'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 68

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20100325/S ... the-greats

Pro career, off-court issues aside, Mateen Cleaves still one of the greats
Do you think Mateen Cleaves' image has taken a hit because of his lack of NBA success and recent DUI arrest? Or is he still as beloved as could be among Spartans?

There’s no crime in being a great college player and a lousy pro. Just look at the Heisman Trophy winners over the years. Do Ohio State fans think any less of Archie Griffin because he didn’t do much in the NFL? Florida fans will adore Tim Tebow even if he falls flat after the draft and has to switch to wide receiver or H-back or … coach. And Michigan fans were well aware that Charles Woodson was one of their greatest ever even though his career didn’t really take off right away. Mateen Cleaves’ legend would have been burnished by a great pro career – like Magic Johnson’s legend. But the memories of 2000 aren’t any less sweet because of what’s happened since. That was still the team. He was still the man. It’s a simple formula. The off-court stuff is up to each individual fan to determine. These guys aren’t choirboys. They never were. Let’s not forget that Cleaves had a run-in with the law for an alcohol-related incident before he led the Spartans to that first Final Four. Doesn’t make him a crook. Doesn’t mean he was going down the wrong road. Just pointing out that off-court decisions shouldn’t necessarily mar what happens on the court. We think we know these guys, but we don’t. Cleaves’ latest run-in still needs to be explained. His lawyer claims that he was drinking and driving because of an emergency with his son. That sounds to me like an admission of drinking and driving, but with an excuse. I’ll be curious to hear the legitimacy of that excuse.

But the question is timely because I was thinking of Cleaves the other day when Kalin Lucas went down in the Maryland game. Here was the Spartans point guard and leader going down in a vital game, almost exactly 10 years after Cleaves sprained his ankle against Florida. On Sunday, the Spartans almost went completely in the tank and if not for the miracle shot by Korie Lucious, they’d be staring at one of the worst collapses in their NCAA tournament history. When Cleaves went down against Florida, MSU actually extended the lead. It was 50-44 when he sprained his ankle and 58-50 when he returned. Cleaves was the key. He was the trigger man. He was the program-builder. But that ankle injury is one of the most overrated, overblown injuries in the history of the tournament. People make his return out to be that of Willis Reed or Kirk Gibson when in truth, the Spartans were just fine without him that night. Cleaves may have been the Spartans MVP, but Morris Peterson was the best player. Lucas is the MVP and the best player. When the history of the Tom Izzo era is written, Cleaves’ name will be all over it. But I think more of it will have to do with the timing and less will have to do with the player. He was the first one who got the thing started (after Antonio Smith). And he won, that’s something Lucas and no other point guard has done in the past decade. So Cleaves deserves credit for that. But at the same time, his story sometimes overshadows great players like Peterson and Charlie Bell and Andre Hutson, who played vital roles in the championship as well. And let’s not forget that MSU returned to the Final Four the year after Cleaves left. Cleaves went down, the Spartans still won. Lucas goes down, and I doubt that this Spartan team can win, at least not the whole thing. But ultimately, it’s about his career as a college player. And this entire blog has been spent on that and debating his impact. It doesn’t matter what he did or didn’t do as a pro. It doesn’t matter what he did or didn’t do off the floor. It’s all about what he did at MSU. The only debate is just how great his legacy should be.

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... on_ma.html

Detroit Pistons Links: Jason Maxiell says players are saving money in case of a lockout
Maxiell: players saving money for lockout [DN]
Jamie Samuelson wants Pistons to show some heart [DFP]
DaJuan Summers has waited for this [Pistons.com]
Chris Webber's best game [Dime]
New advanced scoring stat [ETB]
George Blaha sees better days ahead [Pistons.com]
Ben Gordon, one of the best shooters? [Dime]

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... ams_d.html

Detroit Pistons Draft Dreams: Derrick Favors
Full disclosure: I planned to save Favors until later on in the Draft Dreams series, but man ... the FCP commentariat is so in love with the Georgia Tech big man that I figured I better write about him now so everyone can realize that yes, he is on my radar, and yes, I do think very highly of him.

