Captain Nick

Lidstrom made some interesting comments yesterday:

Things aren’t going to just take care of themselves when we get guys back. It doesn’t guarantee us winning any games. It starts in here with what we have.

I bring this up in light of John's comments a few days ago. John's theory was that Lidstrom's leadership style does not have the same bite as Yzerman's or Shanny's. None of us are in the lockerroom, so we have no idea. Yet, the next few games will be a good test. How will the team respond?

Lidstrom still played it very safe. He didn't call out any teammates or criticize the team sharply. He did, though, express serious concern. We'll see if that's enough. If the team continues to slide (1 win, 6 losses in the last 7 games), it'll be clear that Lidstrom either has zero pull or the team is simply not good enough. Either option is depressing.

Trader Ken
And just to continue my thoughts from yesterday... what should Holland do at the trade deadline? With so many players returning from injuries, my guess is that Holland will do nothing. He'll figure that the team will improve from within, and he may be right. Holmstrom and Franzen will certainly be big upgrades. I still believe, though, that Holland should put forth an offer or two.

Who on this roster is trade-able? I'd say everybody but Zetterberg and Lidstrom. Why Lidstrom? Loyalty, plain and simple. Unless Nick wanted a trade, he's earned the right to finish out his career in Detroit. No need to uproot his family. As for Zetterberg, I still contend he's a top player in the league and provides proof of that every Spring. The announcers always refer to him as "undersized" but I'd never have known that. He certainly doesn't play that way and rarely gets muscled off the puck. Z does everything necessary to win - the perfect leader and future captain.

Everybody else - including Pavel - should be available. It would pain me to see Pavel on another team, but he's a bit older than Z. He also is slightly less effective in the playoffs. Of course, the Wings nosedived when Pavel went down with injuries last year, but my guess is things would've been even worse had Zetterberg gone out. Just my thoughts. Hope they don't trade either, but, if Pavel and Ericsson bring in a Getzlaf, ya gotta pull the trigger. I've been pimping that trade for six months now and I'm sticking to it. It would help both teams. Getzlaf, with his two-way game, would be a perfect fit in Detroit's system. While Pavel would give the Ducks some star-power, and Ericsson could be the heir-apparent for Scott Niedermeyer.

Okay, I'll stop. Sports journalists always make fun of us fans for our outlandish trade proposals, and I can see why.

Future Red Wing?

Pistons Give Great Effort, Lose

In a sign of just how far things have fallen, the Pistons played one of their better games last night. They hustled. They swarmed on defense. They crashed the glass. Yet, they still did just enough to lose to a mediocre team, at home. Yawn.

It was a strange game. The Pistons shot 58% from the field in the first half but somehow found themselves down by six points. The Grizzlies maintained a comfortable 6-10 point cushion throughout most of the second half until Jason Maxiell took over the game. On both ends of the court, Maxiell dominated. Stuckey's 15-ft jumper with 2:56 to go in the game put the Pistons up 93-91, and the Pistons seemed in control. Unfortunately, it was the last points they would score.

The Pistons missed their final eight shots - many uncontested and/or layups. They also missed 4 of their final 6 free throws. Marc Gasol did not miss any free throws, as he scored Memphis final eight points. Just a few years ago, this game would've been a comfortable win by the Stones, even on an off-night. Yet, this incarnation is like Nate Robertson. They try hard, tease you with good innings, then end up blowing it at the worst times. They're GETL - Good Enough To Lose.

Were there bright spots? Sure. Stuckey and Rip both had double-digit assists. Unfortunately, Stuckey still can't finish at the rim. I've rarely seen an NBA guard who has as much trouble putting away layups. I realize he's often off-balance and swarmed by 6'10 behemoths, but Stuckey is supposed to an NBA-calibre scorer. Put the ball in the hoop already. Jason Maxiell and Ben Wallace were pretty awesome, but where was Austin Daye?

