Are the Piston players too close??

[Low-Ki]

Nazr Mohammed waxed poetic about how close our team was and that he has never seen anything like it in professional basketball where he legitimately liked all of his teammates 1-14. I think that might be a problem.

Stuckey, Afflalo, Hayes and Johnson were supposed to push the starters for minutes, but it seems instead of taking on that challenge that they've accepted their role as back-up bench players to the starting five. Stuckey was supposed to be some great change of pace guard, instead he's doing his best Chauncey Billups impersonation. Everybody seems too comfortable with each other, too accepting of their roles on this team. Rasheed and Chauncey are too big personalities but not really leaders, though this charisma makes others look to them as leaders. I think the rest of our team is made up of followers - nobody wants to rock the boat, probably because they're scared Sheed might quit just as soon as he might answer their challenge.

I'd LOVE to hear about Afflalo and Rip getting into a fight in practice, Stuckey and Bllups really going at each other or Maxey and Rasheed needing to be seperated by coaches. Instead you hear about all of the young guys look up to Rasheed, and hear about the rookie hazing establishing/enforcing the teams heirarchy rather than accepting in new players. You read that Brezec/Herrman were going to be tested by their teammates to see if they "deserved" to be Pistons. Well it looks like they rolled over and accept their roles at the end of the bench, so I guess they deserve to be invited to the family bar-b-q's at Sheeds house.

You used to hear about the legendary Piston practices during the Bad Boy era, where it was said the practices were often harder and more physical than the games. Now it seems that if one of our bench players wanted more minutes, he'd ask for a trade rather than offending one of the starters and alienating himself from the rest of the team.

[BDM22]

Nazr Mohammed waxed poetic about how close our team was and that he has never seen anything like it in professional basketball where he legitimately liked all of his teammates 1-14. I think that might be a problem.

Stuckey, Afflalo, Hayes and Johnson were supposed to push the starters for minutes, but it seems instead of taking on that challenge that they've accepted their role as back-up bench players to the starting five. Stuckey was supposed to be some great change of pace guard, instead he's doing his best Chauncey Billups impersonation. Everybody seems too comfortable with each other, too accepting of their roles on this team. Rasheed and Chauncey are too big personalities and I think the rest of our team is made up of followers.

Look no further than one Phillip "Flip" Saunders. He has established the fact that the starters can do no wrong. There is nothing they could do that would put them in danger of losing their starting spot and 35mpg. And it's by Flip's design that the bench guys play like the starters. He tries to run the same plays regardless of the strengths and weaknesses of the players on the court.

[Patterns]

1 game...

[HeroicKennedy]

The fact that the Piston starters are so close is what helps them be so good. They understand each other's weaknesses and strengths, and they can silently call-out each other without their being a huge fallout.

If you had the same five with their first season together, and they had just met each other, I don't think they would be as good.

[slvrsol]

1 game...

3 seasons...

[Champs04bigshot]

I believe that the closeness and chemistry is what has made them a great team for years. Chemistry is a huge part of the games and the pistons have the best.

I do agree with Flip Saunders hurting the bench and the rookie. Two weeks ago in the middle of our 11 game win streak Stuckey and Hayes were getting consistant minutes and everybody was praising the bench play and Stuckey and Hayes were producing.

I still believe Saunders is going to kill us down the stretch. Since that winning streak and all the praise Stuckeys minutes have dropped by four or five a game. Stuckey and Hayes need to be big contributors for us to be successful. Flip needs to give them more minutes a consistant 18-25 mins a game to prepare Stuckey for the playoffs. We need him and i hope he realizes this and we dont look back on the non development of the bench like we have the last two years. Stuckey needs to be involved with minutes and he needs to have more of a role while he is in there besides standing in the corner.

[Master Shake]

Chemistry and effort are everything in basketball. Those are the 2 things every winning team must have.

When I play ball with my friends up at school or my brother and his friends back home, we all can look like great players becacuse we all know each other and play to our strengths and cover weaknesses.

