Stan Van Gundy: Pistons look 'firmly committed to being mediocre'

[mattao313]

SVG needs to give his players a break. They're playing really hard for him and are sitting at #6. That's very good compared to where we were last season. Sooner or later a player will get annoyed. Considering SVG is the president of basketball operations. Things might heat up.

I kinda agree I'm not saying SVG is wrong but does he really need to call out players every bad game Jeez.

[hoophabit]

SVG needs to give his players a break. They're playing really hard for him and are sitting at #6. That's very good compared to where we were last season. Sooner or later a player will get annoyed. Considering SVG is the president of basketball operations. Things might heat up.

He has a point. It was clear Andre was playing for 20/20 and not playing hard to come back. The game was out of reach.

I don't think SVG has been too tough. He's pretty frank, but spreads it around and doesn't get too specific except in praise. Yes, he's coach and president of basketball operations, and so can communicate clearly with his team. Guys who can't bear to hear the truth have problems. If that causes things to heat up then it's probably necessary.

I can't agree with this "playing for 20/20 and not playing hard to come back." To post what Drummond did last night requires serious effort, even for someone as physically gifted as Andre. He doesn't understand the game as well as he will with more experience, but he was trying. When the wings turn their man loose AD is in a bad spot. Hard to cover two or more guys at once. Bound to look bad on a lot of occasions. Help defense is all well and good, but the other guys at least need to remain engaged with their man all the way to the basket. You're not really providing help defense when your wings have completely lost their man.

[vic]

its true but its his fault, he did'nt put a leader in his top 5.
If he started Stanley and played Jennings at the end of games... I would say SVG is a making good decisions.
But right now it looks like SVG is firmly committed to being mediocre also. You can't come up with a small-ball lineup?

[joedumars1]

its true but its his fault, he did'nt put a leader in his top 5.
If he started Stanley and played Jennings at the end of games... I would say SVG is a making good decisions.
But right now it looks like SVG is firmly committed to being mediocre also. You can't come up with a small-ball lineup?

He hasn't done much lineup shuffling. Still confused how we haven't seen BJ and RJ same time and Mook at 4, SJ at 3 more. He is the coach tho

[DBC10]

SVG needs to give his players a break. They're playing really hard for him and are sitting at #6. That's very good compared to where we were last season. Sooner or later a player will get annoyed. Considering SVG is the president of basketball operations. Things might heat up.

I kinda agree I'm not saying SVG is wrong but does he really need to call out players every bad game Jeez.

Yeah, it is becoming a bit annoying, but he does give credit where credit is due, though that is sort of looking fewer and farther in between nowadays which also happens to coincide our latest trend of being up and downs on the W/L column.

The negative reinforcement is annoying though, and I'm not even playing for him. It really does sound like the "Master of Panic" is back like how Shaq once described SVG. Stan really needs to shuffle the starting lineup or at least run small ball involving Jennings more.

[Todd3]

Pistons are 20-14 minus the 2nd nights of b2b's.

If we were 20-14, I don't think Stan would be talking about being committed to mediocrity or inconsistent efforts. So is it really a drive/effort thing or are the players physically lacking the energy to perform on the 2nd night of b2b's that is the problem?

If so, how much of that is the players and how much the coaching staff for not having them physically prepared? Instead of just blaming the players lack of effort, I'm looking at what is causing the lack of effort all the time, and whether it's a conditioning/treatment issue or how we travel as a team that might be affecting them physically in these situations, preventing them from matching the energy of their opponent and appearing like they're not giving effort.

It might just be the players, but we don't know that for certain.

I also think the quality of competition around the league this year is an unmentioned factor in this. Whereas most seasons there would be cupcake games littered throughout the schedule, making any inconsistent efforts less noticeable, this year every team is playing playoff caliber teams almost every night. And you aren't going to outwork/outplay playoff teams every night, so it's making a lot of teams seem more up/down than usual. Because we aren't the only team complaining about this. Listen to players from CHI/MIA/IND and they have all been saying the same things all year. So I do think the improved quality of play in the East is playing a big part here and it's not all the Pistons fault.

[mercury]

I like the direction and the assets... two borderline allstars with a confident & talented rook and a great pickup in Morris.
What were we expecting in year 2?

[DetroitPistons]

I like the direction and the assets... two borderline allstars with a confident & talented rook and a great pickup in Morris.
What were we expecting in year 2?

I understand this thinking but we have proven to be more talented than we thought we would be. Expectations have risen so when we go out and just don't show up defensively against NOP, for example, that is inexcusable. We may be better than we thought at the beginning of the season but we could be even better if we just gave the effort every night.

[Blkbrd671]

One change Stan should make right now - Start Johnson at SF and Mook at the 4. The team has too many passive players - no alpha dog leaders. Ersan has never seen an open shot he's not willing to pass out of, KCP is an introvert mute.

I think your jumping the gun a bit. I do believe we have one the better starting lineup in the league. and i think your forgetting that SJ is still a rookie. He obviously hasn't shown enough in practice to dictate more minutes consistently and he most certainly hasn't put togther enough good games on the court to dictate a change.

Additionally due to injuries and our rotations are forcing Mook and KCP to see a ton of minutes. Giving sJ more minutes may help but again he hasn't shown enough in practice to dictate that.

It's really all Dre though. When he misses free throws he starts getting down on himself rather than getting pissed off at the other team and making them pay. He should have launched an errant pass as the face of Junior Bickerstaff. Instead the whole team - including Stan - accepts the hack-a-Dre as victims and wants to play "woe is us, woe is the game" and hopes Adam Silver takes pity.