Measurables: 6-10, 246 pounds, freshman F/C at Georgia Tech.
Stats: 12.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 1.0 assists, 61 percent field goal percentage in 27.5 minutes per game.
Projected: 4th (DraftExpress); 4th (NBADraft.net).
Why he fits: First and foremost, he's a mobile big who stays in the paint and is defensive-minded. For a freshman, he's pretty filled out already. Detroit's most athletic big is Ben Wallace. No shame in that, but when your best frontcourt athlete is in his mid 30s, it's not a surprise that the Pistons don't contest many shots when Wallace isn't in the game. Favors ended the season on a high note, scoring in double figures in 11 straight games, including a career-high 22 against Duke in the ACC tourney. He's far from a finished product and offensively, it's unclear how good he'll be in the NBA, but he'd be an immediate contributor for the Pistons at the defensive end and, if Ben Wallace returns, would give the Pistons a pair of potentially dominant defensive players up front. If Wallace doesn't return, he wouldn't be a bad option to pair with defensively challenged Charlie Villanueva.
Why he doesn't fit: Favors is young and still developing, but as of right now, he doesn't have a NBA-ready post game on offense. That's not a bad thing -- he's rated so highly on draft boards because of his potential. But the Pistons took one project player last year in Austin Daye, and if Favors is the guy, he'd be their second straight first round pick who needs some time to develop. If the goal is simply to get the best player in the long run, Favors could be that guy. If it's to get a player who will immediately contribute and help the team quickly get back to the playoffs, there are probably other bigs in the draft who can fill that role better than Favors.
Why I'd draft him: I think he's going to be really, really good. He has nice footwork, which shows that developing some dominant post moves isn't out of the realm of possibility. He has great size already. He's physical and he doesn't mind banging on the defensive end, which certainly fits the Pistons' style. With Wallace mentoring him, he could become a great player in Detroit.

Previously:
DeMarcus Cousins
Ekpe Udoh
Cole Aldrich
Xavier Henry
Evan Turner
Keith Benson
Hassan Whiteside
Patrick Patterson
Wesley Johnson

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... on_wi.html

Flip Saunders' confrontation with Andray Blatche brings back some Rasheed Wallace memories
During a recent Wizards game, former Pistons coach Flip Saunders said forward Andray Blatche, Washington's best player the past two months, refused to listen to coaches and wouldn't re-enter the game. Saunders proceeded to destroy Blatche in the postgame press conference for being immature. After years of watching Flip seemingly get walked all over by Pistons veterans, I was happy to see him take such a strong stand against a player who stepped out of line. My reaction was premature, however, as Blatche was back in the lineup the next night -- no suspension, no lost starting job, nothing.

Then, Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski roundly criticized Saunders for being weak, recounting this story from the 2008 Pistons team: Well, the Pistons players tell the story of Rasheed Wallace calling Saunders the “worst [bleeping] coward I’ve ever seen” after a loss in the 2008 Eastern Conference playoffs. Everyone was there. Everyone heard it. And nothing. Saunders took it, and watched his credibility and command of that team die a little more.

Many fans have longed for the days of Saunders, despite his flaws, after watching the Pistons become a wretched mess under two straight first-year coaches, but after hearing that story from 2008, it's no wonder Joe Dumars fired Saunders. There's no coming back from that.

[nasty daddy]

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop

The Pistons' Jason Maxiell tells the Detroit News that NBA players are starting to scrimp and save in preparation for a potential lockout.

