During this four game home stand, the Pistons:
- Blew a 25 point 3rd quarter lead to the lowly Raptors (10-18)
- Destroyed the playoff-bound Hawks (17-12)
- Laid an egg in a blowout loss to the historically pathetic Clippers (7-21)
- Won in overtime against the Hornets (16-11), despite missing two starters
They are a strange team and difficult to gauge. The previous four games prove - at least to me - that they do possess some talent. Unlike the Marinelli Lions, I'll never say the cupboard is bare. Ben Gordon, Charlie V, Prince, and McGrady are capable of exhilarating offensive displays. They've got skills. So, why oh why can this team not bring it every night?
We've dissected this issue ad nauseum over the past two years. The problem at the very least starts with Joe D. He compiled this team with too many guards. Then he chose a rudderless leader in John Kuester. There's zero consistency with minutes, which leads to zero consistency in performance.
Last night, Kuester announced yet another overhaul of the starting lineup. Out were Hamilton, Stuckey, and Monroe. Stuckey has a legit foot injury, but Hamilton's demotion was more nebulous. Was his "stomach illness" a result of questionable salmon or questionable jump shots? The old guard of Hamilton, Stuckey, Wallace, and Prince seemed entrenched as starters. Perhaps Kuester decided that the blowout loss to the Clippers was the last straw. Their clear lack of energy in both the 1st and 3rd quarters (after the Piston subs fought back in the 2nd) may have forced his hand. Who could blame Kuester if he did bench Rip? The dude's playing the worst ball of his career, his body language shows his disinterest, and he's found a way to get himself ejected on three separate occasions. Kuester showed some backbone by benching Stuckey earlier in the year. Did he actually have the cojones to bench three-time All star Rip? As for Monroe, my guess is that it's more a case of rewarding his replacement. Monroe's played well, but Charlie V is having the best season of his career.
In place of Stuckey and Hamilton, Kuester opted for Tracy McGrady and Ben Gordon. McGrady responded by tweeking his hamstring and missing the entire second half. Gordon responded by missing his first seven shots. Go Pistons!
To their credit, they did not quit. With Tayshaun Prince playing perhaps the best ball of his career, the Pistons stayed within shouting distance of the Hornets. Gordon found his shooting stroke in the 2nd half, and, with the team down 3 with 21 seconds remaining, Gordon didn't hesitate. He took the inbounds pass and calmly drained the long ball to tie the game. On the ensuing possession, Chris Paul ran down the clock and drove to the hoop for the potential game winner. Paul swerved by Will Bynum but found Tayshaun Prince waiting. Prince sent Paul's shot into the 3rd row with his most timely swat since... well... this one:
During overtime, the Pistons jumped out of a five point lead, but the Hornets clawed back. They continued to push the ball to David West, who, just a few games ago, punished the Pistons with 25 points on 10-14 shooting. Tonight was different. Jason Maxiell, who was benched due to that poor defensive performance on West, was given a shot at redemption. Maxiell didn't enter the game until late in the 3rd quarter, but he made his mark. He harassed David West, and, especially in overtime, forced him into difficult shots. After Bynumite put the Pistons ahead by a point with 7 seconds remaining, Maxiell made the play of the game:
This is the same guy who was averaging a measly 4 points and 2 boards for the month of December?
It is.
I said last week that Maxiell is good in spurts. Last night was the perfect example of a Maxiell spurt. You just can't rely on him to deliver that consistently.Ben Gordon, though, is a different story. For the sake of the team, the fans, and BG, the dude needs to start. Give the guy a defined role. Last night, he knew his role - score - and he delivered. Will Bynum knew his role - find the hot hand - and, despite massive rust, eventually showed solid playmaking abilities. Tayshaun Prince knew his role - lead - and he finished with an astonishing 28 points, 12 boards, 8 assists, and 3 blocks.
As a fan, it's difficult to know what to make of Prince. He's playing so well, but he's also the only player who'd likely command something of value in return. Besides an expiring contract, he's still relatively young and has massive respect around the league. My guess is that the Pistons would likely still not get equal value, but they may have no other option since Prince will likely sign elsewhere this summer. Stuckey is in an equally tricky situation. He's developed into a NBA-caliber scorer. He's a capable defender, and, in general, a good dude. Yet, he's shown no tangible ability to make those around him better. His best role seems to be that of the 2-guard. If the Pistons deal him this season, I wouldn't be surprised to see him flourish. He's got talent. But he and Rip are clearly holding this team back. The Pistons simply play better with BG at the 2, and McGrady or Bynum at the 1.
The Pistons next three games are against Toronto, Chicago, and Charlotte. If they play like they did against New Orleans, they should win all three. Yet, we now know to expect the unexpected.
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