Stan will call out the effort - but he will change nothing. Why not start Stanley at the 3 and Mook at the 4? Or Tolliver over Ersan?

Your being way to hard on Dre, i am sure he doesn't enjoy basically becoming the laughing stock of the arena in front of thousands. Because he doesn't have Kobe's mentality isn't his fault. Also i don't condone trying to hit some other teams coach. If he's calling out the TEAMS effort , changing the starting lineup won't change that.

[Blkbrd671]

I'm quite sure he's gonna trade for a veteran

Who? I love trades lol. Any ideas?

Caron Butler for something. Probably a small trade. Depending on what happens with Joe Johnson in Brk, may change that

[Blkbrd671]

SVG needs to give his players a break. They're playing really hard for him and are sitting at #6. That's very good compared to where we were last season. Sooner or later a player will get annoyed. Considering SVG is the president of basketball operations. Things might heat up.

i disagree, in the offseason our players were all talking about how they want to be great, how they want to be more than just a playoff team and blah blah blah. SVG is showing them what it takes, and our players got to learn to suck it up, because there is no other way. You have to bring it every night

[Todd3]

In reality most expectations for this team were 6-8 seed this year, and we could be 5th by the end of the night. So it's hard to really complain for me, but I get where Stan is coming from. We had a chance to solidify 5th last night and get closer to HCA and it seems like every time we have a chance to move up we don't take advantage, which has to appear to a coach like his team is satisfied being a low seed.

Compared to last year though, being 5th-6th and top 10 on both sides of the ball is honestly an accomplishment right now and anything more is gravy to me.

[Todd3]

He should have launched an errant pass as the face of Junior Bickerstaff.

i don't condone trying to hit some other teams coach. .

[Blkbrd671]

In reality most expectations for this team were 6-8 seed this year, and we could be 5th by the end of the night. So it's hard to really complain for me, but I get where Stan is coming from. We had a chance to solidify 5th last night and get closer to HCA and it seems like every time we have a chance to move up we don't take advantage, which has to appear to a coach like his team is satisfied being a low seed.

Compared to last year though, being 5th-6th and top 10 on both sides of the ball is honestly an accomplishment right now and anything more is gravy to me.

we made the Pels look like they should have a +.500 record.

[Todd3]

In reality most expectations for this team were 6-8 seed this year, and we could be 5th by the end of the night. So it's hard to really complain for me, but I get where Stan is coming from. We had a chance to solidify 5th last night and get closer to HCA and it seems like every time we have a chance to move up we don't take advantage, which has to appear to a coach like his team is satisfied being a low seed.

Compared to last year though, being 5th-6th and top 10 on both sides of the ball is honestly an accomplishment right now and anything more is gravy to me.

we made the Pels look like they should have a +.500 record.

We made them look like the Warriors in the 1st half. It was only one bad half though on the 2nd night of a b2b. So that should be kept in perspective. The Pels have been playing better lately too and not like they don't have talent.

[ComboGuardCity]

It's not a case of being out classed or not playing hard enough. You didn't hear it after tough losses. The team just wasn't playing hard. We all saw it. Taking games off to the extreme our team does is unacceptable. It'd be one thing if Stan was harping on not hitting shots.

[DetroitPistons]

SVG needs to give his players a break. They're playing really hard for him and are sitting at #6. That's very good compared to where we were last season. Sooner or later a player will get annoyed. Considering SVG is the president of basketball operations. Things might heat up.

i disagree, in the offseason our players were all talking about how they want to be great, how they want to be more than just a playoff team and blah blah blah. SVG is showing them what it takes, and our players got to learn to suck it up, because there is no other way. You have to bring it every night

Yup, you don't become great by playing hard half of your games. SVG needs to push these young guys hard so that they develop an attitude that makes them show up every night and It's also not like they can't handle it since they have young legs.They literally just gave that first half away last night. It was a layup line for NOP with NO resistance. It sickens me that they think they can do that and it should sicken them too. SVG needs to push harder, not let up, because obviously this team doesn't get it yet. SVG was spot on with every word he said in the post game comments and people need to stop blaming SVG too. He has established a winning offensive and defensive system but there is only one flaw in the system..... You have to actually play hard for it to work! It reminds me of a scene from Seinfeld...


https://youtu.be/WjeO84QSl5A?t=1m52s

[zeebneeb]

lot of people making alot declarations about 22 yo players and a brand new team. May want to steer away from that certainly those stating Andre doesnt love basketball.

I mean pull that one from your ass much?

[DetroitSho]

While Stan is complaining, he might want to coach his freaking starting guards to stop going over the top of screens on the likes of Tyreke Evans, Holiday and Cole, seeing as how they can't shoot for sh*t. At least in the case of KCP he's good at slipping thru the top and pretty much recovering, which allows Dre to get back to his man after shading over to help out. But Jackson must lead the league in having the best screens set on him as he gets completely buried trying to chase his man around the top. I saw Jennings going under screens and Cole was missing jumpers as a result.

Jackson not only runs our offense but he runs the opposing team's offense right into an easy 2 on 1 against Dre when all he has to do is go underneath and let Evans shoot 30 jumpers all day. He literally does this every game to PGs thar can't shoot and it's infuriating. I've seen him chase Rondo around the top of screens instead of sagging underneath, which lead to Cousins knocking down open jumpers all night. And he'll probably do the same tonight to Mudiay, instead of making him shoot. Unless your big man comes up and hedges on the screen, it's pointless to chase a non shooter. That's a tailor made 2 on 1 at that point. So maybe Stan needs to learn to coach that.

[El Chivo]

Stan, bench those two idiots