[mn3]

Ping pong balls baby!!

It's all about the balls. It has always been about the balls.

[Mel Kiper Jr]

Originally Posted by mn3

In a league that just kills teams that turnover the ball a lot, we're a young team transitioning to a rookie point guard and we're going to turnover the ball a lot. Add to that our major lack of size, and we're going to see a ton of games where we're just maimed on the defensive boards - and that weakness will be made a lot worse by our inability to run our offense in a balanced controlled way, leading to way more situations where we cannot set up defensively the way we want to.

I think we've got a stud in Monroe, and a future top-flight PG in Knight. I think we've got a very fine energy player in JJ; a guy who will give us really fine all-around play for a lot of years. IMO, that's three fine guys to build around. Monroe is developing into an excellent low post center. He's much better than I thought he'd be this soon in his career at that aspect of the game. When we do have an efficient offense in a few years as Knight matures and the team concept is established and the players become young veterans, Monroe will really shine, since he's an outstanding passer and his offensive game might be one of the best around for a big man. Combined with Knight, we'll have two very high IQ players to run our team. Any team with a top PG and a fine low post all-around center, has a potentially bright future.

With JJ, he's just a nice piece that will add to any good team. My open questions are how Stuckey, Daye and Gordon fit into that future. Stuckey, I think, is a force in this league - one of the toughest guys to guard in the game because he's so outstanding at driving to the basket and getting and-1 opportunities. Getting your points at the free throw line is the best way to slow the other team down, and allow your team to set up on defense, and it builds up fouls on the other team's big men. I predict that the Knight, Stuckey combination will be great for us over a lot of years.

Daye and Gordon should each fit into this team in the future. Gordon seems to be getting his game back, but let's face it, the guy is totally built to be a sixth man and not a starter. Daye is a dynamic scorer - and right now, he's the guy on the team I have the most concerns about. Will he or won't he develop well with us? Will he earn PT on this team.

Look, it's pretty clear we're going to suck this season. IMO, the absolute key to this team having a great future is how the coaching staff handles all this. Will they be able to develop the young guys on this team so they have good team habits while we are getting clobbered? Or will the losing ways get out of control such that these young players develop lousy and selfish habits? If it's the former, than when we add top picks in 2012 and 2013 (because it's going to take a few years to totally turn this around), we could have a core that looks as good as any of the best young teams. I think that Knight and Monroe are such good kids, high IQ guys and hard working pros, that it's more likely that this season of losing and great coaching will be a plus for them and a win for the team going forward. As those guys emerge into the team leaders, the other core guys on the team have a chance to develop well, too.

That's about the only reason why I am interested in following this team - I can see a possible light at the end of the tunnel.

Daye is not a dynamic anything. He sucks and we need to get him off the team.

I would guess that CV is who gets amnestied in the offseason. Even when he tries on defense, he is horrible.

As far as annointing Knight a fine-future PG and saying he has high basketball iq...I think that is still unknown. He turns the ball over a lot. He does have the ability to score, but we knew that. The knock on drafting him was that he wasn't a PG. He has to demonstrate a lot more ability to run an offense and set people up before we can say that our PG spot is set.

Monroe is about the only solid answer we have on this team...and yeah JJ is a good energy guy. Knight has potential that he hopefully realizes too.

[Mel Kiper Jr]

So, as we are getting crushed by 20+ to teams like the Knicks...in the 3rd Quarter...why bring Ben Wallace in for the 1st time? Why not try a guy like Macklin and rest Ben?

[ghandi]

Didnt get to see much of the game as the Lions game was on at the same time.....It did seem that every time I did watch the Knicks were making an easy layup or getting a putback.... The Pistons jsut dont have the talent in the front court and the guards dont score/shoot well enough to offset it.....Monroe should probably be a PF wit ha defensive minded center....JJ is OK but I think he'd be better at SF than at PF but we're still kinda learning what he can/cant do well.....

[Jeff Hause]

Originally Posted by Santos

Anything to do with the fact that Stuckey was out? We're thin in talent, so when one of our best players is missing, I think we'll really feel it badly.

We really missed that expert ball distribution and 32% shooting. It's not like we have a winning record when he starts...

[Kstat]

better than when he doesn't.

[Jeff Hause]

Eh, maybe. Not enough where I think it would've made a difference last night...

[Kstat]

Mike Bibby wouldn't have looked like 1985 Danny Ainge.

[Stefan S]

whether or not we would have a different record is one thing.
The fact is, when Stux is not on the floor, we play pathetically ugly.

[papalawrence]

Lol, pathetically ugly.......P-U.

[hack]

Originally Posted by Mel Kiper Jr

So, as we are getting crushed by 20+ to teams like the Knicks...in the 3rd Quarter...why bring Ben Wallace in for the 1st time? Why not try a guy like Macklin and rest Ben?

IMO getting to watch Ben for 10 mpg from the bench and later in film is easily worth it for the youngsters.