Dear Coach Kuester, last I checked your team was 14 games below .500. You're a lottery team. Why not play the rookie? Is Tayshaun Price that insistent on minutes?

The Pistons continue their dreadful home stand against the Heat on Friday. Can't wait.

End of an Era
Coming off one of the worst losses of their season, the Red Wings put up zero fight in a 5-2 loss at Minnesota. The loss knocked the Wings out of the final playoff spot and moved Minnesota within 3 points. The Wings have now lost three in a row, and are 3 games below .500 for the season.

Chris Osgood let three goals in on the first six shots. If he doesn't step it up soon, Holland should consider calling up Daniel Larsson from Grand Rapids. Jimmy Howard is playing well in net, but he can't shoulder the entire burden. The Wings need a backup to spell him on back-to-backs. And that 2nd string goalie should not guarantee a win for the opposition. Is that too much to ask?

Suffice it to say, the Wings are in trouble. Gone are the days of dominant puck possession and beautiful tic-tac-toe goals. No more suffocating defense that limits the opponents to under 20 shots. This is a team fighting for the final spot in the playoffs. They're a middle-of-the-road NHL squad with below average scoring. Folks in town seem to believe their fortunes will turn around when the injured players return. I tend to disagree. The team is what it is. They've been playing poorly all season, regardless of who's on the ice. Hoping for a massive turnaround is akin to hoping Magglio, Guillen, and Robertson will return to form. It's a hope based on no tangible evidence. Their glory days are long gone. The recent evidence reveals a team that can't string together three wins in a row. They're mediocre. A non-threat.

But all is not lost. They have talent in the farm system. 18-year old Thomas Tater gives us hope at Grand Rapids. Click here for an update. The article says Tater is five years away from contributing. What can they do in the meantime? My thinking is that they would benefit greatly from a two-way center. When Filppula returned, the Wings puck possession increased dramatically. Now Filppula is no world-beater, but he sees the ice well and is an above-average puck handler and skater. If the Wings could pick up one more Filppula (or better) talent, I think they'd see a world of difference in their ability to control the game.

Those that saw my recent +/- stats may have noticed that the top line players (Datsyuk and Zetterberg) despite their sub-par seasons still have the best ratings. The 4th liners (Abdelkader, Leino) have the worst. One key acquisition could change all that. But, how could they attain one more player? I say they consider trading Jonathan Ericsson or Brad Stuart. Both players will be in high demand come the trade deadline. Most playoff teams want to shore up their defense with rugged blue-liners who can contribute on the power play. Nobody is going to want Meech or Lebda. But they will want Ericsson or Stuart. My guess is that a team like Colorado or Chicago would be willing to part with a young center (like Ryan O'Reilly).

The Red Wings' system is predicated on puck control, as the Versus announcers repeated ad nauseum on Monday. As a result, they're more reliant upon centerman than defensemen - unlike, say, Anaheim or New Jersey. The Wings do have a wealth of talent on the blue-line, even with the potential departure of Nick Lidstrom in a few years (gulp). A core of Kronwall, Rafalski, and one of Ericsson/Stuart should suffice, if they have defensive-minded forwards. I imagine most fans would gasp at the prospect of trading away Ericsson, but he's the exact chip piece that could lead to a true talent. The Wings are built from the forwards on down, while most teams are built from the goalie on up. Shop Ericsson and see who bites. And if Anaheim will consider parting with Getzlaf, throw in Datsyuk for good measure.

Red Wings Suck

It's like the Red Wings are trying to erase all the goodwill and happy memories they've provided over the years with this one craptastic season to forget.

Once again blowing a late two goal lead, the Red Wings lost in overtime to the Phoenix Coyotes. The loss gave the rival Coyotes two massive points and further distanced themselves from the Wings.

When the Wings miss the playoffs - it's time to accept the inevitable - they can point to this key stretch in the season. It's a sequence of 4 straight games that the Red Wings squandered third period leads, often squandering two goal leads.

