Monday, November 30, 2009

Break on through

All it took was a doomsday No Frown Motown post for the Pistons and Wings to end their losing streaks, and both did it in dramatic fashion. I spent the prior four days in Chicago (without access to beloved Fox Sports Detroit), so I missed much of the action. I did see that the Wings, down a goal, pulled Jimmy Howard with 90 seconds remaining. With the extra skater, the Wings kept possession in the Blues' zone. Zetterberg, from behind the net, flicked it in front. The puck ricocheted off a Blues player into the goal. Check out these highlights:



I did have the pleasure of watching the Pistons glorious win over the 12-4 Atlanta Hawks yesterday. It was a vintage '09 Pistons win. There haven't been many. Thanks to a string of high draft picks and solid free agent signings, the Hawks have slowly built an excellent roster with talent at every position. Gone are the days of Zaza Pachulia as their main offensive weapon. With Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby, and Josh Smith, these Hawks are primed to challenge for a title. The Pistons countered with a mish-mash lineup of Chucky Atkins, Stuckey, Jerebko, Maxiell, and Big Ben. On paper, a huge mismatch.

It was a bizarre but excellent decision on Coach Q's part to shake things up. Without Rip and Gordon, Stuckey must be the primary scorer. With Atkins on the court, Stuckey could shift to the 2-guard. The more surprising move was Maxiell over Charlie V. My guess is that Coach Q wanted Charlie V's offense off the bench to compliment Will Bynum in the second unit.

As the game began, it didn't seem to matter who was on the court. Despite missing so many key players, the Pistons wanted the win. They wanted it bad. They absolutely crushed the Atlanta Hawks on the boards. Coming into the game, the Hawks were a top 5 rebounding team in the East. Yet, they only pulled down 27 boards to the Pistons 53. The rebounding edge resulted in 17 more shots for the Pistons, and they needed it, considering Atlanta shot well (50% - almost exclusively from outside).

Stuckey was a force throughout. Playing perhaps his best all-around game of the season, the young guard scored 23, with 8 assists, and only 2 turnovers. More impressively, he limited All-star Joe Johnson to 5-19 shooting. Jerebko and Big Ben cleaned up the boards, tallying 11 and 18, respectively. Atlanta still stayed within 10pts the entire game and, at times, threatened to take the lead. With eleven minutes to go, Atlanta tied it. Bynum then hit a shot and Charlie V hit another. Up four, the Pistons had a chance to extend the lead when Charlie was fouled hard on a layup. At the end of the play, Charlie collided with Big Ben. The collision caused a massive bloody nose for poor Charlie V, and he calmly nailed the two free throws with gauze stuck up his nostrils. Unfortunately, he had to leave the game and did not return... but it didn't matter. The Pistons make-shift lineup did not falter. Their effort, grit, and determination was enough to win on this day.

After suffering through the dreadful, uninspired '08-'09 season, it was truly refreshing to see the Pistons win with heart.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Lions

So, I received a request to post about the Lions. I did watch the Thanksgiving game and, of course, saw Stafford's "Hall-of-Fame" worthy play against the Browns.

Let's not kid ourselves, the Lions are truly one of the worst teams in the league. Of course, after last season's historic debacle, that's actually an improvement. I dig Schwartz, and I dig Stafford, even though he seems like kind of a jerk. Fans dig that in their QBs. The franchise seems headed in the right direction, but they're like an expansion team. Perhaps they're even worse off because they didn't have an "expansion draft". The Lions were stuck with all the Marinelli cast-offs, and they're paying for it. Injuries, of course haven't helped, and I just read today that Pettigrew is lost for the year. No Ernie Sims, no Pettigrew, no Dwayne White? The Lions aren't deep and don't have the luxury to lose even their mediocre players. They've had games this year without both Calvin and Stafford, and they've looked like... well, the '08 Lions.

But there's hope. Stafford is the real deal. He makes throws that great QBs can make. The offensive line has given him occasion to throw (sometimes), and he's often made the most of it, especially when Calvin is in. But that defense... they have one glaring hole - they can't pressure the QB. Without pressure, opposing QBs will eventually find an open receiver. This isn't the fault of Schwartz, either. Every coach since Mohrningweg was under the false impression that defensive line was a position of strength for the Lions. This belief was based on nothing tangible, just a slew of overhyped names like Robert Porcher, Shaun Rogers, Kalimba Edwards, etc. These guys never delivered in the clutch. They rarely developed real talent at that position and spent their top picks on offensive talent. The cupboard is bare, and they're paying the price.

With the first pick of the 2010 NFL draft, the Detroit Lions select Ndamukong Suh.

Dark Days

These are dark days, my friends. The Pistons and Wings both extended season-long losing streaks. Both teams, ravaged by injuries, show no signs of breaking the slump.

Ben Gordon fell awkwardly on his ankle earlier in the week and has sat out the last two games. He may return for the next game. No word yet on Hamilton and Prince. So, without their three best players (arguably), the Pistons will struggle to beat anyone, even the Clippers. Of course, these aren't the Clippers of years past. They do have honest-to-goodness stars in Baron Davis, Eric Gordon and Marcus Camby. They've also got the best Central Michigan product this side of Dan Majerle - Chris "Lumberjack" Kaman. Kaman has quietly grown into an impressive, potential All-star at power forward. Six years into the league, Kaman now averages 20 points and 8 boards per night. Last night, Kaman led the team with 26 points on an amazingly efficient 11/13 shooting.

For a team that focuses on defense, it's got to be frustrating for the Pistons to allow the Clips to shoot 59% for the game. Somehow, the Clippers only had 63 shots to the Pistons 91, but still won handily. That's an astounding 28 fewer shots! I tell ya... I think that Utah loss from the week before truly did break their spirit. They still give the effort, but they no longer believe they can win. The losing streak could continue into double digits, so brace yourself. We must focus on the positives, and there were many.

Stuckey has assumed a leadership role. He scored 21 with 7 assists before fouling out. He only managed 2 foul shots, compared to Baron Davis's 11, so he's got major room to grow on that front. But Stuckey only turned it over 2 times in 34 minutes. Solid. With Gordon out, Austin Daye started at shooting guard. With Jerebko, the Pistons started two rookies for the first time since 1993. Daye got 13 and 5 boards, but it was Jerebko who really proved his worth. The young Swede struck for a season high 22, including 4/4 from 3-pt land.

One of the main reasons for the recent losing streak is Will Bynum. The burly point guard injured his ankle against the Lakers and hasn't been the same since. He's playing through the pain, but his stats illustrate his lack of burst. Since LA, Bynum's shooting 32%. The prior five games? 60%. That's a massive drop-off. And with no Gordon or Hamilton, it's even more noticeable. Bynum can't sit out, though. His backup is Chucky Atkins. While I'll never forget Chucky's school-yard growl and clutch shooting in the '02 playoffs, he's a bit past his prime.

