'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 68

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20100324/S ... and-quotes

Q overheats: Detroit coach John Kuester blew a gasket late in the third quarter after an offensive foul against Ben Gordon. He charged official Mark Ayotte and let loose a few epithets. Ayotte quickly sent Kuester to the locker room -- his first ejection as an NBA head coach. As he left the floor, Kuester had a few more words for official Mark Lindsay. Lead assistant Brian Hill ran the team in Kuester's absence.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20100324/S ... and-quotes

More anger: When Granger went in for an uncontested lay-up, it appeared Gordon gave a foul and made a play for the ball. But Lindsay called Gordon for a flagrant foul, further angering the Pistons' bench.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20100324/S ... and-quotes

Exclamation point: Granger knocked down a triple while being fouled to make the score 90-77, and the pretty empty Palace grew emptier.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20100324/S ... and-quotes

Injury report: Ben Wallace (sore knees) missed his 10th of the past 11 games, and Will Bynum was done after halftime with a back contusion. T.J. Ford (strained left groin), Jeff Foster (back surgery) and Tyler Hansbrough (inner ear infection) were out for the Pacers.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.freep.com/article/20100324/S ... and-quotes

Up next: In a real snoozer Friday night, the Pistons travel to New Jersey.

[nasty daddy]

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime

Swept Away
Danny Granger scored 32 points to help the Pacers end their nine-game road losing streak with a 98-83 win against the Pistons. The win gave Indiana a four-game sweep of Detroit.

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... y_the.html

About Last Night: Hopefully the Detroit Pistons can find their Danny Granger this offseason
Danny Granger isn't on the same level as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant or Carmelo Anthony, but he's still better than any player on the Detroit Pistons' roster. Granger is a versatile scorer who can regularly knock down a three and is able to beat the majority of defenders off the dribble. At 6-foot-9, he was a matchup nightmare for the Pistons. He was far too quick for Tayshaun Prince to handle. Rodney Stuckey, when given the opportunity, did an okay staying with Granger on the perimeter, but didn't stand a stance when he started posting up.

The Pistons simply don't have a go-to scorer like Granger. Richard Hamilton tries to fill the role, but he's never been more than average creating his own shot. If opponents make an effort to take away Hamilton's open looks on off-the-ball screens, they can seriously limit his impact. More of that in a minute. The Pistons have put a lot of faith in Rodney Stuckey, but he doesn't have Granger's range and hasn't shown the ability to consistently dominate a game off the dribble. It's hard to imagine Stuckey will ever be the top scoring option on a playoff team.

I think the Pistons were hoping Ben Gordon could be their go-to scorer, but year one of that five-year experiment has fallen woefully short of expectations. One has to assume Gordon's shooting percentages will pick back up next season, but will he ever by "the man" for the Pistons? While we're all counting down the days to the NBA Draft, let's take a look at some additional notes from the game.

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... y_the.html

Saving Wallace: For the tenth time in 11 games, Ben Wallace sat with a knee injury. Play-by-play announced George Blaha suggested the Pistons could be trying to limit the wear-and-tear on Wallace's body in case he opts to return next season.

It's an interesting theory. I would definitely like to see Wallace return to the team next season, even if his role is reduced by an offseason acquisition.

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... y_the.html

Containing Hamilton: Last Friday the Indiana Pacers held Richard Hamilton scoreless for the first time in nearly a decade. He didn't have much more success Monday, netting only nine points on 3-12 shooting.

The Pacers' strategy to limit Hamilton was simple and effective; they took away Hamilton's bread-and-butter jump shot coming off screens by doubling him as he received the ball.

Typically when a team tries this strategy Hamilton will dump the ball over the double team to an open teammate in the lane, but Indiana rotated a third defender to take away that option. This basic scheme made it difficult for Hamilton to get many quality looks all night long.

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... y_the.html

Improved effort on defense: Last Friday the Pacers pretty much did what they wanted on offense. They shot 72 percent in the first quarter and were over 60 percent for the half.