Who to blame? Where to focus the anger?
Osgood? He's always the best place to start, but he was on the bench. Howard? He was relatively helpless and actually did a good job stalling the attack as long as he did. Lidstrom? Nah, the dude had two goals! Stuart? Perhaps. He failed to clear the puck late. Ericsson? Maybe. Another game of turnovers. Rafalski? 3 turnovers from him alone. All told, the Wings turned it over 19 times versus 5 for Phoenix. A complete mental breakdown and, to be fair, some old fashioned bad luck.

Of course, when it happens four straight games, it's no longer bad luck. It's just a bad hockey team.

Injuries

How much do injuries matter?

On the surface, quite a bit. What would the Celtics look like without Kevin Garnett? Or the Devils without Martin Brodeur? Or the Colts without Peyton Manning? These are franchise players who can singlehandedly lift a team.

For our winter Detroit teams, only the Red Wings have franchise-level talent with Zetterberg and Datsyuk, and neither player has been out for any significant length of time. With that said, neither has actually performed to their franchise-level ability either, but that's another story. So, as the injured Pistons and Red Wings slowly regain their health, will they actually start winning some games?

In the Pistons case, probably not. If Tayshaun taught me anything, it's that chemistry matters more than talent. Tayshaun is superior to Jonas Jerebko in every NBA-skill category except perhaps haircut. Yet, the team is infinitely better with Jerebko on the court. Part of the problem may be Tayshaun's rust. Last year, coming off his Olympic summer, Tayshaun was riding high and seemed to raise his game with the arrival of Allen Iverson (the only Piston who benefitted from that trade). As the losses piled up, though, Tayshaun's numbers dipped, and he never recovered. With Tayshaun out with the low-back injury, Jerebko picked up his minutes and made a mark with his athleticism and energy. The team rarely wins, but it's not due to poor play from Jerebko.

Now, Jerebko may not be a big drop-off from Prince, but what about Chucky Atkins? He's stepped in for Will Bynum. And is there any replacement for Ben Gordon? My guess is that Gordon and Bynum have been out so long that they'll have a difficult time re-integrating into the team. Kuester, already overwhelmed with the low attendance and extended losing streaks, will have to balance minutes for everybody. Both Bynum and Gordon have the potential to dominate on the offensive end. When hot, they can be a formidable back-court. But, man, this team is so guard-heavy. Will Bynum and Gordon's play be that much better than what Stuckey and Rip are currently providing? I doubt it. This team really needs help in the front-court. Barring some massive trade (like Stoudemire), I don't see any relief coming any time soon.

As for the Wings, my prediction is that they'll improve dramatically when Homer and Franzen return. I say this due to their impact on the powerplay. Now, the Wings only played three games with both Homer and Franzen on the ice, but the power play converted 26.7% of the time. Since those three games, the power play percentage dropped to 16.6%. That's significant. Those two guys could bring the Wings an extra goal per game, something they desperately need.

So, injuries... how much have they hurt? They've hurt the Wings significantly because nobody can fill the role that Homer and Franzen provide. As for the Pistons, the impact is less tangible. They just rearranged their guard merry-go-round

0-for-the-weekend

The Pistons went 0-2, the Wings went 0-1, and Curtis Granderson had a tear in his eye as he said farewell. Folks, check out this video below and try to convince yourself that the trade was a good idea. Curtis showed he was much more than a ballplayer, and individuals like that come around once a lifetime. That's all I'll say.



The winter of our discontent continues...

With the way the Pistons have played this year, I'm not terribly surprised. Even though they were embarrassed by the Pacers on Friday, they've rarely rebounded well from bad losses. They tend to stay stuck in the mire. To their credit, they rallied from a massive first half deficit (yet again) and actually kept it close in the 2nd half. Unfortunately, Portland's superior talent and coaching triumphed. It was another game where the opposition had little difficulty shooting over 50%. There's little doubt the key to success for this squad is in improving defense. Interestingly, the Pistons were linked this morning with one of the worst defensive players in the league - Amare Stoudamire.