For some Piston fans, this season is going exactly according to plan. Develop the rookies, play for a high draft pick (i.e. lose). That can't be how Joe D sees it though. He's got to sell tickets, and the fans will only pay to see wins. We'll see how patient Joe D will be.

As for the Wings, the player turnover has no doubt caught up with them. They can't get the puck in the net. And Osgood? Letting 3 goals in on 17 shots? Not acceptable, especially when his opponent stopped 40 shots out of 40. This is the second game in a row the Wings were shut out. Back to back shutouts haven't happened since '01. Dark days indeed.

Like I said last time, though, the season will not be won or lost over Thanksgiving. They've just got to power through and stay healthy. Keep up the effort, the puck control, and good things will happen.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Big Thanksgiving

Three games each for the Wings and Pistons during the Thanksgiving break. With so many injured players, these games will likely not serve as a true barometer of where they'll end up.

For the Wings, I expect them to hover around mediocrity until January. My guess is the new faces will settle in around that time. Bertuzzi and Eaves will start contributing goals, not just effort (though the fans do appreciate that too). Franzen, Fil, Kronwall, and Williams will come back, and the penalty kill problems will suddenly disappear - or so I hope.

For the Stones, I love the effort. Most years we'd be fuming at a 5-9 start, but these men have battled. Coach Q brought back the defensive intensity, and we love it. Eventually, the wins will follow, but I don't expect that to happen soon. Certainly not this week. The Cavs and Hawks sandwich the Clips on the schedule. Sure, the Pistons could and should beat the Clips, but the other two will likely be losses. The Pistons just can't match those teams' chemistry yet.

So, I'll hope for a few wins, but, more than that, just play hard and don't get injured.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all. And if you're stuck far from home this Holiday season, perhaps this will put a smile on your face:

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

PK=UGH

Pretty solid game by the Wings last night, but they were undone by shoddy penalty killing. The Nashville Predators matched the Red Wings' puck control and flow and, at times, looked quite dominant. The Barry Trotz-coached team plays an attractive style of hockey. The Nashville goalie, Pekka Rinne, is also on quite a hot streak. In Nashville's last six games (all wins), he's given up a total of 10 goals (only 1.6 goals/game).

From the Red Wings' perspective, the lack of man-power is strikingly evident. Babcock must insert new faces in key positions. The ink on Drew Miller's waiver pickup is hardly dry, and the dude is playing on the top line with Zetterberg. It's 20+ games into the season, and there's little evidence that Leino, Cleary, Draper, or Bertuzzi will be able to provide much scoring. If the goals don't come from Zetterberg or Homer, the Wings don't score. Even Datsyuk is struggling. He seems a step slow, and it makes me wonder if he's injured. It's just a hunch. With that said, the Wings did successfully pressure Nashville all throughout the 3rd. They were unlucky to not get the equalizer. They limited their turnovers and forced Nashville to earn every inch of space. But it was still a loss.

This early in the season, it's probably stupid to talk about playoffs, but I will anyway. The Wings are out of the top 8 spots. With the effort they displayed against Nashville, though, I think they'll sneak in, even with the injuries. They said that Filpulla is close to returning. That will help. But, man, they've got to address that penalty kill - that's the most glaring weakness. Kronwall was a key figure on the PK, so his absence hurts significantly. Folks, the Wings are 29th in the league in the PK. Only one team (Toronto) is worse! Yikes.

Monday, November 23, 2009

No Frown Motown

Folks,

I've avoided it long enough. Thanks to a much more popular and better funded blog with the near-same name, I've decided to retire thatballdontlie.com. He had the name first, and I respect that. After countless late-night board room meetings with Thatballdontlie's marketing department, we've opted to continue under the name nofrownmotown.com.

This blog serves the Detroit sports fan. While I tend to post almost exclusively sports-related info, I do occasionally reference the City's state of affairs. Many of the readers are ex-Detroiters and have more than just a passing interest in Detroit's future. I wanted a blog name that would put a positive spin on the City. I believe the City can recover. My belief is not based so much on any evidence of change (Lord knows it's been in a steady 40 year decline), but, rather, it's based on a belief in the human spirit. The loss of the auto industry is Detroit's ground zero, and hopefully the new mayor signal a new era of hope and urban development. So, no frown, Motown.

The old thatballdontlie.com link will still work - it will simply forward you to the new site. Thanks to all the readers out there from around the world (14 countries and counting!). We're a small but loyal group, and I thank you all for reading!

Not good news

The Pistons finished their West Coast road trip 0-4. Going back to the Dallas game at home, the Pistons have lost five in a row. The game last night against Phoenix was a sure loss, so I won't dwell on that one. But, man, they had a chance Saturday night in Utah.

Having not beaten the Jazz since 1935, that game held the most interest for me. The Pistons came out of the gate focused and energized. Their defense swarmed Boozer and Deron Williams and forced a ton of turnovers. Utah was supposed to dominate the paint, but it was the Pistons getting points down low - thank in large part to a ton of fast-breaks.

Yet, it was long-forgotten Andrei Kirilenko who shot Utah back in contention. In the 2nd half, the Pistons took an early 8 point lead. But thanks to Kirilenko and the refs, Utah stayed close and eventually pulled ahead. Despite both teams attacking the basket regularly, Utah somehow managed a surprising 44-25 advantage in foul shots.

The teams traded leads throughout the final quarter. Kirilenko hit a dagger three-pointer with about a minute left, and the Pistons were fortunate to send the game into overtime. With all the fouls called in the Pistons' end, it was only a matter of time before some key player fouled out. That player was Villanueva, who played his best defensive game of the year. Without Villanueva, the Pistons' offense became one-dimensional. The guards kept it close, but they could ultimately not contain the Jazz. Jazz 100 - Pistons 97.

This game is just 1 of 82 on the schedule, but it will prove more damaging than most. It was a heart-breaking defeat because the Pistons played about well as they possibly could. They followed the game-plan, suffocated the Utah scorers, took care of the ball, and won the board war. But they still lost. It's not at all surprising they got blown out in Phoenix the following day. I think the loss to Utah broke their will. The very sad thing is that the refs had a major impact. Without all those trips to the line, there's no way Utah wins the game. Late in the 4th and in OT, the Pistons were also beneficiaries of some whistles, but it was too little too late.

On the positive side, Villanueva and Stuckey took a step forward in their development as defensive stoppers. Stuckey was great on both ends of the floor. Deron Williams turned it over 4 times and had 5 personal fouls, to go with an impressive 11 assists. But Stuckey outscored him 18-14. It was impressive watching him go toe-to-toe with the All-star Williams. Villanueva, meanwhile, did not have good rotation on his three-pointer, hitting only 1 of 6. I've seen him hit that deep ball numerous times this year, but, against Utah, he kept drifting to the side and hurrying the delivery. He was 5-9 otherwise and kept Boozer at bay for most of the game. Boozer finished with 22 points thanks to 10 free throws, but he was a -4 in the game. Charlie V was +1. Solid.

