Oops, I Guess I Was Wrong About the Detroit Pistons Model Being Broken

In an earlier article, it appeared that the Detroit Pistons' model for success was broken. At the beginning of the season, it seemed like the old Big Ben Wallace had reappeared as the new, but same old Big Ben Wallace.

My criticism, then, was that four players who have some offensive ball skills, cannot compensate for Wallace's lack of offense.

This was despite the fact that in the championship season, those players were able to win without Wallace contributing much to their offense.

Now, after watching the way the team beat the Boston Celtics Wednesday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills, where the "Bad Boys" used to play, but the current edition of the team is starting to play, I've had to reassess my opinion on their future prospect of winning some games this season.

What has caused this personal reevaluation has been the recent play of two cogs in the Piston machinery. For one thing, Ben Wallace does have some offensive game or abilities that I hadn't seen before. 

Secondly, Wallace's energy level seems to be as good as it used to be back in the championship days. Additionally, I was wrong about the offensive skills of Chris Wilcox. He has the ability to dunk with the best of them in the league.

I wish I had been wrong about Kwame Brown, but he still makes one wonder what Michael Jordan was thinking when he drafted him for the Washington Wizards. He has trouble catching passes in the post, where he should, and does, attempt to play.

Another issue for him is that he doesn't appear to utilize his height very well. When he goes up for a shot, he hardly ever, gets an "and one" opportunity because he doesn't take the contact and finish the play too well.

What impresses one most about this current Pistons roster is that they have great guard play, which makes sense because Joe Dumars, the general manager, was a great two-guard; he would be better at stocking that type player. 

His assortment of big men has not been the best, but his strategy has been built around the play of his guard rotation.

This team is not easy to assess, because they have not had a healthy rotation of players, since the season began. If and when they get their players back in the game to game rotation, then perhaps it will become apparent just how good they could be.

One of the guards who was not successful with the team is now being discussed in the media in the same sentence as the words "starting in the All-Star Game," and that would be Allen Iverson.

I liked A.I. when he was in Detroit because I thought with him coming off the bench, sort of like Vinny Johnson did back in the "Bad Boy" days, the opposing team would be exhausted every night trying to chase down Richard Hamilton and then Iverson when he came in.

In fact, Ben Gordon's game involves utilizing picks and screens too. Those three guards could have been great, but Iverson doesn't do windows, i.e. come off the bench. It is still hard to accept idea of him starting in the NBA All-Star game since he's played so little this season.

But the fans pay the freight, and they should be able to see who they vote in for that game. Iverson better enjoy that game because he said he had come to Detroit to win a championship, and now that he's back in Philly where his career began.

It's beginning to look a lot like that's where his will end, and championship doesn't appear too likely for him at this point in his career.