Detroit Bad Boys

Kuester Explains Kwame's Benching; Wallace Explains Kwame's Career

2010-02-09T10:05:12Z

I almost made this a FanShot instead of an actual post so it didn't get blown out of proportion, but the more I think about it, the more worthy of discussion I think this is. Kwame Brown, penciled in as a starter before the start of the season, has essentially fallen out of the rotation. What's the secret to his getting more PT? Playing better defense, says John Kuester. From the Detroit News:

"Our biggest concern and I have discussed it with him is defense," Kuester said. "We have to make sure he continually plays the consistent defense that I want to in the scheme. That is pick-and-roll, high pick-and-roll. Just making sure he knows."

If Brown didn't know, he knows now. That is why he laughed when Kuester's words were relayed to him.

"Listen, man, I don't want something to be flared up on what I say," Brown said. "I will do what the coach says in order to get better, although that is a first because there is one thing I do bring to the table and that is defense. That's the first time I heard that. It's the first time a coach said I don't play defense. But like I said, I will learn to play the defense he wants me to play."

Given the recent suggestions that the Pistons are already starting to tune Kuester out, the fact Brown laughed off Kuester's feedback (even while promising to take it seriously) was a little disconcerting -- although, to be honest, not more so than the fact Brown was so nonchalant about his lack of PT (during a contract year, no less) in the first place. Ben Wallace seemed to call Brown out on that last point:

Some of his teammates said they don't understand why Brown sits. But Wallace said Brown needs more hunger.

"Without a doubt he can contribute," Wallace said. "But he got to want it. He's got to be hungry, man. For me to say you got to do this and do, that's pointless. You got to want it. Look, man, when you go out there, you got to do what you got to do. If you go out there and are making the same mistakes the starters are making, then you don't need to be out there."

I like Brown -- he's affable in the locker room, useful on occasion on the court -- but I'll be damned if Wallace didn't just sum up his entire career.

He Kaman Took It - From a Deserving Player

2010-02-08T21:29:51Z

Sometimes injuries to players selected to the All-star game can be a blessing. The league can remedy an oversight by sending someone who should have been selected by the fans or coaches. Or maybe it can find room for a player representing a team that doesn't have an all-star.

As the injuries pile up, the qualifications narrow. Maybe a long-time fringe candidate finally gets the honor, or an old fan favorite gets one last shot to be a hero. If worse comes to worse, the league can send a second player from a championship contender.

Or... It can send Chris Kaman.

The case for Kaman as an all-star can be summarized as follows. He averages 20 ppg. Oh, and he, averages... Oh, wait, I already said the points thing, didn't I?

His inclusion almost certainly owes to the perception that he is a great rebounder. My guess is that David Stern sort of Frankensteined Kaman's past rebounding numbers into this season. But Kaman's rebounding rate isn't even in the top 20 at his own position.

He also isn't a noted defender, and is one of the worst play makers in all of basketball. Oh, and he's not exactly brimming with intangibles. He's a surly guy who like to shoot fish, when not playing for Donald Sterling's Clippers.

Sadly, this is as good as Kaman gets, meaning this pick will look especially strange years down the road, especially since guys like Carlos Boozer, Marc Gasol and Carl Landry were left off the squad. If only the Rockets would let Landry stay on the extra court and put up crappy numbers for nine extra minutes, they'd have themselves an all-star.

This is the case of the league listening to sportswriters, rather than using their heads. Kaman is surprisingly leading the Clippers in scoring, and that has given writers something to write about, which also translated into a late campaign for Kaman's selection.

In doing so, the league squandered an opportunity to take the best player available (Kevin Love), or honor the best team (the Rockets) not represented with an all-star. They could have built the brand by selecting the likely rookie of the year (Tyreke Evans), or a flashy first-timer (Corey Maggette), or a flashy veteran (Manu Ginobili). The list goes on.

Instead, we will all have to be patient and wait for Chris Kaman to get his obligatory five touches during the game. Nothing like an all-star game featuring a guy who likes to put in reverse layups underneath the basket.

The NBA, where arbitrary and annoying happens.

Colts vs. Saints: Super Bowl XLIV [Open Threads]

2010-02-07T21:48:26Z

Add today's game face to the collage of Manning Face, but will Peyton add a second Super Bowl to his resume? All the 'experts' seem to think it's the Colts' game to lose.

If you are feeling chatty during tonight's Super Bowl, there's a plethora of open threads.

SB Nation is holding the grand open thread for all -- here.

If that is too crowded for you, then you have other options:

The Colts blogger here at SB Nation, BigBlueShoe, is credentialed and at the game. If you feel like mingling with the Colts fans you can go to Stampede Blue.
The Saints blogger, Dave, is also in Miami. If you're pulling for the Saints and want to discuss along with their fans, you can join the chatter at Canal Street Chronicles.
Of course, you can always stay here and use this as your open thread for the game (or anything you'd like really -- Robocop, Puppy Bowl, Erin Brockovich, etc). The choice is yours.

I'm going Saints, who do you got?

Where Helping the Nets Chase History Happens (Twice in a Week): Pistons 99, Nets 92

2010-02-07T17:10:46Z

What Happened:

What should have been expected -- the Pistons picked up a win against the Nets at home.

