When you look at our squad we are pretty loaded. Do people think CV31 and Ben Jordan are just bench players or something? I'd rather see Gordon start over Rip myself.

The team is talented yes but not talented enough to compete with Cleveland, Boston, and Orlando. Defense isn't good enough, lack of a true point guard hurts as all of those teams have true point guards, and still don't know if we have a consistent low post threat yet. Wilcox could be it, Villaneuva could be it but I want to see it first.

This will be a team that competes, that's for sure but as far as championship type team...not there quite yet.

And Gordon starting over Rip would be such a mistake. One, Rip is just as good offensively as Gordon is and Rip is significantly better defensively. Who's the better outside shooter? Gordon for sure although Rip isn't too far behind. And that's about the only thing Gordon has up on Rip.

I think we have enough talent to make the playoffs, but we are far from a championship contender. Unless we get lucky in the draft or make a steal of a trade, I don't see us being contenders for awhile.

quote:

Originally posted by adambiss:
When you look at our squad we are pretty loaded. Do people think CV31 and Ben Jordan are just bench players or something? I'd rather see Gordon start over Rip myself.

who is ben JORDAN?

That picture looks very sensual

Talent alone doesn't equal success.

The Pistons have talent, but that doesn't mean they'll be one of the better teams in the conference next year. First of all, much of the talent is young and with not a lot of experience. Secondly, team chemistry is often times just as important and sometimes even more important than talent in terms of winning games.

Last year, the Portland Trailblazers might have been one of the top most talented teams in the league, and in the West, they were probably the most talented team after the Lakers. The Blazers didn't get out of the first round. Also last year, Phoenix and Charlotte probably had top 10 teams just based on talent alone. Neither made it to the playoffs.

Having talent--and how talented the Pistons are is very subjective and might not be as good as you think compared to many of the other NBA teams--doesn't mean a team will be great. And, a team with lesser talent can sometimes be better than a team with much more talent. Look at the 2004 NBA Finals as evidence. The 2004 Pistons weren't the more talented team than the 2004 Lakers, but they were the better team because of other factors.

Tons of talent might not be a necessity, but it sure does help. Only 2 teams have won a championship without a superstar. That's not a very good percentage.

Talent means everything think about what you are saying, if we had a team full of guys who had absolutely no talent and couldn't play basketball then our team would be horrible! Of course you need talent man come on!

Fans have never thought that we've had enough talent even during the "ship" year. A team full of out-casts and underachievers and that's what we have today, the same scenario. What we did have in the past is chemistry and that's what we're looking to establish again.

quote:

Originally posted by adambiss:
Talent means everything think about what you are saying, if we had a team full of guys who had absolutely no talent and couldn't play basketball then our team would be horrible! Of course you need talent man come on!

I don't think you understand what was being said. Of course we need talent, but you don't have to be the 96 Bulls.

Every team in the league has talent. Up to about half the Eastern Conference teams have more talent than the Pistons. You can have a lot of talent on a roster and still not have enough to be a really good team. And, you can have a bunch of talent without the necessary chemistry and be a bad team. Last year's Pistons team had a lot of talent, probably enough talent to be a top 5 team in the conference, but they finished 8th and got swept in the first round.

No one is saying you don't need any talent. Not one person said that.

You need more than talent. And, when every other team has talent too, you also need better talent.

quote:

Originally posted by DTP:
The team is talented yes but not talented enough to compete with Cleveland, Boston, and Orlando. Defense isn't good enough, lack of a true point guard hurts as all of those teams have true point guards, and still don't know if we have a consistent low post threat yet. Wilcox could be it, Villaneuva could be it but I want to see it first.

