struggles right now, that’s all it is.

___________________________________________________________________________________

What’s Going on World?

John W. Davis here and I’m started to be consumed. Consumed by what you ask? Allen Iverson.

I realize that he is the most notable player on the team. I realize that he is a first ballot hall of famer. I also realize that it has only been 12 games and he is still getting adjusted. I realize a lot of things about AI and this Detroit Pistons team but I’m still frustrated.

I know this team has all of the tools. The Pistons are the only team to beat the Los Angeles Lakers this year. The Pistons beat the LA Kobe’s Lakers at the Staples Center during the midst of a west coast road trip. If that’s not a tough road victory I don’t know what is.

If the Lakers victory was Mount Everest, then both losses to the Boston Celtics were Death Valley. The Celtics just have our number right now. It’s just than plain and simple. No one can say the Pistons are better than the Celtics because they beat us soundly not once, but twice.

I believe there is hope left, plenty of hope for the Pistons. I’m not trying to be mean or satirical but it starts with PRACTICE. Iverson has to been reined into playing Piston basketball. He has to realize that he is not going to get more playing time. There is no reason for him to average over 35 minutes a game. What’s the point of more minutes for AI when Afflalo, Stuckey and even Will Bynum play much better on the ball defense. What’s the point of more minutes for AI when he is asked to be a primary distributor, someone who makes the game easier for his teammates, and he doesn’t consistently make plays for only one player on the court, himself.

Allen, this is not about you as an NBA basketball player. Your legacy has already been made 12 full seasons over. You are a great basketball player. You are not struggling because of the lack of minutes, or the system or even age. You are struggling because you haven’t given yourself unto the team. Rip plays for the team. Tayshaun goes out there and dies for his teammates. It’s the same of any player off the Pistons bench.

Allen, when you are ready to sacrifice more than a few minutes of playing time and more than a few shots for the team, you will easily become the best Piston on this team. Maybe even the best Piston ever.

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

Are we just talking about practice?

Before Allen Iverson came to town the Detroit Pistons were undefeated.  In the ten games with “The Answer” the Pistons have been 5-5.  The story told by the Pistons to explain this outcome is that the team simply hasn’t found the right “chemistry”.  Here is how Iverson described the situation.

“(Iverson) talked Saturday about the importance of finding chemistry with a new team through practice.

“I’ve been through it before,” Iverson said. “I think the toughest part of it has been our schedule. We’ve been on the road a lot. That was tough. For me, it’s just getting a chance to settle in.

“The most important thing is getting more practice time.”

In an effort to get more practice time, Michael Curry - Detroit’s head coach - called for an additional practice session on Thanksgiving. Although I am sure the team was not happy with this decision, with but one exception, everyone made it in today.  The lone exception was none other than Mr. Iverson.

Curry has said that Iverson will pay a “hefty” fine for missing practice.  But I am not sure this is necessary.  In fact, I think I agree with Iverson’s actions (not his words).  Practice is probably not going to make much difference.

Iverson vs. Billups

To see my point, consider what Iverson has done this season, as well as across his career.  For comparison purposes, let’s also consider the numbers Chauncey Billups - the primary player the Pistons gave up to acquire Iverson - has posted.

• Iverson Career (prior to this season): 0.090 WP48
• Iverson with the Nuggets in 2008-09: 0.083 WP48
• Iverson with the Pistons in 2008-09: 0.086 WP48
• Billups Career (prior to this season): 0.181 WP48
• Billups with the Pistons in 2008-09: 0.254 WP48
• Billups with the Nuggets in 2008-09: 0.225 WP48

When we look at Wins Produced per 48 minutes [WP48] for these players, we see that Billups has done more than Iverson.  And this is the picture we see if we look at the numbers across each player’s career, as well as what each player has done this year.

Given the disparity in what these players offer, it’s not surprising the Pistons have struggled somewhat with Iverson (although I think they are better than a 0.500 team).  And it’s not surprising the Nuggets have improved with Billups.

Changing the Story in Denver

Right now, though, the Pistons are in denial (at least publicly).  As for the Nuggets, the denial has apparently ended.

The following article from the Denver Post — Point guard praise: Billups over A.I. - indicates that George Karl is no longer one of Iverson’s biggest fans:

Unquestionably, the Allen Iverson experiment produced some scintillating moments for the Nuggets and their fans. But the more coach George Karl watches Chauncey Billups run his offense - and watches Iverson lead the Pistons - it has become clearer that Iverson, well, wasn’t the answer.

“There are less bad plays, more solid plays,” Karl said. “I think the wasteful, cheap possessions that we used to have 10 to 15 a game, they don’t exist very much anymore.”

What always irked Karl was Iverson’s inability to run the offense like a general. Arguably, Iverson shot too much, and like Karl said, Denver could outscore about half the teams in the NBA. But when it came to beating the elite teams, the Nuggets had too many questions with “The Answer” - about his shot selection, his dedication to defense and his ability/inability to trust his teammates.

“We have contested-shot charts, bad-shot charts and cheap defensive possessions,” Karl said. “I would say that when A.I. was here, we had most games in the teens of contested, tough shots, sometimes in the 20s. And I don’t think we’ve had a double-digit one since (Billups has) been here.