Neither was particularly pretty, but the Pistons handed the Nets their second loss in the past five days adding to what seems like will be a record breaking season of futility for the Nets. After last night's loss, the Nets are now 4-46, tying the '92-93 Mavs and '72-73 76ers for the worst 50-game start in all of sports.

The Pistons started the game en fuego, shooting nearly 70% with a little over five minutes left in the first half, thanks in large part to hitting their first eight shots in the 2nd quarter -- six being threes. That helped the Pistons build a nine-point first half lead.

Unfortunately, as has been the story all year, the defense wasn't very good. The Nets' 60 TS% helped them stay in the game in the second half, and even take a brief lead at one point. But following the same science that says hot air rises to the top, suck seeps to the bottom. And the Nets suck more than the Pistons.

The Good:

Jonas Jerebko. He scored 20 points on 9-9 (!) shooting while grabbing seven rebounds in just 24 minutes.

The ball movement, leading to 29 assists. 11 came from Rodney Stuckey, the same number of assists that led to 22 of the Pistons' 36 points scored in the paint. Detroit's 9-8 this season when they have 20 or more assists and are 4-2 when having greater than 25. That should be a key to every single game, though it kind of goes without saying.

The Bad:

Surely the Pistons aren't paying Ben Gordon $10 million this season to take five shots. He was 1-5 for five points and had two turnovers in 22 minutes of action.

Tayshaun Prince isn't doing much to help his 'value' before the deadline. He was also 1-5 until that basket in the final minute.

Also, I'll cut and paste Watson's from the last Nets game: "Austin Daye must have gotten lost at Somerset Mall -- it's the only reason why I can justify giving the kid a DNP-CD." Seriously, how does Daye not see a single minute in two games against the worst team in NBA history?

The Who Unsung Heroes:

This is in honor of their performance during tonight's Super Bowl, or my difficulty choosing just one unsung hero.

Jason Maxiell made himself a nice case during the final quarter, when he scored nine of his 13 points. 13 points (on 6-8 shooting) and six rebounds in 24 minutes are numbers we could get used to seeing from him.

Charlie Villanueva was a catalyst to the Pistons strong start, hitting all four of his three point tries. Some may have been quick to forget that he didn't play Friday night and played through the sore back last night. He only saw 16+ minutes and had 12 points, two rebounds, and two blocks.

Ben Wallace. The 35-year old didn't play his youthful clamp down defense, but he still grabbed 10 boards, had nine points, and blocked four shots. He also hit BOTH free throws when the Pistons were only up one with five minutes left.

And then there is Rodney Stuckey who played like a true point guard. He only scored 10 points on 4-13 shooting, but he made his statement taking care of the rock with 11 assists and only one turnover. He supplemented his double-double with three steals, as well.

The Takeaway:

The season is a wash and if Dumars is trying to trade Rip and Tayshaun (which is up in the air at this point given his latest statements), they didn't do a whole lot to improve their stock. There's a chance Maxiell could help a contender and if that's the case, he definitely impressed (beyond his four turnovers). But what else can you takeaway from a game in which the Pistons made the lowly Nets look relatively good and their major trading chips didn't play all that well? A win -- and when we haven't seen many this year we can at least try to revel in that much.

Fist-fight in the sewer, Nets @ Pistons

2010-02-06T22:41:53Z

Game tips at 7:30 pm ET

Detroit Pistons: 16-32 (11-14 road, -5.6 margin)

New Jersey Nets: 4-45 (3-19 road, -11.7 margin)

Oppo Research

They're back, and now there is reason to worry. The Pistons were scarcely able to dispense with the lowly Nets on the road, yielding a ridiculous 24 points and 14 assists to Devin Harris. Now they are playing on the end of a back-to-back, which began with a humiliating drubbing by the Pacers.

If the Pistons can't stop Harris, then suddenly the Nets offense looks downright potent. Brook Lopez had 27 points to go with his seven rebounds, and only a horrendous night from Yi Jianlian allowed the Pistons to escape with a victory.

Nonetheless, this is still a team that is giving heavy minutes to a number of players who don't belong in the league. There really is no excuse for dropping a game at home to the worst team of all time when that team is play its fourth game in five days.

Pistons Retro Moment

I don't remember this game, or know why Nets fans were so geeked up over it, but it's nice to see the old team back together.

Keys for Detroit

More Ben Gordon - It appears that he's better, and if he's producing, he should get all the minutes he wants.

Feed it to Charlie V. inside - I've got a feeling I can just cut and paste this one for the rest of the season.

Stop Chris Douglas-Roberts - I could just see him randomly owning us for 30 tonight.

Question of the Game

Will we ever get back to full strength? The Pistons were desperate for front-court offense in the absence of Charlie V. Can anyone step up, here?

Valuable Links

Set Saily for Nets Daily.

Done Got Paced... A Game Recap

2010-02-06T03:41:57Z

What Happened:

The Pistons were destroyed by a mediocre team in spite of owning the boards and generating more turnovers. Seriously, how often does it happen that a team gets eight more shots and still loses by 24? Well, for the third time in four games, the team failed to crack 40% from the field. That helps.

