Ish Smith has been the Pistons MVP through 55 games (I know I'm shocked too)

[duncansmithnba]

I'll embed the twitter thread for this topic starting with the observation that last night's game was a microcosm of the season for Reggie and Ish to a cartoonish level. Ish posted a +39 net rating and Reggie posted a -75 net rating against the Raptors.

Read on Twitter

Cliffs: Ish Smith has the second best TS% on the team over the last 13 games and the 9th best offensive rating in the NBA (behind five Warriors and, Pau Gasol, Nikola Jokic and Danilo Gallinari). Between keeping the team afloat the first 21 games of the season and getting them clicking over the last 13 games, nobody has been more valuable to the Pistons than Ish Freaking Smith. (I know, I can't believe it either)

[DCintheD]

START ISH.

[In SVG We Trust]

If we finally trade Reggie and find a backup, it could be AMAZING to have a great starter like Ish for 6 millions per year.

[bstein14]

I wouldn't go that far...
1. KCP
2. Harris
3. Ish/Morris/Dre

Before Reggie came back, Ish had a great stretch of high assist low TO games... he was really efficiently running the show for us. He and Jon both were solid FA pickups which is part of the reason why our record this season is so head scratching.

[Joe Berry]

You can't bench Reggie right now if you are trying to trade him, it would diminish his trade value even further.

[hoophabit]

You can't bench Reggie right now if you are trying to trade him, it would diminish his trade value even further.

I wouldn't try and trade him right now. You'd only get pennies on the dollar, and if he gets his knee cleaned up in the off season it would really hurt to see him playing like last year on another team. I'm in the shut him down and deal with the knee right now camp.

[tmorgan]

Reggie has too much pride, but can't the team just announce he's still injured and take the choice out of his hands? He's not playing winning basketball more than 25% of the time. Even with no moves made at all (to wait and see about Reggie's health for next year), I think Beno brings more than Reggie right now. He's no worse defensively, moves the ball more, and shoots just as well.

[MrBigShot]

You can't bench Reggie right now if you are trying to trade him, it would diminish his trade value even further.

I wouldn't try and trade him right now. You'd only get pennies on the dollar, and if he gets his knee cleaned up in the off season it would really hurt to see him playing like last year on another team. I'm in the shut him down and deal with the knee right now camp.

Count me in on that. Regardless of whether we look to trade him or not, it seems pretty clear he's just not moving the same way he was last year.

[Natopher]

Reggie has too much pride, but can't the team just announce he's still injured and take the choice out of his hands? He's not playing winning basketball more than 25% of the time. Even with no moves made at all (to wait and see about Reggie's health for next year), I think Beno brings more than Reggie right now. He's no worse defensively, moves the ball more, and shoots just as well.

SVG could definitely do this, but my guess is that then we'd end up in a media s*** storm if we did. The media would want to interview Reggie, who would probably say things to the effect of: "I don't know what they're talking about. I'm perfectly healthy and more than capable of playing right now. I think I should be in the lineup." or things like that. And then the NBAPA would probably get involved and say that we were abusing the situation and treating Reggie unfairly.

[hoophabit]

Reggie has too much pride, but can't the team just announce he's still injured and take the choice out of his hands? He's not playing winning basketball more than 25% of the time. Even with no moves made at all (to wait and see about Reggie's health for next year), I think Beno brings more than Reggie right now. He's no worse defensively, moves the ball more, and shoots just as well.

SVG could definitely do this, but my guess is that then we'd end up in a media s*** storm if we did. The media would want to interview Reggie, who would probably say things to the effect of: "I don't know what they're talking about. I'm perfectly healthy and more than capable of playing right now. I think I should be in the lineup." or things like that. And then the NBAPA would probably get involved and say that we were abusing the situation and treating Reggie unfairly.

It doesn't have to be that way. If it were trying to force a procedure, sure. SVG is going to have to make this choice. It's purely performance based and soon it's the stretch? Reggie is struggling, and since when can't a coach go DNP-CD?

[ImHeisenberg]

This isn't shocking at all. He pushes the ball up the floor so fast, it generates more possessions because he isn't dribbling the air out of the ball for 15 seconds like Reggie does. It also creates good looks for his teammates.

He also puts effort in on defense. It isn't great, but effort is better than no effort.

[hoophabit]

Ish's effort is good. He does a lot with a little.

[Natopher]

Reggie has too much pride, but can't the team just announce he's still injured and take the choice out of his hands? He's not playing winning basketball more than 25% of the time. Even with no moves made at all (to wait and see about Reggie's health for next year), I think Beno brings more than Reggie right now. He's no worse defensively, moves the ball more, and shoots just as well.

