NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

Allen Iverson getting some love from Coach Michael Curry

So it seems funny that so many fans are suddenly all over Joe Dumars case about the Allen Iverson trade. It is actually pretty rare in sports for both teams to get quality star players in any trade.

In this case Joe D gets a trading A+.

How can this be, you ask? Haven’t they lost a ton of games since AI rode into town, you ask?

Well, it can be and yes they have lost more than they usually seem to lose.

But consider the benefits of this trade.

The transition Dumars so boldly made in dumping Billups and his $36.3 million stretching out through 2010-11 was as shrewd and forward-thinking as it gets in this what-have-you-done-for-me-yesterday league. Clearing cap space by acquiring a huge expiring contract — in Iverson’s case, $21.9 million — is a tried-and-true rebuilding tactic. When the expiring contract is attached to Theo Ratliff, Joe Smith or some other fading veteran, the case can easily be made to fans reaching deep into their pockets that it’s the right move for the future.

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Now did you really think Detroit was going to win it all this year with an aging Billups? Haven’t you noticed how he failed to produce big in the last two playoffs? No knock on Chauncey, but his better days have come and gone. Denver gets a nice boost from Chauncey, because he settles them down and calmly spreads the ball around. That was not going to help the aging Piston starters.

By the way, have you seen AI play with the Piston backups? Amir, Maxiell, Afflalo, and new starter Stuckey, can fly up the floor and blend in better with the attacking Iverson.

Hey, if the experiment fails, AI and Rasheed Wallace will be sent packing and two new young stars will be in their place.

Trading A+.

Photo source Newscom

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NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

Jason Maxiell taking it to the rack

Coach Michael Curry and the Detroit Pistons have their first victory on the books and Curry played a lot of the young guys. This is the new look Pistons.

Joe Dumars, the masterful GM, is mixing up a new brew for Halloween and many of the future Piston pieces are involved.

You will see Rodney Stuckey, Amir Johnson, and Arron Afflalo playing lots of minutes. It is a massive youth movement after failing to move any of the veteran players in the off season.

The Pistons will be the same, only different.

But Jason Maxiell remained a crucial piece of the pie and they were not sure he would be around.

Jason Maxiell will be a restricted free agent

Maxiell has a game that belongs down on the paint, but he is a couple of inches short, much like Ben Wallace was as a Piston. So how do you resign a guy that other teams want, but will probably never be a starter except under almost perfect team conditions?

In other words, Jason has the long arms, aggressiveness, and perfect shot blocking ability that you want, but the lack of pure size makes him more of a situational player. He can star, but not consistently star.

You don’t want to lose him, but you can’t over pay him. That is the key.

Well, unlike Ben Wallace, they did not lose Jason Maxiell.

Pistons power forward Jason Maxiell accepted a contract offer today and will not become a restricted free agent following the season. The deal is for $20 million over four years.

The deadline for him to reach an agreement was today.

Maxiell, 25, was a first-round pick out of Cincinnati in 2005 and has averaged six points and 3.7 rebounds per game in his career.

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Jason Maxiell will remain a Piston for 4 more years.
Photo source Newscom

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Ron Artest says, “You think deal for Ron-Ron is laughable, but it is not!”

Ron Artest

Now really, after the Malice in the Palace, do you expect Joe Dumars to pick up Ron Artest?

Sure enough, a second source close to the Pistons has indicated Detroit is pondering a trade for Ron-Ron. I’m not sure of the opinions of the Pistons’ powers-that-be - namely team president Joe Dumars and owner Bill Davidson - but it says plenty that the chatter surrounding the mere idea is spreading around them.

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Fire sale on Billups and Prince

All kinds of rumors on Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince.

Detroit has offered to trade Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince twice, only to be turned down both times. Denver didn’t want to part with Carmelo Anthony, and Houston refused to give up Tracy McGrady. Houston is dead set on building around McGrady and Yao, unless someone knocks them off their feet with an offer for T-Mac.

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My friends were aghast at such trade offers. Chauncey and Tay have become Piston icons. But really think about it. If you can pick up a high scoring player this year and next year you lose the big Rasheed Wallace contract and can pick up another star and you have Stuckey waiting in the wings to play point guard or maybe combo guard and developing players Amir Johnson and Jason Maxiell, well? It just seems like that may work.