It's the same way in the pros, players have to get to know each other, but it should be a little easier with professional players seeing as they are all elite players.

[nasty daddy]

I do not see this a problem at all with this team.

[laxation26]

I do not see this a problem at all with ANY team.

Fixed.

You're complaining the chemistry is too good?

[Muzzleshot]

Stuckey, Afflalo, Hayes and Johnson were supposed to push the starters for minutes, but it seems instead of taking on that challenge that they've accepted their role as back-up bench players to the starting five.

Hayes' contract is up at the end of the year. Why wouldn't he do everything he can to get more playing time so he could get a better contract?

Who says they haven't taken it as a challenge? These players aren't limited by a mentality that they've accepted, they're limited by their lack of talent.

[Rasheeed!!!]

I wish Flip Saunders didn't love the starters so much. I remember last season Greg Poppovich called a TO after 20 sec in the 1st Q to sub out Ginobili for missing a defensive assignment. I'd like to see Flip yank the starters earlier because the last few games they have been costing us games with lazy play!

[prophet_of_rage]

I wish Flip Saunders didn't love the starters so much. I remember last season Greg Poppovich called a TO after 20 sec in the 1st Q to sub out Ginobili for missing a defensive assignment. I'd like to see Flip yank the starters earlier because the last few games they have been costing us games with lazy play!

Which last few games? The overtime win against Charlotte or the drubbing of the defending world champion San Antonio?

This team has still won 12 of its last 15 and the only bad loss was to New York after playing four NBA games in five nights.

They competed against Boston were just outmatched against Dallas and exhausted by the time New York came around. You can see it because Dice's opposite number ... (Nowitzki, Z-Bo, Okafor, Davis) are starting to get off. Not that they all aren't very good power forwards. They are, but facing a steady diet of them in a short time is exhausting. The Pistons need some rest.

Although I've been watching our rookies and they aren't yet ready to push the starters. You're seeing Stuckey work on his jumper more because his drives to the rim tend to end up in blocks rather than trips to the foul line. He isn't as explosive as Wade right now and doesn't have his credibility.

[Liqourish]

-= original quote snipped =-
Look no further than one Phillip "Flip" Saunders. He has established the fact that the starters can do no wrong. There is nothing they could do that would put them in danger of losing their starting spot and 35mpg. And it's by Flip's design that the bench guys play like the starters. He tries to run the same plays regardless of the strengths and weaknesses of the players on the court.

QFT X 2546384759403

[Low-Ki]

To be clear I was talking about off-court chemistry.

TO and McNabb hated each others guts, but Donovan could still hit Owens in stride for a touchdown.

I do agree that Saunders has no real control over this team - Popovich has complete control over his players in San Antonio, Avery has complete control over his players in Dallas, Sloan in Utah...

Rasheed and Billups believe they are bigger than the coach in Detroit - and they're probably right. Saunders has to cater to the tight-knit starting five or his job is in jeopardy.

Dumars thought that this unit could police themselves like he, Isiah, Laimbeer, Mahorn, Edwards, Vinnie and co did back in the day. The current group seems more ready to make excuses for each other than kick each other in the ass.

It's also Detroit arrogance of "We beat ourselves" " If we play our game nobody can beat us" mentality. I say bull. I am so sick and tired of hearing that cop-out excuse. Saunders seems to believe it as well. If our starters could play 48 minutes without getting tired we'd win every game since we have thebest starting five in the league (I am so damn tired of hearing that as well). So instead of having change of pace back-ups, lets just try and have them mimic the starter in front of them, so it would be just like having our starters play 48 minutes.

[Uncle Mxy]

Dumars thought that this unit could police themselves like he, Isiah, Laimbeer, Mahorn, Edwards, Vinnie and co did back in the day.

Isiah ran the team. Chauncey ran for Mayor.

[Liqourish]

To be clear I was talking about off-court chemistry.

I realized what you were getting at, but you are not allowed to even question the starters in a couple posters view. The starters (+Flip) are above being held accountable.