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... stons.html

Potential players the Pistons could target with the mid-level exception
Yesterday I linked to a post on PistonPowered which quoted Joe Dumars saying the Pistons would use their mid-level exception to try and improve the team next year. It sparked a bit of debate in the comments, with flies10101 suggesting (sarcastically) that it would net the Pistons a player like Udonis Haslem, while mvento things they'd have a chance at someone line Brendan Haywood or Marcus Camby. Quality bigs are always in demand, so Camby and Haywood might be a bit of a stretch, but here are some other players who might be in the Pistons price range for all or a portion of the mid-level:

Brad Miller, Bulls: Miller's old, but he's also a solid rebounder, one of the best passing big men in the league and a guy who can knock down an open 15-footer as well as any big in the league. He's also a Midwest guy, so it shouldn't be a tough sell to get him to Detroit.
Leon Powe, Cavs: Powe's young, energetic and recovering nicely from a knee injury in backup minutes for Cleveland this season. He wouldn't even cost the entire mid-level.
T.J. Ford, Pacers: Ford is coming off a disappointing season in Indiana, losing playing time to Earl Watson and A.J. Price. He has a player option for decent money next year, but he's likely to want a starting job, and he probably won't get that with the Pacers. He might be worth a look on a short-term contract to see if he can help the Pistons' point guard woes.
Travis Outlaw, Clippers: The Pistons are crowded on the wings, but Outlaw is more athletic than anyone on the current roster and was a great clutch scorer for Portland for two seasons before an injury, followed by a trade to the Clippers, cost him much of this season. Outlaw could possibly be had at a bargain rate as he looks to rebuild his value.
Kyle Korver, Jazz: Korver is another player who wouldn't necessarily fill a vital position, but the Pistons have been dreadful shooting from three-point range this season. Korver's one of the best in the league from distance and would open up driving lanes for Rodney Stuckey as well as giving Charlie Villanueva an option to kick out to if he's able to stay in the post more next season when his painful foot injury heals.
Randy Foye, Wizards: Foye had a couple months of strong PG play for the Wizards after the Gilbert Arenas suspension before a bit of a swoon in March. In Minnesota, Foye had a reputation as a shoot-first PG, but perhaps his time with Flip Saunders will help him fix his game they way Saunders helped Chauncey Billups reinvent himself as a young shoot-first guard with the T-Wolves.

Big Secret: There is no one on the market in the mid-level or below price range who is going to change the Pistons fortunes drastically. There are guys, like those above, who could certainly help, along with improved health, more focus on defense and better chemistry. It's good to hear the team will still spend the money to improve, but unless they get some luck in the draft, it could be a while before the Pistons add a major impact player.

[nasty daddy]

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop

Jamie Samuelsen for the Detroit Free Press: "Do you think Mateen Cleaves' image has taken a hit because of his lack of NBA success and recent DUI arrest? Or is he still as beloved as could be among Spartans? There’s no crime in being a great college player and a lousy pro. Just look at the Heisman Trophy winners over the years. Do Ohio State fans think any less of Archie Griffin because he didn’t do much in the NFL? Florida fans will adore Tim Tebow even if he falls flat after the draft and has to switch to wide receiver or H-back or … coach. And Michigan fans were well aware that Charles Woodson was one of their greatest ever even though his career didn’t really take off right away. Mateen Cleaves’ legend would have been burnished by a great pro career – like Magic Johnson’s legend. But the memories of 2000 aren’t any less sweet because of what’s happened since. That was still the team. He was still the man. It’s a simple formula. The off-court stuff is up to each individual fan to determine. These guys aren’t choirboys. They never were. Let’s not forget that Cleaves had a run-in with the law for an alcohol-related incident before he led the Spartans to that first Final Four. Doesn’t make him a crook. Doesn’t mean he was going down the wrong road. Just pointing out that off-court decisions shouldn’t necessarily mar what happens on the court."