Hopefully the Pistons will shake this game off because the schedule does not get much easier. They face Cleveland (10-4), Milwaukee (8-3), and Atlanta (11-3) in the next few days. If they match the effort of the Utah game, I have to believe they'll win most games, especially at home. As the losses pile up, though, it's gonna be tougher to keep up the morale.

Good/bad news for Wings
The good news is that they actually won a game in overtime - 3-2 in Montreal. The bad news is they lost Kronwall for 4-8 weeks with a sprained MCL. Without consulting Dr. Rochester, my rudimentary knowledge is that the MCL sprain is one of the better injuries for a knee. If Kronwall takes the requisite time off to let it heal, the sprain will leave no lasting damage. I've seen other athletes return to 100% quite soon after the 2-month layoff, but, hey, I'm no doctor. It still sucks to lose the guy as he was becoming a leader on the team.

The Wings are now 7-3 in their last 10 games. It's been a welcome return to form. Solid goaltending and a surge in scoring from Z led the way.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Tidbits

A rep from the NHL admitted a mistake was made on the Brad May non-goal. With the way this season shakes out, let's hope that Dallas loss doesn't matter. I'm pleased the NHL came clean. They usually back their refs all the way to absurdity.

Rare Lions Segment
Apparently the fans agree with my pledge to stop going to games. For the third time this season, the Lions will be blacked-out in Detroit. Fans are not supporting this 1-8 (1-7? Does it matter?) team. That's good. The only way to implement change is to hit Mr. Ford in the wallet.

My dream scenario is that the Fords sell or move the Lions to a different city. Detroiters would go ballistic for a few years, as this is a football town first and foremost. But, the city could certainly earn an expansion team in a few years. How great would it be to have a different NFL team in Detroit?

Baseball
Free agency is officially under way. No news yet. I still believe that the Edwin Jackson and Granderson trade rumors are completely baseless. They don't make sense from a cost-cutting perspective. Don't be surprised to see Miguel Cabrera shipped away. With his salary and brushes with the law, he seems a more likely candidate. And he had an awesome offensive season to boot. He would leave a massive hole in the lineup, but the trade wouldn't alienate fans.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Hoops, Hockey, and a dash of Soccer

Pistons
More of the same for our beloved Pistons last night against Portland. For most of the game, they looked overmatched. Falling behind by a significant margin (20), the Pistons surged back to make it interesting, but it was not enough. This is the same formula for non-success they followed in away games against Toronto, Orlando, LA, and now Portland. They actually fell behind late in Washington but pulled it out thanks to Will Bynum.

The effort that was so evident against Dallas was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps the consecutive losses is taking its toll. Perhaps they're just not good enough. During the first half, it seemed that Portland was toying with the Pistons. They scored at will. The Pistons had no answer for the inside strength of Pryzbilla nor the inside/outside games of Rudy Fernandez, Brandon Roy, and Piston-killer Lamarcus Aldridge. On the offensive end, Charlie V picked up three early fouls and was a non-factor in the 1st. His absence was apparent, as the Pistons had no offensive options down low. The brunt of the scoring fell on the guards. Stuckey tried to force the issue by repeatedly driving the lane, but his 6-21 shooting illustrates the lack of effectiveness. Stuckey, no doubt feeling the heat of Will Bynum breathing down his neck, is not working as a point guard. He and his teammates totaled 13 assists on the night, compared to 25 for the Trailblazers.

Bynum apparently turned his ankle against the Lakers the night before and was not able to provide much offense off the bench. In fact, he did little more than turn the ball over (4) - in a crucial stretch in the 2nd quarter when Portland seized control of the game. Compounding matters was the uneven play of Jonas Jerebko. The dude just looked completely overwhelmed much of the first half. Like Bynum, Jerebko turned it over 4 times, which is a tad shocking considering how rarely he touches the ball on the offensive end. Yet, right when I'm about to write him off as a pretty crappy player, he scores on a nice back-door cut and makes a steal on the other end. If I wasn't emotionally invested in this team, I'd say Jerebko has potential. As it stands, I still want Tayshaun back.

These games against the elite Western conference squads illustrate how far behind the Pistons truly are. They can barely compete. I mentioned a few days ago that it's difficult to figure out where Rip and Tay fit in this squad, but they clearly need all the help they can get. Neither Stuckey nor Ben Gordon had it going last night (10-33 combined). Perhaps Rip's calming influence would've helped. Tough to say... but they clearly need something. Rip and Tay aren't nearly as expendable as they looked a few days ago. And Coach Q-ster is in a bind with regard to Big Ben Wallace. When he leaves the game, the other teams invariably catch fire. His defensive presence makes that much of a difference. Even during a night when the Pistons were completely dominated, Ben's +/- was a meager -3. Maxiell, often Ben's replacement, was -14. But Big Ben is 35. He can't play 40 minutes/game. It's on the bench to be more effective. To date, only Kwame has shown any defensive aptitude among the big men.

Next up is Phoenix. Doesn't get any easier. With such a brutal stretch ahead, these guys could fall five or six games under .500 by December. I hate to be a pessimist, but they're playing a string of elite teams. They'll have to overachieve just to keep it competitive.

Wings
Just a real bad night for Jonathan Ericsson. And the refs. Much of the night, the Stars and the Wings played to a stalemate. While Dallas carried the play throughout much of the 1st and 2nd, the Wings still had their share of opportunities. In the first period, the Wings were about to kill off a Dallas power-play, when Dallas made one final push in to the zone. Brad Richards made a nifty move around Ericksson to get slightly behind the defense. He skated toward the end line and passed the puck toward the net. A sprawling Ericksson, desperate to recover, tried to block the pass. Ericksson succeeded in blocking the pass, but his deflection ended up in the back of the net.

Dallas scored a 2nd goal in the next period, but the Wings pulled one back on an awesome shot by red-hot Zetterberg. Down a goal in the third period, the Wings pressed hard. On a bizarre play with about seven minutes left, Brad May sent a backhanded shot toward the net. The Dallas goalie appeared to struggle with the puck and then the ref blew the play dead.

May shouted, "That's a goal! That's a goal!" but the flashing light never went off. On the replay, it was clear that May's shot actually did cross the line. Somehow the puck snuck inside the near post, and the Dallas goalie, Alex Auld, did his best to inconspicuously slide the puck back in play. Yet, the replay was obvious. The puck ended up in the goal. The refs were about to restart play when the replay official halted play. The refs conferred for a few minutes, as FSD's color analyst Mickey Redmond was about to have a heart attack. He did not understand what was taking so long. Clearly the video confirmed it was a goal. Then the refs made their announcement - no goal.

