Posts tagged ‘Coach Curry’

Bill Laimbeer Quits the Detroit Shock!

Bill, Bill, Bill!!!!

Please coach the Pistons. I beg of thee. I implore thee. We need you.

Honestly, you need us too. You need a team that’s ready to win, not the Timberwolves. They are young and will drive you crazy!!!

Joe D, come on man. Just demote Coach Curry lol!

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Auburn Hills, MI – Tom Wilson, President and CEO of the Detroit Shock and Palace Sports and Entertainment, announced today that Bill Laimbeer has resigned from his duties as head coach and general manager of the Detroit Shock. In a related move, Wilson announced that effective immediately, Rick Mahorn has been promoted to head coach and Cheryl Reeve has been promoted to assistant coach/general manager.

“It’s disappointing that Bill has decided to step down as head coach and general manager of the Detroit Shock,” said Wilson. “But at the same time, Bill led the Shock to three WNBA Championships and a league-record 27 postseason victories during his seven-year tenure. We thank him for his guidance and dedication to the franchise and our organization.”

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Shock: Laimbeer Resigns Press Release

Bill Laimbeer NBA Coaching Rumors

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.

Are Allen Iverson’s days in Detroit over?

According to the Detroit News, Pistons coach Michael Curry spoke on Saturday as though Iverson’s tenture with the team is now over, talking about how both parties tried to make things work but it just did not happen.

“It just didn’t work; it didn’t blend well,” Curry said before Saturday’s 95-90 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. “There was a lot to do with guys changing roles and accepting different roles you have to play. It’s unfortunate things didn’t go as we thought they would.”

Curry thinks Iverson, 33, still can be a force in the league.

“He’s still a starter in this league; he’s going to have a lot of success,” Curry said. “This was a tough situation this year. As he gets older, he’ll have to do different thing so his body can hold up for the rigors of an NBA season. He’ll probably have to adapt a little bit, because I’m not sure how many teams will be centered just around him, but he’s still a very capable player, and at times this year, he was really, really good for us.

“A lot of things maybe I could have done better, and the players could have done better, and maybe he could have done better. All of us, we haven’t gotten it done this year. By no means do I want to make it seem it was just on Allen.

“The reality is we’re in the position we’re in, and we have to make the most of.”

Via Det News:

Just like Coach Curry said, the reality is, we are in 8th place and its DO OR DIE!  PLEASE BOSS UP PISTONS!  We at least need the 7th seed.  Remember wherever Orlando is seeded we want to match up with them in the 1st round!

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.twitter.com/johnwdavis

Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince said after Tuesday’s loss to the Bulls that the team needs to play perfect basketball in order to win despite all their injuries.

“We really need those guys back, but at the same time we got to figure out a way; obviously with the situation that we have, that we almost got to play perfect basketball,” said Prince.

Detroit has been playing without Allen Iverson, Richard Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace as of late.

The Pistons are just a game ahead of the Bulls for the seventh seed in the East, and three games ahead of Charlotte, who is currently in ninth place.

VIA DETROIT FREE PRESS:

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Preach Pootie Tay!  We need you to take over for the rest of the season!  If you aren’t going to do it we might as well mail in this season.  There is no point of making the playoffs and losing in 5 games in Round 1.  We might as well go fishing!

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

Pistons coach Michael Curry won’t rush guard Allen Iverson’s return from a sore back.

Curry said on Tuesday that he wants Iverson at ease with the injury before he returns to the court.

“Hopefully we’ll know more (today), but it’s about him getting to a comfort level with the diagnosis of what’s going on with him,” Curry said. “We’re like that for all our guys.

“We want to make sure that anything they feel, any point of discomfort, we want them to feel comfortable with how their body feels so that when they step on the court, they can give us everything they got.”

Iverson is scheduled for a third exam on Wednesday at Georgetown, the school at which he starred.

VIA DETROIT FREE PRESS.

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My man Mike Curry, selling the sizzle.  LOL.  Come on, what do you expect him to say?

What’s Going on World?

John W. Davis here. I have something I want to get off my chest. See I’m mad. You want to know why? Of course you do, that’s why you are reading this.

I’m not mad at the players anymore. I think the trade deadline will bring them closure and comfort in knowing that they are Pistons for rest of the 2009 season.

I’m mad that guys don’t know when they are going to play. I’m also mad that guys who are obviously not cutting it (Stuckey), get all the playing time in the world and guys like Afflalo get DNP-CD’s for no apparent reason.

See I thought it could happen and would happen to my boy Amir and it did. But Afflalo not one minute of the game when you have guys on San Antonio like Mike Finley and George Hill (a rookie!) are making us look silly.

1. What do you think is up with Coach Curry?

2. What would you do to fix it?

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

What’s Going on Pistonscast Posse,

John W. Davis here. I for one, feel much much better. I’ve had alot on my Pistons mind and it was bound to get out sooner than later. It’s just so tough when you know your team can be the best in the league but they are obviously hindering themselves.

Its not because of injuries, or even the lack of a missing piece, its because we have too much of a good thing.

*How do you feeling about small ball part 2?

*Did John W. Davis go over board?

*Do you still trust Coach Curry’s judgement?

Where is your my mind at after listening to Episode 79?   Get in where you fit in!

Peace,

www.pistonscast.com

What’s Going on World?

John W. Davis here.  Coach Mike Curry has made it plain and simple.  He says don’t blame Iverson, blame the team’s DEFENSE.

CURRY VIA FREEP:

CURRY:  “A lot of times you look at that individual player,” Curry said. “But for the most part, except when he gambles, he’s been solid for us defensively.”

Detroit is 7-9 with Iverson in the lineup.

IVERSON: “I already know that the bull’s-eye is going to be on me regardless of what happens on this team, because I’m here,” Iverson said. “But all you got to do is go back and watch the games and see what goes on in the game, and then you can make your assumption if it has anything to do with one player or has anything to do with all the players.”

WHO ARE YOU BLAMING?

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

YOUNG STUCK/50 CENT JR: ST ST ST STARTER UNIT!

What’s Going on World?

John W. Davis here. It’s official, and now starting at Guard for the Detroit Pistons!!!! Rodney Stuck-ey!

Yup, thats the word from Coach Curry today.

MC (HAMMER) VIA MLIVE:

“I like the fact that Stuckey is running the point, and I get A.I. and Rip more in their natural positions of being able to just run the wings,” Curry said. “They have someone to create the offense for them. Stuck also gives us a guy that can get the ball to where we want to get it to.”

ALSO DICE IS BACK!

In other Pistons news, Antonio McDyess was not at practice today because all the paperwork for his contract had yet to be completed. However, the Pistons still expect to have everything done in time for him to play against Washington tomorrow night.

I like the move. I just wish Stuckey was starting for Iverson instead of Killa Kwam Kwam Brown. I think we need a Pistons A team with Hamilton and a Pistons B team with Iverson.

Can you imagine how sweet we would be?

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