Huh-wha?!

One game after I so vociferously state "Monroe stakes a claim" on the starting spot, Coach Q benches him, and the Pistons play one of their best games of the year.

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.

Daye at PF

The Pistons starting Power Forward
Austin Daye started again at the PF spot last night in the Pistons' win against the Wizards. Daye didn't have a particularly great game (10pts, 4reb), but it's clear he's Kuester's first choice.

The only question now is whether Kuester will get cold feet and start a more traditional PF in the season opener, like, say, Jason Maxiell. Of course, Maxiell is dreadfully undersized, but the other option, Charlie V, is neither physical nor a post-presence. I suppose the best option, at least on paper, would be Greg Monroe. With a scant 3 pts, 2 reb, and 3 fouls last night, Monroe is not quite ready. He'll be eased into the NBA.

So it's looking like Daye. And this is good news from a fan perspective. The fans are dying to see what the Pistons have for the future. Daye possesses that super-smooth release and can create his own shot - two qualities that make him unique on this roster. Last year, I compared his game to Danny Granger, and I hold tight to that comparison. If Daye gets meaningful, consistent minutes, he may just live up to that comparison. If he languishes on the bench, we'll never know.

Also of note from yesterday's game is Rodney Stuckey and his 34 points. He took over the game and missed just 5 shots. It's just a preseason game, but he was matched up against two decent guards - Kirk Hinrich and John Wall. Stuckey showed he can indeed elevate his game. He showed flashes of brilliance two years ago, but last year was a massive disappointment. The dude just couldn't finish, and that's why his 13-18 shooting last night is heartening. If he could keep up a 45-50% shooting percentage, he'd average 18+ per night. Maybe over 20 if he got to the line more often. And, if the Pistons hope to have any success going forward, Stuckey is the key. They put all their eggs in the Stuckey basket when they traded Billups. So far, he's disappointed... but there's still time.

One last note... Ben Gordon. He was 1-5 last night. I totally respect the dude's skills, but I still don't think Kuester's found a role for him. Dumars created this problem by signing too many guards. I'd give Gordon a few games to settle in, and, if he's still struggling, he's got to go. There has to be a team out there looking for his talent. Based on the outrageous salaries offered FAs last summer, Gordon's salary ain't that bad. I'm convinced Joe D could find a taker.

What to do about Charlie V and BG

Little Ben is struggling, and Charlie V can't play D. To illustrate just how poorly Ben Gordon is shooting, check out this graph of Ben's 3pt shooting percentage by season:

Something in the Detroit water apparently does not agree with him. I should note that he began the season quite well. He was shooting 37% from 3pt land prior to his injury. He had a handful of dreadful shooting nights (1 for 16, 3 for 11) but otherwise lived up to his scorer's reputation. Since the injury, the dude has not been the same.

An optimist would say that gives us hope. While he's a shadow of his Bulls' self, a healthy Ben Gordon may return next season to give the Pistons some offensive punch. Last night, he was schooled by Nate Robinson who singlehandedly won the game for the Celtics. This cannot happen. Little Ben is a better player than his stats tell us, but I can't fault Kuester for not playing him. Since the injury, he just hasn't delivered.

I wish I could be so optimistic about Charlie V. He's giving about the same production as he normally gives. What you see is what you get. My thinking is that he (and Ben Gordon) need to be partnered with more effective defensive players. The current Bench Brigade of Bynum, Gordon, Maxiell, Charlie V, and Austin Daye has no defensive presence. The opposing benches outscore them every single night. Since Kuester is stuck with these players, he'll need to mix it up. Perhaps pair Ben Wallace with Charlie V... and Stuckey with Gordon. Mix and match the starters and bench as opposed to playing all five bench players at once.

This likely won't solve many problems this season, so Joe D will need to add a defensive presence in the offseason. I hear Tyson Chandler is available...

Wounded

The Pistons face the Bulls tonight, but the injury list continues to grow.

Players out for sure: Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince
Players questionable: Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva

My guess is that Gordon will not play, but Charlie V will. He had surgery on his nose after the Atlanta game, so Charlie was fitted with a Hamilton-esque mask. If he's comfortable in the mask, he'll play. They will need him.

The grit and determination that served the Pistons so well in the win against Atlanta can only carry the team so far. At some point, they'll need to supply some talent too. Chucky Atkins is a capable enough ball handler, but his shot is as rusty as our old '86 Chevy Suburban (not actually our car but close enough). Stuckey should keep pace with Derrick Rose, and Ben can clean off the boards. But who will score? They need some Gordon and Charlie V. Besides, how sweet would it be to see Gordon explode for 40 against his old team?