Monday, December 29, 2008

No Such Thing as Magic


The Pistons have won their fourth winning streak and also made an ending to Magic's seventh winning streak coming into the Palace tonigh. Howard was held to one point the entire first half but scored 13 points in the 3rd quarter.
  • Pietrus dunk was awesome....except the price he paid for was a wrist injury. Looks worst than it is
  • 5 Pistons in double fig
  • First I was surprise that Kwame didn't play, but then I realize how Maxiell held his ground against Howard during last years' playoff
  • Stuckey once again led the team...this time with team high of 19 points. More importanly, the balance offensive attack.
  • Howard 18 points and 18 rebounds....Pretty typical, pretty impressive
  • Rip sat down to give another game rest his groin injury from the last two games
  • Wallace continue to drain 3s

Completing a 4th winning streak is an evident of a huge progress, at least for the Pistons considering that they are in summer camp mode ever since A.I. came along. Curry had to alter the starting line up, where the last time he did was injecting Stuckey in the starting line up. The Pistons did become a better team with him, not because of Stuckey being in the starting line up but because of running the point, and being the facilitator. This gives A.I. and the rest of the team operate and look for their spots in a better way.

Friday, December 26, 2008

A Look Around The League

  • A heart broken lost in Phoenix against their nemesis, the Spurs
  • Is it me or ABC just made the Celtics/Lakers game a big deal, its over kill
  • What can I say, the Lakers stopped the Celtics' 20th winning streak...We're never gonna hear the end of it......Unless I remind them their first lost this season....Sweet!
  • 40 points for Stuckey against the Bulls......What I like about him is his consistency ever since getting into the starting line up.
  • Another rumor thrown involving Pistons, acquiring Boozer from Jazz.......Not in a million years, as far as this season is concern.
  • Pistons will be hosting the Oklahoma Thunder tonight at 8PM eastern time. Lets see how Stuckey runs the team against Kevin Durant's team, both of which their second year as an NBA player.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Run With the Stuck(ey)


Although A.I. broke 28 points against a win over the Wizards, Stuckey took 18 points on his own and led the team to a victory with a commanding 11 assists. The Pistons combined with 21 assists, a big evidence of ball movements that led them to win this one.
  • Stuckey was just amazing. The assists and points he contributes to the team is secondary, being a facilitator on the offense, especially between Rip and A.I. is beyond expectation.

  • The ball movement was amazing especially towards the end of the 4th quarter when Pistons were just ahead below double digit.
  • The behind the pass from A.I. to Dyess.......CRAZY!
  • McDyess was alive and kicking. It didn't look like he had a month off not considering the mental process transitioning. He almost broke his usual double-double 10 points, 9 rebounds. By the way...did I mentioned 3 swats
  • The defense was as good as the offense. I didn't see any miss coverage in the second half and the help defense was always there. Similar to the offense, everyone was actively moving without the ball and did extra passing which led to high percentage shots.
  • A.I. was all night disrupting Wizards' defense
  • Curry couldn't be a little more relief after seeing Stuckey help him solve some of the riddles between A.I. and Rip's co-existence in the scoring machine world.
  • Prince chipped in 14 points while Rip had 12 points but had to shoot 13 shots
  • Wallace another Tech
  • A.I.'s limping just means 28points

The Pistons did not redo their mistakes from the last time they played the Wizards. Although they were a little slow in the first few minutes of the second half, they basically turned the corner and passed the Wizards. The ball movement was great while everyone were moving/running without the ball, and the defense was pretty alive. Lets see if they could have a back-to-back game with consistent defensive intensity when the Utah Jazz visits this Friday.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Losing Streak Ends


The Pistons ended their 3 losing streak after disposing the Indiana Pacers, one of the most efficient offensive team this season. Although the game was not a must win, there was a sense of urgency that you can sense from the Pistons and my hunch is not just to end the losing streak but to create an atmosphere of "we could play better than we played the last three games" attitude. The best way to prove that is to get a win. Final score 114-110.
  • Pistons' dynamic guard trio combined for 66 points and 25 assists
  • Dyess was on fire with 14 points with a field goal of 7 for 12
  • Season high for Stuckey, 21 points along with 8 dimes. He only missed 1 shot out of 8. Did I mention 4 for 5 behind the arc
  • The game was not decided until the last minute
  • It's a relief and a refreshing feeling to get out of the losing streak
  • Evidently, defense was the key to winning this game, not the Pistons offense. They made stops at the end to seal the deal
  • Rip led the team with 28 points
  • A.I. with a double-double, 17 points and 12 assist. Many of the dimes went on a pick-and-roll with Dyess, a sign of good chemistry and knowing to pick the right spot
  • Wallace may not have scored throughout the game, but he did when it mattered. Seven points on the last six minutes of the game
  • Bynum chipped in 10 points
  • Stuckey was running/calling the plays......So far, this experiment of inserting him in the starting line up is working well. This gives a big pressure off of A.I. and Rip and to just stay as natural scorers

This game was starting to look similar to the previous games that after getting a reasonable lead to put the game away, the Pistons started to fall. The only difference tonight is the defensive stops that led to high percentage shots. Lets hope that they'll take this momentum in less than 24 hour as another back-to-back game this season against a team who's committed to defense, Larry Brown and the Bobcats with new addition Raja Bell and Boris Diaw.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Winter Pistons Chill


As the snow continues to fall and the temperature continue to drop, believe it or not, the Pistons aren't sinking along with the weather. The mesh and the development of the new line up is yet to come....the best is yet to come. With that in mind, road blocks and tons of trials are inevitable as the winter blows.


Dyess' Roll

The Pistons could've not started the holidays any better than getting McDyess back. If you think either Wallace, Hamilton, Prince or Iverson is the heart and soul of the Pistons, think again. McDyess intentionally rejected couple millions of dollars just to be back in Detroit along with his old teamates. Remember last year playoffs after breaking his nose? After, being left in Detroit for that injury but rejoining his team on the road to play the game....Remember speaking out for the first time in locker room, when everybody froze just to listen what he has to say...Remember the 21 points and 11+ rebounds during the ECF? I don't think Dyess could sail the ship on his own, but knowing the guy would play his heart out on the floor could be contagious and that's what the Pistons may be lacking.


Defense Isn't the Problem...Consistent Defense Is

Accepting the loss to Philly and Washington may not be hard, but swallowing it could be disgusting. After building a good amount of lead and controlling most of the first 3 quarters and then losing makes me want to jump in a below zero river so maybe then I could forget those lead that went to waste. Michael Curry said it, once the Pistons are starting to be out of synch in the offensive end, their defense is sinking as well. Their composure is simply giving up and their mental toughness becomes stale.....obviously, physical toughness would be nothing without mental. Pistons has so many offensive weapon that sometimes their forgetting how to play the other end of the game. The defense on this two previous games were fading away as the game started to unravel.


Iverson Into the Mix Update

The bottom line is, IT'S STILL IN PROGRESS. From the way I see it, he could carry the Pistons if he chooses too, and he's proven that on some of the games he played. The question is if he could carry his team mates along with him that will result to getting to the Promise Land in June. This is why the question who got the best of the Iverson/Billups trade won't be answered until summer.