Despite Amare's defensive deficiencies, I'd hope the Pistons mortgage the future to acquire this dude. He's had major injury problems throughout his young career, but that doesn't change the fact that he's a massive talent. And a player like Stoudamire is the exact complement that Stuckey needs to shine. He's got no big man to augment the inside-outside game. Stuckey is no Steve Nash, but he'll at least have a competent big man to dish to, as he drives the lane.

Unfortunately, the Pistons do not have much to offer. Phoenix may be interested in Tayshaun Prince and his expiring contract, but it's doubtful they'll be interested in anything else, other than Stuckey. Joe D would likely part with a draft pick before he'd part with Stuckey, so the best the Pistons could offer would be something like Tayshaun, Kwame, and a first round pick (likely #5 or #6). Kwame would be the throw-in to make the salaries work.

My guess is that Phoenix will find a much more attractive offer elsewhere. Memphis, for instance, may offer up Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph. Randolph has a dreadful contract, but it comes off the books in two seasons. Gay is a borderline All-star that might flourish in Phoenix. With that said, Prince may be more appealing. It wasn't long ago that he was an Olympian. Phoenix, for all their success, might covet a "glue" role-player like Tayshaun. And he's cheaper. We shall see.

Red Wings
There are still over 30 games to go, but we might need to accept that the Wings are just not good this season. For the third time in four games, the Wings lost their 3rd period lead by giving up two late goals. That's not the mark of a championship, let alone playoff team.

It's very depressing. It's still too early to panic, but it's not too early to worry.

Rebound

That's what I get. My reward for praising the Pistons was a blowout loss to the 15-28 Indiana Pacers... at home. Just how dreadful was this loss?

• The Pacers had only 4 wins on the road all season (4-18)
• Rodney Stuckey, who Fox Sports Detroit mentioned as a potential All-star (ha!), put up a -22 rating
• Pacer Center Roy Hibbert was a +29

The previous game Hibbert was a -22. Yet, against the Pistons vaunted front line, Hibbert dominates. The Pistons took an early 8-4 lead, then watched Indiana (15-28 Indiana, mind you) go on a 23-5 run. The Pistons did respond, however, with a small run of their own in the 2nd, cutting the lead to 4. Two straight three-pointers by Brandon Rush and Danny Granger pushed the Indiana lead back to 8 by the half. Things were still looking somewhat within reach for the Pistons, but Kuester must've spiked their Gatorade with Valium at the half. Indiana scored the first 11 points of the 3rd quarter and the rout was on... or, rather, confirmed.

So, just when you feel the Pistons have turned a corner, they lay an egg and stake their claim as the worst team in the NBA. I should note that Tayshaun played this time. Tayshaun scored 7 on 3-12 shooting, with 6 rebounds. He was certainly not to blame for the loss, but, as Mrs. Nofrownmotown noted, "When Tayshaun plays, they lose."

It's certainly a bizarre phenomenon. The dude just does not fit in the current scheme. Not only do the Pistons lose, but they get demolished. Folks, Tayshaun's only featured in one win - the first game of the friggin' season! I wish I had answers, but I can't see any rhyme or reason for this. Maybe Jerebko and Daye do make a big difference. Whatever it is... Kuester needs to address it, because the team is drawing fewer and fewer people.

And if I never see Chris Wilcox again, it'll be too soon.

OT
In happier news, the Red Wings actually won a game in a shootout last night. They didn't make it easy. The shootout went eight rounds. When Drew Miller scored the clinching shootout goal, Mike Babcock was lacing up his skates. There were smiles all around, but the fact is that the Red Wings - for the 2nd game in a row - gave up two goals late in the 3rd period. This time, they had a two goal cushion and won it in OT, but this is a disturbing trend.