“I don’t think there’s any question coaching a team for many minutes, without a passing and point guard mentality, is frustrating for a coach. Sometimes I saw something, but I couldn’t get it done on the court because I didn’t have a playmaker out there.”

But with Detroit, Karl thinks Iverson can thrive, because he is surrounded by more veteran playmakers and will trust his teammates, as opposed to forcing a shot he thought he had a better chance of making.

“A.I., at times, had trouble trusting the guy he’s throwing it to,” Karl said.

It’s important to note that Iverson had practice problems in Philadelphia with three different head coaches (Larry Brown, Chris Ford, and Maurice Cheeks). And he now has a problem with Curry.  But he never had a problem with Karl (at least none that we have heard about).  Despite consistently practicing with the Nuggets, though, Iverson only posted a 0.134 WP48 last season.  This is above average, but less than what Billups offered in even his worst season in Detroit.

Now it’s certainly possible that practice makes perfect.  But it seems unlikely, at this point in Iverson’s career, practice is going to transform “the Answer” into a great player.  So maybe the Pistons shouldn’t be too upset when Iverson skips practice.  Maybe he’s just telling Curry — despite what Iverson says publicly — that practice really isn’t going to help.  And after ”the Answer” departs Detroit, I suspect Curry will follow Karl’s lead and tell us that he agrees.

-Prof. David Berri

dberri.wordpress.com

-If no one is around and a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound? Ask Yogi Bear…

-What does it sound like when Doves cry? Ask Prince…

*Does an apology without an explanation really count?  Ask Joe D, Coach Curry and the Detroit Pistons…

These are the many questions of life…

Seriously, Allen you could have just called. 

Like Mike Gundy IMA MAN, I’M 40! Aren’t you 33?  Thats pretty close to the Mike Gundy man age.

Anyway here’s what Allen had to say to ESPN:

“First of all, I have no excuses. I apologize to my teammates, first and foremost, the coaching staff, the organization and definitely our fans,” Iverson said after the morning shootaround. “It’s something that shouldn’t have happened and it won’t happen again.

“It was a personal matter, but I just handled it the wrong way,” Iverson continued. “I didn’t call and let them know what was going on.”

ARE YOU ACCEPTING AI’S APOLOGY?

Peace,

Pistonscast

www.pistonscast.com

First of all, I must give thanks to one of my favorite listeners, Lil’ Richard.  Thanks for the link to this big LACK OF THANKS.

There are so many places I can take this.  I can joke about the Old Practice Rant from Philly.  I can make reference to the new practice joke from AI’s first press conference as a Piston.  I can even quote my own Practice Pistonscast rant.

I wont though, because this is honestly no joking matter.  All he had to do was go to shoot around and maybe run some plays.  Regardless of how hard practice was going to be, he should have been there.

1.  It was a 10 am practice that was only going to last one freaking hour, giving him all of the rest of the day to do whatever like travel, watch football, sleep, be merry.

2.  Again it was only 1 hour.  I can do almost anything in this world I dont want to do for an hour.

3.  It’s your job.  Having an hour practice is better than those 3 hour Mike Curry specials.

4. The team needs practice because you guys are still nowhere close to playing as a cohesive unit.

Come on Mr. Iverson, you told all the Detroit Pistons fans that you wanted to win a championship.  You told Joe D, Michael Curry and your teammates the same thing.  Most importantly you supposedly told yourself that.

Be true to thine own self Allen.

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

What’s Going on World?

John W. Davis here.  Denver Nuggets Head Coach George Karl has checked in with his first analysis of the Billups for Iverson trade.  He says Denver is better of because they have a pass first point guard.  I would have to agree with Coach Karl because Denver is 5-1 since Chauncey started running the point for his hometown team.

However, I think the Pistons didn’t get the short end of the stick.  Honestly, this is about as even as a trade in the NBA can get.  Both teams just needed a change and something different.

Via Detroit News:

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1. “There are less bad plays, more solid plays,” Karl said. “I think the wasteful, cheap possessions that we used to have — 10 to 15 a game — they don’t exist very much anymore.”

3. “I don’t think there’s any question coaching a team without a passing and point guard mentality is frustrating for a coach. Sometimes I saw something, but I couldn’t get it done on the court because I didn’t have a playmaker out there.”

4. “A.I., at times, had trouble trusting the guy he’s throwing it to,” Karl said.

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Again, I think the trade was beneficial for both teams.  Denver needed offensive structure and quiet leadership.  Detroit needed a culture shift.  The Pistons needed a new offensive stratagem because they way Pistons went about playing in the playoffs since 2005 was not cutting it.  When the Pistons get that defense consistently at the level it was at against the Lakers…. Watch Out!

WHAT DO YOU THINK GOT THE BETTER DEAL?

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

NUEVO NUMERO UNO!

What’s Going on World?

John W. Davis here.  We are going for our second live blog of the season tonight at 7pm.  Come in and chat if you are watching the game.  Even if you can’t watch or listen, check out the blog for live score updates and analysis.

*Tonight is AI’s debut and we get to scout a possible 2010 free agent, Chris Bosh!

The Link Right Below will take you to the Live Blog 7pm tonight!

Click here to read the Live Blog Recap!

(Live Blog lasts the entire game) 

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com