Curry Still In Command

More importantly, Joe Dumars has confident in his team that time come playoffs, the Pistons would be a better team and they will be very very unpredictable on their offense. A series of jump shooters along with multiple slasher. Dumars and Curry both have high respect to each other and their minds are almost identical when it comes to perceiving the red, blue and white boys. They're like Professor X and Cyclops. Curry's moves are pretty much supported by Dumars just like Curry's support on Dumars on the Iverson/Billups trade. A prime example of Curry's move is injecting Stuckey into the starting line-up. Something that's expected to happen but Joe gave it a thumbs up any way. I'm still in the Curry's bandwagon considering it's his first year as a head coach with a lot of things to juggle in his team, they still find a way to compete and win against the top contenders team.


As the rocky mountains begin to turn into crystal ice, the Pistons are obviously still in tuning up. We'll have a better idea how they are as a team when the ice starts to melt when the winter folds.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Roll with the Dyess


It's official! McDyess has signed a contract of 1.9 million biannual exception. While there were other lucrative offers from other teams such as Boston, San Antonio and Cleveland's 5.6 million mid level exception, it didn't matter to McDyess. You can't explain it any better that this guy is playing with his heart and soul for the ring....not for the money.








According to Michael Curry, McDyess will make his first appearance as early as today against the Washington Wizards.




Sunday, December 7, 2008

A Look Around the League

So many things, so little time. This is one of the most exciting weekend I've ever had that I actually didn't have time to catch up with this.
  • In Los Angeles, the spotlight is on Manny Pacquiao after beating Dela Hoya in a very unexpected ending. Who knew Dela Hoya would raise the white flag.....a sign of accepting defeat or maybe for the sake of avoiding getting someone seriously hurt.
  • The Pistons loss to Sixers on Friday after controlling almost the entire game except the last 3-5minutes of the game. They continued that streak today after the game against the Knicks. Like I said, I have to remind myself that the Pistons are in summer training camp, winning and losing any game would just serve as part of the training camp, but it will not serve as how the Pistons "DID" this season.
  • Hang in there coz Dyess is almost home. As early as tomorrow could be the time McDyess will be getting back to his old missed locker.
  • The A.I. and Billups trade may be judged based on the number of wins since the trade....but the conclusion is still blurry. Believe it or not, ESPN is actually opening their mind about that and not just looking at the stat.
  • Whatever people think about the A.I. and Billups trade, no one can deny the fact that the more meaningful games (the playoffs) aren't played yet, so hold your horses on who won this trade
  • Who would've thought that PacMan would make Dela Hoya look pathetic. Don't forget that Pacquiao is actually 3 division lower than Dela Hoya.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Pistons Dominated the Spurs


Despite of the situation the Pistons are in including being in a summer camp mode since A.I. they still manage to win and compete to one of the premier title contender in the league, San Antonio Spurs. Final score is 89-77.

SIGNATURE WIN – The Pistons have had some brow-furrowing losses since adding Allen Iverson, but they’ve also had three signature wins in that relatively short time. The third came Tuesday night when they went into San Antonio – back to full health with the recent returns of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili – and overcame a 10-point second-half deficit to win 89-77.
Together with their November wins over the Lakers on the road and Cleveland at The Palace, the Pistons can point to those games as strong evidence that when the pieces come together they still belong in any discussion of NBA title contenders.
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich seemed convinced, at least in a roundabout way, sounding much like Michael Curry did after Boston bullied the Pistons two weeks ago.
“The most disturbing thing is that we were very soft,” Popovich said. “I think Detroit intimidated us. I think they ran us all over the court with their aggressiveness and physicality. It was really sad to watch in that respect. I thought we totally folded to their aggressive play.”
That aggression was embodied best, perhaps, by Rasheed Wallace. Wallace scored six straight points after San Antonio had taken the night’s only double-digits lead at 60-50 in the third quarter, then hit three huge triples in the fourth quarter when the Pistons outscored the Spurs 28-14. His 3-pointer with just over eight minutes left on a nice setup from Allen Iverson gave the Pistons the lead for good.
“Sheed was playing well throughout,” Curry said. “Some calls went against us in that stretch when it was 50 to 60 and we got so involved with the officiating we weren’t getting calls from the bench what we were supposed to do. We took three quick shots. We just said, ‘Everybody stay calm and work the game. If we move the ball side to side, we can get good shots and if we lock in to what we’re doing defensively and all five guys rebound, we know we’ll have a chance.’ ”
“We know they’re a good ballclub,” said Wallace, who finished with 19 points and five rebounds. “We had to match their energy. They had it in the first half. We just had to come out and do it in the second.”
Kwame Brown matched up with Duncan for most of the first and third quarters, but it was left to Wallace to guard him for most of the fourth. He held Duncan to one point.
Iverson had 19 points, six assists and four steals and Rip Hamilton scored 16 to give him 9,023 as a Piston and tie him for eighth on the franchise’s scoring list with John Long. Tayshaun Prince, after playing a season-low 22 minutes on Sunday, played 41 and contributed 15 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.
The teams swapped 12-0 runs in the second quarter, the Pistons going from seven down to five ahead and the Spurs from six down to six up. The Pistons’ run began when Duncan went to the bench, but it also was sparked by Rodney Stuckey leading an undersized group that defended well and produced transition opportunities. Stuckey finished with 10 points and seven assists in 31 minutes.

Knowing you cannot get away from making tiny mistakes from Poppavich and the Spurs, the Pistons were on their guard and got the job done. This should be a good momentum going into at least two days of practice and heading into a game against Philly.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Starters....Benched


After having a two winning streak against the Bucks and the Knicks, it was almost expected the Pistons would steal another one against the Blazers...not so much after a disappointing first quarter performance by the starters, Michael Curry decided to put them on the bench and let the Zoo Crew finished the half. Final score 96-85.
  • Out of all the starters who were about to make it a blowout game, Rip was the one who came with an acceptable stat, led the team with 18 points on a 6-12 field goal but he was -13 on the +/-
  • Although Curry is having a hard time adjusting with the line up he has now, I'm still in his bandwagon. For a simple fact that he is not afraid to sit all his starters and replace them with the ones who are more eager to put blood and sweat on the floor.
  • It seems to me that everytime the starters are back on the floor, the Pistons' engine gets on halt mode
  • Stuckey led the Zoo Crew with 15 points and 5 dimes but with 5 turnover
  • Amir also led the Zoo Crew on boards with 8
  • Just like what Curry has been declaring all summer, whoever wins the rebound battle most likely will win the game. Pistons lost 35-29
  • With the exception of Maxiell, the Zoo Crew dominated the starters on +/- points, -83 (-28 on A.I.) to +23. So why the hell would Curry keep the starters on the floor!!!?
  • I have to give credit to the Blazers, but the Pistons didn't lose this game because of the Blazers but because of themselves. Sorry but I'm just not convince the Blazers are better than a 6th consecutive Eastern Conference appearance team...plain and simple

Whether the Pistons win or lose on any games throughout the next few weeks, I'd have to remind myself that they are in a summer camp mode since A.I. has arrived, as declared by Michael Curry. However, I'd have to say that defense is a choice to make whether you'd play for it or not. It's not like shooting that you have to get into a rhytm. With that said, I expect them to not fall asleep against the Spurs on Tuesday because Poppavich is a surgeon on creating big opportunities on the very tiny mistakes the opposing team makes.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Walter Anyone?