The Pistons came out with a much stronger performance Tuesday. Detroit played physical defense, rotating well and contesting shots. The Pacers were shooting under 40 percent for most of the first half and finished the game at 43.4 percent. It wasn't enough to get the win, but it was easier to digest than being down 20 points at the half.

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... y_the.html

Brown gets big minutes: Jason Maxiell just couldn't stay on the court against the Pacers. Maxiell got into foul trouble trying to defend Indiana's 7-foot-2, 278-pound center Roy Hibbert.

With Wallace still injured, Kwame Brown was able to rack up 25 minutes. It's the most playing time he has seen since the middle of November.

Brown didn't do much for the Pistons on the offensive end, but he did finish with an impressive 15 rebounds.

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... y_the.html

Is Rush underrated?: The only time I watch the Pacers play is against the Pistons, but I've been impressed with what I've seen from Brandon Rush this past week. He's a deadly shooter from long range and an efficient scorer overall.

In the two games against the Pistons he scored 35 points on 13-19 shooting, including a remarkable 8-10 from beyond the arc. I was shocked to see Chad Ford label him a bust on Twitter earlier this week.

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... y_the.html

No Bynum, big problem: The Pistons were putting up a good fight in the first half, but when Will Bynum was forced to miss the second half after taking a hard fall in late in the second quarter, things fell apart quickly.

Bynum was the Pistons' most-efficient player through two quarters. He racked up 11 points, going 5-6 from the floor, and was having success setting up his teammates both on the perimeter and in the paint.

Rodney Stuckey and Tayshaun Prince split the point guard duties in the second half, but the offensive didn't seem as cohesive without Bynum running the show.

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... _duma.html

Detroit Pistons Links: Joe Dumars plans to use the mid-level exception next season
Dumars says he'll use mid-level [PistonPowered]
First-ever sweep of Pistons by Pacers [Need4Sheed]
Do NOT sass Flip Saunders [D.C. Sports Bog]
Will Bynum injured again [NBA.com]
Jason Maxiell still playing well [Detroit News]
Hamilton playing through bad shooting [Freep]
Did John Hammond build the playoff teams? [Simmons]
Hammond's magic in Milwaukee [Scores Report]
NBA players paid to Twitter? [Both Teams Played Hard]
The NBA and female fans [Hardwood Paroxysm]
Amar'e Stoudemire will opt out [SI.com]

[nasty daddy]

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/20 ... a_tea.html

Pistons fans looking for a team to adopt during the playoffs should look no further than the Milwaukee Bucks
Many Pistons fans, although disappointed, will be a bit relieved that the team won't make the playoffs this year -- it will free up May/June for the first time in years. But what about those of us who are just plain NBA and basketball addicts? Who are we supposed to root for without the Pistons around? There are a few good choices out there. Who wouldn't want to see Antonio McDyess finally get his title in San Antonio? Or what about a "what could've been" lineup of Chauncey Billups-Arron Afflalo-Carmelo Anthony in Denver? But if you love the plucky, overachieving style a bunch of castoffs played in the Pistons' heyday, look no further than the Milwaukee Bucks. They have all the qualities a Pistons fan could want in a two month rental team:

- Former Pistons: Carlos Deflino has found himself in Milwaukee and Jerry Stackhouse has rejuvenated a career that once looked to be about over. Delfino, who's averaging career highs in points (11.0), rebounds (5.4) and assists (2.7), has become the do-it-all slasher he showed flashes of while with the Pistons. Stackhouse, a midseason signee after going unsigned as a free agent last season, has worked himself into great shape and become a productive bench player and leader, averaging 7.9 points per game and helping fill the void left by Michael Redd's season-ending injury.
- Former Piston in charge: ESPN's Bill Simmons is already prematurely (Simmons overstate something? Shock!) crediting John Hammond for being the brains behind the Pistons' operation during his years as Joe Dumars' right hand man. I'm not ready to go that far, but Hammond has had undeniable success in Milwaukee, with the exception of his first lottery pick, Joe Alexander, who was a colossal bust. But Hammond has found bargain free agents like Stackhouse and Delfino, drafted gems like Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, made a great trade for John Salmons and got an absolute gift when franchise point guard Brandon Jennings fell to him at No. 10 in the 2009 NBA Draft. Hammond helped the Pistons assemble a perennial contender and looks to have brought those same guiding principles to the Bucks.
- Some Spartans hanging around: Not every FCP reader is a Michigan State fan, but those who are surely remember the contributions of Bucks coach Scott Skiles and guard Charlie Bell during their careers in East Lansing. Skiles, a hard-nosed coach who has won in every city he's coached in, has the team playing scrappy, smart basketball while Bell, who's been a part-time starter this year, has championship experience from MSU and is a good locker room guy for the team.

