Posts tagged ‘Tayshaun Prince’

What’s Going on Pistonscast Posse?

Times are hard. It’s a recession out there. People don’t have jobs. People don’t have retirement funds. People simple don’t have.

*Is it starting to seem that the Pistons might not have it this year?

*Why does Tayshaun Prince struggle against Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics?

*Is Rodney Stuckey going to be the player that Pistonscast knows he can be?

*Have you ever heard of Bruce Leroy? LOL

You know what to do!

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

What’s Going on Pistonscast Posse?

41 games have now been played and our Detroit Pistons are 24-17. If the Pistons were out west, our .585 Winning Percentage would place us 7th but we are in the top heavy Eastern Conference. Boston, Cleveland, and Orlando are running away from the playoff pack but that should be okay with Pistons fans. Let it be remembered that we beat Cleveland once this year as well as Orlando.  The Pistons are still contenders.

Expect a great game next Friday against Boston, where we can finally get that ugly Celtic monkey off our back. Remember you heard it hear first, John W. Davis has predicted the Detroit Pistons “will have the best 2nd half record in the league”.

We want your Pistons Mid-Season Review:

1. Who is your Most Improved Piston?

2. Who is your Defensive Piston of the 1st half of year?

3. Who is your most disappointing Piston at the halfway mark?

4. Who is your Mid-Season MVP?

You know the deal, let us know your opinion via email or the comments section.

Peace,

Pistoncast

www.pistonscast.com

by Mike Watson

On a lighter note…

LET’S MAKE TAY AN ALL STAR

I DONT KNOW ABOUT BUT I’M TIRED OF TAY GETTING SNUBBED FOR THE ALL STAR VOTE! WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS:

VOTE FOR POOTIE TAY!!!

I VOTED!

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Dear Pistonscast Posse,

This is something we should have started along time ago.  It’s on a few days left to vote now.   Still show your support for Pootie Tay and hopefully the coaches will vote him in as a reserve!

ALMIGHTY POOTIE TAY IS WORTHY!

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

SHOULD TAYSHAUN BE THE FOCAL POINT?

Hey, John and Deven!

I’ve quickly become a fan of Pistonscast and I like the show.  I’ve been listening the past couple of months now, and it’s nice to have True Blue fans who know the game discussing the team I love.  Great job and keep up the good work.  Anywho, I’ll get to the juicy stuff.

I, too, tuned in to what turned out to be a disappointing loss to the defending champion Boston Celtics last Sunday evening.  The game started out great, both teams looked to be pretty even, and we know how it ended.  I just got done reading John’s post, and I do agree with a lot of what he said.  There is one thing I would like to point out about the Pistons, though, and that point (I believe) should become the Pistons’ focal point now that Mr. Big Shot has departed.  Tayshaun Prince.

That’s right, fellas.  There’s a number of things about this player that I have come to enjoy over the past few years.  I’m a die-hard fan. I’ve gone to a game every year since 2001 except for last season, so trust me when I say I know the transformation and strides this team has made throughout the last few years.  A big part of that is Tay.

He is BY FAR the most underrated player in the NBA.  In a league that markets superstars, it’s understandable with the fan voting why he has not been an All-Star, even though he deserves it.  He’s a quiet guy who goes about his business in a professional manner and lets his game speak, devoid of the attractive personality characteristics present in NBA stars like Kobe, Shaq, KG, DWade, Dwight Howard and LeBron.  It’s not understandable why the Pistons don’t use him more frequently in their well-documented offensive lapses.

In Sunday’s game, he had 23 points on 9-16 shooting (2-2 from behind the arc) to go with his 8 rebounds and 2 assists.  He also had a big game against Toronto.  Since Chauncey’s departure, he has stepped up big-time.

I know, as most Pistons fans know, that Detroit doesn’t need a go-to guy.  That’s not their style, and even as they adjust to A.I.’s game it still won’t be their style.  What bothers me during these offensive lapses, though, is that Detroit goes from a team that has a lot of scoring options to a team that doesn’t know who they want to score.  Even before Iverson’s arrival they had this problem.