The Good:

Ben Gordon scored 26 points in 25 minutes. That's phenomenal. If he can keep that up, there is some hope for turning this ship around, sorta.

The Bad:

Well, the frontcourt scored 25 points in 132 minutes on 8-32 shooting. I would hazard to guess that breaks some sort of team record for futility. That partly explains why three of our guards combined for 0 assists in 81 minutes.

Oh, and the Pacers made most of their shots. That hurt.

The Darvin Ham Unsung Hero:

Jason Maxiell. On a night when the frountcourt had more or less left the bulding, he posted a tolerable five points and nine rebounds in 24 minutes. Also, while I refuse to get excited about the Tinsley-esque stat line, MFWB (which, for new readers, stands for Mangled Foot Will Bynum) had 70% of the team's assists.

The Takeaway:

This team has serious gaps on offense and defense. There is no low-post scoring threat, nor is there an outside scoring threat, which means the team lives or dies on contested two-point shots. On the other end of the court, there is no clamp down defender on the wings, so the Pistons also live or die on missed open shots by the other team. Surprisingly, this combination has not resulted in too many wins this season.

Your Belated Pistons - Pacers Game Thread

2010-02-06T00:29:00Z

Excuse the communications breakdown, DBB. Here is your game thread, without the standard details you've come to know and love. Discuss!

------

Sorry, everyone. Big thanks and steak dinners to Mike and Kevin for taking initiative to get a thread up -- at the same time. I hid Kevin's because it was a minute later than Mike's, but here's what he had to say:

Is it weird for anyone else that the Pacers have suddenly become the most plain vanilla team in the league? Other than that, it would be nice to get a road win.

DISCUSS!

Again, sorry for the non-traditional preview. Keeping with the theme: Discuss!

-- Packey

Morning Shootaround: Is David Katzman the Next Pistons Owner?

2010-02-05T12:45:40Z

Has Karen Davidson found someone to take the NBA's 4th most valuable franchise off her hands?

According to the Detroit Sports Rag, she has:

Jeff Moss is reporting that David Katzman will soon become the new owner of the Detroit Pistons, acquiring a majority ownership position from the Davidson family.

Moss’ sources (who also correctly predicted the firing of Rick Carlisle days before the firing was reported in the mainstream media) are stating the Katzman has severed ties with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Quicken Loans in anticipation of this move.

David Katzman is currently part owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Vice Chairman for Quicken Loans.

Not so fast, though. There is nothing around the 'net, aside from this report, about Katzman severing ties with the Cavaliers and Quicken Loans, much less becoming the next Pistons owner. And the parenthetical, citing that this "source" was right about something 7-8 years ago, doesn't exactly scream credibility. Most importantly, who is Jeff Moss and who is his "source"?

However, this "source," who correctly predicted the Rick Carlisle firing in 2002-2003, also told Moss sometime around December 22 that Karen Davidson was not seeing eye-to-eye with Tom Wilson. A month later, and out of the blue, Karen Davidson admitted that she is trying to sell the team. Interesting. Maybe, just maybe, DSR was on to something then and perhaps there is some truth to this David Katzman rumor.

At the onset of the "Pistons for sale" talks, a couple rumors fluttered about the possibility of Dan Gilbert, current majority owner of the Cavs, buying the franchise, but those were unrealistic and quickly squashed. If Gilbert didn't already own the Cavs, then he would have made sense for the role -- he was born and raised in Detroit, went to undergrad and grad school in Michigan, and still resides there with his wife and kids. Of course, being one of the Forbes 400, money would not have been an issue.

Similarly, Katzman is a Michigan man. He did his undergrad at Michigan State and attended law school at Detroit. Despite owning part of the Cavs, he is still centralized in the greater Detroit area. Mix in that Katzman has been a rather successful business man and it's certainly feasible that he could be a potential suitor for the Pistons.

We might not be as close to having the next Pistons owner as DSR reports, but I do think this could be the first realistic option to buy the Pistons (and one that would presumably keep them in Michigan). Only time will tell if this rumor comes into fruition.

UPDATE 11:40 AM EST: This from Rob Otto at MLIVE:

A Pistons representative points out it would be impossible at this time for Katzman to buy the team, because it isn't actually for sale yet:

"Mrs. Davidson is only exploring the possibility of selling the team at this point. They haven't even gotten to the point of putting it up for sale. You can't buy it if it's not for sale, and officially the Pistons are not for sale."

Other Links:

Pistons expected to be at full strength tonight -- MLIVE
If you write something bad about Tayshaun Prince, he wants to explode -- Piston Powered
Pistons have a chance at a winning streak? -- Detroit News

OK, I'm verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves until game time tonight.

Morning Shootaround: It's Development, Stupid

2010-02-04T11:00:25Z

• Despite the positive vibes coming out of Tuesday's win (a three-guard lineup that doesn't feature Chucky Atkins? Outstanding!), dreams of playoff berths have long been supplanted by those of lottery picks.