[nasty daddy]

http://stats.mlive.com/nba/preview.asp? ... e=17&vis=8

Pistons-Nets Preview
With a surprisingly easy victory their last time out, the New Jersey Nets put themselves in good position to avoid the NBA's worst all-time record. All they have to do is earn one win over their final 11 games. The Nets will try to end the suspense early and record their first back-to-back victories in nearly a year Friday night against the visiting Detroit Pistons, losers of six in a row. New Jersey (8-63) steadily pulled away from Sacramento over each quarter Wednesday night en route to a 93-79 victory that snapped a franchise-record 14-game home losing streak and a string of eight straight overall defeats. Brook Lopez led the way with 26 points and 13 rebounds, and Devin Harris added 24 points. "It's always a nice feeling to win," Harris said. "It's been a rough year for all of us. It's a good feeling to see guys cheerful back in the locker room and excited about coming to work tomorrow. Hopefully, we can hang onto this and carry it into the next game."

The performance helped New Jersey move within one win of assuring no worse than a 9-73 finish, which would match the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers' league record. The remaining 11 games appear to give the Nets opportunities to avoid that dubious mark. They'll play six games against opponents currently below .500 and three against Charlotte and Chicago - two of the six teams they've beaten. New Jersey has dropped three straight and 11 of 13 to the Pistons (23-48), but both of those victories have come over the last three matchups at the Izod Center. In a 97-93 loss there Feb. 2, New Jersey trailed by two with 19 seconds left. Four days later in Detroit, they rallied to within a point midway through the fourth quarter but came up short again in a 99-92 defeat. This time, the Nets will face a Pistons team that's dropped 13 of 15 overall and nine in a row away from home for its worst road skid since 11 straight defeats Dec. 4, 2001-Jan. 11, 2002.

The Pistons lost 104-79 at Cleveland on Sunday and were beaten 98-83 at home by Indiana two days later. After topping 100 points against those teams in its previous two games, Detroit has averaged 81.0 on 38.9 percent shooting during its latest two losses. Leading scorer Richard Hamilton, who averages 17.8 points, has missed 19 of his last 23 shots. Hamilton, however, has shined in his last six games in New Jersey, averaging 24.2 points on 56.7 percent shooting. He's also led Detroit with 19.5 points per game in this season's two wins. Lopez has paced the Nets with 23.5 points on 67.9 percent shooting, while Harris has averaged 22.5 points and 10.5 assists. New Jersey last won back-to-back games April 11-13.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2010 ... d-suggests

Pistons' John Kuester: Nets better than 8-63 record suggests
The Pistons certainly don't want to be "that" team Friday when they play the New Jersey Nets. That is, being a team that loses to the Nets.

New Jersey hasn't won often this season -- only eight times, including Wednesday over Sacramento.The infamous 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers finished 9-73, so if the Nets (8-63) win Friday, they'll at least get to nine victories and have 10 games to win another game and not be considered the NBA's worst team of all-time.

Pistons coach John Kuester is baffled by the Nets' record. "I've watched a number of their games and they've played extremely well; it's like most teams bring their 'A' games against them," Kuester said. "It's never as bad as it seems or as good as it seems. Every team has issues. They played hard against us the first three games (all Pistons victories) and we've had to play well (to beat them)."

[nasty daddy]

http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/pist ... logid=2040

Facing the Nets
In a season of endless disappointments and ugly losses, wouldn't it be fitting if the Pistons actually lost to the Nets tomorrow? It would be New Jersey's 9th win of the season. Think about that. Nine victories. The Nets have actually played the Pistons tough twice (the Pistons did win each time) and it wouldn't surprise me at all if the Nets swiped a win tomorrow. Just one more negative mark to this season.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2010/news/03/25/evan ... ef:nbahpt2

Kings' Evans to miss 2 more games with concussion
Sacramento Kings rookie point guard and leading scorer Tyreke Evans is not ready to return from a concussion and will miss the team's next two road games, at Boston on Friday and Sunday's contest at Cleveland.

The team says he will be re-evaluated Monday. Evans, who sustained a concussion in last Friday night's home loss to Milwaukee, didn't make the Kings' trip to Los Angeles last Sunday to play the Clippers and has missed three straight games.