Just look at all the Eastern Conference Finals post 2005.  They don’t know who they want to score and play hot potato with the ball until somebody settles for either a bad or highly contested shot.

So, that being said, I’m going to make a declaration that both the mainstream media and Pistons fans alike, for whatever reason, seem to lose in the shuffle: In order for Detroit to be successful, Tay needs to be the focal point.

History will help me in this thesis.

Who locked up T-MAC in his prime back in ‘03 after riding the bench all season and helped the Pistons erase a 3-1 deficit to beat the Magic? Tay.

Who didn’t give up on a Reggie Miller streak down the court in ‘04 and came out of nowhere to block the future Hall of Famer’s shot to swing the momentum in Detroit’s favor against the Pacers that ultimately helped them win the championship? Tay.

Who has not missed a single game in his NBA career and won an Olympic Gold Medal? Tay.

This guy is the unsung hero and the glue that holds together this team.  Other than A.I., he’s the only Piston who can score in a multitude of ways.

Rasheed usually can score when he wants to and is a good 3-point shooter, but he’s more effective for the Pistons when he’s on the block.  He gets to the line more down there, and his versatility for his size makes him more valuable to the Pistons when he’s in the post.

Rip is great off screens and a great shooter, but is much better and more effective that way than when he creates off the dribble.

Stuckey is a great all-around scorer, but is at his best when he gets to the basket off the dribble and gets in the paint.  He’s a good finisher and a good passer, so he’s more of a threat when he gets in the lane as opposed to shooting the J because he’s either going to the line or dishing it to somebody who’s open.

Tayshaun played the point in college, so he’s confident enough and skilled enough to handle the ball when he needs to.  He can hit 3’s.  He’s got a quick first step for his height and can take people off the dribble.  He’s unselfish and finds the open man when he doesn’t have a good look.  He’s got a nice baby hook.  He’s got a good mid-range game.  He’s a threat in transition.  He can dunk in traffic and is usually a consistent free throw shooter.  He’s a lefty.

Tayshaun is modest, and I love him for that.  I don’t want him to change his personality, nor does he need to in order for the Pistons to succeed.  However, the Pistons need to recognize in these offensive lapses, at least until A.I. gets acclimated, that this guy needs the ball.  Tay won’t demand it because it’s not his style, but this team has been playing together long enough to know that he’s the most viable option in those breakdowns.

Does Detroit need him to score 23 a game like he’s capable of?  No.  They just need to recognize that he’s the one who can create in those situations.

Even though they lost to the Celtics Sunday, the Big 3 only combined for 32 points, 17 of which came from Ray Allen.  Pierce was held in check by Tay and only got 7 on 3-10 shooting.  This further supports my point that he needs to be the guy on offense because Pierce is a good defensive player and Tay sizzled him for 23 while shooting 56 percent.

With the trade, all the focus has been on A.I. both in the media and on the show.  In the last show, concerns were brought up about him trying to take over.  That won’t happen.  He knows where he’s at in his career and he wants to win the big one.  I don’t think he’s concerned about averaging 30 anymore.  He didn’t come here to do that.  He came here to win.

The mainstream media seems to think this trade benefits Denver more, and a lot of casual fans also believe this.  I disagree not just because I’m a Pistons fan, but because Detroit needed another all-around offensive threat when things go stagnet, and they got it in A.I.  It will pay great dividends come Playoff time.

However, Pistons fans have also got lost in the A.I. hype.  We don’t need him to be the savior or the focal point.  Detroit never needed a savior.  They needed another offensive assassin, and they got one.

Which brings me full circle.  Tay gets lost in the shuffle every year, both by fans and the media.  Yes, he’s a respected player in the League, the media, and certainly by the Piston faithful.

But we forget how important this guy is to this team.  His teammates know how good he is, yet they look like a bunch of guys in a pick-up game when the clock runs down and don’t know who to give the ball to.