- Jennings is extremely likable: Whether he's showing up late to draft night, getting his hair cut into 'The Gumby' or wooing pop singers through comments to a magazine, Brandon Jennings is a good, fun personality for the NBA. He's cooled a bit from his hot start, but unlike fellow hotshot rookies like Tyreke Evans, Jennings is on a team that will be in the playoffs.
- Style is Pistons-inspired: There are certainly differences in the Bucks roster and some of the old Pistons rosters, but they do play similar styles. Andrew Bogut is a throwback center who rebounds, defends and stays around the basket, while the Bucks are loaded with perimeter players who are physical, play hard and get the maximum out of limited skillsets. They are the type of team that is easy to root for, just like the Pistons were, because they out-work teams on a nightly basis.
- They have a chance to win a series: The Bucks are 22-7 since Feb. 1. They have lost just once in March. They have wins over Cleveland, Boston, Utah, Atlanta and Denver in that span. Unless they have a major collapse, they will end up with the fifth seed in the East and a first round matchup with Atlanta, a good team, but not an unbeatable one. Five seeds frequently upset four seeds in the NBA playoffs. It's not far-fetched to think the Bucks could be in the second round of the playoffs, which seemed impossible early in the season. I would never advocated Pistons fans turning their backs on the home team, but without a rooting interest in the playoffs, Milwaukee might be as close to old-style Pistons basketball as we can get.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2010 ... le-lockout

Pistons' Jason Maxiell: Players are saving money to cover possible lockout
If you're an NBA fan, brace for a lockout after next season. The players are already doing just that.Billy Hunter, director of the NBA Players' Association, was at the Pistons' practice facility Wednesday, updating players on the status of negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA expires after the 2010-11 season. "The players are concerned there may be a work stoppage," Hunter said. "That's the last thing they want to see. There may be teams that are struggling in smaller markets. It may be something they can't recover from." Owners want a hard salary cap, the Players' Association does not. "We're not at all open to a hard salary cap and we've conveyed that," Hunter said.

Jason Maxiell, the Pistons' player representative, said players are beginning to take precautions with a lockout looming. "Mainly save your funds, knowing it could be like 1998 (the last NBA lockout)," Maxiell said. "It was tough for (the players) then, and it could be tough for us. As a player you have to be prepared for it."

Will Bynum practiced and scrimmaged Wednesday after taking a hard fall during Tuesday's game. He will be ready to play Friday in New Jersey.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/appearances.html

Player Appearances
With the 2009-10 season winding down, the Pistons will be making five appearances in seven days toward the end of March. It begins this Wednesday, March 24, when Ben Gordon will appear at the Meijer in Chesterfield Twp. Pistons flagship station 97.1 FM The Ticket also will have three live remote broadcasts of its “Pistons Tonight” program featuring visits from Rick Mahorn, Jonas Jerebko and DaJuan Summers. The last appearance is at the Auburn Hills Meijer with Rodney Stuckey on Tues. March 30.

All Meijer and 97.1 The Ticket appearances are open to the public and fans are invited to bring their own item to be signed; autograph cards will be able at both Meijer appearances. Fans are asked to request one autograph only. Players, dates, times and locations are subject to change. Follow the Pistons on Twitter (@DETPistons) and join the Official Detroit Pistons Facebook page for the latest updates regarding player appearances.

