Game #68: Raptors Vs Pistons - 3/16/11

**Deleterious** · 03-16-2011, 08:11 AM

7:30 PM ET, March 16, 2011

FSD+

**T&P_Fan** · 03-16-2011, 08:30 AM

I will catch some of this on the radio. I am driving down to Ann Arbor after work (5 hr drive) to spend the weekend with my buddies for St. Pattys day and the opening rounds of the tourney.

I wouldnt hate if we tanked and got a top 5 pick.

**Hart** · 03-16-2011, 07:42 PM

I 'm sure I am in the minority but I am happy to see Rip back in the starting lineup.

**DTroppens** · 03-16-2011, 10:02 PM

Because chances are no matter what I think, Stuckey will be back next year with some new contract, it was nice to see him be a PG-first player tonight. He didn't take a shot until late in the game and had 12 or 13 assists. I forget the exact number already, but it was a career high. I found it shocking he'd never had 12 assists before, even Stuckey. Of course, this was Toronto at home, one of the few teams the Pistons will win a season series with this year. And it's interesting that Stuckey was so intuned to being a PG first, that he wasn't able to attack individually. No one said he has to erase that completely. So I don't know if this was a case that he was just trying to prove a point, a point that will last about two games, two weeks or as long as it takes to get his new contract, or if this is a real transition. It's one game, so I don't think anyone is writing home about it. Or maybe it took that type of devotion to do something that doesn't come natural for him.

I don't know. I guess we'll find out.

Hart,
I don't care one way or the other if Rip plays any more. So little has been developed this year that it's hard to worry about what's happening now. I can think of one plus to this season - the development of Greg Monroe and the further development during the final 1/5th of the season. Beyond that, this season has answered very few questions with a positive answer. And too many of them just weren't addressed.

**Buddha** · 03-16-2011, 10:50 PM

Greg Monroe getting a lot of national love lately. I've heard on two different podcasts from people re-doing last year's draft that Monroe would be the second player taken after John Wall.

**Deleterious** · 03-17-2011, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by Buddha

Greg Monroe getting a lot of national love lately. I've heard on two different podcasts from people re-doing last year's draft that Monroe would be the second player taken after John Wall.

Start listening to better podcasts.

**Truth** · 03-17-2011, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by Hart

I 'm sure I am in the minority but I am happy to see Rip back in the starting lineup.

I'm happy to see him back. Of course he had a vintage Rip game tonight which might inspire Kuester to sit him next game

**Deleterious** · 03-17-2011, 09:07 AM

We probably wont see Jerebko this year. I think that is a pretty smart move.

Coach: Pistons' Jonas Jerebko unlikely to play this season | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

**Hart** · 03-17-2011, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by Buddha

Greg Monroe getting a lot of national love lately. I've heard on two different podcasts from people re-doing last year's draft that Monroe would be the second player taken after John Wall.

Monroe was very active the whole game. It helped we were playing Toronto but I can see why national writers are starting to take notice.
You can see his confidence has come a long way this year. The next step for him will be to start developing some kind of offense outside of catching and finishing.

**Nastradamus** · 03-17-2011, 08:32 PM

Monroe's pretty much a lock to be a 15/10 guy next year with solid defense. I foresee a solid 5 man big rotation of Monroe,Jerebko,Faried,Villanueva(defense everywhere else at least),Wallace. Not too shabby.

**Nastradamus** · 03-17-2011, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by Deleterious

Start listening to better podcasts.

Most who are paying attention to the NBA this year agree with what he said unless they say Cousins, but either way, he'd easily pass Favors and Turner at this point. There is also little question that some teams simply wouldn't take Cousins, though I'm not sure that can be said of anyone who was picking high this year.

**Nastradamus** · 03-17-2011, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by Hart

I 'm sure I am in the minority but I am happy to see Rip back in the starting lineup.

agreed. i say move forward and keep him. Let Tay and Mcgrady walk and make Rip the starting 2 and part time backup 3. You'll have to make him and Gordon work somehow and Stuckey stays at the 1. Maybe you try to get a Ridnour type behind him for more pure PG play. Ideally daye starts at the 3 and you have one more SF on the roster, someone who can D up. That could be Summers or even Jerebko I guess, but I don't see it

**Hart** · 03-17-2011, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by Nastradamus

agreed. i say move forward and keep him. Let Tay and Mcgrady walk and make Rip the starting 2 and part time backup 3. You'll have to make him and Gordon work somehow and Stuckey stays at the 1. Maybe you try to get a Ridnour type behind him for more pure PG play. Ideally daye starts at the 3 and you have one more SF on the roster, someone who can D up. That could be Summers or even Jerebko I guess, but I don't see it

I do not want any part of Gordon or Stuckey next year. I really want no part of Rip either but I think he brings more value than the other two. Rip at least creates offense with his movement. If he can overcome his attitude problem, I could live with him as our shooting guard for another season.

Not sure if Gordon has any trade value but I would guess not. Probably as low as Rip's right now. Maybe Chicago will lose in the first or second round and and decide they need to bring him back. They do need a shooting guard.

**Nastradamus** · 03-18-2011, 11:55 AM

I thought of Chicago but they probably can't make the money work. I'd sure love to get Asik from them though.

Whether we want Gordon or not, we are stuck with him, so it is what it is. I don't see letting Stuckey go for nothing as a good idea either. He isn't a perfect PG, but unless we can upgrade on him, we have to hold on to him. He's in the top half of PGs in this league, so unless we get a top 10 PG, what are we to do?

**Betrayer** · 03-18-2011, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by Nastradamus

I thought of Chicago but they probably can't make the money work. I'd sure love to get Asik from them though.

Whether we want Gordon or not, we are stuck with him, so it is what it is. I don't see letting Stuckey go for nothing as a good idea either. He isn't a perfect PG, but unless we can upgrade on him, we have to hold on to him. He's in the top half of PGs in this league, so unless we get a top 10 PG, what are we to do?

The problem with that line of thought is that we have a losing team. If you keep all the key players from a losing team, guess what you'll have next year: A losing team.

We need to move on, cut some loses, take some chances, and get past the Stuckey era. Maybe we can draft a PG, maybe we can do a sign-and-trade for one, maybe we'll just stink again and get another high draft pick, but either way we don't want to be locked into Stuckey for another 5 years.

**Nastradamus** · 03-18-2011, 12:35 PM

I'd like to move on from most of our players, ideally 3/4 of Tmac,Ben,Rip,Prince but I think Stuckey,Monroe,JJ and Daye are worth keeping going forward. Stuckey is a very good NBA player, whether pure PG or not and we have nobody, like normal for the Pistons, who can get to the rack besides him.