One word can be used to sum up the Detroit Pistons right now: inconsistent.
One word can also be used to describe the Boston Celtics in comparison to those Pistons: better.
Right now the Pistons are the little brother and the Celtics are the big brother.
Little brother always goes into the game excited and ready, hoping this is the game he can prove himself.
It usually doesn't happen.
The Detroit Pistons (8-4) didn't even show up, outside of the first five minutes in the first quarter, in their second showdown with the Boston Celtics (11-2) in less than a month.
They were out hustled, out played, out toughed, out coached, out shot, and pretty much out done in everything in their 98-80 loss Thursday night. They were embarrassed, and even more-so than the first blowout which took place just a couple weeks ago in Detroit (believe it or not).
So what have we learned about these two teams thus far?
They are in complete different leagues.
Boston is in a league of its own. Poised, confident, prepared, and ready for whatever comes their way. The Celtics have the swagger of a true champion and look like even more of a "team" than they did last year.
- B/R Ticket Guide
Detroit is in the league of wannabees. They want to be Boston. Heck, they used to play like Boston.
The Detroit team on the floor Thursday night didn't look anything like Boston—or the Pistons of old.
Allen Iverson was mediocre—and he has proven he can't play defense if his life depended on it.
Rasheed didn't show up, and neither did Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rodney Stuckey or the majority of the team for that matter. Forget how many points they scored. It was the other part of the game they looked bush league on.
Defense? What defense? I haven't seen Pistons defense this bad in a long, long time. And isn't that why Flip Saunders was fired and Michael Curry brought in here?
Under Saunders the Pistons were statistically ranked in the top five of almost every defensive category. But he was fired because they didn't execute that philosophy properly in the playoffs—that along with being unmotivated by their coach.
Well, under Curry, the Pistons are in the bottom half of the league defensively. And on top of that, they are showing no toughness at times.
They got bullied by the big, bad champs tonight. As if it was a heavyweight versus a lightweight. It looked like a preschooler versus a high school kid or Mike Tyson in his prime versus me.
Not even close.
Yes, the schedule has been tough. But champions persevere. It's one thing to lose, but it's another thing to get embarrassed. And in an already short season, the Celtics have managed to embarrass the Pistons twice already.
The champions certainly look like champions.
The wannabees continue to look exactly like that.
Performing well at points, but never putting together a consistent effort to show they are close of even being considered in the same breath as the Boston Celtics.
For now.
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about 1 month ago
I'm so happy this game was on national tv! This is one of the best games I'v ever seen Rondo play, he couldn't be stopped! GO BOSTON!
about 1 month ago
Detroit is still adjusting to having AI instead of Billups. From the looks of things, it appears as though the Pistons are just waiting for AI's contract to expire so that they will have the cap space to sign a big name or two in 2010. With Iverson's $20 million off the books, one could only guess at who the Pistons could land. Lebron, maybe? Who knows. But it sure looks like they are focusing on the future instead of winning games now.
from about 1 month ago
Well Jason, no doubt you are partially right. But knowing Joe D., and he flat out said this, the added cap space was just a bonus when they traded for A.I. He still expects great things from this team this year, and the expectations are the same -- finals or bust.
I would be shocked if LeBron came here, I really would. What's the point of going from Cleveland to Detroit, right? He's a spotlight guy...LA, NY, MIAMI...i don't know their specific cap situations, but there's a reason players like him always end up in one of the "big markets." I'm sure Detroit will pursue him, offer him a contract, so we'll see what matters most to LeBron I guess...winning, or exposure.
The perfect fit for Detroit is Chris Bosh, and that's who I see as the likely big name addition to the Pistons i 2010.
about 1 month ago
Well said Anthony. I think the Pistons know that Iverson's days are numbered, both in terms of contract and in terms of productivity. Despite that, AI was the type of scorer that Detroit needed. Over the last few seasons thats really they lacked: a go to guy. Sometimes it was Billups; sometimes it was Hamilton; sometimes it was Prince. But how much juice does AI have left in the tank? And will this team ever truly accept him considering the relationship that they had with Billups?
LBJ is stuck in a catch 22 so to speak. He wants to win championships, but he also wants to be the richest man in the world. Lofty aspirations; I hope he achieves both of those goals. A larger market would make him wealthier, but I would prefer to see him as a winner.
I think Wade and Carmelo are free agents in 2010 as well. That summer of free agency could very well be league altering. Perhaps Detroit could score Bosh and Flash. But that would just be unfair.
from about 1 month ago
To your first point, I think you are addressing a bigger issue most don't know about. Rip has been less than stellar since A.I's arrival. It is documented he cried, along with Prince and Billups when they heard of the trade. Billups publically said he didn't think Rip would have signed a three-year extension with Detroit if he would have know Billups wouldn't be here. Rip needs to get back on track, big time. But the question remains, can he, and is he 100% here with Bullups gone now?
LeBron, he's a big mystery. He's done well in Cleveland but doesn't appear to want to stay there. Which leads me to believe it's all about a change of scenery for him -- and Ohio to Michigan isn't much of a change. He'll get his big pay day in LA, NY, or MIAMI (like you said with Wade leaving there is cap space there, and Kobe is actually a free agent too, so they could basically swap Kobe for Lebron (a younger player), and get his "exposure."
I would be surprised if the Pistons get two superstars. They'd have to take a little less for that to happen. But with AI and Sheed's money coming off the books, the money will be there.
Thanks for the discussion and comments.
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