It was still anyone's game in the beginning of the 4th quarter until it started raining 3s in the Palace courtesy of Walter Hermann. He practically sealed the game with his 5 for 6 behind the arc shots and ended up with 16 points. Final score 107-97.

  • Maxiell's multiple monster dunks makes you think when the rim is gonna give in
  • Speaking of multiple, it was raining 3s in the 4th courtesy of Hermann
  • How about the Kwame dunk off the dribble....Everybody get out of the way!
  • Amir's blocks are present again and threw in a lob dunk
  • The Pistons are alive and kicking on both ends of the floor
  • Although A.I. didn't start he led the team with 17 points and 7 assist
  • Stuckey started for A.I. and did a pretty good job with 11 points 5 assist
  • Maxiell seems posses racking the stat sheet with 6 swats and 8 boards....He ended up with 13 points as well. Talk about contributing on both ends of the floor
  • 6 Pistons in double figure

I'm pretty impressed with the last 2 games and I have a feeling it has something to do with the days of intense practice they put in after the loss to TWolves. Although A.I. was a no show on the morning of Thanksgiving, I'm glad he's man enough to apologize and admit that it was wrong which was good because Michael Curry doesn't really care who you are, whether you're a star player or not. Something the previous regime (Flip Saunders) wouldn't even take action with.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Back On Track


After a devastating loss to the T'Wolves who was 2-9 this season, the Pistons got back to their basics with an inspiration of knowing that McDyess is returning during the holidays.

  • Amir's blockshots has returned
  • A.I. looks a little more attach to the team on the court
  • Is the A.I. to Max lob crazy or what!?
  • The defensive intensity of the Pistons has picked up. It shouldn't be surprising to know that it's there, the problem is the consistency. Lets see it on the next game.
  • Rip led the team with 17 points with 8 of 13 field goal
  • 8 Pistons in double figure
  • Amir's presence were not only felt because of his usual blockshot, but 13 boards!!!!
  • Same thing for Stuckey, 11 assist!!!! That's just show how good a point guard is on making a decision.

Next game will be against Milwaukee on Friday. I expect the same defensive intensity from everyone.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Better Now Than Later


According to Michael Curry this game is about attitude for the Pistons...That was nowhere to be seen unless the attitude he was looking for is lack of enthusiasm. There maybe some good things or shouldy I say little good things that the boys might have done, but it couldn't be better than its better we lose now, than in the playoffs. It's better to know what the riddles now (against Celtics) after two games than after two games in a 7 game series.


  • Is it me or is it almost everytime the Pistons comes out of time out, they commit a turnover. That just defeats the purpose of it

  • I'm not buying the "We had a game back to back" because beating the Lakers after a tough win in the Bay Area was clearly do-able

  • This game was no different than their first game this season, except its on National TV and its far the most embrassing game ever this season

  • Celtics are talking a lot of $#!&, or at least according to TNT announcers, 25 technicals and counting already this season

  • Rasheed's presence were actually felt, the 3s were there, the defense were there, but against the Celtics, he's gonna' need help were Dyess presence is missed badly

  • 15 total assist with 4 minutes left to play......Clearly no ball movement

  • Though the game has already been decided halfway 4th, Bynum is showing some sign of earning his minutes. I'm electing Bynum to be the reserve point guard ahead of Stuckey

  • I'm almost convince that Prince' game this season has moved to another level compare to all those years, apparently not, until he proves he can compete against team that dominates the SF position (Lebron, Prince)

  • If I'm Michael Curry, I would have to point out A LOT on their defense, particulary pick and roll especially on Rondo and help defense in the interior. I didn't see a physical defensive team that I've always anticipated to be on a consistent basis

The schedule for the rest of the month should give the Pistons time to practice with A.I. and put a clamp on what Curry's been declaring on bringing back the Bad Boys defense. 5 games for the rest of the month with 2-3 days apart against non-championship contender plus, all are at home should be a big brake. I expect a better Pistons by the end of the month.


One Word....Rasheed!

Cleveland visiting Detroit was just an awesome game. Though I missed out on writing the highlights, I didn't miss the deadly three pointers of Sheed. It was amazing.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Almost Perfect


The Detroit Pistons ended their 4 game westcoast road trip with one loss against the Phoenix Suns last night. Shaq was dominating the game in the first quarter but ejected later on due to a flagrant 2 foul that sent Rodney Stuckey hard on the floor. Just when the Pistons thought they could've used a breathing room, the Suns were already on fire and had the momentum along with the people in Planet Orange.


  • Why do I get the feeling that Amir is becoming a non-factor in the game
  • A.I. and Prince combined 6 for 28, its hard to win with this
  • Wallace cryptonite is Shaq, Pistons fans knows this
  • Rip played well and led the team, 7 for 13 with 19 points
  • A.I. with 9 points, lowest points as a Pistons
  • Not a good idea to put Prince again on Diaw
  • I'm sure Porter had his own scouting report against his former team
  • Sheed still played decent with 11 points with 9 rebounds
  • Good night for Kwame again, 4 for 4 with 10 points

Shaq's presence was felt by the Pistons and had them off their guard. When Pistons played the Phoenix with Shaq last season, Pistons were 2-0 against them, including a National TV in Phoenix that practically massacred the Suns. It's pretty clear that Suns new coach Terry Porter, former Assistant Coach for the Pistons had a lot to do with it. He knows how to utilize big and strong Frontline at both ends of the floor. Fortunately after the westcoast trip, Pistons could get a breathing and more practice with A.I. since their next game is not schedule until Wednesday against Cleveland. The only problem is its a back to back following a game against the Celtics at Boston.

Friday, November 14, 2008

7-0 and playing in LA.....We Don't Care!!!




The Pistons started the game as if they don't care the Lakers are undefeated this season and they're in the Lakers' turf. All it matter was to get a win against whoever..... wherever. The Pistons handed the Lakers their first loss of the season with the final score 106-95. The Lakers were pretty much playing catch up almost the whole game.
  • A.I. is just getting better and better....25 points with 4 steals

  • As if the big worry for the Pistons are the Lakers Frontline, Bynum only 8 points in 30mins while Gasol with 13 points for 40 minutes

  • Sheed practically beat the starting frontline of the Lakers (Bynum and Gasol) with 25 points and 13 boards (Bynum and Gasol combine for 21 points and 18 boards)
  • Whatever people said about Kwame, especially fans from LA, all I had to say was..."Give me a player who became a Pistons that got worst"....and then some "Did you know who Billups and Hamilton before they moved to Pistons" do the Math.
  • Kwame showed the Lakers how they should've utilized him, he finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds
  • Maxiell presence was felt once again.....a putback dunk
  • It's raining 3 pointers in Staples center, except not by the Lakers but by Sheed and Prince
  • Pistons frontcourt dominated Lakers' so as their backcourt
  • I'm so impress with the execution of Pistons
  • A.I.'s addition is starting to show that the opposing defense is getting scrambled, leaving other Piston jerseys for wide open shots...this should give McDyess more motivation to return
  • All I could say about Prince now is, "as usual good performance"18 points with 6 assists
  • Although Rip had 12 points, he was 3 for 10. I wouldn't worry about it, considering Kobe is an amazing defender
  • Kobe led his Lakers with 29 points but had to take 30 shots
The Pistons are done in Cali but will be playing one more game on their westcoast trip. Their last game will be in Planet Orange against the Phoenix Suns. I'm glad they got this win, not only for handing the Lakers their first loss but for making a dry-run on how to defend conventional Frontline. Because after containing Bynum and Gasol, the Pistons will be up for more challenges of Stoudemire/Shaq.