Why? Apparently, one of the refs "intended" to blow his whistle, stopping play, before the goal. Yet, May's shot came in the heat of the action. There was no actual reason to stop the play. This wasn't a goal mouth scramble with ten guys flailing at the puck. This was a simple shot by Brad May during the run of play. Watch the absurdity:



Folks, this makes no sense. The ref said "The whistle was blown to kill the play." Huh? When? Why? Why have replay when they choose to ignore it? Another blow to the NHL's credibility.

So, the Wings were still down 2-1. Ericksson then took a penalty, and the friggin' Stars scored of course. Lifeless, the Wings challenged little after that. Argh.

A pretty tough sports night for Detroit fans.

Soccer
Which brings me to soccer. Without going into much detail, the US played a friendly against Denmark yesterday. It was the final day of World Cup qualifying, with actual heated matches around the world. The US game was a mere blip on the radar. But, for folks like me, it held some interest. Both teams were missing key players (Donovan, Dempsey, Howard, Onyewu, Davies), but Denmark had the clear advantage early. They dominated possession and muffed a beautiful chance to score in the first few minutes. Seldom-used Jeff Cunningham of the US actually put the US on top in the 26th minute. Capitalizing on a poor Denmark clearance, Cunningham whipped a shot in from about 20 yards out. It beat the keeper near post for an improbably 1-0 US lead.

In the 2nd half, Denmark took control. Beating up on poor defending by Frankie Hejduk, Jon Spector, and Mike Bradley, Denmark finished with a commanding 3-1 win. It was downright ugly.

After the game, Alexi Lalas said that, with a full squad, the US is a truly dangerous team. Yet, without some key components, they have major problems. No depth. And this really isn't the fault of Bob Bradley. The guy has trotted out tons of players throughout his tenure. The problem is that the talent isn't there. Who can step in for Donovan? Onyewu? Cherundolo even? This team has glaring holes.

Barring a miracle recovery, Charlie Davies will not play in the World Cup, and Onyewu is also a question mark. Those two players are key cogs to the US team. Just taking those two out poses a massive problem. There's no other way to put it... injuries may have already killed the US's chances. Bradley has to find either some replacements or implement a new style of play. This late in the game, I don't see that happening. True, in sports, the unexpected happens all the time. I just wish they didn't have to always rely on lady luck.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Soccer in the D?

For those that still live around our beloved Detroit area, you may find yourself driving down I-75 and spotting the once formidable sporting venue known as the Pontiac Silverdome. Seen here in happier days, this is the dome now.

If an 80,311-seat capacity football stadium has no football team, does it actually exist? The answer is "yes." And it's as much a sign of Detroit's (or Pontiac's) decay as the legendary train station. At best, the Silverdome is a cheap plot of land awaiting a savvy investor. At worst, it's a rat-infested eyesore on 127 acres of concrete.

But hope springs eternal, even in the D. According to reports in the freep and MLive, a Toronto-based investor group bid half a million bucks for the Silverdome, with the hope of transforming it into a soccer-specific stadium. For those that follow the MLS, the key component in acquiring a franchise is a stadium. The MLS learned early on that it should not be sharing stadiums with football teams. The team could draw 23,000 per game, but they'd be mere specks in the mammoth stadiums built for the Chiefs and Giants. Columbus set the new standard for soccer-specific stadiums when they unveiled the Crew Stadium in 1999. The team can sell out it's 22,000 seats, and the intimate confines create a more enjoyable atmosphere.

So, if a city wants an MLS team, they must come to the table with plans for a stadium, and it wouldn't hurt if they pre-sold 10,000+ season tickets.

The potential purchase of the Silverdome is the first tangible step toward bringing MLS to Detroit. If Detroit is anything, it's a voracious sports town, and it possesses a healthy fan base for soccer. They supported the NASL and would likely support the MLS too. Now, the Silverdome originally cost $53million to build, and that's in 1973-dollars. It's a massive blow to the ego to receive a purchase bid of a mere $500,000. Yet, converting the outdated behemoth to a 20,000-seat soccer stadium will cost a pretty penny. The mayor of Pontiac should be happy he's got a buyer who wants to bring people back to the city.

I would personally love to see an MLS team in Detroit, but I'd be even happier to see actual development in the City of Pontiac. This tells me that investors are ready, but is the city?

UPDATE:
I was under the impression that the Toronto-based company merely placed a bid. Evidently, they won the auction, but the sale won't be finalized for 45 days.

Monday, November 16, 2009

The road trip begins

The Pistons began their uber-tough stretch of games with a win in Washington followed by a loss at home to the Mavs. In both games, the Pistons played quite well.

They started strong against the Wiz and flirted with blowing it open in the 1st. Some poor defense and Earl Boykins allowed the Wiz back in the game. Thanks to a half-court shot by Agent Zero at the halftime buzzer, Washington was only down 8 at the half. In the third quater, the Wiz caught fire. It was one of those quarters when everything goes wrong for Detroit. The "one bad quarter" is quickly becoming the signature of the Kuester-era. Within minutes, the Pistons 8-point lead became a 10-point deficit. Heroic shooting by Will Bynum kept the Pistons within shouting distance, and, entering the 4th, they were down only 2.

Washington threatened to pull away during the 4th. The Pistons trailed by six with under five minutes to go, and I told Mrs. Thatballdontlie (in the next room, probably out of earshot, but that didn't stop me), "They're gonna lose." Then Gordon and Will Bynum took over. The Pistons finished on a 17-8 run (6pts for Bynumite and 8 for Little Ben). It was impressive, and the type of performance we've seen from Piston teams of old -- stay close on the road and then lay the hammer down in crunch time.

I was thinking after that game that Ben Gordon is truly one of the best scorers in the league - like, top 5 good. Why did the Bulls let him leave? Perhaps because of games like yesterday. In his first poor performance as a Piston, Little Ben shot a woeful 1-16 from the field. But the other guards more than made up for it.

The Mavs big man, Erick Dampier, was a late scratch, and they missed his interior defense. Stuckey took full advantage, slashing through the lane, scoring an impressive 28 on 12-20 shooting. Bynum was every bit as aggressive, scoring 27 on 11-16. But the Pistons fell prey to that "one bad quarter" yet again. In the third, the Mavs outscored the Pistons by 11, as Dirk finally heated up. At one point, the Pistons were actually up 4. Then Kidd hit a deep three. Nowitzki hit two straight jumpers, then 2 free throws. Shawn Marion then followed up a Nowitzki miss with a put-back slam. Nowitzki stole the inbound pass and fed Kris Humphries for an uncontested dunk. Boom-boom-boom and the Mavs were up 5.