This will be a team that competes, that's for sure but as far as championship type team...not there quite yet.

since when is mo williams a true pg? an jameer is 27 an still hasn't learned to set up anyone better then 5 dimes a game, stuckey is already at his level assists wise, he does have dwight ya know, also shard to nail open shots

quote:

Originally posted by ruiner:
I think we have enough talent to make the playoffs, but we are far from a championship contender. Unless we get lucky in the draft or make a steal of a trade, I don't see us being contenders for awhile.

when i look at our squad on paper, im sure not many if any, see it as i do, were as good as anyone, an i truly mean that, ill hold off saying we'll win a ship for the first time since leading up to the 03-04 season, till i see them play. But im as confident as ever, we may need to take that hurtle most championship teams have to take, but thats as bad as it's gonna get in the near future, in my estimation

quote:

Originally posted by DTP:Who's the better outside shooter? Gordon for sure although Rip isn't too far behind. And that's about the only thing Gordon has up on Rip.

and getting to the FT line.

quote:

Originally posted by Jelly:
Talent alone doesn't equal success.

The Pistons have talent, but that doesn't mean they'll be one of the better teams in the conference next year. First of all, much of the talent is young and with not a lot of experience. Secondly, team chemistry is often times just as important and sometimes even more important than talent in terms of winning games.

Last year, the Portland Trailblazers might have been one of the top most talented teams in the league, and in the West, they were probably the most talented team after the Lakers. The Blazers didn't get out of the first round. Also last year, Phoenix and Charlotte probably had top 10 teams just based on talent alone. Neither made it to the playoffs.

Having talent--and how talented the Pistons are is very subjective and might not be as good as you think compared to many of the other NBA teams--doesn't mean a team will be great. And, a team with lesser talent can sometimes be better than a team with much more talent. Look at the 2004 NBA Finals as evidence. The 2004 Pistons weren't the more talented team than the 2004 Lakers, but they were the better team because of other factors.

i agree that talent alone doesnt win ish, just gotta say we shouldn't underestimate BG, hes been in the playoffs plenty of times, an did show up. I think he only missed the playoffs once or twice in his career, his rookie year which i think they made it prob cause him being a huge reason, an the season before d rose, thats it.

quote:

Originally posted by adambiss:
Talent means everything think about what you are saying, if we had a team full of guys who had absolutely no talent and couldn't play basketball then our team would be horrible! Of course you need talent man come on!

2004 lakers, four future hall of famers, including 2 of the most dominant players the game has seen... in their prime, versus a TEAM called the detorit pistons, i don't think i have to explain how the story ends

id hold of on saying talent means everything, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so one mans interpretation of talent would be no defense run up the court an dunk, then lose by 10 plus most nighta, or u can look at making the simple pass to an open man, playing defense, an talking to your teammates as talent.

People just want to be cautiously optimistic because they've had to deal with disappointment the last few years. In reality, we're a **** deep team with tons of offensive firepower: 7 guys capable of scoring 20 on any given night (if given the minutes, with stuck,rip,bg,tay,cv,wilcox,bynum). You can't say that about many teams. Joe D is very smart and realizes that the league is shifting towards offense. We'll be in the ECF next year or the year after, and I'm 99% sure about this.

When's the last time a team with as weak a front court as next season's Pistons have won a championship? The Bulls maybe, and that's arguable their front court was as weak. When's the last time a team with that weak of a front court won the Eastern Conference? Maybe the Nets, the Sixers?

The Piston front court cannot match the good teams in the Eastern Conference, let alone the entire league. That is a huge area where the talent does not stack up. And, it's a huge reason you can't expect much from the Pistons next year.

Two things with the front court have to happen in order for the Pistons to be able to compete with the good teams in the league.

1) Kwame Brown has to become a consistent top 3 low post defender in the Eastern Conference. Now defense is what he can provide, but consistently be great as a low post defender, while not getting into foul trouble regularly.

2) Charlie Villanueva has to put up close to all star caliber numbers. Doesn't have to be selected as an all star, but has to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 18/8 on 47%+ shooting, while being serviceable defensively. That's about the basement numbers he needs to put up.

To me, that's even being graciously low and setting the bar low enough for them to reasonably be able to do those things. They probably have to do more than that actually. But, I don't see either happening.