Unfortunately, even if the Pistons end up with a high pick, there's still a sense of dread among fans that Joe Dumars will try to outsmart everybody by taking the less obvious (and ultimately less talented) pick. But is the criticism warranted? Maybe, maybe not. But as MLive's Patrick Hayes points out, picking the right the players isn't so much a problem as actually developing the ones that are here:

The bigger question to me has not been Dumars' draft picks -- debating the high profile fails is pointless, high profile picks fail every year -- it's been the seeming lack of a system that allows picks to thrive.

[Carlos] Delfino, [Amir] Johnson and [Arron] Afflalo were dealt in similar deals -- clear a bit of cap space, get a future aspect like a second rounder back in return. All of those deals suggested the Pistons didn't think those players would materialize into much on the court. Why is that? Some of that has to relate to feedback the coaches are giving, right? What has broken down that has allowed the Pistons to trade guys who have become valuable NBA players for not much in return?

The same can be said for Milicic: after three seasons of sink-or-swim at the end of the bench, he was tossed aside for cap space and a future pick. Would Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh or Carmelo Anthony be the players they are today if they were drafted by the Pistons? I'm not so sure. Eventually talent trumps everything, but would they already be MVP and scoring champ candidates or just hitting their stride?

This goes back all the way to Prince's rookie year -- largely ignored as a rookie, he was only given a chance as a last resort when the Pistons were on the brink of elimination. Dating back to the early part of this decade, the only rookie I can recall the Pistons made a concerted effort to develop is Stuckey, and even that was likely a matter of timing than anything since his arrival coincided with the team's core looking old and broke in the playoffs.

Fortunately, if you want to call it that, the Pistons have lowered expectations so much that it should be near impossible to keep next year's rookies off the court. But still, I can't help but shake a sneaking suspicion that as good as Wall/Cousins/Favors/whomever ends up looking in a Detroit uniform, a guy like DaJuan Summers will be moved for a ball rack and a case of Gatorade only to someday burn the Pistons for 30 points. But I digress -- more links!

• Matchups, injuries and the phase of the moon will likely dictate the big man rotation, but for the time being, Jonas Jerebko has secured a starting spot.

• Apropos of nothing, this ESPN.com article from 2006 predicting what the NBA will be like in 2010 is incredibly amusing. Three of six "experts" thought Adam Morrison would be the next big superstar, which looks silly until you see the last guy picked Joel Freeman. Who? Exactly.

• Chauncey Billups is an All-Star.

• Isiah Thomas is apparently candidate for DePaul's coaching job.

• Last but not least, while the Pistons may or may not have their own issues, schaudenfreude is kind of awesome sometimes: Rajon Rondo complains that Boston's locker room is falling apart:

"We are getting bored with it some," he said, "but I think it’s a little bit of different agendas maybe creeping in. It just all depends. You know, I think if we all had the right spirit as far as one goal, one thing in common, I think we’d be a lot better."

[...] "It’s a different team this year," Rondo said then. "That’s our problem. A couple of years ago, we didn’t have the same team. We had the same main guys, but it’s still a team effort, from the first guy to the 15th guy."

(OK, fine, everyone was backtracking after Wednesday's win, but still -- the roster is showing cracks.)

If Hamilton is playing like he want to remain in Detroit, Tayshaun Prince is acting like he wants...

2010-02-04T02:03:38Z

If Hamilton is playing like he want to remain in Detroit, Tayshaun Prince is acting like he wants out. Yes, his numbers have been picking up (15 points and eight rebounds last night). But his body language hasn’t.

In the first quarter, Prince threw a cross-court pass to Rodney Stuckey. Jonas Jerebo jumped to catch it but realized it wasn’t intended for him and pulled back. By the time Jerebko landed, Stuckey lost track of the ball and it went out of bounds.

Prince looked at Jerebko, threw his arms arms wildly and made a disgusted face.

Contrast that to when Ben Wallace dropped a Prince pass out of bounds early in third quarter. Prince just pointed, nodded and ran up court.

I noticed these two instances last night, but there plenty of other examples. Prince needs to start showing the newcomers more respect. He can’t play every minute with Stuckey, Hamilton, Maxiell and Wallace.

via PistonPowered: A win, but a moral defeat

The Morning Shootaround Is Finally Healthy

2010-02-03T11:02:58Z

More photos » David Dow - NBAE/Getty Images

This post is about neither Tayshaun Prince nor Jarvis Hayes. But that's "the dunk" everyone who watched the game is talking about this morning, so I'm running with it.

Browse more photos »

• How bad have the injuries been this year? So bad that 47 games into the season, Tuesday was just the second time all season that John Kuester had his entire roster at his disposable. From Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News:

"It's going to be interesting, getting everyone back," Kuester said. "But the bottom line is, we have to start playing well."

[...] "You would hope at this stage of the year, you're adding more and more and more in regards to plays you want to use or defensive schemes," Kuester said. "But it's been like the start of training camp all over again. But it's good to get everyone back and let's see what happens."

Sadly, everyone isn't completely healthy -- Charlie Villanueva is clearly less than 100%, and Ben Gordon is still struggling with this rhythm, if not his groin injury -- but it's a start.

• Speaking of Kulfan, he has no love for the Meadowlands. DBB reader Other Matt agrees.

• Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News talking with Ben Wallace:

When asked if he was lucky or it was a testament to being around, he said, "Both. Lucky because I've been around for a while."

Wallace, who will turn 36 in September, doesn't yet know if he'll spend his birthday preparing for another training camp, or his first year away from the game he loves. As for today, he's as healthy as he's been in years.

"Man, I'm trying to win some games," he said. "You're talking about playing another year?"

• More on Wallace, this time from MLive's Chris Iott on Wallace becoming the 17th player in league history to block 2,000 shots (and the only player on that list shorter than 6-foot-10):

"Shot blocking is not always about big guys going in and blocking shots," Wallace said. "You’ve got timing, footwork, being in the right place at the right time and being on a solid defensive team."

Wallace explained that when his teammates play good defense, it causes opposing players to take bad shots, which allows him more opportunities for blocks.

• MLive's Justin Rogers is thinking about the draft -- in particular, Evan Turner, Derrick Favors and Al-Farouq Aminu.

• Speaking of prospects, the comment section in the Adopt-a-Prospect FanPost is the gift that keeps on giving. It's a few days old, but if you haven't seen it yet, this ridiculously (and awesomely) thorough scouting report on Favors and Cole Aldrich is worth your time.

• Natalie from Need4Sheed with the pretty moving pictures from last night.

• The Pistons may not have any representatives in the All-Star game, but they do have two players on Empty the Bench's Most Consistently Inconsistent list. Yay?

Not Scraping the Bottom of the Barrel Yet: Pistons 97, Nets 93

2010-02-03T03:57:59Z

More photos » Bill Kostroun - AP

Browse more photos »

What Happened:

The Pistons simply aren't good enough to dig themselves out of a hole against most teams, especially on the road. Fortunately, the Nets aren't most teams, so after giving up 29 points on 63% in the first quarter, the Pistons managed to clamp down in the second (allowing just 35.3 FG%) before taking control in a pivotal third, but the question remains: where's the effort early?

In any case, the effort was there late, from the players on the floor to the coaching staff, who drew up a nifty in-bounds alley-oop from Rip Hamilton to Tayshaun Prince to seal the win in the closing seconds. The Pistons still have some serious problems to address before becoming a semi-legitimate contender, but at least the strengths we thought would be there coming into the season are finally starting to show themselves -- namely, a deep and talented backcourt.

The Good:

Rip Hamilton recently noted that he's willing to become more of a distributor than a scorer if it means getting his team on the right track. Not only did his promise come true, it came within the flow of the offense and didn't detract from his own scoring chances: he finished the game with 22 points and seven dimes, a near mirror image of Rodney Stuckey's 21 points and eight dimes. The big bonus? The duo combined for just a single turnover.

Stuckey had some trouble with his shot -- he finished just 6-17 from the field -- but made up for it by getting to the line 12 times. Games would be a lot more enjoyable to watch if the Pistons keep up this kind of guard play.

Ben Wallace was a defensive menace as usual, finishing with four steals. However, it was his lone block that put him in the record books, becoming the shortest player in NBA history to tally 2,000 blocks in his career. Round numbers are arbitrary milestones (he was shortest player with 1,999 blocks coming into the game, no?), but they're still nice to see, especially as it pertains to his Hall of Fame chances down the road.

The Bad:

Ben Gordon played an ineffective 14 minutes and change, shooting just 2-6 from the field (7 points) -- in his three games since returning to action, he's a combined 7-23 from the field. He's a streak shooter, and given how well the rest of the guards played, there wasn't a huge need to get him going. Still, it's been months since we've seen the explosive scorer capable of putting the team on his back -- at some point he'll no longer be able to point to rust or injury as an excuse.

Charlie Villanueva was awful, too (scoreless in eight minutes), but it was a minor surprise to see him back on the floor after he missed the last game with a back injury. Plus, his absence opened the door for Jason Maxiell, who scored eight points, grabbed six boards and finished a plus-10 in 27 minutes.

Also, poor Austin Daye must have gotten lost at Somerset Mall -- it's the only reason why I can justify giving the kid a DNP-CD.

The Jarvis Hayes Unsung Hero:

MFWB -- for new readers, that's "marvelously friendly Will Bynum" -- was back on the floor after 16 games on the trainer's table with a pair of sprained ankles. He squeezed a lot of production into his 17 minutes of action (10 points, three dimes, two boards and a steal). Apparently guys making the league minimum can't afford to know definition of rust.

The Takeaway:

As enjoyable as it is to see a competitive game, let alone an actual win, the fact a four-win team took the Pistons to the wire is still a bitter pill to swallow, especially on a night in which the Pistons gave veterans heavy minutes at the expense of young players like Daye (aforementioned DNP) and Jonas Jerebko (who played just 15 minutes, less than half as many as he did on Sunday against the Magic).

Perhaps the reason is because Joe Dumars has asked John Kuester to showcase the vets for a trade -- if that's the case, both Hamilton and Prince boosted their stock. Prince finished with 15 points, a season high and his fourth straight game in double-digits, and eight rebounds, and impressive tally on the heels of his nine-board game on Sunday.

