'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 27

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 70358/1127

Identity crisis
But there has been resentment that has helped torpedo the chemistry. It's not about Iverson personally -- they seem to like him and respect him -- but about the organization's decision to pull the plug on Billups. It was as if they felt Dumars had pulled the plug on their season. Plus, these players have built their identity on being a team. Their motto since 2004 has been "We beats I." They used to ridicule star-based teams. And now here was this NBA icon wearing the red, white and blue. Suddenly it was Allen Iverson and the Pistons.

Don't think that wasn't tough to swallow. But making the playoffs is all that matters now. Thursday they were in seventh place, one game ahead of eighth-place Milwaukee and two games up on ninth-place Chicago and New Jersey. That's how close they are from slipping into the abyss in these last 26 games.

The best way to prevent that is to start Hamilton and de-emphasize Iverson. Let Iverson captain the second team for 25 minutes a night. Let him run up and down the court with Amir Johnson, Jason Maxiell and Arron Afflalo. If he protests, let him sit. Let him go home. But to play the season out with the present lineup and rotation is pointless. We know how that will end. Make the switch.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 70358/1127

'Sheed to play
Reports of Rasheed Wallace 's pending suspension were premature.

Wallace did earn technical fouls Nos. 15 and 16 Wednesday night in New Orleans; that means he was to get a one-game suspension. However, NBA spokesman Tim Frank said that two previous technical fouls against Wallace had been rescinded. So Wallace had 14 technical fouls.

Wallace could still draw a fine for his actions Wednesday. He flipped a towel into the stands and threw another in the direction of referee Bill Kennedy .

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 70358/1127

Pistons at Magic
Tip-off: 7 tonight, Amway Arena, Orlando, Fla.
TV/radio: ESPN/ WDFN 1130
Outlook: Pistons have won seven of last nine regular-season meetings.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/j ... index.html

After years of cruising ahead, Pistons going backward fast
The Pistons' run at the top of the Eastern Conference wasn't going to last forever. We knew that. We just didn't know that it was going to have such an ugly ending. With Tuesday's loss in Miami, Detroit has lost seven straight and 16 of their last 21 games. They're under .500 this late in the season for the first time in eight years. Their seven-year run with at least 50 wins and their run of six straight Eastern Conference Finals will both likely end . Heck, at the rate they're dropping down the standings, they might miss the playoffs altogether.

You could blame it on the trade that sent Chauncey Billups to Denver for Allen Iverson. You could blame it on the coaching change (from Flip Saunders to Michael Curry) they made this summer. Or you could blame it on the combination of the two. Perhaps there would have been more stability and less of a dropoff in Detroit if only one of those two moves were made.

Maybe retaining Saunders and/or keeping Billups would have just been delaying the inevitable. With the trade, Pistons president Joe Dumars saved his team some long-term money, which will allow him to retool sooner rather than later. But you would think that there wouldn't have been much of a dropoff had he not made such drastic changes. After all, Detroit won 59 games last season; only the Celtics won more.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/j ... index.html

Here's a look at the Pistons' numbers over the last nine seasons, starting with 2000-01, the season before they became a perennial 50-game winner.

Pistons Record Since 2000-01
Year Coach Record Pace Rank Offensive Rating Rank Defensive Rating Rank
2000-01 Irvine 32-50 93.6 1 101.3 25 103.0 8
2001-02 Carlisle 50-32 88.7 21 106.3 12 103.9 8
2002-03 Carlisle 50-32 85.5 29 105.6 14 101.3 4
2003-04* Brown 54-28 86.9 23 103.1 18 96.5 2
2004-05** Brown 54-28 86.2 29 106.7 18 102.3 3
2005-06 Saunders 64-18 85.7 29 112.1 4 104.4 5
2006-07 Saunders 53-29 86.1 30 110.3 6 105.6 6
2007-08 Saunders 59-23 86.3 30 112.7 8 104.1 4
2008-09 Curry 27-28 85.9 29 107.5 23 108.9 13
* = Won NBA title
** = Reached NBA Finals
PACE = Possessions per 48 minutes
OFF RAT = Points scored per 100 possessions
DEF RAT = Points allowed per 100 possessions

We have to acknowledge that the Pistons' run over the last seven seasons, particularly on defense, has been impressive ... even more so when you consider the coaching changes that they've gone through. Even after they lost Ben Wallace to free agency in the summer of 2006 (after he won his second straight Defensive Player of the Year award), their defense didn't fall off. The defense has been so good over the years that the offense hasn't needed to be at an elite level in order for the Pistons to succeed. When they won the championship in 2004, they were the 18th-ranked offensive team in the regular season (though their efficiency was slightly higher after they acquired Rasheed Wallace at the trading deadline).

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/j ... index.html

You also have to wonder why Saunders was fired and which team will be smart enough to hire him this summer. Detroit's offense improved dramatically when he took over and the defense barely fell off. Of course, the slightly diminished defense made them an easier out in the playoffs.No team has fallen off more offensively or defensively since last season than the Pistons. They're a worse offensive team than the Timberwolves and a worse defensive team than the Bobcats. Their defensive rating over the last 21 games (112.4) is at the level the Clippers have been this season.