He bruised his jaw, lacerated his gums and chipped his teeth after being hit by the Bucks' Ersan Ilyasova's inadvertent elbow while they were going for a loose ball. Evans tried to practice Thursday but stopped midway through the workout because of a headache.Evans is averaging 20.3 points in 37.3 minutes.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/video/teams/pistons/ ... index.html

Daye Walking - Episode 3
Pistons rookie Austin Daye asks questions to patrons at Caesars Windsor.

Video in the link above^.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/index_main.html

Meet Jonas Jerebko
The Pistons' busy March appearance schedule continues Saturday when Jonas Jerebko appears as a guest on 97.1 The Ticket's "Pistons Tonight" at The Post Bar in Auburn Hills.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... 325_1.html

George (Alma, Mich.): Everyone keeps asking who we will pick, but I am interested to hear your thoughts on where the Pistons will end up. As of Monday, they were in the No. 5 draft position. Do you see them moving up to four, down to seven or staying put at five? I hope they stay at four or five. Moving any lower, it seems there is a significant dropoff in talent.

Langlois: As of this morning, George, the Pistons have the No. 5 lottery position. Among the 14 lottery teams, there are three strata, basically. New Jersey, Golden State and Minnesota long ago locked up the top three. That doesn’t mean they’ll wind up with the top three picks, but that they’ll go into lottery night with the best odds at landing a top-three pick. Then there’s the group at the bottom of the lottery. That consists of four teams. Memphis, New Orleans and Houston, most likely, from the West; and probably Chicago from the East, though Toronto’s collapse is making it interesting. Those teams will have very long odds of getting a top-three pick and likely will end up drafting 11-14. The Pistons are in a group of seven in the middle – the LA Clippers, New York, Indiana, Philadelphia, Sacramento and Washington round out the lottery’s “middle class.” But over the last week or so, there’s come a substrata to the middle class. Indiana has gotten hot, winning four straight, and now has 26 wins to match the Clippers and Knicks. Philadelphia won at Milwaukee last night, putting the 76ers two games ahead of the Pistons. Washington is sinking, having lost 13 straight, and has two fewer wins than the Pistons with no easy way to find a win left on its schedule. The Wizards are a virtual lock to go into lottery night sitting fourth. The Pistons could definitely pull ahead of Sacramento, which lost at New Jersey last night and plays at Boston and Cleveland over the weekend. They also could still catch the Knicks, who have a brutal schedule remaining. I’ll be blogging more about this later today, George, so check Pistons.com later for my True Blue Pistons blog for a closer look at the final weeks of the season and the way the lottery is shaping up.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... 325_1.html

Justin (Detroit): How does the draft lottery work? Do they pick the first three picks by lottery and the rest fall in order or do they do the lottery of all the teams that don’t make the playoffs?

Langlois: All 14 non-playoff teams have a chance to get the No. 1, 2 or 3 picks, but teams with worse records have better odds. After the top three are determined, the rest of the field from 4-14 is determined by record. For a more detailed explanation, see Mailbag FAQ.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... 325_1.html

Cindi (Saginaw, Mich.): When is the NBA draft lottery?

Langlois: The lottery will be held May 18. For the first time in seven years – and for the first time they’ve had their own pick in the lottery and not somebody else’s in nine years – it’ll be must-see TV for Pistons fans.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... 325_1.html

Ryan (Perry, Mich.): Like most others, my thoughts have turned to the upcoming draft and the different scenarios in which the Pistons might find themselves. One that intrigues me is what the outcome will be if the Jazz end up with the first pick. They love Deron Williams. Would they draft Evan Turner to be their shooting guard or would they be unable to pass on John Wall and then trade Williams? If the Pistons also luck out and land in the top three, I’d be more than happy to trade Rip or Tay to Utah for Deron and then draft whoever they pass on.