The Pistons kept it close in the 4th, despite Stuckey sitting out with cramps in his calves (Stuckey said he won't miss any games). Leading the charge was rising star Will Bynum, scoring an awesome 17 points in crunch time. Leading three with less than a minute to go, the Mavs fed the ball to their main-man Nowitzki once again. With the entire Piston roster draped over him, Nowitzki still managed to sink a fade away. Bynum countered with a quick layup, and the Mavs missed their next shot. With five seconds left, the Pistons had a chance to tie it with a 3. Ben Gordon took the inbounds pass and let go an off-balance three. It actually came damn close but rimmed out. In hindsight, the Pistons had time for one more pass, since the Mavs were focusing their defense on Gordon. It would've been nice to set a play for Charlie V or Austin Daye even. With that said, Gordon regularly hits some amazing shots, but it was not his night.

Now the Pistons hit the road: @Lakers, @Portland, @Utah, @ Phoenix. It could get ugly. If this weekend is any indication, the Pistons will at least be ready for a fight. They play tough and aren't intimidated. That three guard lineup of Stuckey, BG, and Bynum is formidable. If Charlie V stays hot, the Pistons are a fairly balanced offense. The bench isn't quite providing much help of late, but that shouldn't be a surprise. The rooks are inconsistent but the extra playing time will expedite their development.

Right now, the Pistons are 5-5 and last place in the surprisingly strong Central. They've played so many games without Tay and Rip; it's easy to forget they're actually on the team. I'm not sure what impact they'll have when they return. Rip is still the Pistons' best player, but Ben Gordon is rapidly raising his value. And Tayshaun would be a huge upgrade over Jerebko on offense, but does he have the same bite on D? Rip and Tay have been Pistons forever, but they might find they have to adjust their game to fit into this new roster. That's what happens with injuries - change is inevitable.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Bizarre

The Red Wings inched over .500 for the first time last night. With the way hockey tabulates wins, losses, and OT losses, a .500 record is sort of ambiguous. In my estimation, an OT loss should be lumped in with the regular losses. Thus, the 9-5-3 record would become 9-8.

The win did not come easily. In fact, they really didn't deserve it. A more fitting fate would've been a draw (impossible now in the new NHL of course). Vancouver controlled the play in the 1st and much of the 3rd. They jumped out to a 15-5 shooting edge but found themselves actually trailing 1-0. Vancouver equalized in the 2nd, but Detroit took the lead again late in the 3rd. Despite Vancouver pressing, Brad Stuart sent a perfect pass to Zetterberg, who barely stayed onside. Zetterberg sped past the defense and roofed a backhanded shot over Luongo. It was an excellent display of individual skill and proved to be the game winner.

Vancouver pulled the goalie with about a minute to play, then sent the puck deep in the Red Wing zone. With Vancouver barrelling down, Jimmy Howard opted not to smother the puck and bravely passed it to Kronwall. Kronwall angled the puck off the boards for a clearance. The puck ricocheted over the Vancouver players and somehow ended up in the back of the empty net. It was just one of those games for the Canucks. And, for the Wings, it was a rare win when they were often outplayed, but the excellent play of Jimmy Howard saved the day.

I was about ready to ship that guy to the minors, but he's proven to be very capable - in the last two games at least. With all the missing players (Osgood and Maltby were out with the flu last night), the Wings have really stepped up.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Pistons, Wings answer call despite injuries

It's early in the season, but both the Pistons and Wings are severely shorthanded. The Pistons played with a full roster in just 1 of their 8 games. The Red Wings, who, like the Pistons, experienced major turnover in the offseason, already lost three key forwards.

Last night, though, it didn't matter. Both teams absolutely destroyed the opposition. The Red Wings pounded the Columbus Blue Jackets early and often, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the 1st period. The Wings did not let up, and they finished the game scoring a whopping 9 goals. The goals were spread somewhat evenly, though Kronwall and Abdelkader notched two each. The most impressive stat of the game may not even be the number of goals - the Wings played 60 straight minutes without turning the puck over once. For a puck-possession team, they should be proud.

After getting shellacked by Toronto over the weekend, it was an impressive rebound performance. After 16 games, the Wings are 8-5-3. Fellow TBDL blogger "John," emphasized that we should reserve judgment until after the 20th game, so there's 4 more to go. My hope is that the Wings will at least be a top 8 team in the West by then (they're currently 10th). Of the top teams based on today's standings, the Wings have victories over San Jose (1st), LA (3rd), Calgary (4th), and Chicago (5th). Apparently, the competition doesn't matter. The Wings worst enemy is their own turnover-prone defense and inconsistent goaltending.

On the hardcourt, Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince remain sidelined. Rip's ankle will keep him out a few more games, but my guess is he'll return in about two weeks. Tayshaun's situation is much more dire. Tay has a ruptured disc in his lower back - a condition I know all too well. They're pondering surgery (which would sideline him a few months), but, for now, they're hoping rest will allow it to heal on its own. As the freep article linked above states, Rick Mahorn had a similar injury, and it eventually required surgery. Interestingly, Mahorn was 29 at the time - same age as Tay (I was 30).

The absence of Rip and Tay did not make much of a difference last night, as the Pistons dismantled Larry Brown's Hornets. One of the Hornets top players, Raja Bell, was also out due to an injury, but it would not have mattered. The Pistons were on fire. Through three quarters, the team shot over 60%, with only a handful of turnovers. Late in the 3rd, the Pistons had over 75pts, while the Hornets had yet to pass 50. Villanueva and Gordon combined for 52 points, while missing only ten shots. They sat the entire fourth quarter. The game was actually close in the 2nd quarter, until Bynum ignited the team (and crowd) with a thunderous dunk over Tyson Chandler and Gerald Wallace - two of the better defensive players in the league!



The Pistons then went on a tear to finish the half on a 15-4 run. Charlie V caught fire in the 3rd, and the rout was on.

The only negative (and this is really minor) is that the Piston scrubs played pretty poorly. Chucky Atkins, Chris Wilcox, and Dajuan Summers all showed signs of rust. But who can really argue with a blowout win? I was hoping the Piston would take advantage of these winnable home games. So far, so good. They've got a brutal schedule ahead - @Washington, Dallas, @Lakers, @Portland, @Utah, @Phoenix, and then home against Lebron. Other than the Wiz, those are all elite teams. While Utah is struggling, the Pistons haven't beaten that team since the Nixon administration. The Stones could easily finish that stretch 1-6, so feasting on these lesser Eastern Conference teams is key. They've got to establish some semblance of team unity before the losses pile up against the Western powers.

Sure, I hope they'll pull out a few wins on that road trip, but I'm a realist. Even the most elite Piston teams struggled out West. They would fare a bit better with Prince in the lineup instead of Jerebko, but it'll at least be a learning experience. And that's what this season is about.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

More on EJ

After reading more on the potential EJ trade, I came to the conclusion that it's not financially motivated. As one mLive poster wrote: "If there was a payroll issue, they would have jettisoned Ordonez and not bothered with Washburn/Huff. There's 20MM right there."

