Posts tagged ‘Chauncey Billups’

Leadership is one of those words that can be difficult to nail down a concrete definition for. In terms of basketball, I believe a leader is the one who takes on the responsibility of successfully accomplishing the specific goal set by the team.

I think the question of leadership is the only difference between Rodney Stuckey and some of the NBA’s great young point guards like Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Derrick Rose. All three are  proven leaders who’s play determines the outcome of games every night.

In only his rookie season, Derrick Rose was clearly the leader of the Chicago Bulls and the heart and soul of the team. So far, Stuckey hasn’t impacted his team quite as much as Rose has in Chicago, but he has shown signs of greatness.

In Stuckey’s defense, unlike the other guards previously mentioned, he hasn’t really had the same opportunity to be a leader. As a rookie, his job for Detroit was to be back-up to Chauncey Billups. The following season he had more opportunities but with the constant line-up changes, it still was some time before his role was clearly defined

Now, with the dawning of a new day in Detroit, is this the season for Rodney Stuckey or will another player step up and become the leader of the Detroit Pistons?

Join Pistonscast LIVE on blogtalkradio Monday, July 27^th at 6:00pm, when we discuss who the Detroit Pistons next number one guy will be.

Here is your Episode 109 Comment Post.

Chauncey is in the Western Conference battling cousin Kobe to make it to the NBA Finals.

Are you still down with Mr. Big Shot?

————————-

Also let’s get a little free agent talk going:

-Pistons Will Go After Utah’s Bigs It appears Lil’ Richard is right…

-2009 Mock NBA Draft: The Pistons taking a (Point) Guard!

Like I said on a recent show, I think we will draft a PG at 15 because will get one these potential NBA Starters: Jonny Flynn, Eric Maynor, Ty Lawson.

(Also if Tyreke Evans is there, draft him because he is huge athletic combo guard that you have to snatch up!)

I know we dont need one but you take what you can get.

We really need Blake Griffin or Thabeet lol but unfortunately the Pistons didn’t suck that bad.

All that said, I’m sure Joe D has a master plan!

Peace,

John W. Davis

Got a question for Pistonscast.com? Send it to John W. Davis. And for Pistonscast news and updates follow John on Twitter.

This is the week to get our true feelings off our chest.

Don’t hold anything back!

The feelings of John W. Davis: “I’m glad we lost. I’m glad we got swept.  Hopefully this exposes all of the players that don’t DESERVE to be Pistons anymore!”

As for anyone who thinks we should have kept Chauncey: Episode 104 is here!

Also make sure you check out  Deven’s timely Chauncey Billups rant!

Chauncey will let the city of Denver and the State of Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana (and every other Mountain West Conference State without a NBA team) down, just you wait and see!

In other Pistons News:

*Curry Will Return As Coach In Detroit

*Curry Forecasts Big Offseason In Detroit

*Pistons Pick Up Team Option For Bynum

*Rasheed Never Asked Pistons For Buyout

Peace,

John W. Davis

Pistonscast.com

Got a question for Pistonscast.com? Send it to John W. Davis. And for Pistonscast news and updates follow John on Twitter.

by Prof. David Berri

· 46 Comments

On Sunday, while most basketball fans were tuned to CBS to watch the NCAA Tournament, ESPN telecast a game between the Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons.  As a fan of Detroit, I decided to look away from the tournament and look in on the Pistons basketball.  The picture was almost good.  Specifically the Pistons — without the services of Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace, and Richard Hamilton - managed to lead most of the way before faltering at the end.

Although the game was entertaining, the comments of Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy were more interesting.  At different points in the broadcast the conversation turned to why the Pistons have faltered.  And once again the viewers were able to see “expert” broadcasters try and reconcile these three “facts.”

• Allen Iverson is one of the greatest players to ever play the game.
• Chauncey Billups is a very good player, but not one of the greatest players to ever play the game.
• The Pistons with Allen Iverson are clearly worse than the Pistons with Billups.

The simplest way to reconcile these three statements is to acknowledge that the first is not true.  At least, if we focus on productivity, Iverson is not one of the most productive NBA players in history.

