Assuming Chauncey is the starting PG

bardobeing · Post #1 » by **bardobeing** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 11:54 am

I keep seeing speculation of Billups and BK7 as the starting back court. If the hope is that BK7 can learn the nuances of the PG position from Billups, wouldn't it be easier for him to learn by watching from the bench as the back-up PG and then subbing for him vs. trying to learn PG while playing the SG position?

Dre Drummond · Post #2 » by **Dre Drummond** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 1:14 pm

Seems like Billups and Knight is looking more and more like our starting backcourt if no changes are made...

Which makes the most sense because they can both shoot the ball well from outside. Knight has shot 3's at 37+% for his career and Billups has shot them at a similar % the past two years... Depending on matchup Billups may actually guard the bigger guards.

For our backups the shooting can come at the 3/4 spots as neither Bynum or Stuck are overly efficient from deep.

C:Monroe/Dre
PF:CV or Jonas
SF:Singler or Luigi
SG:Stuck or KCP
PG:Bynum

That would be our bench with Monroe or Drummond playing almost all our minutes at C IMO so they'll have to be subbed accordingly.

Pharaoh · Post #3 » by **Pharaoh** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 2:04 pm

I think Billups will start at PG... but how many minutes will he play?

You want Chauncey on the floor to set the tone early... and to end the half (and game)

Backcourt rotation:

Knight and Billups start... after 4 minutes K.C.P enters the game for Chauncey.... Knight sits down with 4 minutes to go in the quarter for Stuckey

Knight would then come back for K.C.P with 8 minutes to go in the 2nd... Chauncey comes back in for Stuckey with 4 minutes to go

Minutes for the half =

Billups 8 (16 per game)
Knight 16 (32 per game)
K.C.P 12 (24 per game)
Stuckey 12 (24 per game)

Bynum can plug in wherever you like...if he's even needed.

I guess it depends on how long you want to play K.C.P continuously and how long you want to sit Billups for. Is sitting him for 12 minutes going to make him "cold"? Those 12 minutes could actually mean he's sitting on the pine for 30 minutes or more

I'm in favour of playing K.C.P 12 minutes straight... and I'd tell him when he's due to enter the game and come out of it so he's not looking over his shoulder after every error.

Players should know the rotation... when they're going to get called upon and when they're likely to get a breather. It stops them worrying about mistakes and allows them to focus more on the task at hand: playing the actual game.

I've seen countless young players look to the bench after a turnover or a missed assignment... they should just play. If you show them faith - guarantee it - they're more likely to just get on with the job

Dre Drummond · Post #4 » by **Dre Drummond** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 2:07 pm

I see where you're going there but I feel like subbing at the 4 minute mark is a bit quick... you can barely get into sync at all. Perhaps the 6 minute mark would be a little more realistic.

Play Billups half the game... in 4 6 minute spurts to start and end each half. That could be a great roll for him. No need to play him into retirement 30+ MPG.

Pharaoh · Post #5 » by **Pharaoh** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 2:19 pm

Dre Drummond wrote:I see where you're going there but I feel like subbing at the 4 minute mark is a bit quick... you can barely get into sync at all. Perhaps the 6 minute mark would be a little more realistic.

Play Billups half the game... in 4 6 minute spurts to start and end each half. That could be a great roll for him. No need to play him into retirement 30+ MPG.

4 minutes, 5 minutes, 6 minutes... it would depend on the game and how we were getting into sets and things that can only be determined on the day...

but you're right...the plan was to not over-play Billups throughout the season and instead try to keep him fresh for the playoffs.

I think 20 minutes per for Billups would be a reasonable amount but went with the 16 to be "safe"

Post #6 » by **Cowology** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 2:53 pm

I think BK starts at PG and Billups at SG in limited minutes. Does not make sense to take the ball out of Knights hands, but makes sense to have another guy on the court who can give some leadership and direction.