Perhaps Tay is finally getting healthy, or perhaps the carrot of being moved to a legitimate contender has increased his ability to grit his teeth and play through pain. Either way, he's been surprisingly solid over the last week and change. Fortunately, all of the injured and recently ailing vets will have some time to recuperate -- the Pistons don't play again until Friday in Indianapolis.

How low can we go? Pistons @ Nets

2010-02-03T00:30:18Z

Game tips at 7:30 pm ET

Detroit Pistons: 15-31 (4-17 road, -5.3 margin)

New Jersey Nets: 4-42 (3-19 road, -12.0 margin)

Oppo Research

Joe Dumars recently expressed concern that he doesn't know what he has in this team. With two games this week against the Nets, he should have a better idea. Is this a young core that needs to come together, or a bottom of the barrel lottery squad in need of dymanite.

If Vegas is in any guide, it's the latter. This morning, the line on this game was nearly even (it has since moved to -3). People looked at a road matchup with one of the worst teams in the history of the league, and called it a pick 'em. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are 4.5 to 1 dogs against the Cavaliers. Think about how things have changed in three seasons.

As for the Nets, the writers are using terms like "they're playing better defense lately". That's about all there is to say. Brook Lopez has shown a lot of promise on the offensive end, and Devin Harris returns from injury, so there is some semblance of a team here. But when Chris Douglas-Roberts is your third option on offense, you're just a bad team.

Pistons Retro Moment

No-brainer.

Keys for Detroit

Get Gordon going - At a certain point, we have to feature him in the offense.

Feed it to Charlie V. inside - I've got a feeling I can just cut and paste this one for the rest of the season.

Stop Courtney Lee - I could just see him randomly owning us for 30 tonight.

Question of the Game

Can Jerebko keep it up? He showed some offensive spunk the other night, and heaven knows we could use some.

Valuable Links

Are you really that interested in getting the Nets fan's take? Didn't think so.

Morning Shootaround: Pistons Keeping Playoff Faith; Villanueva Day-to-Day with Back Spasms; and is the NBA Heading Toward a Long Lockout?

2010-02-02T11:30:13Z

G'morning, DBB'ers. Today seems a little brighter than yesterday, what with the Pistons playing the Nets tonight and the players keeping their spirits high (at least in front of the media).

In NBA action last night, Kobe scored 44 in a losing effort to the surprising Grizzlies. Former-'ston, Arron Afflalo hit a huge bucket in OT to help the Carmelo-less Nuggets defeat the Kings. Chauncey was big, too, but was just 6-25 shooting. And Deron Williams had 15 dimes in Utah's win over the Mavs.

There are some interesting links today that should spur discussion. Have at it until one of us brings you the game thread this evening.

FanHouse Report: Owners Seek to Cut NBA Salaries By 20 Percent
Dave Dial MLIVE Report: NBA appears to be heading toward a long lockout
MLIVE The Detroit Pistons are capable of a quick turnaround, similar to the 2000-2001 team
Detroit News Pistons keeping the playoff faith
MLIVE Pistons' playoff chances unrealistic, no matter what they're saying
Detroit Free Press Don't be shocked if Jonas Jerebko stays in starting lineup
Pistons Point Pistons' Point: Villanueva day-to-day with back spasms
Pistons Nation Big Ben on the cusp of history
How to Watch Sports LeBron James' Foul Issue: A Rebuttal (to what BrGulker posted in the FanShots)
Piston Powered Jonas Jerebko breaks out in yet another moral victory, actual loss for the stuck-in-reverse Detroit Pistons
Detroit4lyfe Rudy Gay Accidentally Hits the X Button Too Soon
Ball Don't Lie Video: Leandro Barbosa makes a mean Na'vi
SB Nation Kobe Bryant: Celtics 'Didn't Want Any Part Of This Crazy (Expletive)'

Morning Shootaround: Chris Paul Out 1-2 Months; Kobe is Clutch; and oh yeah, the Pistons lost

2010-02-01T13:00:53Z

Whoever decided to put marshmallows in Froot Loops is a smart man/woman.

Links and open thread to bring in February!

NBA FanHouse Report: Chris Paul Out 1-2 Months After Knee Surgery
NBA FanHouse Will Chauncey Billups Replace Chris Paul in the All-Star Game?
SB Nation (video) Kobe Bryant Is Clutch, Ex. 23495
Arash Markazi's Twitter Kobe is mockingly humming Shipping up to Boston in the shower (why was he in the shower with Kobe?)
HoopData Kevin Durant scored 45 points last night, had a 87 TS%, and passed Lebron in PPG
Piston Powered Acquiring Ty Lawson in a three-way deal
FanShots Jonas Jerebko's Swedish crib
Detroit Free Press Pistons' 3-point defense struggles during skid
Langlois! Silver Lining
LIVE Pistons' John Kuester praises rookies for handling reduced minutes while others return
MLIVE Pistons' Charlie Villanueva: 'I can't even straighten out my back right now'
Detroit News Pistons' Richard Hamilton willing to alter his game
TSN Van Gundy to lead Eastern Conference All Stars
Orlando Sentinel Palace doesn't haunt Magic this time as Orlando tops lowly Detroit
Detroit Free Press Pistons go 'poof' against Magic
MLIVE Comeback against Magic falls short as Pistons suffer fifth consecutive loss
Orlando Pinstriped Post Orlando Magic 91, Detroit Pistons 86
Detroit News Orlando Magic 91, Detroit Pistons 86: Losing streak at five
Need4Sheed Nothing Magical About That - The Piston lose to Orlando
ESPN (video) Superman, Magic Fight Off Pistons, 91-86

The Only Magic is in Orlando: Magic 91, Pistons 86

2010-02-01T05:01:38Z

View full size photo »

What Happened:

The all too familiar. The Pistons fell behind by as many as 15 early and battled back to make it respectable, even being so kind to tease us a little into thinking they might steal one.