That they've deteriorated so much on both ends of the floor jibes with the idea that this team is in a general malaise, suffering from a lack of chemistry and fire. Clearly though, the presence of Iverson changed the Pistons' offensive dynamics. They went from a balanced offensive team to one with a guy that dominates the ball as much as any player in the league. That makes them easier to defend. Their assist-to-field goal ratio is down from 61.1 percent last season (ninth in the league) to 56.3 percent this season (18th). And while Iverson was supposed to help them get to the line more often, they're actually attempting fewer free throws per possession this season than they were last season.

Although Iverson has nearly 2,000 career steals, the Pistons are forcing fewer turnovers than last season. They're also blocking fewer shots and allowing their opponents to get to the line more often. There probably aren't many teams around the league crying over the demise of the Pistons. They've eliminated 10 different teams over the last seven postseasons, making plenty of enemies along the way. Still, no one could have expected such a precipitous fall after such a long period of sustained excellence. This team is going down in flames and Dumars will likely have more retooling to do this summer than previously expected.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/j ... index.html

Playoff wins since 2002
Team Wins
San Antonio 74
Detroit 73
L.A. Lakers 52
New Jersey 43
Dallas 38

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/j ... index.html

Teams defeated in playoffs by Detroit since 2002
Three times Orlando, Philadelphia
Twice Indiana, Milwaukee
Once Chicago, Cleveland, L.A. Lakers, Miami, New Jersey, Toronto

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=3615

Ben Wallace has broken right leg
Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Ben Wallace broke his right leg in today’s game against the Houston Rockets. The AP reports: Wallace, guarding Yao Ming much of the game, left in the third quarter. He was playing his fourth game since missing Cleveland’s Feb. 18 win over Toronto with a right arm laceration that required 14 stitches. TNT is reporting that the Cavs athletic trainer expects Wallace to miss 8-10 weeks.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=3616

Johnny ‘Red’ Kerr dies
The AP reports: Johnny “Red” Kerr, the former Chicago Bulls coach who spent more than three decades as a broadcaster for the team, died Thursday. He was 76. Kerr died at his home after a battle with prostate cancer, Bulls spokesman Tim Hallam said. “His name was synonymous with basketball, both here in Chicago, and throughout the entire NBA,” Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said. “Those that were fortunate enough to have known Johnny were touched by both his tremendous compassion for people, and his lifelong passion for the game of basketball. We will miss him greatly.”

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http://www.freep.com/article/20090227/S ... tons+stats

fg% ft% reb ast pts
Allen Iverson .419 .787 3.1 5.1 18.0
Richard Hamilton .448 .867 2.9 3.6 17.0
Tayshaun Prince .445 .764 6.5 3.3 13.5
Rodney Stuckey .453 .768 3.3 4.8 12.9
Rasheed Wallace .428 .772 7.6 1.1 12.7
Antonio McDyess .533 .630 8.7 1.1 8.3
Jason Maxiell .564 .537 3.9 0.2 5.5
Arron Afflalo .426 .800 1.8 0.5 4.4
Amir Johnson .593 .708 4.3 0.3 4.0
Will Bynum .430 .677 0.6 1.8 3.5
Kwame Brown .564 .407 4.1 0.6 3.3
Walter Herrmann .363 .778 1.5 0.4 3.0
Walter Sharpe .200 --- 0.0 0.0 0.7
Pistons .453 .745 40.7 20.2 93.0
Opponents .450 .774 41.4 20.2 94.2

Three-point goals: Prince (32-84), .381; Wallace (94-257), .366; Afflalo (23-65), .354; Hamilton (43-124), .347; Stuckey (18-54), .333; Herrmann (20-61), .328; Iverson (28-99), .283; Bynum (1-5), .200; Maxiell (0-1), .000. Totals (259-753), .344; opponents (289-805), .359.

Blocks: Wallace 70, Johnson 47, Maxiell 42, Prince 37, McDyess 19, Brown 15, Afflalo 10, Stuckey 8, Iverson 6, Hamilton 4, Herrmann 2, Sharpe. Totals 262; opponents 226. Steals: Iverson 87, Stuckey 54, Wallace 51, Prince 31, Hamilton 26, McDyess 23, Afflalo 18, Maxiell 18, Johnson 17, Bynum 11, Brown 10, Herrmann 2. Totals 350; opponents 316.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090227/S ... +suspended

Rasheed Wallace won't be suspended
Rasheed Wallace will be in the Pistons' lineup tonight against the Orlando Magic after all. It looked as if he'd have to serve a one-game suspension because he picked up two technical fouls in Wednesday night's 90-87 loss to the Hornets.

NBA rules dictate that a player must sit out a game when he reaches 16 technicals.

But NBA vice president of basketball communications Tim Frank confirmed Thursday that two technicals assessed Wallace on Dec. 23 and Feb. 7 had been rescinded. That leaves Wallace with 14 for the season.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Blogs/Courtsi ... E_CODE=NBA

The Phoenix Suns visit the Los Angeles Lakers at STAPLES Center tonight. Phoenix is a stunning 14 games behind the Lakers in the Pacific Division and could very well be without star point guard Steve Nash (ankle).