With the lack of firepower, the Red Wings turned their focus to suffocating defense. They need to get back to that philosophy. I fear that part of the problem is Jonathan Ericsson, who's just returned from injury. It's hard to believe, but he's still just a rookie. He's turned the puck over a ton since his return, but they still need to work him into the lineup.

With the win, the Red Wings are now tied for the final playoff spot in the West. Hey, it's a start.

Back in the Sad-dle

Hey, y'all, I'm back from my little brother's movie shoot. Major props to John for holding down the fort in my absence. I noticed that the Pistons decided to go on a 3-game winning streak. It was almost as if they were waiting for me to leave before they decided to turn it on! But they rewarded me with one of their best wins of the season last night.

Likely you've already heard, but, in case you haven't, the Stones beat up on a true contender - the Celtics (27-13). It was Sheed's first return to the Palace since he signed with Boston. The Palace crowd was sparse, and their response lukewarm:


I understand that I'm a bigger Sheed fan than most, but Piston fans should realize that the dude gave us five years of great and maddening entertainment. His personality will never be replaced.

As for the game, it didn't start out very promising. Rip Hamilton and Big Ben must've been amped up beyond recognition, as they were passing the ball around like hyper 4th graders. Rondo feasted on their errant passes, slicing through the defense for easy layups. In the first quarter alone, the Stones turned it over 10 times (Rip finished with seven for the game!). Though they settled down after that. Only five more turns the rest of the way.

Thanks to Stuckey, the Pistons stayed within shouting distance in the first half. Stuckey scored 11 of the Pistons first 13 points. His impact was palpable. When Kuester sat him in the 2nd quarter due to foul trouble, the Celtics went on a run and pushed their lead to double digits. None other than Austin Daye ran the point. He had difficulty beating Rondo's trap, but, for his first time ever as an NBA point guard, Daye fared well. Daye even nailed a killer 3-pointer at the buzzer, to get the Pistons within 8 at the half.

The momentum carried through to the 2nd half. The Celtics, who shot 58% through 2, only scored 30 points the rest of the way. Normal defensive pansies like Villanueva and Daye stepped up their intensity to match the great defensive performances by Big Ben, Stuckey, and often-forgotten Jason Maxiell. In a key moment in the 3rd, Maxiell came out of nowhere to reject Rasheed Wallace as he attempted a thunder dunk. It brought the house down. Check it out here (at around 1:10 into the clip - they also show Austin Daye's killer 3):

The key to the second half, though, was Stuckey. Earlier in the afternoon, I was watching the Pistons vs Wizards game that trophy-wife, Mrs. NoFrownMotown, recorded for me while I was gone. Stuckey's game was just not clicking. While I believe he's an excellent talent, he just has a lot of difficulty finishing at the rim. And the most glaring weakness in his game is passing. He's not a horrible passer, but he never - repeat never - dishes off to the open player while driving to the hoop. My hope is that he soon adds that dimension to his game, as it will increase his effectiveness dramatically.

Stuckey's weaknesses aside, he was THE MAN last night. He finished with 27 points, 11 boards, 6 assists, and an impressive +14 rating. He hit a number of key hoops in crunch time, along with Charlie Villanueva. Stuckey ultimately outperformed Rondo as they were at each other's throats all game. Inconsistency still plagues the 3rd year guard, but he's exhibited the brief flashes of elite-level ability that hint at greatness. Whether he reaches that level remains to be seen, but it's clear today that Stuckey is the best player on the team. It's sort of a non-story at this point, but the Stones were without Prince, Gordon, and Bynum. Didn't matter. When Stuckey and Big Ben perform at that level last night, they can compete with anyone. Of course, as the 13 game losing streak proved, those two guys can't consistently play at that level. Players like Rip and Charlie V need to chip in. If they find their groove, the Stones may just dig themselves out of the NBA basement.