That's an excellent point. Ilitch was more than willing to take on salary during August. Have things changed that much in three months? The only major difference is that the Tigers missed out on the playoffs. Surely, Mr. I didn't believe the Tigers would make it past round 1, so he only lost out on the gate receipts from two home games. With inflated playoff prices, that's a significant amount of change, but is it enough to alter his win-first philosophy?

If the Tigers were hurting financially, Mr. I could make it public, and you'd see folks lining down the block for their $5 Hot-n-readys. Detriot loves Ilitch, and he loves the city (and teams) right back. So, I don't buy the financial argument. This has to be a case of Dombrowski trying to "sell high" and hope another GM parts with a gem (or gems).

Trade Jackson?

Last night, a small bit of Tiger news caught fire: Dombrowski is shopping Edwin Jackson.

As someone who watched Edwin's highs (April) and lows (August), I'm still fairly shocked. Young pitchers who can tough 97mph with control do not come around very often. Even though Edwin struggled mightily down the stretch, I'd still consider him to be a cornerstone of the future.

The fact that Dombrowski is entertaining offers tells me the team needs to trim payroll. This is a sad development. Dombrowski opened the books for D-train, Nate, Guillen, Bonderman, Sheffield, and Maggs, and now the fans are paying the price. From a businessman's perspective, the potential move makes sense. Edwin's value has never been higher. He's coming off an All-star season, with a truly wicked 1st half. Yet, the Tigers watched in horror as Jackson lost 4 of his last 5, while sporting a 6.13 ERA after September 1st.

If the team ships off Jackson for prospects, the Tigers would have only two reliable starters - Verlander and Porcello. There are major question marks with every other option - Bonderman, Galarraga, Robertson, etc. That's a recipe for disaster. The trade could be a massive PR blunder, and I'd hate to believe Ilitch would want that. Despite the region's economy, the Tiger fans continued to support the team - 12th in the league at almost 32,000/game. Yet, fans are smart. If they sense the team isn't committed to winning, they won't come. And how could a team that lets Polanco leave, loses its bullpen, and trades away its 2nd best starter claim to be committed to winning?

Folks, it's going to be a long, very speculative offseason.

Gold Glove
If Gerald Laird was anything last season, he was a truly awesome defensive catcher. Among starters, he led the league in throwing out base-stealers. He threw out an astounding 42%. The next closest was Rod Barajas at 34%. His 99.7% fielding percentage was also tops in the AL (tied with Varitek). Yet, who won the prestigious Gold Glove for catcher? Joe frickin' Mauer. The Twins win again.

This is clearly a case of Laird's offensive numbers hurting his reputation. But the Gold Glove is for defense. From a defensive standpoint, Mauer's numbers just don't add up. In the one area where Laird was lacking - passed balls (9)- Mauer was actually worse (10). Mauer threw out only 26% of potential base-stealers, caught fewer innings, and had fewer assists. Mauer did only commit 3 errors all season, but so did Laird. Again, it makes no sense... unless it's a popularity contest. So, good for Mauer. He can add this trophy next to the dried Tiger pelts on his mantle.

Sucks for Laird. He really did deserve it.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Jermaine Dye

While his name will not make many headlines, Jermaine Dye will hit the free agent market this season. Like many other White Sox, Dye made a career (or at least a partial career) out of destroying the Tigers.

The burly right hander, along with Konerko and Thome, was part of the Whitesox fearsome threesome - a power-hitting 1-2-3 juggernaut. Yet, the Sox never fully embraced Dye. Konerko was the fan favorite. Whenever Dye struggled, his name was floated around the league as potential trade bait. Now that he's a free agent, I can't imagine him re-signing with the Sox. As a 16-year veteran, he won't come cheap, despite his falling numbers. With all that said, I wholeheartedly believe the Tigers should pursue him.

Yes, I know the last thing the Tigers need is an aging, slow, right-handed hitter. But, despite his dip in form, he still outperformed almost all the Tigers in 2008. On a dreadful White Sox team, Dye hit .250, with 27 home runs and 81 RBIs. His on-base percentage of .340, would put him 3rd on the Tigers - ahead of Granderson and Polanco. Furthermore, he's got a rocket-arm to boot. While Magglio in Dye's regular right-field position, Dye would have to switch to left. He's played left field at times during his career, and he might not accept the switch. Yet, having the rangy Granderson in centerfield may make the switch more palatable.

As much as anything the signing of Dye would signal to the fans that Dombrowski and the Tigers are still hungry. For such a slow team, the Tigers hit with very little power. Dye could offer Cabrera some protection hitting fifth.

Now, it's possible that Dombrowski is sold on Ryan Raburn as the everyday left fielder. After seeing Raburn's troubles in the outfield, he may need one more season of part-time duty to familiarize himself. The Tigers tried to trade RyRay last spring training, and his trade value may be higher than ever. Who knows... maybe a national league team would part with a young reliever for RyRay.

If the Tigers start the season with Raburn in left, I suppose it would be just reward for a player who's battled hard for the team over the years. He's accepted whatever role they've asked of him and never complained. It's easy to pull for a guy like that. Yet, with the imminent departure of Polanco, the Tigers will need to augment the offense. If not, I foresee a last-place finish.

Monday, November 9, 2009

A bit of resolve

It's early in the season, yes. There are tons of new faces that will take time to gel. And Rip and Tayshaun remain sidelined with injuries. Yet, Sunday against the Sixers was a winnable game. If the Pistons didn't pull it out, I would've been seriously worried about a lottery-bound season.

We all know this is a transition year, but it's the same thing with Philly. I figured, if the Pistons couldn't take a home game against mediocre competition, who could they beat? Well, the team answered the call. The Pistons' defense set the tone early, limiting Philly to one shot and causing significant turnovers. But the Pistons often returned the favor on the other side of the court. Neither team shot very well, though the Pistons maintained a 3-6 point lead throughout most of the game.

With Tayshaun out, rookies Jonas Jerebko and Austin Daye played significant minutes. Jerebko fared slightly better, scoring 10 with 5 boards (no turnovers). Daye has a more NBA-ready offensive game, but Jerebko is a real pest on defense. He gets in passing lanes, dives for loose balls, and doesn't seem intimidated at all by the big stars. That's why he's starting.

In the previous game, I was really impressed with Daye's shooting touch. He has a quick, smooth release, but, against Philly, he missed all four three-pointers. Most of Jerebko's points were on put-backs. So, neither is really part of the offense yet, but they're learning. With the scaled-back roster, the Piston offense runs through the three guards and Charlie V. Against the weaker NBA teams, that may just be enough. Gordon is the best scorer, but he's also an able passer. In crunch time, the Pistons have exhibited a willingness to feed whoever has the hot hand. Lately, it's been Gordon or Bynum, though Charlie V was absolutely unstoppable against Orlando. As for Stuckey, he's not quite hit his stride. In the Orlando loss, he shot 9/18, but was back to 5/15 against Philly. For what it's worth, he only turned it over 2 times, so he's doing well as a ball-handler.