But if you can’t make that leap, then you have to resort to words like “team chemistry”.  Unfortunately, since “team chemistry” can’t be quantified (unlike player productivity) we can never properly evaluate the merits of the “chemistry” argument.

As I have noted throughout the season - most recently last month - one does not need “chemistry” to explain the Pistons demise.  No, much of the decline (although not all) is tied to the fact that Iverson is not as productive as Billups.

Another Reason Why Trading Billups was a Good Idea

Again, I have said this before.  What I wished to add to the subject is something I observed in looking at the numbers Billups is posting in Denver this season.

Table One: The Denver Nuggets after 70 games in 2008-09

As Table One notes, Billups has produced more wins than any other player on Denver’s roster this season.  But if we compare his production to what he did last year in Detroit, he clearly has declined.  Last year he posted a 0.304 WP48. This year in Denver his mark is only 0.188.  Yes, he is still above average (average is 0.100). But he clearly is offering less.

When we look at the individual numbers - posted in Table Two - we can see where he has declined.  This season Billups has seen declines with respect to both his shooting efficiency and assists.

Table Two: Evaluating Chauncey Billups

The next question we should ask is why Billups is doing less.  And one issue I would emphasize is his age.  Billups is 32 and will turn 33 in September.   This means he is rapidly approaching the age where playing basketball in the NBA is not possible.  To illustrate, across the past 30 years, 95% of player seasons were played by players who were younger than 35 years of age.   In sum, the clock is approaching midnight for Mr. Big Shot and when it hits 12, he won’t be of much use to an NBA team.

All of this suggests that the Iverson-Billups trade was a good move by Joe Dumars (Detroit’s GM). Yes, fans of Detroit are suffering this year.  But as noted previously, Iverson’s contract expires and this gives Detroit hope for next year.  Plus, Dumars got rid of a player that will be approaching 35 years of age in 2010-11 while collecting $13 million.

In sum, it looks like Dumars has done the same thing to Billups he did to Ben Wallace.  He let a player depart whose production was destined to slip.  And this is something every prudent general manager should be doing.  As the late Cotton Fitzsimmons once said (and I can’t find the quote but I think he said something like this): “Please don’t let my great players retire on me.”

-Prof. David Berri

The Wages of Wins Journal

If only Chauncey stayed…

by Eric Woodyard

Rarely in basketball, let alone professional basketball, does a team truly embrace the concept of a brotherhood that surpasses the overall sport. The Adidas ads may campaign this act but if there was one team that was successful in doing so, it had to be the Detroit Pistons (post-Stackhouse and pre-Iverson). So why break it up?

I guess you never really realize what you have until it’s gone. Chauncey Billups was the most integral piece to the puzzle of the brotherhood and everyone in the state of Michigan was aware of this except for Joe D., which is why he acted in such a pedant manner to acquire Allen Iverson. The brotherhood was so hermetic because all of the siblings were at a point in their career where they were still trying to burnish their skills and find their niches. A.I. was already polished, which has took the brothers a while to get used to. He’s been like a spoiled step child who has been asked to live in poverty as well as do chores (cough…defense) and it’s been rough. Now on a night when their biological brother, Mr. Big Shot, returns home after being shipped off, this is what happened…

Pregame

Fans were peering from the stands with cameras, cell phones, and camcorders looking to snatch a memory of Chauncey Billups in his new powder blue uniform as he took part in the shoot around with his new team. I seen well over 100 Billups jerseys in the red, white and blue, but I am pretty confident that no one in the stands was sporting his new Nuggets jersey.

Billups posters were everywhere that read things like “Chauncey You’ll Always Be in Our Hearts,” “Welcome Back, Mr. Big Shot,” and many other sincere quotes. The funniest one that I read had a photo of Joe Dumars with the thinking box over his head as well as a photo of Billups and Iverson hugging in their new uniforms that said “What Was I Thinking.” Everyone was very supportive of Chauncey in his first visit back to the Palace of Auburn Hills and the vibe was electric.

While walking to my seat on the press row, I realized the magnitude of this game when I spotted a name tag that read “Stephen A. Smith-ESPN.” This caught me off guard because in all of the games that I have covered, not once have I ever seen Stephen A.’s name, and I was ecstatic.

