My rant:
he Spurs had a big Run at the End of the third when Dice went out with four fouls and Tay had to play the four. Duncan didn't have to worry about double teams or hard defensive pressure and started scoring at will.
BUT
The game was tied going into the Fourth Quarter.
In the Fourth Quarter, only one Piston showed up to play: Rasheed.
The rest of the team flat out choked. For all the mental toughness, battle testedness (made up word, i know), and other crap sputed about the Pistons, they absolutly turtled up in the fourth. Billups looked lost out there, RIP couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, Dice and Prince plain vanished.
Ben's defence was very good, but at this point the team needed points.
14 Fourth Quarter points, Rasheed scored 9 of those.
Rip scored three when the game was over.
As for next season:
The Pistons will be back stronger than they are this season even if they don't make a single move.
1)Darko, Arroyo, and Delfino should be MUCH better. Darko should actually contribute , Delfino could really add a badly needed spark off the bench, and Arroyo will have an entire summer to learn the Pistons system.
2)They Need to draft a shooter. I think Salim Stoudamire will drop to the team at 26. I would either take him there or try to get an early 2nd rounder.
3)I doubt they will use the entire MLE to sign anyone since they need to save some money to re-up Prince and B Wallace after next season. A small signing for a guy like John Berry, Eric Piatowski, Fred Hoiberg type would really help.
4)The biggest loss the Pistons MAY suffer is the retirment of Hunter. I still think he will come back.
5)Coaching is the big question mark. Assuming Brown doesn't come back, I would try to land Flip Saunders ASAP and hope the team can learn the system.
he Spurs had a big Run at the End of the third when Dice went out with four fouls and Tay had to play the four. Duncan didn't have to worry about double teams or hard defensive pressure and started scoring at will.
BUT
The game was tied going into the Fourth Quarter.
In the Fourth Quarter, only one Piston showed up to play: Rasheed.
The rest of the team flat out choked. For all the mental toughness, battle testedness (made up word, i know), and other crap sputed about the Pistons, they absolutly turtled up in the fourth. Billups looked lost out there, RIP couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, Dice and Prince plain vanished.
Ben's defence was very good, but at this point the team needed points.
14 Fourth Quarter points, Rasheed scored 9 of those.
Rip scored three when the game was over.
As for next season:
The Pistons will be back stronger than they are this season even if they don't make a single move.
1)Darko, Arroyo, and Delfino should be MUCH better. Darko should actually contribute , Delfino could really add a badly needed spark off the bench, and Arroyo will have an entire summer to learn the Pistons system.
2)They Need to draft a shooter. I think Salim Stoudamire will drop to the team at 26. I would either take him there or try to get an early 2nd rounder.
3)I doubt they will use the entire MLE to sign anyone since they need to save some money to re-up Prince and B Wallace after next season. A small signing for a guy like John Berry, Eric Piatowski, Fred Hoiberg type would really help.
4)The biggest loss the Pistons MAY suffer is the retirment of Hunter. I still think he will come back.
5)Coaching is the big question mark. Assuming Brown doesn't come back, I would try to land Flip Saunders ASAP and hope the team can learn the system.
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