The Pistons had a chance to take the lead with less than a shot clock left in the game, but a Rip leaner inside 10 feet with 18 seconds left rimmed out. Tayshaun grabbed the rebound and kicked it to a wide open Ben Gordon, but his three came up short and into the hands of Rashard Lewis, who was fouled and subsequently hit both free throws.

That gave the Pistons one final chance to send the game into OT with a three pointer, but an all of a sudden gun shy Gordon made a bad pass in traffic, which resulted in a turnover, another two free throws for Orlando, and another Pistons loss -- their fifth in a row.

The Good:

Jonas Jerebko. Plugged back into the starting lineup for the first time in almost two weeks, he didn't really miss a beat. He scored 16 points (five during the instrumental comeback in the 2nd quarter) and had nine rebounds. He was a team-best 2-3 from downtown. As always, his constant hustle is what stands out most (I was informed when I entered the game thread because I missed the first three quarters live, and then witnessed it when I watched the replay after the game).

The Bad:

There's no hiding Ben Gordon's sub par performance. He was signed to be the Pistons youthful sharp shooter and a guy who could carry the team on his back in the clutch, but he was 2-11 (0-4 from three pointers) and didn't make it very far when the Pistons planted the game on his shoulders late. He had not one, but two chances to be the guy Joe Dumars so highly coveted (and paid) during the off-season and failed. I'm willing to give him a pass because he just returned and has been battling the injury bug for the first time in his career, but bad is bad and Gordon was bad.

The John Long Unsung Heroes:

Rodney Stuckey and Tayshaun Prince. Both played key roles in the Pistons making this one competitive. Prince had 12 points and nine rebounds in the most minutes played for the Pistons. He was a team-best plus-3 and his three pointer with just under a minute left kept the Pistons in it, giving them a chance to win/tie it in the end. There's a good argument out there for him to fall under 'The Good.' Most importantly, I think majority would agree that this game could help his trade value.

For all the grief he got early in the year (and I'm definitely guilty of giving him some tough love), it's becoming increasingly clear that the Pistons are at their best when Rodney Stuckey is on the floor. He was even in the plus/minus, but he played the biggest role in the 2nd quarter comeback, scoring six points and assisting on three baskets. He finished with 18 points (10 on free throws) and seven assists.

Quote of the post-game:

"Part of me thinks if they put five 10-year-olds in Pistons jerseys out there, we’d struggle"

- Stan Van Gundy speaking of the Magic's futility against the Pistons (via OPP)

The Takeaway:

I said this back at the beginning of January:

We can probably clear up any cloudy playoff forecasts by the end of January, after the 'stons complete their last major home stand (six games).

Well, tonight's loss means a 1-5 record on the home stand -- 15-31 overall. That's now good for eight and a half games out of the 'coveted' number eight playoff spot. We're free falling down the ladder of a smelly Eastern Conference sewer and now only the ~~rats~~ Nets are below.

Yeah, the forecast is pretty clear now. Where's that Adopt-a-Prospect thread?

Stealing ideas from the comment section: Haiku Game Thread

2010-01-31T22:04:25Z

Orlando-Detroit

Early Evening Game Tips At

Six O'Clock Eastern

--------

The Detroit Pistons

Record: Fifteen wins, sadness

Margin: Vast and dark

------------

Orlando Magic

Record: Much better than ours

Even on the road

Oppo Research

Lumbering, thick men

Excellent outside shooting

Nelson's off his game

The Drama

In spite of our woes

We rise to the occasion

Against the Magic

Keys for Detroit

Rebound the damn ball

52-25? What?

Is nothing sacred?

------------

Make Howard foul out

Gortat can't hang anymore

Dallas is laughing

------------

Charlie V. Inside

Can just cut and paste this one

For rest of season

Question of the Game

Do the Pistons know

That if the team drafts John Wall

He'll take their minutes?

Valuable Links

Orlando Pinstriped

Once was Third Quarter Collapse

Still worth a visit

Well, you can't call it a moral victory. Heat 92, Pistons 65.

2010-01-30T04:25:43Z

What Happened:

The Heat got it going from downtown, and the Pistons got it going from nowhere at all. Detroit turned in one of its most anemic offensive performances in, well, days I guess. The team shot 39% from the field, made only one three pointer (in four attempts), and made only 12 of 19 free throws.