On The Spotlight


Game time tonight against the defending West Champs and still undefeated this season tips off at 7:30 Pacific Time. A.I. and Kobe will be the two key spotlight along with Rip, Rasheed, Gasol and the emergence of Bynum. Despite of arriving in LA late last night by the Pistons, coming from a fast tempo game against the Warriors, Prince (Compton, CA), Afflalo (UCLA) and Amir (Westchester HS, CA) should be comfortable and looking forward to playing in LA as some of their friends and families would be watching them live in Staples Center.

Run and Gun....The Pistons!!!?


The Detroit Pistons went on their 2nd winning streak after disposing the Golden State Warrior on their own turf. Although Pistons were making a run on the 2nd half the Bay Area fans were impress, nevertheless on how the Pistons dictate a fast tempo against one of the fastest fastbreak team in the league. That's what a combination of A.I. and Rip along with the young second unit would do to a team.

- Turnover problem increased in the 2nd quarter and especially in the third
- Pistons were down by as high as 12 in the beginning of third
- A.I. is becoming a better passer deep in the paint
- Rasheed sent a message that Zone Defense ain't gonna' work when his couple of shots dropped from beyond the arc during crunch time
- Rip's shooting slump has finally ended, he was 7 of 15 who also led the team with 24 points
- Although Prince only had 10 points, he was too busy handling the board with 16 rebounds
- Rip's new backcourt buddy (A.I.) came up with 23 points with 9 assist
- I was upset about the conservative calls for Magette, three foul calls in a row on the block, ITS A DAMN CONTACT SPORT REF!
- Rip hit the dagger with his curl signature move to close the deal with a little over a minute left
- I'm glad Sheed got his mind off of that technical foul when he came back
- Maxiell came with his signature dunk again
- Bynum (with 6 points, less than 12 minutes) continue to impress everyone of attacking the paint including the commentators Marv A and Doug Collins
- Afflalo's two critical strong "AND 1" gives the Pistons a big push
The Pistons aren't done yet in Cali. Tonight they'll be facing the Lakers who's currently undefeated this season. Pistons frontcourt hasn't really been consistently productive until last nights game, with Rasheed leading the way. Amir, Maxiell and Kwame would need to step it up a few notch because LA's big (Bynum and Gasol) will definitely create some problems. On the other hand, even if they have Kobe, Pistons backcourt will be loaded with A.I., Rip, Bynum, Afflalo and the return of Stuckey. It'll be interesting to see who will guard Kobe, although we know Prince is the "Kobe Specialist" someone needs to cover Odom. I expect Curry will be rotating the assignment between Rip, Afflalo and Prince.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

A.I. Began To Strike


A.I. gets his first win 100-92 in a game against the Kings. Allen was one assist shy away from a double-double, 30 points and 9 assist while Prince had 26 points with 11 rebounds. The Pistons were having a hard time getting over the hump almost throughout the whole entire game. They were down by double digit in the first quarter but caught up by half time at 50. In the second half, they just couldn't break away from the Kings until the final 2 minutes of the fourth quarter when AI made a three pointer and a mid range shot from Prince where they finally took control of the game.

- A.I. was great, his moves and reaction shows how he's becoming more familiar with his teamates along with the Pistons playbook
- Bynum was great cutting to the defensive teeth of Kings
- Although Sheed didn't show his stat, he's presence was felt
- A.I. dish to Kwame in the paint...Twice!!! I smell offensive chemistry
- Prince continue to be aggresive
- Rip did play better, but he's still not out of his slump, 4 for 16

Pistons stays in Cali for few more games, Golden State on Thursday and Lakers on Friday. After that, they'll go to Planet Orange to play the Suns before heading back home. I hope Stuckey will make it to the Bay Area.

Dog and Cat Instinct


About a month ago, my wife and I decided to get a new member of our family... (My wife and I with 2 cats name Stevie and Eva), a new dog. My wife pretty much did all the research and shopping around and we finally found what we wanted and it happens to be a pointer breed with a mix of lab. As part of our preference we wanted a younger dog and the one we found happens to be an 8 months old, Samantha. As part of the family, we wanted her to be comfortable with not just my wife and I but also with the rest of the family...Eva and Stevie. Fortunately, pointers breed are even-tempered, congenial dogs happiest living indoors as part of the family. They are affectionate and loyal and more importantly, they can happily co-exist with other dogs and often cats. Knowing that gave my wife and I some relief that our cats (Stevie and Eva, both female) would live happily with our dog. Currently, we have passed the process of introducing them to each other and from what I could see, we are in the stage of having them get accustom in the same room. Stevie and Eva are about the same age, a little over two years, while Samantha is still considered a puppy (a big puppy, should I say), in other words, she's still hyper and playful and she's doesn't know that our cats are not comfortable with her yet, although she takes it as they are playing (hissing, or running away from her) with her. Stevie shouldn't take that long to get use to her since she could be the most friendly and patient cat I've ever met. She's actually responsible for taking care of Eva and also having her getting accustomed to social environment. On the other hand, Eva is the shy type and gets scared easier which makes her self-defense level high although she's very mellow. It would take just a little longer to get Samantha get along with Eva compare to Stevie, but in the end and in the long run, it would be one big happy family.

I thought of this situation as similar to the arrival of AI to the Pistons. No matter how great AI could mesh with the Pistons and vice-versa how versatile Pistons can adopt just any type of player in or out of the league, it won't be a 1 or 2 day transition, it will take a little longer. Given enough time, everyone will be on the same page.



Monday, November 10, 2008

The Story Behind 2 Losing Streak Since A.I.


If I were to make a survey what had happen to the last 2 games of Pistons, chances are "Team Chemistry with Iverson" will stand out the most. Along with that may be "Billups leadership or presence". It would be foolish not to admit that both of those are true, but I wouldn't get too close that those were the major issues. After reading Keith's entry at Pistons.com, I would have to agree with the assesment of Michael Curry. This is actually what I'm looking for as I emphasized after the last two games that Curry would need to do a major analysis of this team, fortunately he did, and he knows what went on. Now, its just a matter of looking for the best solution.