Piston Pete · Post #7 » by **Piston Pete** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 3:00 pm

I think its too early to predict anything right now about our backcourt.

Starters could be any one of:

BK7 / KCP
BK7 / Billups
Billups / BK7
BK7 / Stuckey
BK7 / Datome
Billups / KCP
Billups / Stuckey
Billups / Datome

Fan from Dade · Post #8 » by **Fan from Dade** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 3:00 pm

The nostalgia is cool and all but some realism is needed. Billups will not win the starting job. He is 37 years old and if he can't play more then 20 minutes per game then there is no reason for him to start. What else would he say, yes he wants to start at PG but he shouldn't. With that being said, this isn't 2004 and he shouldn't be starting just because of his name. He needs to come off the bench at this stage of his career. That's what would be best for this team. This idea of starting him for a few minutes just to say he is the starter and supposedly get the team going is silly IMO.

I do think the Pistons have set things up for both he and Knight to start but thats not a good move. His saying he isn't a SG and he needs to play PG is nonsense. Knight says he is a PG but everyone wants to stick him in the off role; Billups will not be an upgrade from Knight and he won't win the job over him. But Im afraid, this nostaligia stuff is gonna allow him to start and this leadership quality mess. So Knight will be subject to playing in a two PG role of starting as the SG to allow this crap. Chauncey needs to come off the bench and be a backup and lead from that role.

princeofpalace · Post #9 » by **princeofpalace** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 3:03 pm

Joe D has already said that Billups would be playing point guard not shooting guard and that Knight would continue playing the one and the two

Alexander · Post #10 » by **Alexander** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 4:16 pm

I do not assume this.

Without a trade, the most beneficial lineup would be to start Knight/Datome/Smith/Monroe/Drummond with a second unit of Billups/KCP/Singler/Smith/Monroe.

Knight gets to play alongside a fundamentally sound Euro vet who he can feed when his own shot isn't falling. If Knight needs some help moving the ball, both Monroe and Smith are above average passers for their positions.
Billups gets to be a steady presence for KCP and bring the best out of him just as he had for years with Rip Hamilton.

Yay/nay?

Post #11 » by **dVs33** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 4:20 pm

I could see Billips and Knight starting together at least at the beginning of the season.
That makes the most sense.

I'm pretty big on KCP, so i'm hoping he works himself into the starting line up with Knight at PG.

Mr. Krabs · Post #12 » by **Mr. Krabs** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 4:38 pm

I think Billups starts at PG and Knight starts at SG. Knight will have to put up a lot of spot up jumpers either way if we plan to put him on the floor with Josh/Greg/Andre. Starting at the 2 won't effect Knight's development as a point as some here are afraid of. He will still get minutes at the 1 as Billups won't play heavy minutes.

Start of the season.

Billups (20)/Knight (16)/Bynum (12)
Knight (16)/KCP (16)/Singler (12)
Smith (20)/Singler (10)/Middleton (10)/Datome (8)
Monroe (18)/Smith (16)/CV or Mitchell or Jerebko (14)
Drummond (30)/Monroe (18)

Primary backups at the wing positions will be decided after some time,

Q00 · Post #13 » by **Q00** » Thu Jul 18, 2013 5:52 pm

Cowology wrote:I think BK starts at PG and Billups at SG in limited minutes. Does not make sense to take the ball out of Knights hands, but makes sense to have another guy on the court who can give some leadership and direction.

It makes sense if they are trying to win and make the playoffs. Knight is a turnover waiting to happen with the ball, and has not proven he can run an offense. It's better to have him practice his PG skills against bench players, where his growing pains won't be as costly to the team. Playoff teams don't start inexperienced point guards. It just doesn't work. I think he's best off the bench backing up Chauncey. I don't like the idea of him starting at either position, to be honest. Chauncey is a better PG and KCP is probably a better SG even as a rookie. I would start Chauncey and KCP and let Knight be the exclusive backup PG where he can hone his skills against lesser competition, until he proves he deserves the starting job.

jaredtyshaf · Post #14 » by **jaredtyshaf** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 7:28 pm

Billups is going to play 28-33mpg. He was only limited last season because he was coming off an injury. If u look at his mpg averages he played 30+ mpg they 3 seasons prior to last and his style of play won't be effected as significantly by that injury.

