Deeeee-troit Baaaaasketball (In Boston?)

But this team is much more talented than the Pistons. KG, Pierce, and arguably Ray are all better than anyone on any of those Pistons teams. And fully healthy, with Wallace and Daniels off the bench, the C’s are much deeper.

…since they know they’re going to the playoffs, and they know they’re good on the road, they just don’t care about seeding. They’re using the entire reg season as one big training exercise, designed to identify flaws in their game and ways to fix them. To get as close to perfect as possible. Winning or losing a game here or there doesn’t matter to them… tho of course they’d rather win (esp KG).

The way this season is shaping up, that seems like a good plan. They’ll get Daniels back within the month, leaving them just about the right amount of time to get everybody up to full speed for the playoffs. And in the playoffs, I expect them to hit their top gear and stay there… through all 16 wins.

Things were by and large looking good out of the gate until MD started playing hurt and then went down. Since then there have a lot of missed games by rotation guys. I think intensity is a lot harder when you’re not all on the same page. We had a Bench without Sheed or MD for 10 games.

Injuries has been key in some of the setbacks from winning the championship last season but i feel the replacements parts Ainge has gotten this season might be the key to where this team land.Its the same core(starters)from 2008,and i don’t see Sheed or anyone else effecting their focus when/if all is healthy,but i do question whether the 6th,7th,and 8th spot step up collectively and fill the roles of J.Posey,Leon Powe,and PJ Brown.

Focus Schmocus.

They finally have gotten (almost) healthy.

They were something like 22-5 with all three of the Big 3 healthy before KG & Paul decided they had to use some sick days. They are 2-0 since KG’s return. So that’s (I think) 24-5 with the Big 3 all healthy.

That tells me that whether its intangibles like KG’s attitude or (more likely) tangibles like KG’s sheer freaking presence in the paint, the main thing for this team is having all their healthy bodies.

If Paul or Ray goes down, KG’s attitude would still be there – but they would probably tank almost as badly as when KG was out.

So now those guys are finally all playing again.

From this point, assuming they stay healthy. It’s all about execution.

They need to work out the kinks. Get Daniels back. Fine tune the rotations.

And stay healthy.

If they do those things, they’ll be fine.

I am not worried about some ‘killer instinct’.

Jeff, but there has been so much negativity on this site lately. It is getting to the point where I don’t even read much of the stuff on here anymore. The team hit a bump in the road, but after all the injuries there what two games behind the Cavs and the Lakers.

The problem with this team is they haven’t been a team yet this year. Just as they were beginning to gel and learn their roles Marquis went down. Big Baby and Tony came back and were slowly integrated into the line up. Then Paul, Rondo and KG went down. Then they slowly came back. Point is despite it being almost the All-Star break this team hasn’t played together often. People have been pushed in then pulled out of roles.

The starting 5 have won us a bunch of games because of talent, but beyond them there appears to be very little chemistry. Last night really showed that too me. The bench didn’t know how to play as a unit, because they haven’t played much as a unit. Game hasn’t slowed down for them and as a result they don’t know where to look.

Also, guys like Rondo & Ray have been forced by circumstances to play more minuets than they should and it has taken it’s toll. Rondo paces himself at times and that isn’t good for the team b/c they are best when he is full tilt. It seems to have effected the legs on Ray’s jumper.

I think it is less a sense of entitlement then a team that hasn’t found its identity yet. Role players are taking on big roles then being pushed back to the bench, starters are in and out and those that are in play too damn much.

Health is the one and only issue with this team. If KG is there the team ups the intensity. If Marquis can’t come back and be effective then it is likely this team needs to trade Ray. Reason being if this team needs a 2G to run 40 min a game, it might be best they look at Monta. I love Ray, but Ray will be toast down the stretch if he is forced into that 35+ minuet role. I don’t like Monta nearly as much as Ray, I don’t think he is as good of a fit. But he is a better player than a burnt out Ray despite all the reasons I like Ray better.

the Celts go 3-0 against the Lakers, Magic and Hawks. Nothing like big time comp to geankings.t this group moving. In two weeks Boston will be atop the Power R

KG

We know you hate Rasheed Jeff, but don’t get carried away.

In my opinion the Pistons were not the same when they let Ben Wallace go. Sheed has never been the guy “to hold down the middle.” They nearly beat the Spurs and repeated with Ben. And the following season lost to a Miami team that nearly beat them the year before. Perk is the equivalent of Ben and that interior defense was something they missed against Cleveland and Boston the following two ECF.

Also as many have noted Paul Pierce and KG are superstars that Detroit never had. I believe Billups at that time was better than Ray now but Ray is close to the equivalent of what Rip was, their second best player, when he is on.

Ben Wallace left the year prior to the Pistons getting beat by Cleveland. Perk (interior defense)is something we have with the addition of superstars like KG and Paul that those latter Piston teams didn’t have.

Kane

no comparison is 100% accurate. there are similarities,the main one being the switch going on and off way too much. injuries have hurt the c’s but they are a factor in every team. look at how tough portland played us. this team can go all the way and maybe not. i would like to see “the big cat” davis become more of a force, and eagerly await the return of marquis. one thing ( among others ) posey gave us which is missing this year was rebounding off the bench.