I'm one of Sheed's biggest fans, but I recognize his shortcomings at the same time. Sheed is not a weight lifter, but until recently no basketball players were. Man watch Classic, nobody was cut up back in the 70's or 80's. Only recently has lifting really come into the game. Look everyone in the league has room for improvement, and Sheed definitely does. For all those that think he's abondoned the post realize a few things. (1)As you get older you play further from the basket. Look at Malone and Barkley after 10 seasons. Hell MJ cut out the drives and went str8 to the fade away. (2)this team doesn't feed the post very well. (3)With Ben on the floor the spacing is always off. Teams cheat off Ben all the time and until he can hit a 12-15 footer, a legit post game is going to be difficult to attain. (4) When Ben is off the floor, Dyess is in, and the post offense goes through him. (5)No 3 pt shooters on the perimeter to space the floor for a post up game. Look I'm not making excuses, just pointing out a few variables that go into having a legit post up game.
I might add to that list (6)- Maybe Rasheed doesn't have a post game? It's becoming a lost art, in fact Zelly and Corliss are the only two recent Pistons that actually had a decent low post game. If indeed Sheed in uncapable for some reason of getting good position, backing his way to the basket and getting a high percentage look at the basket with a chance of drawing a foul, then he needs to find another way of being effective. If mid to long range jumpers are all he is going to take then thats fine. If he wants to be the third option, thats fine- he just needs to be more efficient.
Sheed owes us one. Zeke had a bonehead move against the Celts that cost us a playoff series. But he made good the next season. Sheed needs to fix that bonehead move in game 5. It ott to be eating at him.
Example of the Sheed Effect Game One of the Finals against the Lakers is an excellant example of the Sheed effect. We come into that series an overwhelming underdog against a mighty Laker team full of Hall of Famers. Everyone expects us to lose. There may have even been some doubt in the minds of some Pistons. Sheed comes out in the first possession and promply drains a 3 pointer - LB must have been furious. Not only did that "punch in the mouth" give us the first lead of the series, but that arrogant shot sent a message to both teams. The message was "we're here to win this game." I think the team's (Pistons) confidence was boosted by that shot. Then, what does Sheed do on the first possession of 2nd half? Same thing - drains an in-your-face three. And the route was on.
good posts on Sheed Yes, he can hit the big shot at this stage of his career--thanks for pointing out those Laker shots. I did not like him in the clutch earlier in his career. Sheed does have a post game but has not always used it even in his early years with Portland. Every time Horry was in the game we should have posted Sheed. That we didn't do it may be Sheed's fault, that of the guards or Larry's fault. It is hard to tell.
Well in the interview with Flip today he said that Sheed' is working very hard, and that he has lost 20 pounds. I think we're gearing up for an amazing season.
remember that sheed had plantar fasciitis (or however its spelt) not that long ago but only missed a few games, playing through pain and injury. also his post presence whether its used to its full extent or not helps us hugely. before sheed, teams were not only leaving ben, but spreading out and suffocating our outside game which at the time, we were relying on a lot. we had no inside/outside game.
Are you ready to SHEED Look this is just a fact when Sheed comes to play scores 20pts the Pistons do not lose I repeat the Pistons do not lose. With the new motivated Sheed coming into camp we look like we have the player we all want in Sheed. This will be another exciting year I expect the same amount of victories maybe about 2 to 3 more than the last few years. This team need not have the let downs against bad teams and it will be alright. It all starts with Sheed and it will end with another ship. Go PISTONS!!!!!
Post Sheed is a PF with a great outside shot, but he's still a PF. He need to mix his outsode game with his inside game according to the game situation. I can't agree more with you about him posting on Horry all the time and I think it was his own fault. A player should be able to recognize mismatches and take advantage of them. LB wasn't able to recognize that too. If everytime he posted on the finals, he was effective (even against Duncan), why he didn't keep on doing it? Maybe they (himself and LB) couldn't agree on do it. Or perhaps, their focus was on running the offense using the same schemes, without adjusting to an obvious advantage. Does anybody knows?
I was questioning Sheed's offseason conditioning not his ability to play hurt. I don't think Sheed has a problem with heart...I'm just saying that strength conditioning a la Kander has proven to extend players's careers and for the greatest player of all-time (in my opinion) Michael Jordan, it was this conditioning that helped take his game to a higher level. If Jordan doesn't build muscle mass and strength against the Bad Boys he doesn't beat us for the first time in the playoffs. If Mike can work out, Sheed or any other basketball player in the league for that matter certainly can. I still don't think we've seen Sheed's best game. Fortunately for us, we haven't needed Sheed to show that game as his current talent level surpasses most of the league and the players that compliment him take some of the focus away from the areas he could stand some improvement in.
Fabulous post Merc! Needless to say I couldn't possibly agree much more, meanwhile the haters like to ignore the simple concrete facts you stated and would rather whine about stats.... I appreciate the fact that you even created a strong & and much needed post/thread like this! GO PISTONS!!!!!
Makin good for costly mistakes... No more true words could be spoken my friend, as much as I dig Sheed's game, style, & and undeniable swagger he CLEARLY owes Detroit and (more importantly) his teammates one! Others have been saying the same thing all summer long but it almost just can't be said enough. With that said I've got faith Sheed will certainly be bringin it on a more consistent basis this season fellow Pistons fans!!! I see no reason why he can't give us a good 16 to 17ppg this season, he's more than capable of it...
Sheed Sheed's value so far has been his locker room attitude, his defense, and once in a while, his ability to take over a quarter. But this year he will be more important yet. I think he blames himself, even though I do NOT, for losing that finals series. It should never have come down to the Horry shot. He blames himself and indications are that he is coming into training camp this year with a better attitude and with fewer pounds. His value this year is going to be like it was when he first came here, and we will be able to use every bit of it. The only thing I fault him for is his habit of just phoning it in at certain times because this serves as a bad role model for the younger Pistons. But I really do not think that those periods will hit him so often this year because he will have the opportunity to get enough rest. When the players play Piston basketball, they are playing a bit harder and faster than ordinary NBAers. The Piston style when it is being played right, is giving 100%, and no one can do that every single minute he is out there if he is playing too many minutes. Watch for a good year from Sheed. I am.
I agree Lazy. I think when we lose we tend to try to find one particular thing that IF different would have changed the outcome. Yes, had he made the right play on Horry we would've won the game (and maybe the series). But there were hundreds of plays in that game and the Pistons shouldn't have let it come down to that one play any more than the Lions should have let it come down to a couple of passes with 30 seconds left, or Michigan State should have let it get to overtime. (Bad sports weekend for me...even my fantasy team lost). That being said, it doesn't mean I have to like Joey as QB or like the MSU kicker! And I don't!!
I blame that Game 5 loss on 1 critical call. horry drove the lane knocked Rip who was clearly planted ready for the charge. Instead they called a blocking foul, and Horry made a huge 3 point play.
I remember that Wasn't that the play that Horry went up and dunked on? I think he took off from WAY OUTSIDE THE CIRCLE (8 feet from the hoop?). That was a clear offensive charge, yet they gave him an "and 1". Just another example of "bogus" officiating.
