At Denver Feb. 25th, 9:00 PM TV20 Detroit HD, NBALP The Pistons are guests of the Nuggets on the back half of a back to back. The Nuggets are 4th in the league in scoring, avg 107.2 ppg, the Pistons are 15th, avg 97.9, the Nuggets are near the bottom of the league giving up 104.9 ppg, the Pistons lead the league only allowing 90.3 ppg. Denver has the 3rd and 4th best scorers in the NBA in AI and Carmella. Something has to give!!!!!!
I can tell you that Denver fans are scared as hell of the Stons. Just imagine them with Artest, and all what it would have costed them was Kleiza and Najera, who are still two good players in themselves. They NEED this win to not fall any lower than the 9 seed.
They ought to be scared!! The only player that is committed to playing defense on that team is Marcus Camby. Karl needs to change that mindset or they will never go anywhere. IMO, they have the athletes to play better defense, they just don`t.
I like the idea of going after the other team's best defender in games like this. Sheed, Dyess, and JMax should make it a point to go right at Camby. Pump fake, initiate contact, whatever. Also, the guards can do the same when they drive. No NBA player can withstand 5-6 coin flip calls without getting in foul trouble (except Lebron/Wade). It happens to us enough that we need to dish it out. If that doesn't work, then just shoot a bunch of 3's!
Camby is not a good on the ball/one on one defender. If this team were in the East, folks would bury them. Because they are in the West it seems like it is taking some act of God to keep them out of the playoffs.
That's correct. Camby is good as a weak-side defender, shot-blocker, and rebounder. But his on the ball defense has never been his strength.
Camby is 6/11. When you say "on the ball defender", what 6/11, 7 footer is? You can call him whatever kind of defender you want he is a two time (I believe) defensive player of the year and a consistent all NBA Defensive Team member.
I would say Camby plays defense better than Sheed. As far as on the ball defense, I don`t think a lot of players score when Camby is guarding them. I still don`t quite understand a big being decsribed as an on the ball defender. If Sheed is such a good "on the ball defender" (and I am not knocking Sheed`s defense) where is the defensive recognition from the league?
I think the entire Pistons team defense can lock down when they all decide to do it. Yesterday, you could actually hear their shoes squeaking as they were sliding, hustling, and scrambling to get into the correct position. It's a lot of work, though, to do that night-in, night-out for 82 games.
Chat's open for the game! Apparently George Karl is sick and isn't in the building. A familiar face for the more Old Skool Pistons fans among us will be handling the coaching duties for Denver tonight: Adrian Dantley. Get in the Chat!
Half-time thoughts Defense looks bla I remember Chauncey saying he didn't want to take his "threes" against PHO, b/c it would start their running game. Does that not apply to Denver? Wierd rotations tonight Stuckey looks confused as to what the hell to do; shoot, pass, or drive. I don't like him pulling a Chauncey, starting out on the side of the floor, and passing; not his game. Sheed looks good. Amir looked good. Didn't Tay use to be able to shut down Melo? Our titlting defense is stupid.
A very underwhelming win, but a win nonetheless We couldn't stop fouling. Ironically to cap it off Chauncey (What else?) fouls J.R. Smith taking a three and gives him a chance to tie it. Then Martin almost slams it in. Sheed taking a three in the final possession. Why do we keep running that play? I don't think he's ever made one. Stuckey was well kinda sucky. I don't get why Amir didn't play more. Looked like we could use his rebounding, and Max wasn't playing well enough to take up a majority of the time at PF. Is Flip still scared to play Amir extensively in close games? That's what it looks like.