He’s home again.As clock ticked and the teams flocked onto the center court, the intensity was felt all through the building. I’m not sure if the fans were being supportive of Billups or for the Pistons but they were a little more enthusiastic than usual. This set the stage for his introduction from John Mason where he introduced him as “Still the deal from Park Hill… Chaunceeeey B-B-B-Bill-ups!” The crowd went nuts as they cheered for a few minutes as Chauncey held his hand in the air to show his gratitude with that broad smile. The same broad smile that helped put Detroit back on the basketball map. The same broad smile that captured a NBA championship and Finals MVP in 2004. The same broad smile that inherited several endorsements during his stint in Motown.

In-Game
From the tip off, it was apparent that Chauncey had something to prove. His leadership skills were still on display as he directed his team to the right spots with his excellent hand signals, his muscles were still peering out of his jersey (no homo), and his skills were still pin point as usual.

In the first quarter, he put on a shooting exhibition as he connected on five of his first seven shots for 13 points including a sick pull up jumper over Rip Hamilton that had the crowd cheering. For the rest of the game he proceeded to shoot the lights out at the Palace as he finished with 34 points on 11-19 shooting.

Rip tried to take on the challenge of guarding hiRip tried.m, but it was a tough burden as he finished the game with 21 points. Despite Chauncey’s heroics, the Pistons still looked great as they played great defense down the stretch. Midway through the fourth quarter I caught up with Stephen A. Smith to get his take on the situation in Motown.

SLAM: Are you surprised by the recent success that the Pistons have had without A.I. in the lineup?
Stephen A. Smith: No. Because as great of a scorer as Allen Iverson is, when you bring in somebody that’s basically a foreign element to a system that’s been running pretty much like a machine for the last six or seven years, there’s going to be some kinks in their army. You’re going to see them struggle a little bit, but when he goes out than you can revert back to form because you can start doing things that you normally were accustomed to doing in the previous six years. That’s all that happened with Iverson. Of course he’s a great scorer, he’s a great talent, we all know that, but he was the only foreign entity to this system and because he’s such a great talent, you have to adjust when he’s out on the floor. You can’t ignore him, if you’re his teammates whereas once he leaves, you can get back to old form.

SLAM: I’ve been hearing a lot of opinions, but what is your official opinion about the Iverson/Billups trade after having some time to see it play out?
SAS: I feel like it was the right move and I feel like it was the right move for both teams. Chauncey’s a great PG, a Champion! But in the case of Iverson you shade Billups’ $39 million off the cap; you shade Rasheed Wallace numbers coming off at the end of the year. That’s about the future, that’s why you make a deal like that.

SLAM: Do you think the Pistons will make a good run in the Playoffs this season?
SAS: No, No!

Although the Detroit Pistons would go on to defeat the Denver Nuggets, 100-95, Stephen A. still seemed confident in his opinion and a win wouldn’t seem to change his mind.

Post Game

Rather than a traditional post game interview in the visiting locker room, a special press conference was given to Chauncey immediately following the game. As Pistons head coach, Michael Curry exited the podium; Billups stepped up to give a few quotes a couple of minutes later. When he entered the room, you could feel his aura as his earrings blinged with the shining lights. “I’m ready when you guys are…” Billups says.

The conference lasted a little over seven minutes and he spoke candidly on a few topics. (The full questions are the ones that I directly asked him.)

On being nervous:
“Nah I wasn’t nervous, I was more excited. It was just an unbelievable reception that the fans gave me here and it’s really no words that really can explain how good it made me feel. I felt appreciated, I felt very very appreciated for my years here and I want you guys to know that I appreciate the time that I spent here and how you guys all treated me. It was great to feel appreciated.”

Was it tough to stay focused playing against your old teammates who you went to war with for so many years?
“Nah, I was able to stay focused out there, [but] it was weird man, I got to admit. At halftime I started walking toward their tunnel a little bit, but I had to snap out of it and take a left so it was weird, man.”

When you seen certain players checking you did you feel like it was easier to score because you know their defensive tendencies?
“Nah, not really, I just wanted to be aggressive. Without Melo, I knew it was going to be tough. We needed another playmaker out there and I knew that I had to be aggressive and try to make a game of it and we did that.”

