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Okay, it was a big game against the Celtics, we came out flat after a game the previous night, and it's over. Looking at the rest of the season, what are you looking for? I'm ready for the playoffs to start in a week or so. I guess I'd like to see Amir and Stuckey get more PT, and see if Ratliff can still swat some shots like Ben used to do for us. Number one seed may not matter anyway - if the Cavs can't get past Orlando, then we'd get Orlando in the second round while Boston gets the winner of the Cavs-Raps. I'd prefer Orlando.

Are you ready for the playoffs or is there something you'd like to see us work on?

We're essentially locked into the #2 seed now. I don't wanna go in the tank, but I see no reason not to play the bench a bit more. A few more losses isn't going to matter in the big picture, but the minutes could prove invaluable down the road.

If we aren't going to play Hermann then how about going with a big lineup and giving Amir a few min at the 3? Sheed, Maxiell & Amir? Yes, please. Theo, Sheed & Amir? mmmm....shotblocking & rebounding...

Of course we all know that'll never happen because Amir is not a spot up shooter.

I really would like to see what Hermann can do with Jarvis' minutes.

After seeing every 4/5 get lit by KG I think Ratliff should be integrated and get used to getting some PT because he will be needed in a 7 game series against the C's.

I do NOT want to tank the remainder of the season, or even try less hard. Im not saying we should work the starters to the bone, but everyone needs to remember that one of the big reasons we won the championship may well have been that we entered the playoffs playing at the top of our game (excluding the last couple).

If we walk half heartedly into the playoffs like we have the last few years, just don't get to upset if the result is the same.

But yes, the #2 seed is all but a lock, pretty much regardless of how we play. Just hope its Orlando in the 3 spot.

If Pistons stay #2, I sure hope Chicago doesn't slide into #7. It would be a nightmare first round match-up

Roscoe Sheed wrote:If Pistons stay #2, I sure hope Chicago doesn't slide into #7. It would be a nightmare first round match-up

Chicago sucks.

Philly is better than Chicago.

bstein14 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Chicago sucks.

Philly is better than Chicago.

I'm gonna say it again; it's about matchups. Teams with young, energetic frontlines often give us trouble. Tyrus & Noah may be nothing special, but they can still go off on us because Sheed & Dice simply can't match their energy level. They might shoot 38% but they'll grab 20 offensive rebounds and kill us with 2nd chance points.

I'm not saying we can't beat them, but I am saying that is a tougher matchup for us than Philly. I really don't want to see either Chicago or Washington in the 1st round. I'd much rather see any of NJ, Philly or who ever else is floating around there.

We'd roll over Philly much more easily than the Bulls. I could care less what the records say.

Against us this season, the Bulls have been the same team they were last year (or we've just been terrible, either way).

And if the Wiz get healthy towards the end, whoever plays them could get stuck playing a team thats quite a bit better than their seed.

I still dont see these teams as real threats, though, and which one we play is largely out of the Pistons control.

Pistons#1 wrote:We'd roll over Philly much more easily than the Bulls. I could care less what the records say.

Against us this season, the Bulls have been the same team they were last year (or we've just been terrible, either way).

And if the Wiz get healthy towards the end, whoever plays them could get stuck playing a team thats quite a bit better than their seed.

I still dont see these teams as real threats, though, and which one we play is largely out of the Pistons control.

True enough. The one thing we *can* do is help make sure the Cavs don't pass the Magic though.

This pretty much sums it up for me:
1. Ratliff integration
2. More PT for Amir, Stuckey
3. Orlando/Cavs

Regular season sux wake me up when the playoffs start

I would like to go into the playoffs with everyone healthy. I would also like to see our rotations worked out a bit more, especially these slow starts in games, we can not afford to have them in the playoffs.

I can't see us going into the tank yet since Orlando still has an outside shot of catching us. I'd like to see more of what we've seen the previous two games, the bench getting heavy minutes as we figure out our playoff rotation.

I'd also like to see Lindsey get some minutes in the next few weeks with the bench, so they'll be use to each other come playoff time.

^I still don't see why Lindsey has to be active in the playoffs. Just because he hasn't retired yet, we have to use him? Chauncey Billups is second team All-NBA defense. Tayshaun Prince, as well. Rip can chase around speedy guards, especially with shot-blocking Theo Ratilff or Amir Johnson now in the rotation. and then there's Arron Afflalo, who could defend all SGs, most SFs, and some PGs.

GJense4181 wrote:^I still don't see why Lindsey has to be active in the playoffs. Just because he hasn't retired yet, we have to use him? Chauncey Billups is second team All-NBA defense. Tayshaun Prince, as well. Rip can chase around speedy guards, especially with shot-blocking Theo Ratilff or Amir Johnson now in the rotation. and then there's Arron Afflalo, who could defend all SGs, most SFs, and some PGs.

Hunter can cause tremendous mayhem as a ball hawk. I think he'd defend Cassell pretty well, for example. So, I think if it comes down to Afflalo or Hunter, I'd go with Hunter

GJense4181 wrote:^I still don't see why Lindsey has to be active in the playoffs. Just because he hasn't retired yet, we have to use him? Chauncey Billups is second team All-NBA defense. Tayshaun Prince, as well. Rip can chase around speedy guards, especially with shot-blocking Theo Ratilff or Amir Johnson now in the rotation. and then there's Arron Afflalo, who could defend all SGs, most SFs, and some PGs.

For 4-6 minute stretches there a few player able to causing the type of on the ball havoc that Hunter is capable of, even at his age. For me, he has to be on the playoff roster. In a playoff atmosphere, Hunter has serious potential to rattle the confidence of an inexperienced player like Rondo.

Of course I'm not up to date with Hunter's conditioning. Nonetheless, the guys a pro and his presence on defense come playoff time can't be stressed enough. On the flip side, he is obviously a offensive liability. But for 4-6 minute stretches he be kept out on the floor with either Chauncey or Tay handling the ball.

I swear sometimes I'm the only one that remembers how important Lindsey was to our championship year. In the finals we would straight up harass Payton into turnovers by playing full court defense. Just relentless. Even forcing them into some 8 second violations. Of course that was before the hand checking rules were implemented

Phobo_Phile wrote:I swear sometimes I'm the only one that remembers how important Lindsey was to our championship year. In the finals we would straight up harass Payton into turnovers by playing full court defense. Just relentless. Even forcing them into some 8 second violations. Of course that was before the hand checking rules were implemented

That's the key point right there. BEFORE the hand checking rules were enforced.

You simply can't body up and harass opposing players out on the perimeter the same way that Lindsey & Mike James were able to in '04. And Lindsey isn't the same player he was in '04. It's not realistic to expect that same sort of impact.

^Exactly.
Before this year, where he has been largely inactive, he was getting called for the same stifling defense he played in our championship run. If he's lost a step on top of that? He truly WON'T be able to keep up with Rondo, then.

I'm sure that Cassell isn't too fast for any of our guards to keep up with, including Afflalo. Cassell is 6'3" and Afflalo 6'5", so that's not entirely unreasonable of a matchup. Play Dixon and Afflalo together? Maybe? Dixon on, say, Tony Allen, and Afflalo on Cassell?

If you can't tell, I want Afflalo to get some burn and Hunter simply TO burn.