Give it to Tay.  He’s been the most consistent Piston since he came to the franchise in ‘02.  His character, attitude, and talent have never been questioned, but they have never been highlighted, either.

This is the year his skills need to be maxed out for the Pistons to win it all.

Not Rasheed’s, or Stuckey’s, or Rip’s, or Amir’s, or A.I.’s, but Tay’s.

Experience usually trumps athleticism in sports, especially in basketball, as history has shown.

Remember the aging Spurs against young LeBron and the Cavs in ‘07?  Experience won.

The Bulls teams of the ’90s and Bill Russell’s Celtics back in the day?  Experience won.

The Pistons’ consistency every year in the postseason?  Experience won (at least until the Conference Finals).

That’s why you go to Tay.  Stuckey is a great player and will be for a long time, but he’s only played in one Eastern Conference Finals.

A.I. is a proven scorer and still pound-for-pound the toughest player in the game at 33, maybe the toughest ever.  But he’s only been on one really good team in his career, and even then he needed to score a lot for the 01-02 Sixers to compete.  He has never been on a team this good and this deep, and although I’m glad he’s a Piston and think he’s the missing piece we need, he’s not the focal point.

With an aging Rasheed, a young Amir and Stuckey, a well-conditioned Rip who will continue to do what he does best and a new face in Iverson, Detroit needs to let Tay know that they want him to unleash the abilities that all of us have only been able to catch glimpses of in his great career.

Tay’s in his prime, and letting him blossom as a scorer now will give him the confidence to get it done in crunch time come Spring.  With A.I. continuing to adjust, it only makes sense for Detroit to rely on Tay in these lapses.

John and Deven, this has got to be the year the Pistons break out Tay.  Another Detroit championship depends on it.

Thanks for reading and God bless.  Keep up the good work on the show!

Sincerely,

Mike B.

Erie, Mi

www.pistonscast.com

THE "GOLDEN" PRINCE OF THE PALACE

What’s Going On World?

John W. Davis here.  Check out this excerpt from MLIVE:

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AUBURN HILLS — Michael Curry has goals for all his players, including Tayshaun Prince being an all-star this season.

“I expect Tay to be an All-Star,” Curry said following this morning’s practice. “I expect him to be an All-Star, he’s played at that level and I think by taking Dice (Antonio McDyess) out of the starting lineup, that puts more things to be run for Tay.”

Prince’s defense and all-around feel for the game has been on an all-star caliber level for years, but it’s his scoring that has left something to be desired.

He’s never averaged more than 14.7 points in a season. With McDyess back to the bench and Amir Johnson getting few, if any, plays called for him, Prince in theory should average a couple more points per game which would put him in line for a possible all-star berth.

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I dont like that last line from the article.  Should a few more points make you an All-Star?  I expect Kevin Durant to average 23-26 points per game and he certainly is no All-Star yet.  We need to change the valuation of All-Star selections because scoring a few more points does not make you intrinsically better.  True, no McDyess in the starting lineup will give Tayshaun more scoring opportunities but that’s not what Tayshaun’s game is about.

If Tayshaun is going to be an All-Star it’s because of everything else he does on the court.  He was a member of the Beijing Olympic team for a reason.  He is basically already on an All-Star level, we just need more consistency from him.  I think if he can average 14 points, 5 rebounds, and here’s the key: 6 assists, (last year he averaged 3.3 ASTS) that he will get his first All-Star bid.

People around the league know that Tayshaun is not the number one, number two or even the number three scorer on this team, but he can and should be the number one or number two playmaker.  He has respect around the league as a great player and it’s up to Tayshaun to make an impact every night on the game through PLAY-MAKING.

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

Shoutout to our boy Ryne Nelson the Main Online Editor over there at www.slamonline.com

Check out Slam’s Top 50 NBA player analysis.  I believe they will have 3 more Detroit Pistons on their Top 50 list.