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090227/S ... +suspended

Houston 93, Cleveland 74: The host Rockets held LeBron James without an assist for the first time in his career and limited Cleveland to its lowest point total of the season. Yao Ming scored 28 points and Ron Artest added 15 while harassing James on defense most of the night. James scored 21 points, but went 7-for-21 from the field with three turnovers. He left for good with 4:03 left, the first time in 493 NBA games (counting playoffs) he failed to record an assist. Cavs forward Ben Wallace left in the third quarter with a broken right leg. Wallace is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. The former Piston was averaging 3.0 points and 6.6 rebounds in 53 games.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090227/S ... +suspended

Boston: Guard Gabe Pruitt apologized after he was stopped on a Hollywood street and arrested for investigation of misdemeanor drunken driving. Pruitt was pulled over around 3 a.m. Thursday, hours after playing 5 minutes in the Celtics' 93-91 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. He failed a field sobriety test, police said.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090227/S ... +suspended

Phoenix: All-Star guard Steve Nash missed Thursday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers because of an injured right ankle. He is listed as day to day.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090227/S ... +suspended

Obit: Former Chicago Bulls guard Norm Van Lier was found dead Thursday afternoon in his home, authorities said. He was 61. There was no immediate cause of death. A three-time All-Star, Van Lier was a defensive standout and fan favorite who was given the nickname "Stormin' Norman" because of his fiery play.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.mlive.com/sportsflash/index. ... ichigannba

Pistons' Rasheed Wallace won't face suspension
Detroit Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace won't be suspended after all for the team's game against the Orlando Magic on Friday night.

It appeared that Wallace would face a one-game suspension because he picked up two technical fouls in Wednesday night's 90-87 loss to the New Orleans Hornets. NBA rules dictate that a player must be sidelined for a game when he reaches 16 technical fouls.

However, technicals Wallace received Dec. 23 and Feb. 7 were rescinded, NBA vice president of basketball communications Tim Frank said in an e-mail Thursday to The Associated Press. That leaves Wallace with 14 this season.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20090227/S ... +a+starter

Rip is right: He should be a starter
After weeks of dropping hints, the time for subtlety finally ended for Rip Hamilton.Sitting at his locker room after Wednesday's 90-87 loss at New Orleans -- the Pistons' eighth straight -- Hamilton was openly critical of coach Michael Curry's decision to make him the sixth man. "The way we've been starting is the way (Curry) wants it," Hamilton said. "I've said I'm happy to come off the bench as long as we're winning. But we're losing. "Something's got to give. I'm all for doing whatever it takes for the team, but coming off the bench with us not winning, something's got to change." Despite Hamilton's 24 points, the Pistons fell to 4-12 with him coming off the bench and are 27-29 overall. So you now can add me to the chorus that agrees with Hamilton: He should be the starting shooting guard and Allen Iverson should come off the bench for instant offense.

I'm not saying this because the Pistons played some of their best basketball of this awful losing streak when Iverson left Wednesday's game with a stiff back. You can't read too much into one game. But I'm going to point to one of the best stretches the team has had this season.Think back to eight games in late December and early January. The Pistons went 6-2 -- and the highlights included victories over Orlando and at Denver. And they did it without Hamilton, who missed all eight games with a slight tear in his left groin. Rasheed Wallace missed the last four games with a sore right foot. I can hear you now: "Well, that must mean that the problem is Rip and 'Sheed."Not exactly. Look at the guys who were forced to step up in their absence. Backup shooting guard Arron Afflalo played major minutes off the bench, and Kwame Brown and Amir Johnson actually had good moments in place of Wallace. These Pistons play better off the ball with a dominant scorer drawing most of the attention -- a dominant scorer like Iverson. He would penetrate and find Brown or Johnson for dunks or find Afflalo spotting up from the three-point line.

And Iverson likes to run, and that plays into the skill sets of Afflalo and Johnson. If Iverson were to go to the bench, guess who he would play the majority of his minutes with? One Piston certainly noticed how the team played without Iverson against the Hornets. "When you lose A.I., that's a lot of offense away," forward Tayshaun Prince said. "You know for the guys that have been here, the things we do best is move the ball quickly and we feed off each other. And that's what works in our favor. "It's unfortunate to lose him to an injury, but at the same time it was good to get in Will Bynum to kind of get some momentum going because things have been going down south for the last few games." This is not a knock on Iverson. He has amassed more than 23,000 points in a 13-year career. But Hamilton is an efficient scorer who doesn't always need the ball in his hands to score 20 points.Curry has indicated that he isn't planning any changes to the lineup. He thinks the Pistons have other problems. And to think there are other reasons would be pure speculation.But if you're on the fence about which shooting guard should be in the starting lineup and which should come off the bench, think back to those eight games.

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime ... ime-090227

According to team officials, Cleveland forward Ben Wallace will miss four-to-six weeks after breaking his right leg in the second quarter of the Cavaliers' loss to the Rockets.