Going against Rip:
“That was funny, Rip is always out there jumping around and smacking and all that crazy stuff. I was just wishing we were in the bonus time because I was just gonna attack him and get on the free throw line. Rip is, as you guys know, a very crafty and pesky defender.”

Conversation with Rip after the game:
“We just talked about competing against each other. It’s been a long, long time. I was in Minnesota and he was in Washington that last time we competed against each other like that and it was fun. It was a lotta fun. We push each other to the limit outside of our close friendship, we compete and we battle out there. We just talked a little about that.”

Watching the Pistons struggle:
“Of course I don’t like to see them struggle, and I’m happy that they’re in a good place right now, playing a lot better, but I think it kind of shows what I meant to the team and the things hat I did without even showing up on the paper. So they’re in a good place, I’m happy about that and I hope they win the rest of their games because we don’t have to play them no more.”

Was trade motivation?
“Well it was a little bit of motivation. My motivation really was just that I still got a lot of years left and that I’m not old and I can still lead and I can still take charge. I didn’t want people just to think that I was a great player just because I played in this system with a lot of other great players. I want people to know that I’m a great player in any system and I can be effective in any system, so that was my challenge and the reason I was able to have a good season.”

On the ovation:
“It was fun but I was a little embarrassed so I didn’t want it to go on too long but it was a great feeling.”

What he will remember:
“The thing I will remember the most is what happened before the game with the ovation, people standing and cheering, screaming and going crazy. I’ll never forget that. As far as regular season games go I’ll never forget my first game back in Detroit. No matter what and it’s been a lot of great big games that we’ve played in but I won’t forget this one. I may forget the game and what happened but the ovation and the warm welcome that the fans gave, I will never forget that.”

As Billups charged out of the room, all of the media followed him. He acknowledged every person in his path, including all of the workers in the building. He was awarded the game ball before he left as well. If only he would have stayed!

Peace,

Eric Woodyard

www.slamonline.com

(This article is comes to Pistonscast Courtesy Eric Woodyard and slamonline.com)

by Steve Kays

Hey Pistonscast Posse,

PART 1

It’s the end of an era of Detroit Basketball. The Pistons that everyone knew and loved are changing. The “Bad Boys 2” of 2002-2009 will soon be a distant memory. But I’ve enjoyed the ride. It’s hard to remain competitive in the NBA for several years at a time, unless you’re the San Antonio Spurs. But the Detroit Pistons have had an awesome run. Think about it: 6 straight years of Eastern Conference Finals, 7 straight 50-win seasons, 2 NBA Finals, and 1 championship. That is a truly incredible run by essentially the same core of players, none of whom would be considered “superstars.”

But let’s look at the current contenders and see how they were just a few seasons ago.

L.A. Lakers: Missed playoffs in 2005; eliminated in first round in 2006 and 2007.
Boston Celtics: Eliminated in first round in 2004 and 2005; missed playoffs in 2006 and 2007.
Orlando Magic: Eliminated in first round in 2003; missed playoffs in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Missed playoffs in 2003, 2004, 2005; eliminated in second round in 2006 and 2008.

There is a common theme among all these contenders: They were all really bad before they got really good. Cleveland and Orlando both won draft lotteries, drafting LeBron James and Dwight Howard, respectively. L.A. drafted Andrew Bynum from the lottery and basically stole Pau Gasol from Memphis. Boston traded away several young players that they selected from all the lotteries they had been in and turned them into Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

The Pistons didn’t build their mini-dynasty on one single dominant player. And maybe that was their mistake.

It’s been said that Pistons General Manager Joe Dumars messed up in the 2003 Draft when he selected Darko Milicic over such players as Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Carmelo Anthony. And it seems that he’s admitting he was wrong as he’s going to try this summer to acquire a dominant big man, like Bosh, Carlos Boozer, or David Lee. One thing that’s for sure is that this current season wouldn’t be this bad if Bosh were starting for Detroit.

I recently read about two other areas that really cost the Pistons. One was Larry Brown. The Pistons just haven’t been the same since Brown was relieved of his coaching duties. It doesn’t really matter whose fault it was, but it’s clear that no other coach has had the same effect on the players, nor have they gotten the same results out of them.

