Everyone on the Pistons seems to be very hesitant to point to “tired from Cavs series” as a reason for the big home loss to the Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals – even Big Ben Wallace said there’s no excuse.
On a night when Shaq and Dwyane Wade spent a lot of time on the bench in foul trouble, the Pistons refused to take advantage, then ruined our entire posting agenda by not giving any excuses. One little “we seemed tired” from Tayshaun Prince.
Let’s go to the fan contingent – Need4Sheed disappoints us, as well.
There was no urgency in the way they played tonight, and it’s been hard to come by at all during this playoff run. The Pistons can’t win this series against a well rested Miami team that seems to be in sync with each other.
Somethings wrong, no excuses.
We’ll tell you what’s wrong – the Pistons aren’t as good as everyone thought. What they are is a team who’s played together for three years, while everyone else made a bunch of changes in the offseason.
They cruised through the regular season because they all knew each other, knew their tendencies, and it was business as usual. The rest of the NBA was trying to figure out what they had, playing with their rotations, getting to know each other, making friends, or were just plain bad.
Somewhere in there the Pistons lost their real strength, Larry Brown their edge.
Anyway, according to the Detroit News, her name is Carly Kraft, 24, of Bloomfield Hills and we like her. We don’t like her like her, we just like her. In the case she happens to be an heir to the Kraft empire, we really like her like her like her.
Not because of the money, but because anyone who’s associated with such fine products via birthright is special indeed.
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That’s a low blow from a guy who’s hero is about to jump ship to NY…yeah it’s gunna happen…and yeah it’s gunna be hilarious.
BronBron – ByeBye
everyone knows pick 7 is the best pick. We really won the lottery.
I’m sorry, was your team good this year? Did I read the record backwards again or something?
I’m down with any hot chick that is down to roll to basketball games, and is actually a fan. Cuz you know here in L.A. girls that roll to the games just roll to be seen not because they enjoy the game.
MattB: Why are you so sure you know where Bron is going? You must know Wes Wesley or something…
Pistons Fans: Despite the fact that I am an avid Laker fan, I’ve always had respect for your team. I loved that underdog mentallity that that they brought to the table every night. But now you have to admit that they have lost that. They are SOOO arogant. Especially Billups and Sheed. By the end of next season all of the guys would have gotten long term deals. They all have rings (except for Dice). Dice, Lindsay, and Rip are the only ones that seem to not be playing with this sense of entitlement. I can’t believe Detroit fans put up with this. Isn’t the whole reason you guys started liking these Pistons in the first place because of the workman like mentallity of the team? Somewhere along the way they have lost that.
And all of y’all that don’t think Bron-Bron is staying in Cleveland, try this on…I don’t think Billups is going to re-sign in Detroit next off-season. He’s the most arrogant of the bunch, and he has been the most underpaid of all of the starters, meaning he is going to want max money. The Pistons by that time will be paying Tay, Rasheed, and Big Ben over $10 Mil per year each. And I know Billups is going to want to make more than all of them. Especially because he has been underpaid. You really think Joe D is going to pay Billups $12 Mil per season??? And do you really think Chauncey is so about the team that he will take less than that when another team will certainly offer him that. Think about that…
I’d be worried about Ben leaving first. Does he really deserve $10M+ after the playoff performance he’s had so far? At age 31?
Yeah, I’m getting the feeling the Ben is gone. It seems like he’s getting a little disgruntled, and hasn’t been playing up to his usual standards either.
I wonder where he could go. He’s fantastic at what he does, but he’s really just a solid role player – it’s only on this specific team he seems to fit as a star.
Most teams want at least some offense from that position from a starter. I can’t see anyone paying him the money he’s going to want.
Phoenix, San Antonio, Miami, and the Clippers are the best spots for him. They all have dominant big men, and wouldn’t need him to score. He would just have to do what he does best, which is play defense, rebound, and run the floor. I think he would be a great fit in Phoenix because Nash would get him tons of easy layups. It’s safe to say (although I hate NASH), that Big Ben could average double figures in Phoenix. Imagine a Front Line with Amare and Big Ben…
I have to totally disagree with you Cavalier. We are as good as we think we are and that is the whole point of my post.
You have not watched the Pistons play 82 games this season, you were too busy with LeBron.
How can you say a team dominated the regular season just becuase they know each other? Now that in itself is just silly, and not in a YaySports kinda way.