SLAMonline Top 50: Tayshaun Prince, no. 45

The definitive ranking of the best players in the NBA today…

by Jake Appleman

I was going to write a short story about Tayshaun Prince being captured and taken into a cave to be initiated by the Skin and Bones society–Mick Jagger, Calista Flockhart, Snoop Dogg, the cast of America’s Next Top Model, the Olsen twins, etc. He was going to be praised for his all around selflessness (if shots were food…), and the ceremony was going to conclude with some mighty words from the next President of the United States, Barack Obama, a SK&B member himself. Then, somewhere between writing my first paragraph and Russ mentioning “Unnamed Fetus Palin”, I realized that a) I might not have the time to give the piece the creative juice it deserved and b) it would be ironically thin on actual basketball discussion.

So here goes something that’s been bothering me: I have absolutely no idea which member of the Detroit Pistons is their most valuable player. I suppose it doesn’t matter, and that’s kind of the point, but I’m miffed that I can’t make a decision, or even feel compelled to lean one way. (I voted Chauncey highest on my top 50 list but definitely feel some regret about that. In fact, all four Pistons that I put on my list were within in 10 or so spots of one another.)

Conventional wisdom and legend tells us it’s Chauncey, he of the sneaker contract and the big shots. However, it’s funny to think about his rep and realize that his nickname has served to protect him somewhat unjustly from criticism deserved for poor recent postseason play. Also worth noting: he’s been the floor general on a team that hasn’t responded to its coach annually when it mattered most. That warrants true examination.

The underdog in us says it’s Rip, the guy who logs the miles going around the screens that tire out the opposing defense, which helps D-troit clamp down and do their thing on the other end. The underdog says don’t underestimate the guy that takes good shots and practices the lost art that keeps the other team honest. But Rip isn’t a bulldog on the other end of the floor quite like Detroit’s other mainstays. And if defense is the hallmark by which half of a player is judged, then you have the counter argument right there.

The sensationalist in us might be blinded by a deep love for Sheed, so much so that his incredible talents cloud our viewpoints. But he’s too volatile and simply doesn’t perform well enough consistently.

That leaves us with Prince, the dude that looks like he was born to a pterodactyl octopus and a malnourished refugee. Since the Pistons aren’t truly built for the playoffs anymore–prove us wrong and we won’t judge you so–it’s imperative to look at which guys matter most during the course of the regular season that defines their success. To me, those two are Hamilton and Prince. Prince’s disruptive length and willingness to do the proverbial little things provide a microcosm of what the Pistons are. His two-way productivity and on-court selflessness blend the rest of Detroit’s bigger egos rather seamlessly and help the day to day of their easy 82 game ride.

Yet he still flies under the radar (even here, on this list, he isn’t getting his proper due). Just remember next time he unfurls that ugly 3-ball from the corner thanks to some transition hustle–after spending 23 seconds gobbling up the other team’s best player–that he deserves more of your respect. Just because he could temporarily house a honeydew while sucking in his man-cave doesn’t mean he isn’t a complete player.

Prince might have been invited to Beijing because Team USA’s frontcourt was thin, but as always is the case with the guy that logs the most minutes on a perennial Eastern conference contender, the whole picture is more important than the frame.

Want more of the SLAMonline Top 50? Check out the archive.

 

 

 

The Golden Piston!

What’s going on World?

John W. Davis here. We received two emails congratulating Tayshaun Prince today for winning gold that I would like to share with you.

Ericka from Alabama by way of Pontiac: Hey guys, what’s goin’ on!

How bout our boys bringing home the gold! Most importantly, Tayshaun bringing home the gold! I have watched every game by way of my DVR, all the USA Basketball redemption specials on NBA TV, the exhibition games..all of that! So imagine my frustration when right when our boys were stepping up on the platform to finally get that medal…MY DVR SHUT OFF!!! I just sat there in disbelief. My question to you is, do you know of anywhere online where I can get this footage? I was waiting to hear Tayshaun’s name when he got the medal and the timing of the DVR took that away from me.

Thanks in advance,
Ericka

Darian from Nebraska: Hey Pistons Cast!!! Whats good!!