Upcoming Player Appearances
Wed., March 24 Ben Gordon (4:30-6 p.m.) Meijer / 27255 23 Mile Rd., Chesterfield
Thurs, March 25 Rick Mahorn (7-8 p.m.) Roosevelt’s Billiards Bar / 27843 Orchard Lake Rd., Farmington Hills
Fri., March 27 Jonas Jerebko (4-5 p.m.) The Post Bar / 3880 Lapeer Rd., Auburn Hills
Mon., March 29 DaJuan Summers (7-8 p.m.) CJ Mahoney’s Sports Grille / 2511 Livernois Rd., Troy
Tues., March 30 Rodney Stuckey (4:30-6 p.m.) Meijer/ 800 Brown Rd., Auburn Hills

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/better_ ... 00324.html

Better Days Ahead
As a guy who spends a lot of time out among our great Pistons fans and is so closely associated with the Pistons after calling games for 34 seasons, I find myself this season getting asked a couple of questions over and over again: What happened to the Pistons this season? And why will it get any better next season? What I say to the first question is that coming into the season – after watching this team come together through training camp and the preseason – I had every expectation that this was a playoff team. From the inspired play of Ben Wallace, who really looked like the old Ben Wallace to me, to the emergence of Jonas Jerebko, who has since proven he’s a bona fide NBA player who can help Ben monopolize the offensive glass, and with Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince still in their prime, there was every reason to believe – especially when you include Rodney Stuckey, Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva and Will Bynum – that this is a playoff team. And I still believe it would have been – had we not lost Tayshaun and Rip, at the same time, no less, for more than one-third of the season. Those are just the facts. Only two or three teams could have come close to playing through those kinds of losses and nobody could completely play through them. So if you’re talking about rebuilding the Pistons, I think you really need to start with the mind-set that you’re really “rebuilding” what should have been a playoff team.

But add to that the fact you’re going to get a lottery pick because of the way the injuries just tore this season apart. Of course, there are a lot of valuable, tradeable players on this team, so that leaves many options for Joe Dumars. Believe me, as bleak as this season has turned out to be, the future doesn’t have to be that way, at all. As hard as Detroit has been kicked around lately, I think sometimes our fans underestimate the respect around the country, and certainly around the NBA, that the Pistons still command. In terms of making deals and signing a mid-level free agent this summer, for instance, there is no shortage of players who would be happy to come here and suit up in Pistons blue. Our fans, by the way, deserve a pat on the back themselves for that. This is a franchise that has truly been well-supported by our fan base. Even this year – sure, you’re seeing holes in the crowd – but faced with the recession that’s hit our country, our state and especially our region, the way the fans continue to show up has been nothing but encouraging. You factor the recession in with the fact that with the loss of Rip and Tay, and the subsequent injuries that cost Ben Gordon and Will Bynum so much time, and even lately Ben Wallace and Rodney Stuckey, the Pistons just couldn’t win enough games to stay competitive. I know for a fact that players want to play before Detroit crowds. When Rasheed came back this season, he said he expected some people to boo him and he wasn’t going to be offended. He said you’ve got to understand, people in Detroit are hard-core Pistons fans.

If you come here and play, you’re going to play before some great fans and for a general manager who knows how to build a champion. What he did to turn the Pistons around after taking the job 10 years ago and make them first contenders and then champions – and, it seemed like, forever Eastern Conference finalists – was nothing short of amazing. Some seasoned player who comes here with the skills and the mind-set that it takes to win could put the Pistons right back contending for one of the home-court spots in the Eastern Conference, not just a playoff spot. Witness Cliff Robinson. He was exactly what the Pistons needed – a professional, hard-working guy who showed up every night, played great defense and had big-time NBA skill. Cliff Robinson was not a marquee name, but what a pickup he was for the Pistons. I expect somebody like Cliff to end up here over the summer. Joe knows what he needs and he’s going to figure out a way to find him. It might not be with the mid-level signing. It might be a trade and it might be a trade that includes draft picks. That lottery pick will have a lot of people making phone calls. Almost anything can happen. Don’t give up on the Pistons, because certainly Joe D is not giving up.