Yesterday, Philly took a 4pt lead with about six minutes to go. I was ready for the team to collapse. Willie Green was red-hot, and the Pistons couldn't keep pace. But the stellar Piston defense came to life... as did Ben Gordon and Bynum. Philly didn't score another field goal the rest of the way. Igoudala did manage a couple free throws at the 2:21 mark, but that was it. Meanwhile, Little Ben hit a few jumpers, Bynum hit a shot and then fed Charlie V for a perfect back-door layup. The Pistons finished on an impressive 15-4 run. It was great to see them step up during crunch time. Those kids - Ben Gordon and Will Bynum - have that winner mentality. They just seem to play their best when the game is on the line. Final score was 88-81 Pistons.

One more note: the Pistons outrebounded a good rebounding team 51-39, led by Big Ben's 16. Solid. Next up is Charlotte, another winnable game. My thinking is that the team has to focus on winning these home games against the less-than NBA squads. They're going to lose the majority of their road games, so, if only for the team's mental state and locker-room harmony, they've got to take care of business at home.

Double loss for Red Wings
One thing is clear - the Red Wings absolutely blow when there's a pregame celebration. In any sort of festive hockey atmosphere (banner raising, Hall of fame celebrating, Sweden playing), the Red Wings will lay an egg. Despite winning just two games all season, the Toronto Maple Leafs completely owned the Wings Saturday night. It was ugly.

To make matters worse, the Wings lost another forward. This time it was Jason Williams, who left with a broken leg. He's out at least two months. Ken Holland insists he won't make a trade, so it's time to call up another youngster. Glancing at the Griffins roster, there's no sure-fire pick. They've got a few guys scoring goals, 20 year old Jeremy Williams and 25 year old Jamie Tardif. The Wings normally let the youngsters stay in the minors, so my guess is we're looking at Tardif.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Tiger off-season

Some interesting quotes from Tiger free agents here. It's looking more and more likely that Polanco is history. According to the article, Dombrowski already said that minor leaguer Scott Sizemore is ready to step in. That's a pretty dangerous assumption, in my opinion. Sizemore is completely unproven. Polanco's bat and glove were crucial to the team last season, and, in the 2nd half of the season, he carried the team. At this point, it seems Dombrowski has accepted that another team will outbid him.

Adam Everett appears to be a safer bet to return. Only a $1million investment last year, I expect Everett to make between $1.5-$2million. Or he may get a multi-year deal for less per year.

As for Rodney and Lyon, both will get raises. Neither Rodney nor the Tigers are saying they want to part ways, but I just have a feeling Dombrowski will offer Lyon first. He'll probably offer Lyon something like a $12 million over 2 years. If Lyon agrees, Rodney will have to look elsewhere. Lyon will close and one of the youngsters will have to step in as set-up man (Perry? Fu Te Ni? Seay?... gulp... Zumaya?).

The biggest problem facing the Tigers, though, is not impending free agency. Sure, they may lose Polanco, Rodney, and Lyon, but they're also damn close to losing fan interest. After such a dreadful end to the '09 campaign, on the heels of the over-hyped last-place '08 squad, the Tigers are flirting with fan apathy.

Dumars positioned himself somewhat nicely to address fan apathy by jettisoning most of the troublesome core and bringing in fresh faces. The Pistons may struggle mightily all year, but Dumars created at least the illusion of a new beginning. For the Dombrowski, he's stuck with the same old team. GMs in baseball, once they commit to a contract, are bound by it through thick and thin. So, he's got little wiggle room with so much money tied up in the veterans who cashed in after '06 - you know the names (Bonderman, Nate, Maggs, Guillen). The Tigers can't bring in a Ben Gordon. Heck, they can barely afford a Chris Wilcox.

Next year, we'll be looking at a weakened Tiger team filling the holes with minor leaguers. It's gonna be a tough sell. The great purge will happen after 2010. But, man, that's a long time to wait, and, as the great sage Caputo said, "A season is a terrible thing to waste."

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Odds and Ends

I did not get a chance to watch the Pistons disappointing loss to the Raptors last night. Justin Rogers, another mLive blogger, offers some superior insights here.

The Pistons again played without Rip and Tayshaun, though I'm not sure if it would've made much of a difference. The key players in Toronto's offense were Bosh and Bargniani, who both shot 50% with 47 combined points. Bosh alone got to the line 20 times. So, for some reason, the excellent low-post defense provided by Big Ben and Kwame the previous night did not work.

Upon looking at the box score, one stat demands attention - Toronto scored a shocking 44 points in the second quarter. Against Ok City and Milwaukee, the 3rd quarter was the trouble spot. Against Orlando and Toronto, it was the 2nd. Logic would dictate that, with Rip and Tay out of the lineup, the bench would be severely crippled. So, I shouldn't be too surprised that the deep bench players getting run in the 2nd would get run over. With all the new faces, Kuester still doesn't have a rotation. He's not sure where to use Austin Daye, Chris Wilcox, Jason Maxiell, or Dajuan Summers. Kwame and Bynum are the only defined-role dudes off the bench (and, of course, Little Ben, when Rip comes back). Jerebko appears to have earned the coach's trust at the backup 3-spot, but he may feel some pressure from Austin Daye over time. Both have massive difficulty on defense. JJ earned 5 fouls in 25 minutes, while Daye got 5 fouls in 16. That's dreadful. As a fan, you just hope you see progress.

And progress is the key word for Stuckey this season. So far? Not much. He's attacking the basket with vigor, but 5-18 shooting really sucks. For the season, he's at 34%. That won't get it done. His aggressiveness is paying off on the defensive end with surging rebound totals. Last night he had 10. The previous night 9. This only fuels the flame that he shouldn't be running the point. I'm not in that camp. He's a good ball handler and only had one turn last night. His assist totals are low, but I think he's trying to develop into a Chauncey-type PG. Control the game, work the offense. Right now, the coach's are obviously telling him to attack.

If December rolls around and he's still shooting 34%, they might want to consider starting Bynum. He's a better defender and passer.

Wings
I guess it's only news when the Red Wings lose. Over the weekend, they beat Calgary away (always difficult) and then shut out Boston at home. They accomplished the shut out missing both Rafalski and Ericksson (flu). You can't give up a total of 1 goal over 120 minutes by accident. The Wings are playing better defense, and they're staying out of the box - only 5 total penalties over the 2 games.

I suppose it should also be noted that Jimmy Howard did not see the net in either win. Folks can complain all they want about Osgood, but he's the team's only professional-grade goalie. Lately, he's stood tall.