Langlois: Utah, which holds the Knicks’ No. 1 pick, will be the strongest team in the lottery by a wide margin. The Knicks’ record figures to give Utah about the same odds to vault into the top three as the Pistons – not a great shot, but not exactly a long shot, either. Should Utah get the No. 1 pick, I’m not sure what the Jazz would do with that pick – but I’d be shocked if they chose to trade Deron Williams no matter what they did at No. 1. Wall might have great potential, but Williams is already a great point guard – maybe even the best in the league, certainly in the top five. Even the scouts who love Wall would have a hard time saying with certainty that Wall, at any point, will rise to that level. He might, but Utah isn’t about to trade a sure thing with his best years still ahead of him. I think Utah would keep that pick up until draft night and try to stir up the most interest, probably gauging how far it could trade back and still land one of the top project instant-impact big men, DeMarcus Cousins and Derrick Favors. That would put at least two teams and maybe three in play as trade partners. If Utah could come out of the first round with Cousins or Favors, plus a future No. 1 pick or two and other considerations for Wall and trading down a few spots, the Jazz could be set up for another great run. There’s also a chance Utah would love Wall so much they’d draft him and let he and Williams play together for a year, though I think that would be the least likely option.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... 325_2.html

Motoko (Tokyo): It was a huge disappointment that the Pistons had so few games playing together this year. Do you think there is a possibility Joe D might have the core of this year’s team – Rodney, Rip, Tay, BG, Charlie V, Will and the three rookies – another year? They could add another frontcourt player through the draft or maybe by trading Kwame Brown or Chris Wilcox.

Langlois: Can’t trade Kwame Brown. He’ll be a free agent. Wilcox has the potential to become one with a player option, but it seems more likely he’ll exercise the option and stay with the Pistons – which then gives them the option to trade him. To your question, I think Joe D will go into the summer focused on improving the team step by step, and the first step likely will be the draft. He’ll know the night of May 18 when the lottery occurs what the likelihood will be of coming away from the draft with a player good enough to make an immediate impact. I believe no matter what happens on draft night, he’ll be looking to move some pieces around to better balance the roster and get bigger and more athletic up front.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... 325_2.html

Alec (Northville, Mich.): I think the guard-heavy Pistons could thrive with a defensive anchor in the middle. Would trading Tayshaun Prince for Emeka Okafor do the trick? I know the Pistons would be overpaying for Okafor’s production, but if he’s the guy to make things click would it be worth it? Is it a risk that Joe D would be willing to live with? I have to think New Orleans would jump at Prince’s expiring contract?

Langlois: Okafor has $52 million coming to him over the next four years. Yeah, I’m guessing New Orleans would jump at the chance to get a good year out of Tayshaun Prince and reposition itself thereafter. The Pistons had Ben Wallace in the middle this year. Okafor is a better offensive player, though not a guy you run your offense through, but even with Wallace playing a high level the Pistons were in the lower third defensively. Had they stayed healthy, the Pistons looked like they could have been an average to slightly below average defensive team. If they can get Wallace back for another year, even to play a lesser role, I think they’ll look to improve the frontcourt via the draft and through a trade that wouldn’t be quite so lopsided economically.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/chat_mailbox ... 325_2.html

Sipu (Hamtramck, Mich.): I understand Charlie V is better coming off the bench, but I feel we’re not taking advantage of him because he’s not starting. What do you think?

Langlois: Villanueva hasn’t been fully healthy all season, Sipu, dealing with a handful of injuries, plantar fasciitis and back spasms the most debilitating. That, far more than whether he’s started or come off the bench, has limited his contributions. He had a couple of really good weeks of basketball before the mid-December plantar fasciitis episode. If he has a good summer conditioning regimen and comes to camp in top shape, he’s a guy who can have a much better season his second time around with the Pistons, whether he’s starting or not. Villanueva has indicated and seemed sincere when he’s said it doesn’t matter to him, so long as he’s getting his minutes and being put in situations to contribute.