Here was Curry before Sunday's game: "As I said when we made the trade, that's a big void we're missing. Our last two games, you can tell when Dice is not out there. Whenever we take (Rasheed Wallace) off the court, we always had a veteran guy out there who could spread the floor and allow Rodney Stuckey to be able to get to the basket. Right now with Max and Kwame, you don't have that shooter. These guys have strengths in their own areas, but they're not Dice. We have to change our rotation around to make up for that extra scoring and the ability Dice had to spread the floor for us in the beginning of the second and fourth quarters."
Here was Curry after Sunday's game: "The first quarter was good. The second quarter is what I've been concerned with since we made the move. We've got to find a way to get something going in that second quarter when we take our scoring big out, Rasheed. We've got to find a way to get things going with other guys. We'll do that. We'll get better. ... By moving Dice to the bench, he became that scoring forward so whenever Sheed was out of the game, Dice was always in. So we always had a big that could spread the floor and really shoot the basketball."

The Pistons headed out to Sacramento today to begin a four-day West Coast trip that further complicates their transition to the Iverson era. If they looked sluggish in the loss to Boston, it might have been more than just the acclimation process to the dramatic personnel change. They'd just returned home after a three-game road trip, making Sunday's home game seem like just another stop along the mid-point of what is essentially an eight-game road trip, and now the Western leg squeezes them further for practice time.
"I would like to have about three or four practice days," Curry said. "I wish we didn't play until Thursday. But it is what it is." Curry decided immediately after the trade that the loss of McDyess meant he needed to add another reliable scorer to the playing group that starts the second quarter. So he and Tayshaun Prince agreed that Prince would be the first starter to check out, somewhere around eight minutes into the game. But when the promising first quarter in New Jersey ended in Iverson's debut, the group that began the second half was Rodney Stuckey and Prince - out of position - in the backcourt with Walter Herrmann, Brown and Maxiell up front. Curry quickly concluced he needed to stagger the coming and going of Iverson and Hamilton so that their time together out of the game was infrequent. Before Sunday's game, he said he would take Hamilton out when he removed Prince, then bring both back along with Stuckey to start the second quarter. But that doesn't solve the issue of not having a big man beyond Wallace who can step outside as a credible scoring threat and provide Iverson and Stuckey the chances to attack a spread-out defense. In the best case, McDyess will return to the Pistons 30 days after the waiver process plays out. In the meantime, expect Curry to keep experimenting with lineup combinations and preaching the message of opportunity to Johnson, Brown and Maxiell. The 20 minutes a game the Pistons had set aside for McDyess are now up for grabs. This is the chance for one of those three to stake his claim to an increased role, whether McDyess returns or not.

Many fans and reporters are so diluted to the Billups-Iverson trade that they are forgetting that McDyess (and Samb) is part of the trade. This simply leads me to believe that many people have no idea how valuable McDyess is to the Pistons.

Massacre at the Palace


There's no other way to put it in one word....Massacre. The score (88-76) may not reflect that, as much as what happened in the game. I'm sure by now, reporters, commentators and speculators are throwing things around as: It was a mistake to trade Chauncey Billups to AI....Well, at this point, Pistons cannot really argue until they prove that it is not. Only winning games can prove that. All I can say is Celtics had fun at the Palace.
- Rip was sub-zero cold ice....I remember 9 minutes left in the 4th, no FG. Damn!!!!
- What the hell is up with the careless passing, AI, Rip and Stuckey
- Amir, Bynum & Prince were the only Pistons I saw.....Everybody else is MIA
- Same goes for Rasheed, out of sync...Plus, what happen to his post up???
- Celtics bench just killed Pistons'
As much as I would love to say more about the game, its better not to.....I rather have the "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything" attitude. Michael Curry needs to do some major analysis on what's going on with this team. There's a huge lack of effort and passion as a team......I would start with Rasheed and Rip. They better come up with something quickly because the westcoast trip is coming around fast (Sacramento on Tue, Golden State on Thurs, and LAL on Fri).

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Is Detroit in Lebron or Chris' mind?


For the past few days, the big talk in Piston Land is about Allen Iverson. Today or maybe even the next few days, the new talk generating from the trade is the free agent market, when Lebron James and Chris Bosh are free to explore their options. Logical reasoning tells us, that a championship team with flexible cap salary is the most probable place to be. That puts Detroit to one of the elite choices when they hit free agency.

There was a definitive declaration about the future earlier this week from LeBron James. You probably just haven't heard about it yet. The official decree from King James: "22, 10 and 10." That's how LeBron replied when someone in Dallas asked him what his ideal, every-night line in the box score would be. I think I can safely predict the response, too: All of the fans in all of the cities whose teams fantasize about signing James away from the Cleveland Cavaliers in the summer of 2010 will inevitably seize on the fact that LeBron didn't specify where he dreams of racking up all those triple-doubles. Of course, even had he pronounced himself a Cav For Life in the same sentence, who outside of Ohio would hear him? No. 23 could clearly state his intentions to stay with his home-state team -- and he pretty much did in October at a Barack Obama rally when no one was expecting it -- and it wouldn't discourage anyone in the basketball mecca of New York … or the Nike capital of Portland, Ore. … or now Detroit.
The line for LeBron, as you've undoubtedly heard by now, got one team longer this week when the Pistons traded for Allen Iverson and a huge chunk of financial flexibility that might just hold up until July 2010. If the cash does stay stashed that long, Detroit won't merely try to sign James, either. We're sittin' here talkin' about Joe Dumars, so trust us: If the Pistons' uber-aggressive president can keep enough cap space to afford two max players in 2010, I'm reasonably sure that his A-1 scenario would be trying to sign James and Chris Bosh.
No fewer than 15 teams -- including the Cavs -- have less than $40 million in committed salaries on their books for the 2010-11 season, hoarding cap space for a free-agent class so deep that we don't even talk about Amare Stoudemire, Dirk Nowitzki and early Eastern Conference player of the month favorite Joe Johnson. Among those teams are Chicago, Houston, Miami, Phoenix, Portland and Bosh's Toronto Raptors. I also fully expect the likes of San Antonio and Dallas to be major bidders by the time LeBron and Co. hit the open market, which is to say that the Pistons, between now and the NBA's Free Agent Frenzy of 2010, won't be the last team to be mentioned as a new threat to steal LeBron away from Cleveland. Far from it.

Pistons Riddle was Devin Harris


I don't care how you put it....whether its AI's debut, team chemistry is still in development with him, Chauncey's offensive set is missed, or Dyess presence would've been a good impact. From what I saw, Devin Harris gave the Pistons a little taste of why the Nets decided to re-build the team around him. The first quarter was a riddle that wasn't challenging for the Pistons to run their offense and defense, but when the second quarter started, question marks started flying in the air that their answers were not fast enough.