The other area was that of Ben Wallace. Now, Dumars was right in not re-signing Wallace to an overinflated contract. That’s not the issue. It was that he never replaced what Wallace brought, which was a tough, intimidating defensive paint presence at the center position. Dumars has tried though with a variety of players: Nazr Mohammad, Chris Webber, Rasheed Wallace. None have worked out as a successor to Ben Wallace, even though the stats say that the Pistons have been just fine defensively without him.

Now if the Pistons miss the playoffs this year or get eliminated in the second or even first round, then that shouldn’t be a great shock to their fans. You can’t play into late May every single year. It’s just not possible. Ask the Lakers. After winning three straight titles from 2000-2002, the Lakers were either eliminated in the first round (2006, 2007), second round (2003), or missed the playoffs entirely (2005). Yes, I know that they did make it back to the Finals in 2004 and 2008 (losing both), but the point still stands. It just goes to show that it’s incredibly difficult to remain competitive when you’re drafting in the lower 20’s every NBA Draft.

If the Pistons have just one bad transition year, it won’t be the end of the world. As great as the core of Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace, and Ben Wallace were, it could only go so far. This same group lost from 2005 to 2008, with the last two losses coming without Ben Wallace as he took a 4-year, $60 million contract offer from Chicago. Now, Joe Dumars got a lot of flak about it at the time, but Ben Wallace circa 2006-2010 is in no way worth $60 million. If Dumars had re-signed him then, he would have been severely restrained by his huge contract and probably wouldn’t have been able to re-sign Billups the next year.

PART 2
There’s been a great outcry against the Pistons management and General Manager Joe Dumars ever since the trade for Iverson which sent Billups to Denver. No one doubts Billups’s greatness at the point guard position, but let’s imagine for a second that Dumars would’ve kept the same core together for this current season. Fast forward to May, and what do you have? Another playoff exit in the conference finals, maybe even in the second round. And then you would have fans and the media blasting Dumars, saying how he should have blown it up last year. You can’t have both. That core has failed 4 straight times at this point. It was time for a change. And Dumars has made the kind of trade that will keep the Pistons competitive. He remembers all too well back in the early ‘90s when the Bad Boys disintegrated. He remembers all those ugly years in those teal uniforms. He won’t have another 10-year period of non-competing Pistons teams.

This was a great trade, make no mistake about it. It’s going to be a win-win either way. It was either that Allen Iverson would provided the scoring punch that the Pistons had lacked in the playoffs the past few springs or that his huge expiring contract would be used to totally reshape the team on the fly. Now, it’s becoming painfully obvious that Iverson just doesn’t fit in with the Pistons as they are a dismal 27-28 as of this writing. Maybe it’s that Iverson’s not being used the right way. Maybe Billups’ leadership was undervalued. Whatever the reason is, the point is that the Pistons stand a real chance of missing the playoffs altogether. So it looks like Iverson’s contract is much more important than his on-court play.

The Detroit Pistons team didn’t blow their chances to win a title this year with the Iverson-Billups trade; they blew their title dreams in 2006, 2007, and 2008. In 2006 the Pistons were the #1 seed in the entire playoffs but still lost in six games to the Miami Heat. In 2007 Detroit was up two games to none on Cleveland when they let the Cavaliers win 4 straight games. And in 2008 the Pistons had an opportunity to take control of the series against the Celtics but dropped Games 3 and 6 at home in devastating fashion.

Why keep putting effort into a losing product? Why are people so against change when clearly that team roster wasn’t getting it done? Before the Iverson trade, I didn’t have a lot of faith that the Pistons would finally make it back to the Finals. Boston was still dominant, Cleveland had greatly improved, and Orlando gained experience. As previously said, Detroit already blew its many chances with the old core. After the Iverson trade I thought that it might be enough to get over the hump. While that seems like a far-fetched idea at this point, Dumars is preemptively trying to rebuild the Pistons on the fly to compete with these teams.