Defor · Post #15 » by **Defor** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 8:59 pm

It seems like every coach we've had says the same thing ,playing time will be earned. This is first time in awhile that we have enough depth at point and shooting guard for that to play out. It would be nice if Joe had a meeting at the beginning of traing camp and made it clear that what Cheeks says goes. I don't want to see anybody out there starting because of their past or because they have to play to prove they weren;t a bad pick. Let Cheeks do his job and let them fight it out in traing camp .Whether Billups starts or comes off the bench it shouldn't matter his main job is to mentor one of the younger guys. He's not going to be around in 3 yrs. and I don't want to start over with another rookie pg 2 yrs. from now.

Clarity · Post #16 » by **Clarity** » Fri Jul 19, 2013 9:58 pm

Think the presser the other day pretty much guaranteed its Chauncey & Brandon as our starting back court.

Cant wait to see them together, lord knows we need shooters around our front line.

DetroitDon15 · Post #17 » by **DetroitDon15** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 2:54 pm

Piston Pete wrote:I think its too early to predict anything right now about our backcourt.

Starters could be any one of:

BK7 / KCP
BK7 / Billups
Billups / BK7
BK7 / Stuckey
BK7 / Datome
Billups / KCP
Billups / Stuckey
Billups / Datome

That's the back-court I see playing. No way Stuckey is in the starting line-up unless Knight comes off the bench. Listening to Billups talk. I think he is in the sl from day one.

HotelVitale · Post #18 » by **HotelVitale** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 4:41 pm

Seems like it's very much an open question whether or not Chauncey can even play point guard any more. He was playing off CP3 andthe last few years and mostly scored on spot ups, FTA, etc. His scoring rate was accordingly no problem the last few years, but his assist rate was quite low, especially for a part-time PG. CP is obviously a ball dominant guard, but the last time Chauncey was a real PG was 3-4 seasons ago, when he was 33 instead of 37. Seems shaky to assume that, just because he was pretty respectable as a combo guard the last three years, he'll be able to plug right in as a decent point this year.

Harder to play pg as an older player because of declining quickness and agility, much easier to be a shooter. That may just mean that Knight plays pg in the half court more, but it might spell trouble if both Knight and Chauncey aren't able to run an offense or use possessions efficiently.

sc8581 · Post #19 » by **sc8581** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 5:15 pm

I have no worries about Billups being able to run the offense, I would like to see KCP start with him in the backcourt but I think whoever the SG is will have to be able to defend the PG. That being said, I would be shocked if the starters aren't Billups/Knight.

DetroitDon15 · Post #20 » by **DetroitDon15** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 5:27 pm

HotelVitale wrote:Seems like it's very much an open question whether or not Chauncey can even play point guard any more. He was playing off CP3 andthe last few years and mostly scored on spot ups, FTA, etc. His scoring rate was accordingly no problem the last few years, but his assist rate was quite low, especially for a part-time PG. CP is obviously a ball dominant guard, but the last time Chauncey was a real PG was 3-4 seasons ago, when he was 33 instead of 37. Seems shaky to assume that, just because he was pretty respectable as a combo guard the last three years, he'll be able to plug right in as a decent point this year.

Harder to play pg as an older player because of declining quickness and agility, much easier to be a shooter. That may just mean that Knight plays pg in the half court more, but it might spell trouble if both Knight and Chauncey aren't able to run an offense or use possessions efficiently.

Billups was playing off the ball because Chris Paul is Chris Paul. Billups was the next best guard on the roster so he started. It wasn't cause Chauncey couldn't play the PG spot anymore. I think Billups can still play the PG spot.