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NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

Who will do this if Rasheed Wallace is gone?

Image details: Boston Celtics v Detroit Pistons, Game 6 served by picapp.com

It is simply amazing to me, your basketball writer, how fans and writers alike can simply take a one game loss and magnify it to immense proportions.

The Secret

Here is a little secret. Boston, another NBA team and a good one at that, beat Detroit. The U.S. Army did not storm in to Detroit and destroy the city. The Marines did not try to take out the Palace, which is in a suburb of Detroit called Auburn Hills. There was no Naval support in Lake Erie or on the Detroit River.

Detroit went to the Conference Finals for the 6th straight time and that seems to tire out the fans and writers more than anything.

Are the Pistons getting old? Yes, but then again the Boston big 3 of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett are already old.
Are the Pistons as hungry as they used to be? No. That is human nature.

The Question

Will Joe Dumars break up the Pistons? That is the Question.

First, let’s look at contracts. Who is under contract for next year?

It appears that 9 out of the top 10 players are under contract for next year.

The sole exception is Lindsey Hunter and he will most likely retire and move into the front office. Someday you may see Lindsey sitting next to Joe Dumars in the stands and wouldn’t that be something.

Here are the other 9 with their position, age, and next 3 years of contracts, if any.

Rasheed Wallace PF 33 $12,540,000 $13,680,000

Chauncey Billups PG 31 $10,000,000 $11,050,000 $12,100,000 Read more

NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

Kevin Garnett could not be stopped by Rasheed Wallace, even with Rip Hamilton’s help

Image details: Detroit Pistons v Boston Celtics - Game Five served by picapp.com

Ok, ok, we expected Kevin Garnett to play much more aggressive in game 5. You know, we discussed that in our last writing, but where in the heck did Ray Allen and Kendrick Perkins come from?

Boston Celtics 106, Detroit Pistons 102

Kevin Garnett

The Big Ticket came to play.

“We knew the significance of this game,” said Garnett, whose 33 points were his most in the playoffs this year. “You don’t win this game, you put basically yourself in a corner. … They’re experienced, and they’ve been in a lot of pressure situations. Now it’s up to us to go up there and try to get one.”

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Kendrick Perkins comes alive

Kendrick Perkins killed the Pistons.

Pistons trail 52-46 at halftime. They had the lead for much of that half, but the Celtics closed the half on a 16-4 run The Pistons only basket in that run was a three from Wallace, and he’s leading the team with 12 points. But being beat on the boards 28-11 and allowing the Celtics to shoot 51.3% is not going to get it done. I mean, 28-11? That’s just mind-boggling. The Pistons need more from just about everyone. And again, less from Kendrick Perkins.
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Ray Allen finds his shot

Ray was once again nailing shots from the outside.

Ray Allen scored 29, hitting a long 2-pointer with a minute left after Detroit came within one point, then he and Kevin Garnett each made a pair of free throws down the stretch as the Celtics beat the Detroit Pistons 106-102 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night.

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Allen added consecutive 3-pointers midway through the third to turn an eight-point game to a 14-point lead.

Rodney Stuckey is no longer a rookie

Rodney came to play.

Saunders kept Stuckey in the game when McDyess went out, a small line-up with Prince at the four. And Stuckey just drew a foul and knocked down two free throws to make it a three-point game. Can we even call him a rookie at this point?

• To answer my previous question… I’d say no, we can’t. He just hit a three, which isn’t even a great shot for him. And the Pistons trail by one point with 1:17 left. All the pressure is on the Celtics now. They’ve blown a huge lead, they’re in their own building, and they know they’re supposed to win this game. I honestly did not see this coming.
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The return of Chauncey Billups

Chauncey is looking more and more like the leader that the Pistons need to win this series.

Billups (26 points) was banged up and bruised, but he continued to look more like himself. After Hamilton’s scoring barrage, Billups scored nine straight fourth-quarter points — a triple, a lay-up and four free throws — that cut Boston’s lead to 98-94.
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Game 6 is Friday at the Palace.

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Rasheed Wallace and Kevin Garnett - will this matchup determine the series?

Image details: Detroit Pistons v Boston Celtics served by picapp.com

The Boston Celtics present certain matchup problems for the Pistons that other teams do not.

