Comments on: Pistons’ turnovers beget fear of turnovers, which begets more turnovers

By: Jakob Eich

Jakob Eich — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:45:56 +0000

I actually wanted to do a piece on Rubio but unfortunately didn’t have the time. I’ll try the next time we play the Wolves (not sure if we do this season). I loved when Rubio hit the tying three against the Clippers because he smiled while shooting. I think that’s great, he’s just having fun out there!

By: vic

vic — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:35:47 +0000

what was great last week was watching Ricky Rubio make those quick bounce passes without hesitation. I think walker D. Russell will help teach our team how to pass a little better, especially once he gets used to the offense. another solution is that Lawrence Frank needs to demand that those passes be made, and open shots be taken. there is too much fear in our offense.

By: Steve K

Steve K — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:41:46 +0000

Great diagram.

Pretty informative on how the Pistons try… but are simply out-talented, out-coached, and out-matched. Much of that has to do with familiarity (as with Russell not sensing Monroe’s positioning), but it’s also true that Tay is not a great pick-and-roll man. Tay is and will always be Mr. “Isolayshaun”.

What was maddening about that Memphis game was Monroe catching Stuckeyitis. He just couldn’t finish at the rim. So many of his shots just barely rimmed out. It was maddening for fans… I can only imagine how maddening it was for him. A few more buckets from Monroe and that 3rd quarter becomes significantly more interesting.

Fairly worthless week coming up for Piston fans. They’ll be swimming out of their depth with games against OKC, Miami, and Atlanta. Here’s hoping they at least compete.

By: Jakob Eich

Jakob Eich — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:53:32 +0000

I agree with your opinion that Prince tends to play safer passes. Then again we are so turnover prone, we don’t really need Prince to make a high-risk moves. At this stage of the Pistons season I prefer them to run the sets as long as possible and really get Frank’s system instead of taking the first shot available. In this instance we didn’t run a specific play though, at least not at the end Fact is, Monroe was open two to three times during that possession and didn’t get the ball. So instead of getting a lay-up we had yet another turnover. A risky pass might give us a turnover, but not shooting at all will result in a turnover as well. I highly doubt that Frank wants the wings to pass the ball back and forth while Monroe is in potential scoring position. Tay won’t change his ways now in his career, but I expect JJ and WRJ to do better.

By: frankie d

frankie d — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:40:28 +0000

prince is long and quick and he has excellent court vision.
however, he does not make the kind of quick decisions that a good pick and roll man must make. prince always hesitates for a second or half second, and in that brief time, opportunities disappear. he is often in perfect position to make a pass to an open man, but he will not take a slight risk in order to make that pass and he’ll simply hold onto the ball and look for a play or pass that will be 100% safe. a good pick and roll man will make passes that might be risky and will make a turnover every once in a while as a result. prince will never make that risky pass, so he is not a good pick and roll man.
in fact, i think i recall that specific play you’ve diagramed, and if i remember correctly, monroe was open for a split second, but tay did not get the ball to him. (monroe may have been mad about that also.) you can see the passing lane opening up, in the pic, as monroe has an open lane right down the lane, but tay would not throw the pass.
his innate caution makes his ballhandling and vision and length and passing skills almost non-factors as he rarely, if ever, challenges a defense with those attributes. if he was less risk-adverse, he could be a great point forward. as it is, he always makes the 100 % safe pass or shot and that always makes it easier on the defense.