- How in the world will they stop Devin Harris from Penetrating and drawing fouls
- Boone's score doesn't bother me, but 14 rebounds??? C'mon!
- Too many jump shots from the Pistons? I hope Michael Curry gives them hell of a practice
- I did not see much defensive effort on Sheed and Kwame. What the hell??? Kwame was too busy getting inspired by Harris while Sheed was playing again against the officials not against the Nets
- But frontcourt's defense may have scrambled due to Harris penetration
- Amir was nowhere to be found
- Good job by the backcourt, AI, Rip and Stuck
- I did find that the referees were making no calls on the hits and bumps towards AI, Rip and Stuck but that doesn't justify Sheeds distraction to the officials
- I wouldn't be surprise if today's practice would be about basics on how to attack zone defense
- AI's debut performance was great
- I can't wait for the Pistons to play them again, I'll put money that Harris will not play like that again, not against the Pistons at least

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

A Bittersweet Farewell....Thanks For the Memories


As much as I hate to see Chauncey leave the Pistons (after all the things he has done for the team and for the city), I'm happy for him that he's finally going home. To the town where he was known, and raise and where he first became someone Big.
The silver lining for Billups is where Joe Dumars sent him. When he saw the handwriting on the wall, he asked Joe D if it came to that, and it was at all possible, he could send him to the Nuggets, whose need at point guard was pronounced. Denver is home to Billups, where his extended family still resides and where they have never forgotten the greatest high school player in Denver history. Or the favorite son who stayed home to play college basketball at the University of Colorado, taking a bereft basketball program to the NCAA tournament in his sophomore season before entering the NBA draft and becoming the No. 3 pick in the 1997 draft.“Bittersweet,” Chauncey told Joe D when he told him of the trade – and where he was going. Leaving Detroit is bitter for him. He adopted it as his second home. But going to Denver is sweet.All his successes with the Pistons were celebrated nearly as much in the Mile High City as they were in the Motor City. The Denver newspapers followed Billups throughout the great playoff runs he captained over his six seasons as the point guard Joe Dumars chose to restore the Pistons to glory – and all six of those seasons ended with the Pistons no worse than one of the last four teams standing.That’s a remarkable record of achievement for the man who became the face of the franchise.And he became that not only for what he did on the 94 feet of hardwood at The Palace. He became that for how he wove himself into the fabric of Detroit. Chauncey Billups took his role as one of Detroit’s most recognized and celebrated faces seriously. He plunged himself into civic work, setting up charities here and buying thousands of Pistons tickets a season so underprivileged kids could come see the team they otherwise knew only as larger-than-life TV characters. Whenever the reporters who follow the team wanted a reaction or an explanation, it was Billups who unfailingly stood up and voiced his teammates’ perspective.

Tonight, Allen Iverson won't be able to make his debut against the Raptors since Chauncey is still in the process of finishing all the requirements (i.e. physical test) to start playing as a Denver Nuggets.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

AI Ready To Sacrifice To Win

As most people know by now, the big news in Piston Land is the arrival of Allen Iverson. As I mentioned yesterday, I have faith that he will follow Michael Curry's lead. Fortunately, I wasn't expecting that this will happen over night, until I heard his first press conference as a Piston.

From MLive
"I have done so many things in this league, as far a being an All-Star, a scoring champion, All-NBA first team, but I haven't accomplished my number one goal, and that's to win a championship."
"Like I was telling Joe (Dumars) earlier today, I'm willing to sacrifice whatever I have to sacrifice to get it done. I've tried it my way plenty of my times. I've tried it different ways and it hasn't been done. Once again, I have to look at myself, I have to look in the mirror at myself and think of things I can do to help us to win a championship. Maybe there are some things I have to change.
One thing is for sure, two things for certain, I'm going to do whatever the coach wants me to do on the basketball court. If he gives me an assignment, I'll just try to carry it out to the fullest."


Yet I'm not that surprise because knowing Joe (Dumars) he wouldn't take on AI unless he has 3 things in order to be a Piston. Talent, Character and Winning, regardless of the sacrifice you have to make as a player. Below is a video of one of my favorite basketball player defending Iverson.

Monday, November 3, 2008

It's Official, AI is a Pistons


I wasn't able to come to work today due to personal matter, however when I heard the news about the Pistons under Curry's regime I was SHOCK! The Pistons turned into a different team after trading the captain Chauncey to Denver's AI. More on ESPN

I have three concern about this trade. First, the age comparison of AI to Billups. AI has been proven an all-star player and more compare to Billups, as I say, his resume speak for itself. This simply means that there's more mileage on AI's engine than Billups, but considering AI is 33 and Billups is 32, there's not much difference. Secondly, I was under the impression for some reason at first that this could create a long term contract if it doesn't work for the Pistons, but since AI is on his final year of 20million, its almost like renting him and at the same time giving him another chance to get that ring before he retires. Fortunately my two concern are covered, (thanks to Joe D again) except of AI's dynamic scoring ability, he may present a defensive liability to other bigger point guards, but I have faith in Michael Curry. They already have an intense summer camp that emphasized on bringing the Bad Boys defense back. Similar to several players in the league who has great respect to Michael Curry, AI will follow his lead.

I've always been a fan of AI. I remember the first time I saw him, I couldn't believe my eyes seeing his height (listed as 6-0 but he definitely looks shorter) and how he compete with all the bigger players and most of all, creating his own shot, going straight through the teeth of the team's defensive set. Welcome AI!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Pistons Fired Up On All Cylinders


Last night the Pistons decided to dictate their effort based on the versatility of their line-up. This is not a one man-show. Eleven Pistons played and eight scored in the first half, as a result, the Pistons were running on all cylinder giving their first win for the season 100-94 while giving their debut coach Michael Curry a great way to start the season. Tayshaun Prince led the team with 19 points four rebounds and three assists. It seems like Tay is still in the Olympic Basketball mode. As for the 2 young blood that Curry unleashed, Johnson came up with six rebounds, 6 points and what he does best is 3 block shot. Stuckey chipped in eight points and four assist in less than 17 minutes.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Pistons Opening Night


The moment that were waiting for has finally come. The NBA 2008-2009 season has begun and the Pistons will host the Pacers at the Palace. Although, majority of the Pistons name are the same, believe it or not there were major changes that occur in the Pistons Land and here they are:

--The 21years old Amir Johnson was awarded to start for McDyess

--Kwame Brown is now a Pistons

--Walter Hermann and Aaron Afflalo are part of the regular rotation

--Rodney Stuckey will be the sixth starter

--In addition to the intense summer training camp, Michael Curry is the new coach and is responsible for all of these changes.


Look for the Pistons defense intensity and how Curry's unleashing the two new bad boys (Stuckey and Johnson) will perform.

Monday, October 27, 2008

New Life -- New Season


As the title of this new post imply, new life, I'm happy and proud to say that "Pistons In LA" author/creator has tied the knot on the 4th of October. The wedding went amazing and that's because of the well planned and preparation by the most amazing bride on earth. Also, another family member has been introduced, she's a pointer/lab breed, friendly to kids/adults, very smart and she's ready to go for hunting.