SVG could definitely do this, but my guess is that then we'd end up in a media s*** storm if we did. The media would want to interview Reggie, who would probably say things to the effect of: "I don't know what they're talking about. I'm perfectly healthy and more than capable of playing right now. I think I should be in the lineup." or things like that. And then the NBAPA would probably get involved and say that we were abusing the situation and treating Reggie unfairly.

It doesn't have to be that way. If it were trying to force a procedure, sure. SVG is going to have to make this choice. It's purely performance based and soon it's the stretch? Reggie is struggling, and since when can't a coach go DNP-CD?

I never said he can't DNP-CD him. All I'm saying (as other people are saying) is that if you just bench him, his trade value is going to plummet to basically nothing. So if you're trying to trade him, or think you might want to trade him in the future, you can't bench him. Which is why the best thing for both parties would be for Reggie to admit he's still hampered by his injury and needs to take some more time to heal before he'll be 100%.

[bstein14]

I think Reggie continues to start until the trade deadline... Luckily the East has been bad enough we haven't fallen out of playoff contention. Once the trade deadline passes we can push Reggie to the bench if we need to but its a lot more about who finishes the game not just about who starts it... I expect to see more and more of Ish finishing out games.

[hoophabit]

SVG could definitely do this, but my guess is that then we'd end up in a media s*** storm if we did. The media would want to interview Reggie, who would probably say things to the effect of: "I don't know what they're talking about. I'm perfectly healthy and more than capable of playing right now. I think I should be in the lineup." or things like that. And then the NBAPA would probably get involved and say that we were abusing the situation and treating Reggie unfairly.

It doesn't have to be that way. If it were trying to force a procedure, sure. SVG is going to have to make this choice. It's purely performance based and soon it's the stretch? Reggie is struggling, and since when can't a coach go DNP-CD?

I never said he can't DNP-CD him. All I'm saying (as other people are saying) is that if you just bench him, his trade value is going to plummet to basically nothing. So if you're trying to trade him, or think you might want to trade him in the future, you can't bench him. Which is why the best thing for both parties would be for Reggie to admit he's still hampered by his injury and needs to take some more time to heal before he'll be 100%.

Yeah, I agree it would be better for Reggie to acknowledge that he just isn't playing effectively most of the time. If he can't get his leg right his whole career is in jeopardy. He was excellent many times last season. Hope he can get well.

[DBC10]

This isn't shocking at all. He pushes the ball up the floor so fast, it generates more possessions because he isn't dribbling the air out of the ball for 15 seconds like Reggie does. It also creates good looks for his teammates.

He also puts effort in on defense. It isn't great, but effort is better than no effort.

You know I've been looking to put into words how Ish runs the offense and you nailed it on the head.

Ish makes the most of our possessions and does generate way more possessions than RJ does. More possessions via pushing tempo = potential more shots for our team. Even if they don't go in efficient than the other team, we could still beat them on pure volume like it did last night along with playing competent defense, which again we did.

[Cowology]

Ish has not been the teams MVP. He just looks like it in comparison to Reggie.

[ComboGuardCity]

Reggie has been bad but transition offense is a regular season strategy. Starting Ish is a bandaid. We need to find some sort of a half court offense or we're going to get railed by every team that grinds it out come playoff time.

[Cowology]

Reggie has been bad but transition offense is a regular season strategy. Starting Ish is a bandaid. We need to find some sort of a half court offense or we're going to get railed by every team that grinds it out come playoff time.

i think we've had this argument before, but i disagree 100% that transition is a regular season strategy.

You are on the right track as far as half-court defense improving in the post-season and that certainly makes the ability to properly execute a half-court set incredibly valuable. But its that exact juxtaposition that makes capturing easy buckets in transition even more important.

There is this long standing myth that tempo teams cant win. Clearly not true as proven by teams ranging from the Showtime Lakers to our modern era Warriors. What has derailed most high octane offensive teams such as the Dantoni Suns hasnt been their offensive strategy; its been their defense or lack there if. There is a preconceived notion that if you run, you don't defend. Its hogwash.

Half-court teams also slow the game down, limiting possessions for up and down teams, which keeps the game close. But there is a big difference between 7 seconds or less and simply wanting to push the ball off misses. Being able to get a good look before those improved halfcourt defenses can set, or finding a quick mismatch can be huge.

That doesn't mean we don't need to also be able to back it out, reset and execute. Its not one or the other, no matter how many times you say it.

[hoophabit]

Ish has not been the teams MVP. He just looks like it in comparison to Reggie.

Yes, your're right. It's still that big, goofy, pouty, rebounding machine who's no longer so universally loved around these parts.