Let me just say!! GOOOOO TAYSHAUN DURELL PRINCE!!! What a stud! He’s got a gold medal and no one can take that away! I stayed up till like 4 watching that game and tay played GREAT in the first half! He made me so happy!!! But yah i just wanted to give a shout out to our boy Tayshaun Prince!!!

DEEEEEEEEEEETROIT BASKETBALL!!!

Here is the link we all want to see especially Ericka. Tayshaun and the US Basketball team getting their gold medals.

US MEDAL CEREMONY!!!!

Props to nbcolympics.com.  If you want to congratulate Tayshaun do it in the comments section.

ITS TIME FOR SOME DETROIT BASKETBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

The Prince of the Palace waiting for his Olympic Coronation!

Whats Going on World?

John W. Davis here.  Our boy Tayshaun Prince is back at it again.  Showing the world that a true Detroit Piston player can always contribute, even on a world stage.  His unselfish play is exactly why the Pistons are who they are and its exactly why we don’t get the national respect we deserve.

Coming off the bench is different for Tayshaun Prince because since his 2nd year in the league he has STARTED every game.  Props to the Detroit Free Press, I really like the game by game coverage the FREEP has given the Prince of the Palace.

Hey, Tayshaun Prince had a triple-single in Team USA’s 116-85 win over Australia on Wednesday in Beijing — nine points, a rebound and a steal.

Prince is contributing but as a reserve, averaging 12.7 minutes a game, not the 32.9 he gets with the Pistons, and 4.7 points instead of 13.2. And he’s accepted his role on a roster with guys named Kobe and LeBron.

“The toughest part is trying to come in and really respond and help the team in any way you can,” Prince told the Lexington Herald-Leader, which wants his story because of his days at Kentucky.

“… Obviously, the caliber of guys that we have, we just have to be ready. And I think today I was ready. I think in the games I have been ready, whether it’s shooting the basketball or playing some defense or doing whatever.”

Whatever Coach K is selling, it’s been working. The Redeem Team is 6-0 going into the medal round.

“We’re not overlooking nobody,” Prince said. “You know why? Because we play the same way every game. … Everybody’s been playing hard and aggressive.

“So we’re gonna go down fighting, no matter what.”

Two more games until Gold Tayshaun,  keep doing your thang!

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com

What’s going on World?

John W. Davis here.  The Olympics are in full swing and I’m loving it.  If you know anything about me, you know I’m all about running especially track and field.  We have witnessed Usain Bolt run a 9.69 WR in the 100m and I have a feeling he will put on a show later this week in the 200m with another gold medal winning performance.

As Detroit Pistons fans, we are all rooting for our boy Tayshaun Prince. 

The following is an excerpt from a recent Detroit Free Press Article:

In Monday’s game, coach Mike Krzyzewski played Prince extensively after the second quarter, assigning him to Germany’s best player, Dirk Nowitzki, who creates difficult matchups for most players because of his size 7-feet, 243 pounds) and versatility.

Prince, a four-time NBA All-Defensive second team player, limited Nowitzki to 14 points.

“I think I’ve done a great job of making the best of it,” Prince said. “I’m trying to get some offensive rebounds and get some easy shots. Hopefully things will get back on track here in this next game.”

What Prince would like when the U.S. plays Australia in the quarterfinals Wednesday is a performance similar to the one he gave against Spain on Saturday. In what was by far his most productive game, Prince scored 10 points in 14 minutes, making 3-of-4 3-pointers.  “That last game when I came into the game I hit some big shots,” Prince said. “So obviously I think I can do it. Everybody is getting less minutes than they’re used to, but they’re taking advantage of it, and that’s what matters.”

I’ve said it before and said it again, Tayshaun Prince will be a neccessary key component to winning that Olympic gold.  Against Germany, he stopped Dirk Nowitzki.  Check 1.  Against Spain he helped stopped their powerful team that has many capable NBA players.  In the medal round look for Tayshaun to check the best player on the oppossing team for at least 15 minutes a game.

No doubt in my mind that Tayshaun will EARN his gold medal.

Peace,

John W. Davis

www.pistonscast.com