Speaking of New Life, the 2008-2009 NBA season is upon us. The Pistons are heading to the season with the same casts (with the exception of Kwame Brown) but with a different leader on the floor. Michael Curry has been the prime topic in Pistons Land all summer and that's because of the intensive summer camp & pre-season/practice, the competitive environment among players and the unleashing of the key young players such as Rodney Stuckey and Amir Johnson. Although the Pistons did not make any major trade this summer, there's no way on earth that they are going into the season with the same mindset as last year. If there's two word on how to describe the Pistons this season........Intense Defense. Let's see how they'll do on their opening night against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Tough Love

During the Pistons' practice on Tuesday, Kwame Brown and Rasheed Wallace exchanged harsh words..but no worries, Sheed was just giving him a warm welcome and support to help the kid become one of 'em, a Pistons' Bad Boy. Here are the details from Chris McCosky of Detroit News.

AUBURN HILLS -- If Kwame Brown didn't know before, he knows now. Playing against Rasheed Wallace, even in a training camp scrimmage, can be an exasperating and deafening experience.
Wallace went at Brown full-throttle at the end of practice Tuesday. It started when Brown said that he would put Wallace "in the trunk and lock him up."
Wallace went off.

"There is no way on God's green earth that you can lock me up, ever, ever, ever," he said. "You couldn't lock me up in when you were in D.C. or L.A., nowhere. You're lucky you never had to face me in high school." Brown hooted on Wallace for sitting out the last couple of minutes of the scrimmage, telling him, "Go get your rest, old man."
That only fired Wallace up more. "Yeah, I need my rest because I am working. I'm not out there lollygagging like you," Wallace shouted. Brown soon scored on two aggressive plays, but Wallace wasn't impressed. "Yeah, Kwame, two baskets in two-and-a-half hours," he said.
After practice, Wallace put his arm around Brown and the two exchanged a laugh. Coach Michael Curry loved every minute of it. "'Sheed is just testing (Brown)," Curry said. "All great players, in their own way, find a way to challenge their teammates to see if they can handle it. They want to know they can depend on that player come game time."
By all accounts, Brown passed the test. "It was fun," Brown said. "'Sheed is going to make me better by challenging me in practice." When asked how he managed to keep his temper in check, Brown said, "It's all in how you perceive it. You can't look at it like that. He's trying to make me better. It actually fires you up instead of doing the opposite." Plus, he feels he won his point. "I told 'Sheed that I put him in the trunk and he did not score," Brown said. "He didn't want to talk about that. Just because you are the loudest guy doesn't mean you were right."

Monday, October 6, 2008

23!


The first exhibition Pistons game turned out to be competitive. Stuckey pulled 23 points with the highest minutes and points. Included in his 23 points was his pull up jump shot that sent the game to overtime. From that point, the Pistons got ahead and never looked back. Too bad for Heat's Michael Beasley debut.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Bring back the Bad Boys Defense

As expected, one of the main focus that Pistons will have this training camp is their defense intensity accoutability mandated by their new coach Michael Curry. Rodney Stuckey talked about this during his tour in Michigan.

MLive.com: OK, for you as the third guard on the team, you split time being on the court with Billups sometimes and Hamilton sometimes. Do you adjust your game or play any differently depending on who you are on the court with?

Stuckey: "No, not really. I think when I'm in the game with Chauncey, coach wants to have the ball in Chauncey's hands more. When I'm in with Rip, he wants the ball in my hands more so Rip can come off screens and what not. Things are gonna be the same offensively with stuff like that, but I'll tell you one thing, our defense and defensive standpoint, things are going to be a lot different. We're gonna be picking up full court, trying to get back to our old ways of playing Bad Boys defense. That's something to look forward to this coming year."

Mlive: Does that pressure defense suit your (individual) game better?

Stuckey: "Yeah, absolutely. I mean, that's what I did in high school and college, gettin' up full court, putting a little bit of pressure on the offense, you know, taking a little time off the shot clock, that's what we're trying to do. You know, we're gonna do a lot more trapping and stuff like that. That's my type of game. It leads to easy baskets for us."

Did Stuckey say "....get back to our old ways of playing Bad Boys defense."? Can't wait to see that!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

A Look Around The League


The Pistons are more likely wrapped up with their roster for the exhibition game in October. As of this time, Kwame Brown was the move that Pistons made this summer. How will it work? We'll have to see.

Mo Williams is the newest edition to Lebron's Cavs. Interesting move that we'll have to see in the season as well.

In addition to Eastern moves, Elton Brand gives strength to the Sixers, assuming his achilles injury is 100% recovered.

No love for San Antonio Spurs and the Detroit Pistons this year from ESPN "expert" (commentator) about making a run for the title. What can I say......one word, "bandwagon".

Few routes that Rip takes while running around during the game. It's not all speed, but the trick is to trick his defender to the direction where he's going.



Sunday, August 17, 2008

Prince Gave A Little Taste of Pistons Tradition to US Team


Fans of Team USA Mens Basketball are celebrating after defeating Spain in a "not even" close game victory 119-82 when the game was pretty much decided in the 2nd half. However, for the Pistonsland, people are also proud of Tayshaun Prince after contributing a little taste of team basketball and defensive intensity to Team USA, traditions that revolves around the Detroit Pistons for decades.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski even had a hot hand, calling on Tayshaun Prince - who didn't play until garbage time of Thursday's win over Greece - to start the second period. And Prince made an immediate impact.
On the U.S. Team's second possession of the quarter, with Spain switching to zone, James found Prince in the corner, and he calmly stroked a three. After a miss by Juan Carlos Navarro, Prince and James hooked up on a give-and-go alley-oop on the break, with James throwing down a one-handed flush.
Even with the hot shooting, the Americans' tenacious defense was again the key to victory. They forced 28 Spain turnovers, 17 of them in the first half, when the game was decided. Spain actually shot 8-for-13 in the first quarter, but nine turnovers had it nine points behind at the end of one.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Pistons Visits Kobe On National TV Game



The NBA schedule for the 2008-2009 regular season has been released. As for the Detroit Pistons, their first National TV schedule will be held on Nov. 14th in Los Angeles visiting Kobe and the Lakers. Sports bars in Los Angeles are usually loaded with Lakers jersey during their games except, occasionally when they play the Pistons, where Pistons fans comes alive not only in Michigan but also in Los Angeles, Cali.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Blockbuster Trade, Who To Rule Out

Well at this time we can finally rule out few of the blockbuster trade rumor that's been swarming around in PistonLand just weeks ago.

1) Emeka Okafor -- Right when Larry Brown became a head coach of the Bobcats, it didn't take long until Rasheed Wallace got into the mix of being traded for Okafor. There was a bond between Brown and Sheed coach/player relationship while on the other side, Okafor didn't accept the offer Bobcats had in mind at the time. However, now we put it all behind after Okafor re-signing.

2) Ron Artest -- Are you kidding me? After the brawl at the Palace did we really expect Joe to take him on his wings. As much as I know how good of a player he is, he may not start another brawl but he may start a tension in the locker room where Stuckey and the youngs are mandatory to filled with positive mentors. Furthermore, he's agreed verbally to sign a deal with Houston Rockets.

3) Tracy McGrady -- Ron Artest's eventual arrival to the Rockets will make Tmac very happy, in fact he is looking forward to playing with RonRon already. Tmac's conversation with ESPN a few weeks ago revealed that he wouldn't mind playing for the Pistons and has a high regards towards Joe Dumars. All these faded away after Artest' agreement with the Rockets.