As for getting rid of Billups, there’s a saying that goes: “Getting rid of a star one year too early, is better than one year too late.” And it’s true. Had the Pistons decided to keep the core together, it’s unlikely that they would have been able to acquire such a large expiring contract that would enable them to totally remake the team. If Detroit acquires Chris Bosh this summer, then it was a great trade. But you can’t get Bosh unless you trade Billups.

It’s been a disappointing season to be sure. It looks pretty bleak right now. Fans need to realize that this is a rebuilding team. It may not be as evident as it is in Minnesota and Memphis after they traded their franchise players (Kevin Garnett and Pau Gasol), but it is what it is. Most of the core is gone or will soon be. Billups is gone, Ben Wallace is gone, Rasheed will soon be gone, as will the recently-acquired Iverson. Even steadfast Antonio McDyess has recently talked about possibility leaving after this season.

There is a glimmer of hope however. And it’s that the Pistons are in a position to improve. It’s not like they’re locked into this current underachieving roster for the next several years. They have several draft picks, young players, and expiring contracts, all of which can be used to change this team for the better. You can expect that the Pistons will be the busiest team in the NBA come summertime. And I fully anticipate this team to look dramatically different for the better come fall.

Peace,

Steve Kays

www.pistonscast.com

Hey Deven and John,

I read something from Keith Langlois recently on True Blue Pistons, and he had an interesting take on the Billups for Iverson deal. He said that even though Chauncey is not a Piston anymore, he’s still helping us stay elite because the shedding of his contract allows the Pistons more flexibility, not to mention that they still certainly have the talent to compete for the championship.

I thought this was both an interesting and positive take on a decision that many people have basically condemned since November. Even though the Pistons will most certainly have a worse record this year compared to last year, the future is bright. We still have Stuckey, Maxiell, Amir, Afflalo, Rip, Rasheed, Antonio, and Tay. If Rasheed and A.I. decide to leave after this season, it gives Detroit a lot of options for the future.

Which brings me to my next thought. I really hope we don’t sacrifice any of that talent to get a big name player at the trading deadline. Lots of rumors have circulated around Amar’e Stoudemire. I don’t think that would be a good deal at all. Porter is a former Pistons assistant who believes that you win with defense. Stoudemire is not a good defensive player primarily because he focuses on the other end of the floor. He mentioned earlier this year that he wanted to be the focal point on offense for the Suns.

He’s a great player and a star, but the Pistons don’t need that type of attitude on the team. The Pistons’ struggles this season are a result of the adjustment to a new style of play coupled with a lack of focus on the defensive end. Pound for pound, Detroit can compete with anybody on any given night. They just need to put four good quarters of basketball together on a consistent basis.

If they trade for Amar’e, they will only continue to be in the same spot they’re in now. We don’t need a guy who wants to be the man. The Pistons collectively as a team need to work hard for four quarters and just play basketball together. We already have enough scorers, so adding another one wouldn’t make sense.

I still have my doubts about the trade for Iverson, but at the end of the day I felt like it could give us a chance to get to the Finals again. When the offense breaks down in the playoffs because of tough defense, Iverson can create off the dribble and make something happen. Couple that with the surrounding talent Detroit has, and there’s no reason why Pistons fans should be cashing in their hopes until 2010. This team can still get it done.

Sincerely,

Mike B.

Erie, Mi

www.pistonscast.com

What’s Going on Pistonscast Posse?

DETROIT BASKETBAAALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!  We beat the Nuggets Chauncey, nana nana nana nana! I know you have been patiently waiting,  EPISODE 78 is here!

*Today is judgement day: Will it be AI or Rip to the bench?  7:30 pm vs. Charlotte  ITS GOING DOWN!

(HOW ABOUT BOTH AI AND RIP TO THE BENCH…

START ARRON AFFLALO! LOL)

**OH BABY! I NEED ALL MY GOD SONS AND GOD DAUGHTERS to Call-In! Leave a voice mail message for us at (313) 769-3287.  If its good, you’ll make an upcoming show.

(Young Ryan, Little Richard…  you are young no more!  You’re voice is way too deep for that nickname!)

Any other Episode 78 comments, this is the place to let your voice be heard!

Peace,

www.pistonscast.com

(SHOUTOUT TO MATT FROM H-BAY, AUSTRALIA ON THE PIC!)

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