Natalie…They are good, because they are a great team. But you have to admit that they have become rather arrogant this season, and have lost that underdog mentallity. That is why they are playing the way they are. Lindsay Hunter, Rip, and McDyess are the only ones out their that are still hustling. Billups is way too arrogant.
Ben Wallace is only 31 years old?
Jones, yes i agree with that but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good. They are literally the best starting 5 in the league.
Ego’s aside you have to admit that the Pistons are a great team and if they were the underdogs right now they would probably be winning.
They aren’t moving the ball and Rip and Chauncey seem to be chucking up shots they normally wouldnt take.
True, but they have lost that edge that made them great…They are acting in the manner the 04 Lakers did in the finals against the Pistons. You can’t go into a series not having respect for an opponent
Nat I’m still mad at them; it colors my opinion.
I guess it’s just disappointing, because I don’t think I’ve openly cheered for a team from a different city as hard as I did for the 04 Pistons. I don’t know why it makes me dislike them so much now that they got arrogant, but it does.
That said, even the 04 team isn’t one of the all-time best as Billups likes to say. I’d go so far as to say the 80s Celtics or Lakers would sweep them, as would any of Jordan’s Bulls.
I never said all time best and I disagree with anyone else who says it. There is trouble in paradise, my paradise that is.
And who said we were fighting?
I’m just cranky, I feel as weighed down as Pat Riley’s hair.
Got nothing but love Brian.
They lost their underdog edge when the 4 starters were voted to to the All-Star game or whatever.
Their cockiness bugs me, I wish they would go out and play as hard as they talk! Yes, they deserve to still be playing because they are good, but they do not need to be running off at the mouth about it.
Makes me nervous, is all.
Quit Piston Hating man! How do you explain that the same starters, only together for the last games of the season, won the title? Refine your hate, man! Hate on Flip’s lack of adjustment, stagnant offense or overall motivation from the starters or lack of a post game (could use a Big Nasty Corliss) or bad bench rotation or ….
But lay off the “starters are overrated” stuff.
Nevitt out…
I’ve never, ever thought they were that good, though. There’s no record of it, but in 04 I said they were lucky the Lakers all hated each other. I was rooting for them too, because I admired their work ethic and such.
They’re very, very good. But they aren’t GREAT GREAT. Billups said in last week’s Sports Illustrated that they’re one of the best starting fives of all time. That’s what I don’t like, and it’s what killing them right now.
OK CAV, a little better hatin’.
They’re a very good team that doesn’t deal with success. Whether it’s a championship run, a fast start to the season, or going up on a team in a series.
“We’ll tell you what’s wrong – the Pistons aren’t as good as everyone thought. What they are is a team who’s played together for three years, while everyone else made a bunch of changes in the offseason. ”
They may not be as good as THEY think, but they are as good as everyone else thinks.
As far as Billup’s statements, I concur on your hate. It was refreshing to see L-Bron be a little humble. Hope that lasts.
But if the Pistons make it to the finals this year, that’s a pretty good run for 3 seasons of the same starters and probably hasn’t been done too many times. Even the other teams that have made 3 consecutive trips to the ship change out a few starters each year (or even 2 – has any starting 5 ever done that??) . That’s a pretty neat thing if it happens, and one Sheed or Prince could have chosen to break-up for $$$. I think you’re simplifying the 2004 season though, and I suppose the Kobe/Shaq hatred got the Pistons within 4 minutes of the 2005 championship as well right? Face it, you’re still hatin’, but a true point on the attitude they can display.
Nevitt out…
I guess that’s part of the reason I see them as some sort of anomoly, and therefore not on the level with other great teams.
They’re an absolute perfect mix together – I don’t know that even one of their starters on their own would be in the top 20 players in the league if you switched them out to another team.
Let’s face it – you can put a T-Mac or a Dirk on any team in the NBA, and they’ll thrive. Chauncey, Rip, Prince, or Sheed? I don’t know that they’d be All-Stars anywhere else.
Something about that lessens the team in my eyes, even though it should make the team as a whole more respectable.
Or it’s just their mouths. Rip even said after Game 1 again that it wasn’t anything the Heat did – it was just the Pistons playing bad. I dunno.
the pistons are the best all around team in the nba, why is there so much hating, and tayshaun prince is amazing,pistons fan like myself be thankful
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