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DETROIT – The Detroit Pistons have just four wins after their 96-89 loss at the hands of Atlanta. I’ve avoided commenting on the Pistons and their early-season struggles, allowing them a decent amount of games to gel and grow. But after the loss to the Hawks, in which high-priced, free-agent signing Josh Smith went scoreless off the bench, it got me wondering what’s wrong with this team?

According to Pistons head coach Maurice Cheeks, Smith did not start because he missed practice on Thursday. They had just played a back-to-back finishing in Atlanta and Cheeks said that he did not inform the team of practice until they were on the team plane, which Smith was not on.

I understand Smith played his career in Atlanta up to this point and practicing after back-to-back games are rare, but this is already pointing to a lack of communication between player and coach.

Full Article:
http://soodetroit.com/index.php/focus-should-be-on-pistons-cheeks-and-then-jennings-and-smith/

My thoughts exactly, I don't think we should give up on Smith at all, He's not being played to his strengths. Take away the green light from Jennings, we do not need him shooting so much with the front court we have. We need to establish an identity.

Give the guy a break,he stayed back in atlanta to be with his sick father,and he wasant told about the practice.miscommunication was all it was.

I think you got a bit off message between your thread title and content.

But, I do agree, the problems with this team start at the top, whether you want to point towards management (Dumars) or at ownership (Gores) for trying to force a bottom seed playoff team together with a bulging salary and minimal room to adjust.

I don't really see how you can separate players and management. The management builds the roster, and they've built a fundamentally flawed one.