Interestingly, the Wings remain tied for 11th in the Western Conference. I know it's foolish to look at standings after a mere 13 games, but it does illustrate how the poor start has set them back. Unless they catch fire, they could be in for a season-long fight for playoff position. In the West, decent teams miss the playoffs every season. Next up is rebuilt San Jose, off to a hot start.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Strange, strange game, and some home cookin'

Last night, the Pistons beat the Magic. Since they've won something like 14 of 15 against the Magic at home, that shouldn't be a big deal. But consider the following:
  • No Rip
  • No Tayshaun (breaking a 6 year streak!)
  • A 37% field-goal percentage
  • Only 8 assists all game
  • 0-6 from 3pt land
  • And Orlando is the reigning Eastern Conference Champion and entered the game 3-0

The win didn't make much sense. I noted to Mrs. Thatballdontlie that the Pistons "out-efforted" Memphis in the first game of the season. With so many new faces, that's the only way they're going to beat the more-established squads. Every team in the NBA has talent, but not everybody gives the effort. I think that's what Ben brought back to the team. If somebody's dogging it, they gotta answer to Big Ben. Who on last year's squad would hold a teammate accountable? Perhaps McDyess, but that's about it.

So they've gave good effort. Stuckey was impressive again in the 1st half. He had some highlight drives to the hoop - the type of plays that remind people why he might be an All-star someday. But his production dropped off again in the 2nd and reminded people why he's not close to an All-star right now. The starters did a fine job of controlling the game in the 1st and getting Howard off to a slow start. Stuckey and Little Ben attacked him fearlessly, and Howard picked up some quick fouls. Big Ben and Kwame effectively contained Howard on the defensive end, and the dude finished with only 8pts in 17 minutes.

The Piston subs, though, did not match the effectiveness of the starters. Orlando erased a 7pt deficit and looked on the verge of blowing it open in the 3rd. A few hoops by Ben Gordon kept the game close, and it was nip/tuck the rest of the way. Orlando, as they do, shot a ton of 3s. The Pistons were fortunate that they missed many open looks. In crunch time, little Will Bynum caught fire. He hit a few jumpers and then wanted to challenge the Orlando big men with some drives to the hoop. Gortat hit Bynum in the eye, and Bynum lost his vision for a few minutes. He returned to the bench looking like De Niro in Raging Bull. Miraculously, Bynum re-entered the game and carried the Pistons the rest of the way. Orlando hit the wall offensively at 77 points, thanks in large part to some fortunate calls from the refs. On key possessions late, Orlando was whistled for offensive fouls. Those, combined with Howard and Gortat fouling out, greatly impacted the game. Orlando finished with 30 fouls versus 17 for Detroit. That stat may be skewed somewhat because Orlando hoisted 35 three-pointers and rarely attacked the hoop. Yet, I can't recall a game when the Pistons ever received such favorable whistles, despite their improved defense. It made me wonder if the mere presence of Rasheed painted the team in a poor light. Who knows.

Stuckey and Little Ben hit some key foul shots late and iced the game away. Solid effort by all the guards, including a legend-building night from Bynum. He didn't light up the Magic for 40, but notching 20 points in 28 minutes with a bloody eye is pretty sweet.

A few other notes... Jonas Jerebko started at small forward and had a quiet night. Did not contribute offensively but did a solid job keeping Vince Carter on the perimeter. Jason Maxiell earned a DNP-CD, bringing back memories of the Curry-era. Maxiell isn't Karl Malone, but shouldn't he at least get some burn? Austin Daye appeared briefly for 4 minutes and did not excite. Chucky Atkins also saw the floor and somehow earned a plus/minus of -6 despite only playing 2 minutes. Speaking of plus/minus, Little Ben led the team with a +15. He quietly scored 23, while shooting 60% (and 11/11 from the stripe). The dude is just good, folks.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Orlando looming

Things could get worse before they get better for the Pistons. They will likely regret not taking care of business against Milwaukee and Oklahoma City because tougher teams loom. While both Milwaukee and OkCity might be improved, the Pistons were still in control of those games at halftime. They let significant leads slip away. With two games against Orlando and an improved Toronto team ahead, the Pistons could easily drop to 1-5.

Piston fans are not used to losing. It will be a tough road for rookie coach Kuester. And the necomers like Charlie V and Little Ben will feel even more pressure. Yet, I think that's a good thing. It will be a good test for Kuester and the team's chemistry. Larry Brown was able to keep the team focused during tough stretches in '04. As a Larry-disciple Kuester should illustrate the same calm. The team needs to stay united and focused. The main worry I have is for them to get "Lionized" - i.e. used to losing. Rip, Big Ben and Little Ben hate losing. That much I know for sure. The other folks? The jury is still out.

Everybody agrees that this season shouldn't be about wins/losses. It should be about setting the groundwork for another run at the title. Establish an identity and roles for each player. I'll be watching flow on offense and a consistent commitment to D (and not just from Big Ben). From what I can tell, people in Detroit are intrigued by this team. They're pleased with Little Ben so far and think the Pistons have some potential. If the Pistons can avoid any massive losing streaks, fan interest will remain constant.

If not, we'll be overrun by foolish trade scenarios to land Bosh. Please, no more.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Work in Progress

As mentioned on PH's excellent blog, there are some positives despite the Pistons' 1-2 start. Opening up with Memphis, OkCity, and Milwaukee, even an average Piston team would go 3-0. So, how are there possibly any positives?

The defense, thought to be the team's main deficiency, has held up. It's been way more consistent than last season. Ben Gordon's rep portrayed him to be a horrible defender, but I saw him team with Big Ben on a very effective 2-man trap. He exhibits a willingness and talent to ballhawk. Nobody has lit the Pistons up for over 100 yet, though Milwaukee did explode for 36 in the decisive 3rd quarter. Overall, props to the defense.

On offense, Ben Gordon displayed why he earned the major cash. He's been All-star calibre. Unfortunately, Ben is the only consistent offensive threat. Other folks haven't quite stepped up. Stuckey showed signs of both his dominance and ineffectiveness. Rip, in his one game, was great, but he can't help the team with a gimpy ankle.

Strangely, this team dominated out of the gate in all three games. But, at the first sign of resistance, they folded. Greg Kelser said that when the opponent's have ramped up defensive pressure, the Pistons stop passing the ball. They become a one-on-one team. Assists in the first half against Milwaukee were 12. Only 4 the rest of the way.

Even the worst teams tend to make runs at home. Milwaukee made their run, and the Piston couldn't counter. Same thing against Oklahoma City. The Pistons are a work-in-progress, and we'll see if Kuester can get the team to play a full 48 minutes. Their lack of familiarity with each other may contribute to the panic mode. It's possible that, over the course of the season, they'll develop consistency. That will be the determining factor for Kuester.