If we know who to rule out on a blockbuster deal, we can easily determine who can be in a blockbuster deal

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

A Strong Piece Since Big Ben

Who does Kwame Brown remind you of an ex-Pistons? A strong center, although an undersized center listed as 6-foot-9 weighing 240 lbs, he's also one of the underated defensive player, who actually became NBA Defensive Player of the years 2001-02, 2002-03, 2004-05 and 2005-06. Formely known as Big Ben -- Ben Wallace. The difference??? Kwame Brown is listed as 6-foot-11 weighing 270 lbs. In a sense, Kwame must be stronger than Big Ben....You think??? Oh by the way, Kwame is only 26. This will give you an idea how strong he is by just giving a little shove to a 6-foot-8 weighing 235 lbs Boris Diaw (almost the size of Big Ben).

Monday, July 28, 2008

Is Kwame Bad Boy Enough?


News in the trade market is that Kwame Brown is departing Memphis and heading to Detroit. The bad news??? There isn't really, the only possible bad news it could bring is the rotation of the front court meaning the development growth of Amir Johnson, Cheik Samb and even Jason Maxiell. I'm not worried about that, I trust Michael Curry enough to manage that scenario. The good news??? Nobody will be traded for him as what everyone is expecting. This deal did not come as a sign-in-trade deal instead Kwame will be signing a two year deal worth $8 million. Not bad, considering few players in the market got more than their Mid-Level Exception. Is he the answer to finally get over the hump of Eastern Conference Finals? Maybe not, but I have a good feeling about this. Lets reminds ourselves that Joe would never acquire anyone without the desire to win even in the verge of making sacrifices. Just imagine how Wallace (6 foot 11, 230 pounds) and Kwame (6 foot 11, 270 pounds) would be like in the court under Michael Curry's guidance --INTERIOR DEFENSE.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Pistons Has The High Cards Now


So far, these are the movement that occured this summer.
July 19: Nets acquire Keyon Dooling
July 19: Warriors add Ronny Turiaf
July 18: Clips sign Azubuike to offer sheet
July 17: Bucks sign Lue, Malik Allen
July 16: Celtics sign Patrick O'Bryant
July 15: Clippers acquire Camby
July 15: Magic sign Anthony Johnson
July 13: Wizards re-sign Gilbert Arenas
July 11: Spurs sign Roger Mason
July 11: Nets agree with Najera, Hayes
July 11: Mavs re-sign Antoine Wright
July 10: Brent Barry signs with Rockets
July 10: Corey Maggette joins Warriors
July 10: Magic sign Mickael Pietrus
July 10: Clippers sign Baron Davis
July 9: Sixers add Elton Brand
July 9: Grizzlies ink Marc Gasol
July 9: Kings re-sign Udrih
July 9: Raptors re-sign Jose Calderon
July 9: Mavs sign Diop, re-sign Barea
July 9: Wolves acquire Carney, Booth
July 9: Raptors obtain Jermaine O'Neal
July 9: Heat sign James Jones
July 9: Blazers, Pacers make a deal
July 9: Knicks sign Chris Duhon
July 9: Hornets extend Chris Paul
June 30: Wizards extend Jamison
June 26: Wolves & Grizz swap picks, vets
June 26: Bucks acquire Richard Jefferson

Pistons Move? ZERO. Majority of the Pistons fans are like "What about Detroit, who are we getting?" But more importantly, "When, when when!!!?" Pistons fans are starting to get impatient after all the moves that the other teams made. Part of it is because of the statement that Joe Dumars made during Flip Saunder's termination. After reading Keith's analysis of Joe's perspective, I'm delighted that Joe is actually looking into the market really carefully and making sure he makes a deal that would make the Pistons better. Better than what was accomplish for the past few years and that's multiple appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Take a look at this from Dumars’ perspective. He has a 59-win team with plenty of room for internal growth, thanks to the recent shrewd drafting of Rodney Stuckey, Arron Afflalo, Jason Maxiell, Amir Johnson and Cheikh Samb at spots well below what their current market value would dictate. He has a new coach with a steely aura that could go a long way toward dispelling the emotional inertia that’s settled in among his veterans. He’s in the Eastern Conference, significantly improved but still not as top-heavy as the West, where winning 50 games doesn’t guarantee a playoff berth.

Now think about life if you’re sitting in the GM’s chair in places like Houston, Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, Utah or a handful of other Western franchises. The Lakers are adding 7-footer Andrew Bynum to the reigning conference champions, San Antonio remains a colossus and New Orleans just added valuable vet James Posey to a young core headlined by Chris Paul.
A lot of teams on the other side of the Mississippi figure to be gripped by the fear that standing pat is a sure way of ceding ground. They might not have great confidence that a trade will put them over the top, but many of them are going to be willing to roll the dice for a deal that could propel them in either direction over inactivity that locks them into second-tier status.

That gives Dumars the high ground as he goes hunting a trade. He’s not looking to fleece anyone’s pockets. He has value to offer in exchange for value. But he goes to market knowing his sense of urgency is at least matched and probably exceeded by that of his potential trade partners.

In addition, Joe has the upper hand around the trade market. When it comes to quality players, Pistons' have more than one......Not 2, not 3, but four quality players that are on the trade table. Three all-stars and one US Olympic Basketball Team member. I can't think of any team who would be in the trading block with this much value. It's almost the same as playing poker and having 4 high cards, whether they're aces or kings. Let's see which team goes first on proposing a deal to Joe. All we need to do is wait and see who's gonna' fold.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

The Ball Is In Houston's Court

The latest on Tmac is that he would be happy either way. Staying with the Rockets would mean continue on working hard for a win with Yao and the cast. Moving to Detroit would mean, getting traded with Billups and Prince and still compete for the title with Hamilton, Wallace, Maxiell and Stuckey. I don't see any reason how Dumars would refuse this trade. That said, it's all in Houston's hand to pull the trigger. We'll see what happens.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Tmac Wants To Win With Pistons

Have we finally come to the conclusion whether the rumor on Tracy McGrady being traded to the Detroit Pistons is true? Nope, but we are half way there, except it's not guaranteed yet. Halfway There? After Tmac met with Daryl Morey, General Manager of Rockets, Tmac stated that he's happy being with the Houston Rockets. Although he did express that he wants to win. Later today, ESPN Stephen Smith had a brief conversation with Tmac and revealed that he wouldn't mind being in Detroit because he has all the faith in the world in Joe Dumars. Who better to play for other than an executive who has the passion to win a title like him. Not Guaranteed Yet? Morey reported to the media today that he did have a conversation with the Detroit Pistons. He did turn down Pistons' offer except he wouldn't mention exactly what Pistons were offering. "Whatever they offered, we said no" Wow! You can't reveal something like that then cover your @$$ as if you're trying to keep it on a down low. Not to mention trying to sound like you have the upper hand by rejecting any type of offer. Well whether that's true or not, it doesn't matter because we all know that Tmac wants to be in Detroit. Speaking of the rockets, it doesn't take rocket science to figure out that Pistons would welcome Tmac with open arms but it would be interesting how Joe and the Pistons would respond to all of these.