RealGM

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AmY1adrrmnRUrVaj.h1DbUB80bYF?slug=sportsxchange-teamreports-2008-nba-det&prov=sportsxchange&type=team_report

As a sixth man, McDyess would have felt guilty about a shooting slump. The Pistons counted on McDyess for instant offense during the past three seasons. But his role has changed since he became the starting center this season.

Dammit, I knew I should have believed nasty!

I mean its all relative.

Sheed usually defends the best opposing post player, which is usually a PF... Which means Dice is usually playing against the opposing center.

Is there really a difference? They seem to be interchanged so much.

I've seen a number of analysts around the league refer to him as a C and Dice himself has noted he spends a lot of time at C. We tend to refer to Sheed as our C, but as bstein said they are fairly interchangable and that's been true for years. Sheed was much the C when Ben was here and Ben was as much the C when Cliffy was starting there.

I was just kind of joking around but if you want to take this topic serious, that's cool, too.

I just changed the starting 5 as well, with Sheed starting at center and Dice at power forward after all the requests.

Sheed is the starting center. Yahoo and ESPN are the only sites which refuse to believe that Rasheed Wallace might be playing Center.

All you have to do with watch the starting lineups at the beginning of each game.

I wish the Pistons/NBA.com would remove all doubt and list BOTH as F-C's.
Maxiell, a PF, checks in next to F-C Rasheed OR F-C McDyess, who assume the Center position when he, Amir, Hayes, or Hermann play at the 4. The rest of the time, McDyess is the PF subordinate to C Rasheed.

Really they're both more PF's if you ask me.

We start a PG, SG, SF, and two PF's...

There are quite a few teams that do this, because 6'9"-6'11" PF type players are easier to come by then "true centers".

No one can honestly tell me that Sheed or Dice are true centers.

They both have perimeter skills and speed/quickness more commonly found in PF's for players of their size.

We don't have a true center in our rotation.

^Sounds about right.

The reason theres so much ambiguity here is the fact that Dice and Sheed really are the same position.

The distinctions in the positions in general simply arent what they used to be. Its a league wide condition.

Same could be said with PG, Combo, & SG. also with the SG & SF position 90% of SGs can play extended minutes at SF. It's all interchangeable. It's about finding the best 5 players that work weel together these days not about a 6', 6'5, 6'8, 6'10, 7' players.