| Eyes Open Authored by Curtis A. Clark - November 2, 2006 - 12:39 pm
New year, new focus, new center, new team?
Not quite, but the Detroit Pistons won't be the same team that has made it to three consecutive Eastern Conference Finals. Instead, they will look to recommit to a new league and a expanded more complex offensive system. Keep your eyes open and watch them pull it off.
This is not your father's NBA, in fact it isn’t even your NBA anymore. Since Detroit’s championship year of 2004 the league has made almost exaggerated efforts to increase scoring in an attempt to increase rating and revive the glory days of the NBA. As a result players defensive effectiveness has dropped. Gone are the days of funneling teams perimeter penetration to your shot blocking Ben Wallace. Gone is dogged in you face defense played by the 04 Piston Pit Bulls Lindsey Hunter and Mike James. In short, gone is hand checking. To coin Joe D the Bad Boys wouldn’t have even been allowed to play in this NBA.
The cracking down on hand checking explains why Dwyane Wade can average 40 a game in the Finals and it explains why Detroit did not pay their heart and soul 60 million dollars to play on the one side of the ball David Stern is killing.
Nazr Mohammed is not Tim Duncan, but he may look like it to Flip Saunders when compared to Ben Wallace. I watched that put back by Ben had against Miami to tip off the NBA season and I felt the same heart ache and anger that all Detroit fans did. He was supposed to do that for us till the day we retired his number. But Joe Dumars is smart and realized that Ben may be an outdated model in the new NBA. Strange as it may sound, the threat of a 15-foot jumper from your 5 man may be more valuable in the new NBA than potential for 3 blocks a game.
As the dust settles on another eventful Joe D off season and the new season starts here is what to look for to see if 06/07 Detroit Pistons are pulling it off.
1. Tayshaun Prince Detroit still has 4 all star caliber players in their starting lineup. Tayshaun will most benefit from the 75% larger offensive playbook wielded by Flip Saunders. Prince will be all over the court playing point forward, traditional 3, and some power forward when matchups allow. He will be seen posting one play and setting up the offense the next. Opponents will never know what he will do from one possession to the next. That should make Detroit’s offense smooth and versatile. Now that teams have to cover all 5 Pistons starters their will be more room to work with, it is just a matter of Detroit finding out how opponents want to be beaten. Tayshaun will be the primary benefactor of this, his versatile game most lends itself to keeping teams off balance. The best example is Tayshaun’s coming out party against Philadelphia in the last post season under Rick Carlisle. Rick desperate to invigorate the offense threw Tayshaun in to the game and just told him to control the offense. Tay responded with game winning performances in which no player on Philadelphia could check him.
2. The Bench Every year writers say the Pistons will use their bench more and they don’t. This year however they don’t have that set in stone starting five that will play 35 minutes plus. Instead Detroit will add Carlos Delfino, Flip Murray, and Jason Maxiell to the only consistent contributors the last 2 years Lindsey Hunter and Antonio McDyess. Maxiell has proven a valuable bully in getting teams into foul trouble all preseason. He slimmed down and has taken his Corliss Williamson like slash into the lane to a new level. Max seemed to get fouled or a high percentage shot every time he puts his head down and explodes. Delfino has finally gotten guaranteed playing time. Detroit shipped Mo Evans on draft day and left Carlos alone to backup the 3. His shot may be inconstant, but his defense and creativity is not. We all remember Flip Murray for his dismal performance in the post season against us last year, but what we may not know is that he had no role in Cleveland. He does in Detroit, just score. That is all he is asked to do, put the ball on the floor and go to the hoop. He has responded well so far in the preseason.
3. Nazr Mohammed You may say who? But Mohammed is a solid player who wont hurt you and brings good skills. He is capable of occasional 15 rebound games, he is capable of occasional 20 point scoring nights, he will shoot 50 and 75 from the field and line, and he will put his chest into his man on D. He isn’t as sexy of a name as Ben Wallace, but he may be an improvement is many regards. First he can hit a jump shot and dunk a basketball with one hand. I am not Ben bashing, but he had more air balls and bricked dunks than anyone I have ever seen at the pro level. Nazr is what you need in Flip’s offense. A safety valve from 15 feet and a guy that will hurt you if you forget about him. Nazr will be the 5th option on almost ever play we run, but that is exactly how he will shine. Last year running only 25% of Flips offense we saw a familiar sight as fans. Ben Wallace alone in the free throw circle with the ball under 5 on the shot clock. What happened next wasn’t usually pretty. What happens now is a canned open jumper from the safety valve. Nazr will hit that, and when he does teams will notice, and when that happens the whole floor will start to open up for every other talent we have around him. Nazr isn’t a savior, he is just a better fit for this system and this NBA.
4. Winning That last thing to look for is a familiar one. Detroit still has the best 1-3 in the NBA, three players all in, or close to, their prime. They aren’t going to suddenly win 20 less games. Sure Rasheed and Dyess are a year older, but they won have to carry the load alone down low anymore. Detroit is just as likely this season to win 60 games as they were last year at this time. Chauncey is in a contract year, Dyess is in an option year, Rip worked all off season on improving his leg strength to explode faster, Nazr has something to prove, and the kiddies are going to see time. And lets not forget the coach has a lot to prove, this writer for one called him out for being out coached in two playoff series last year. Lets hope Flip Saunders has something else for us come playoff time.
So keep your eyes open and see what the league has done to your Pistons. Their identity has had a manicure and they have had to adapt to rules instituted because of their previous success, but they are still talented winners. DETROIT BASKETBALL is still one of the best brands of ball played state side, enjoy.
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