Detroit Pistons

Before discussing the Detroit matchup problems, we should discuss the opposite problem for Boston and all other NBA basketball teams. The Pistons put four guys on the court that always present a matchup problem for your favorite team. Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, or Rasheed Wallace will be matched up with someone they can consistently beat or if you try to double anyone, Antonio McDyess will drill a set shot from 15 feet.

Boston Celtics

Rajon Rondo will not impress Chauncey Billups. Chauncey will chew on him most of the time, eating him alive. Chauncey is just too strong. It is like when Karl Malone used to play for Utah, he is just one size larger than you are. Rajon will get his points and bring energy, but Chauncey will win this matchup. The wild card here is Chauncey’s hamstring. Can it take a beating?

Rip Hamilton and Ray Allen should have a battle royal. Both of them live on jump shots from mid range and further with Rip usually closer to the basket and both are from UConn. Ray Allen has been cold during the playoffs, but Rip will have him fired up to play.

Tayshaun Prince will be matched up with Paul Pierce and Paul has been winning this matchup in the past by not only scoring, but shutting down Tayshaun. The difference here is that Tayshaun does not always see himself as a scorer or needing to score. Prince has been hot during the playoffs, but expect the points to come a little harder during this matchup.

Rasheed Wallace will not always be matched up with Kevin Garnett. The Pistons do not like Rasheed to get into foul trouble. McDyess will often cover Garnett with Jason Maxiell sometimes helping out as well. Kevin Garnett has the ability to step out and hit the 15 to 17 foot jumper and if you go out on him, he will take you to the hole. Garnett can also post up as well. He cannot post Rasheed Wallace. Wallace is too strong, but you do not want Wallace running out on Garnett to stop his jump shot.

This matchup of Garnett and Detroit will determine the series. Read more

NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

The Detroit Pistons did not just beat the Philadelphia 76ers; they put a beat down on them.

Detroit 105 Philadelphia 88

Rasheed felt the urgency and led the team to a blowout victory.

Rasheed Wallace had the team ready for game two and scored 16 points

Image details: Philadelphia 76ers v Detroit Pistons, Game 2 served by picapp.com

The talk is of the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the Pistons. One game they are deadly and the next game they are tame. Questions abound. How can this be? They have such a veteran club, shouldn’t there be more consistency? Don’t the Pistons understand the urgency of winning in these games to preserve tired old legs?

Hey, you with all the questions, what is your problem? The Pistons almost seem to need their backs to the wall, so get over it.

“To be a championship team you have to be able to play as the favorite,” coach Flip Saunders said. “It’s easy to play as the underdog or with your backs up against the wall. It’s more difficult to do it the other way.”

Or in Chauncey Billups parlance: “If it ain’t rough, it ain’t right.”

None of the Pistons can explain why they like to make it rough. None have a solution. And for all the good coach-speak about how they want to avoid it, none of them sound all that convincing, probably because it keeps happening.

“It’s been like that ever since I got here,” said Antonio McDyess, who arrived in 2005. “We like it when our backs are against the wall.”

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Pistons have issues

The Pistons are a perimeter oriented team led by a complex man named Rasheed Wallace and a star player called Mr. Big Shot (Chauncey Billups). For this team to win, they have to play intense defense. It was their style under Rick Carlisle. It was their style under Larry Brown. It is still their style with Flip Saunders and remember Flip was brought in for his offensive coaching tactics. Turns out Flip is a pretty good defensive coach as well.

Rasheed can Read more

NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

Rip Hamilton scoring over Dwight Howard

The Pistons destroyed the Orlando Magic.

It was a no contest.

Rasheed came out to show Orlando and Dwight Howard what an NBA All Star veteran can do and he did it early and often.

By the time the first quarter was over the game was hard to watch.

First Quarter score Pistons 39 - Magic 18

Final Score Pistons 101 - Magic 93

Rasheed was a +24 while he was on the floor. That means Read more

NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

Tayshaun Prince from stopper to scorer

Joe D wants Tayshaun to become a scorer. Joe wants it to be Tay’s team.

The Pistons solid line up has grown a little old in the tooth. Joe D had a plan. He always has a plan.

If you watch the moves Joe makes for the Pistons, you will see that his sight is always towards making them better down the road. There are no quick fixes.

His formula worked as Tayshaun had 34 in the first game. Even Chauncey was pushing him. Read more