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/trueblu ... 00324.html

Summers Time
There’s only room for one backup small forward in John Kuester’s rotation, and the margin separating the candidates is as thin as Austin Daye’s profile. At times, on those rare instances this season when the Pistons have been fully staffed, Kuester can get through a game without calling on either Daye or DaJuan Summers, two of Joe Dumars’ three-man haul from the 2009 draft that registers as the bright point of a season undermined since the season opener by injuries. By using Rodney Stuckey or Rip Hamilton as Tayshaun Prince’s backup, the Pistons can get maximum mileage out of their veteran guard corps that also includes Ben Gordon and Will Bynum. But the rookies have alternately shown their size, versatility and shooting range can give the Pistons matchup advantages, and their growth potential gives them hope for a deep roster filled with the type of perimeter length teams are constantly seeking. Lately, it’s been Summers’ turn in the role Daye has filled most of the season. When Daye exhibited some of the “slippage” Kuester mentioned in last Friday’s loss at Indiana, Kuester turned to Summers, who responded with 12 points in 16 minutes and was a central figure in the rally from 24 points down to take the lead. He followed with eight points in 19 minutes at Cleveland before being held scoreless in nine minutes Tuesday when Indiana completed its season sweep with a 15-point win at The Palace. “I don’t think there was anything I was doing wrong to put myself in the position I was in,” said Summers, who has averaged eight minutes in the 34 games he’s played this season compared to 12 minutes and 58 games for Daye. “It was just a numbers game. We’ve got a lot of forwards on the team, and as the season progresses you’ve got to give people different looks. It just happened to be my time. “I think I’ve been doing well – just going out having fun, playing basketball, reading the defense and taking what’s there. Being solid on defense, not hurting the team but helping as much as I can.”

Mastering the nuances and complexities of team defense in today’s NBA might have held Summers back in the early going and put Daye first in line, but Kuester offered defense as the area where Summers has most progressed over the course of the season. It was the defensive readiness of the other rookie, Jonas Jerebko, that prompted Kuester to turn to him when Prince missed 32 games with back and knee injuries and has kept him a lineup fixture even after Prince’s return, Jerebko now entrenched as the starting power forward. “The area that I knew he would eventually improve is defense,” Kuester said. “There have been moments throughout the season where he’s done a real good job of being able to contain his man. Physically, he’s strong enough right now. He’s got size. Each one of these guys brings a different dimension to our team, but the one thing that’s consistent is the work ethic.” Summers earned the respect of veteran teammates for the way he handled being the odd man out among the rookies for much of the season, soliciting their advice and applying it on a daily basis. When Prince missed those 32 games, Summers made sure he planted himself next to Prince on the bench during games to pick his brain as 48 minutes unfolded. “It was just being patient, coming in here every day working and not taking it for granted,” Summers said about being ready to seize opportunity whenever it presented itself. “Being a professional every day.”

It’s also not been lost on teammates and coaches that Summers and Daye haven’t allowed the reality of their competition for minutes to come between them. The rookies frequently razz each other about anything and everything in the postgame locker room. “It’s funny, that’s one of my best friends on the team,” Summers said of Daye. “Going back to Summer League, and even before that. We did a couple of camps in college – the Vince Carter camp and the LeBron James Skills Academy. I was even there when he got hurt in college, I was there for him just helping him out. We just try to be supportive of one another. I know that when I’m in there, he’s rooting for me, and when he’s in there, I’m rooting for him.” Summers realizes the end of the season is only three weeks away, but fully grasps the reality that for young players looking to find their niche in the NBA there is no such thing as an off-season. The work ethic he’s applied since being picked 35th last June will spill over into his summer. “I’m working on everything,” he said. “More guard skills. I’ve played the two and three here. Big man skills, too. Just being an all-around player – post work, jumpers, long range, consistency. Everything, across the board. I’m trying to have the complete opposite season of this year next season – personally and as a team.”

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/trueblu ... 00324.html

Will Bynum, after taking a hard fall that he said made it difficult for him to breathe and forced him to miss Tuesday’s second half, went through Wednesday’s light workout and reported no discomfort. Ben Wallace remains day to day, likely meaning he won’t play at New Jersey on Friday.