Comments on: Rodney Stuckey, Greg Monroe continue poor starts to season in loss to Suns

By: jerrific

jerrific — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 22:56:38 +0000

Good point. Joe is probably eager to prove that his track record with firing coaches can change as well. The number of coaches he’s gone through while in charge here is kind of ridiculous.

By: Patrick Hayes

Patrick Hayes — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 02:19:24 +0000

20-30 minutes. If he’s dominating and not in foul trouble, boost that number up even more too. But I also have no problem yanking him if he’s passive or not aggressive, like he was in the opener. In college, he could get away with passivity at times because he had such physical advantages over everyone. That’s an awful habit for a NBA big though. Even less physically gifted bigs will dominate him if he’s not aggressive.

Basically, I want him to have a rotation spot all season and see him get minutes in the first and second half like any backup would. After that, how many or how few he gets game to game is totally up to how engaged he is. If he’s into it, just keep rolling with him. If he slacks off, bench him that game, but also go right back to him the next game.

I really liked how Frank handled Knight last season. There were games that Knight was really bad, but still played hard, so Frank generally left him out there. The few times when Knight was both bad and didn’t play with energy, he got benched.

By: Chris N

Chris N — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 02:14:38 +0000

Patrick, you’ve said in a few posts now that you think Drummond isn’t getting enough playing time. What’s the right number for you?

By: shawn

shawn — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 01:44:14 +0000

Greg Monroe always starts the season slow and Rodney Stuckey is suffering from Migrains. Brandon Knight is still learning the point guard position. A position that usually takes years to master. We should all relax, as has already been said. As the season progresses one of the rookies will force himself into the starting five by his play(I hope). When that happens we will all have already forgotten this wretched start.

By: Otis

Otis — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 22:14:39 +0000

This team needs a go-to player, and it doesn’t have one. Greg Monroe is proving why it isn’t and can’t be him, and anybody paying attention should have figured out Stuckey’s never going to be that guy. Why does everyone jump on somebody as being anti-Pistons who points out these things?

The second unit actually looks good and includes the guys I want to watch. This team needs a serious transformation, structure, someone to run the offense. Time for Joe to step up, and since he can’t possibly hold out hope for free agency, between our young players (some of whom should be traded), solid veterans, and expiring contracts, the transformation may as well begin mid-season.

By: Patrick Hayes

Patrick Hayes — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 21:24:05 +0000

You’re right on that … plenty of teams off to bad starts are much better by the end of the season. And the Lakers are actually 0-3 right now, but I still don’t doubt they’ll be a title contender by the end of the year. Even last year, a team like Philly looked fantastic at the beginning of the season and terrible by the end. It’s a long season and the Pistons still could get much better. Nothing to panic about yet, even though they certainly haven’t looked good.

By: jerrific

jerrific — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 21:06:59 +0000

except last year was his first as Pistons coach soooo..

the lakers are also 0-2, is that enough evidence to fire mike brown? don’t get me wrong, i’m not a huge frank fan either. however, even talented teams can start a season off poorly.

By: Patrick Hayes

Patrick Hayes — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 20:46:23 +0000

I have absolutely zero problem with Prince in the right role. he’s doing what is best for this young team to try and grow and he deserves major credit for that. I still think he’d be far more valuable on a contending team, but I have no problem with him around if he’s playing like this.

By: frankie d

frankie d — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 19:03:38 +0000

what is truly disappointing is that the team should at least be ready to start the season prepared to play.
this is, after all, the exact starting five that was together for the bulk of last season.
the team looks like it is starting from scratch.
the offensive scheme is hard to figure out. every once in a while it is clear what they are trying to do, but most times, it looks like a fire drill with guys just running around and trying to make something out of nothing.
defensively, the same glaring problem – interior defense – is still the same glaring problem. and now that the whole league has had a full season to have observed that glaring problem, it is pretty obvious that everyone is going to attack them in the same way: drive the ball down the throat of the defense. it is disappointing that the team is so unprepared to counter what should have been an anticipated strategy by other teams. (like…maybe playing your seven footer who can block shots along with your seven footer who can rebound…)
i’ve never been a big lawrence frank fan. his stubborness – a trait very similar to his mentor’s, bobby knight – is in full display and not serving him or his team well. i’m sure the team will straighten out many of the current problems – utter chaos on offense, no defensive structure – and start playing decent BB, but you have to wonder about a coach who brings his same basically veteran team back and is incapable of having that team play even respectable basketball.

By: Max

Max — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 18:50:34 +0000

@Patrick
Glad to see you are acknowledging Tay’s fairly subtle but noticeable shift in trying to get the ball quickly to the young players and especially on nights when he took his fair share of shots.