Worse, and extremely uncharacteristic of this team, the Pistons were destroyed on the boards. Miami grabbed 52 rebounds the Detroit's 25, even though Detroit missed only two more shots. Nobody on the Pistons managed to grab more then four rebounds.

More gory details? Charlie V. led all Piston scorers with 15, and only after dropping six points in the meaningless final three minutes. Had he sat, the Pistons would have topped out at 10 a piece from Gordon and Tayshaun Prince. Dwyane Wade played only 24 minutes, and managed to take down 22 points anyway. Joel Anthony outplayed all of the Pistons big men combined.

The Good:

Ben Gordon had 10 points on six shots in only 13 minutes, yet came up -14 for the game. Wow.

The Bad:

Rodney Stuckey, Chucky Atkins, Kwame Brown, Jason Maxiell, and Austin Daye combined for five points, four rebounds, and five assists on 1-10 shooting and 3-8 free throws in 73 minutes. In related news, the Pistons don't have anyone in the all star game this year.

The Phil Hubbard Unsung Hero:

The Takeaway:

Joe Dumars recently remarked that he would be hesitant to make a trade without knowing what he's got. We're starting to get a picture of what he's got. Flatly, these are the types of losses reserved for bad teams.

Moral Victories? We don't need no stinkin' moral victories. Heat @ Pistons

2010-01-30T00:29:47Z

[Ed. Note -- I started to write the preview, but Kevin called me and said he'd take care of it. So this is his fine work. -- Packey]

Game tips at 8:00 pm ET

Detroit Pistons: 15-29 (11-12 home, -4.8 margin)

Miami Heat: 23-22 (10-11 road, +0.2 margin)

Oppo Research

If Dwyane Wade played in any other era, people would mention him among the best of all time. Unfortunately, for him, he plays in this era, and LeBron James gets all the love. Oh, and Kobe Bryant, but for some reason, I think it would be easier for fans to favor Wade over Kobe.

This season, Wade's numbers are somewhat off from his jaw-dropping 08-09 campaign. In fact, he is down in nearly every category, resulting in a lowly PER of 28, good for third in the NBA.

Wade has at least one weakness. He is a poor three point shooter. He is shooting 30% from beyond the arc, with a relatively robust 3.4 attempts per game. Detroit would do well to push that attempt number as much as possible.

Apparently, Wade's team features a plethora of other basketball players, who man the other positions and help Wade to thrive. Little is known about these men, but it is rumored that at least one of them does drugs.

The Drama

Ben Gordon is back! Limit minutes! Amazing has happened!

Keys for Detroit

Get Gordon going - At his best, he can drive the offense. Oh, and he can make a free throw or two. Let's just get the clunky jump shots out now, eh?

Feed it to Charlie V. inside - I've got a feeling I can just cut and paste this one for the rest of the season.

Keep Wade outside - Seriously, bad three point shooter, more than willing to shoot.

Question of the Game

How will Ingmar Jerebko respond to Gordon's return? Will he destroy Ben with his Swedish glare? Will he score 28 points, simply to assert his dominance?

Valuable Links

Nothing rhymes with Peninsula is Mightier.

Morning Shootaround: Pistons Without an All-Star for 1st Time Since 2002

2010-01-29T11:30:12Z

A number of the links I planned on sharing had videos within them, so since it's fun Friday, I took the liberty of mixing things up and embedding them for your viewing pleasure/convenience. This could be a success or it might cause the site to lag like a mofo. (Seriously, I don't expect there to be any problems, but let me know in the comments if there are any).

Start your morning off with some bacon and schadenfreude. Here are highlights of the Celtics losing in heartbreak fashion (and KG moving laterally like he has a prosthetic leg). It always brings a smile to my face to see the C's lose, even if it means a Magic win:

Watson mentioned in yesterday's links that the Nets picked up their first win of 2010 on Wednesday over the Clippers. The Pistons play the Nets twice in the next five games and should win both. But if they don't want to lose, then they should take notes from the following video on how NOT to play [via Clipper Blog]:

More after the jump...

Grab a hankie, because this next video is going to make your eyes well up (or as Ball Don't Lie said, "unless your name is Paul Shirley"). Two weeks ago former-Piston, Olden Polynice didn't know if his dad was dead or alive after the 'quake hit Haiti. Wednesday on Dr. Phil, he had an emotional reunion with his father, who he hadn't seen in three years:

It's not really up for debate: Lebron James is a freak of nature when it comes to his talent level. As much as we might not like him, though, it would have been entertaining to see him in the Slam Dunk Contest (and fun to root against him). I guess, for now, this is as close as we'll get to seeing him in the dunk contest [via Hoop Doctors]:

Other links of note:

Detroit News Pistons shut out on All-Star team for first time since 2002
MLIVE Maxiell's production decreases as his minutes increase (odd timing, but interesting nonetheless)
MLIVE Pistons' Chucky Atkins deals with injured sternum; Ben Gordon may play vs. Heat
Miami Herald Sore knee might idle Miami Heat's Michael Beasley
Detroit News Tayshaun Prince trying to establish rhythm
Freep Advisers ordered to pay Pistons' Ben Gordon $1.3M

Open thread until the game thread tonight. Good attitudes ~~mandatory~~ preferred, pants optional.