khandor’s sports blog

Watching Luis Scola dismantle the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1st quarter of last night’s Game 6, the following thought came to mind …

Q. Do most so-called NBA experts/observers really truly understand just how good, and skilled, and smart, and tenacious, etc., the 2004 Olympic Games [Athens] Men’s Basketball Champions actually were?

A. Not a chance.

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However, if you want to pass yourself off as someone who has a thorough knowledge of the game of basketball, you really SHOULD.

STARTERS
PG/Pepe Sanchez
OG/Manu Ginobili
SF/Andres Nocioni
PF/Luis Scola
C/Fabricio Oberto

KEY SUBS
Alejandro Montecchia [G]
Carlos Delfino [G/F]
Walter Herrmann [F]
Ruben Wolkowisky [F/C]

This is a team which had at least 9 players who were more than capable of holding their own against the very best in the world, and was full value for winning their [i] quarter-final vs Greece [host], [ii] semi-final vs the USA and [iii] final vs Italy, after starting the tournament with an 0-2 record.

If that exact team would have been able to stay together for the 2008 Olympic Games [Beijing] Men’s Basketball Tournament, this past summer, and been 100% healthy, there is simply no telling whether the following group of players, coaches and administrators:

Jason Kidd
Dwyane Wade
Kobe Bryant
Lebron James
Chris Bosh

Chris Paul
Deron Williams
Michael Redd
Carmelo Anthony
Tayshaun Prince
Carlos Boozer
Dwight Howard

Mike Krzyzewski
Mike D’Antoni
Nate McMillan

Jerry Colangelo

would still enjoy the stellar reputations they have today and have been strong & cohesive enough to reclaim the Gold Medal for the Red, White & Blue.

Oh, but, what a game THAT would have been to witness.

Back on Dec 8 2009 … THIS is what was suggested in this corner as the most effective solution to Pistons’ problem[s] this season, since their acquisition of Allen Iverson and the departure of Chauncey Billups.

One of the key tenets of this corner is the notion that …

There is seldom, if ever, just ONE effective solution to a Problem in Life, and never ever should one consider oneself to be stuck permanently in a LOSE-Lose [i.e. NO WIN] situation.

On the contrary, this corner believes whole-heartedly that, in fact, there are at least TWO WAYS to accomplish an objective in this world, in most cases, and there is always An Effective WAY OUT of a situation which might otherwise appear to be a lost cause … if one puts one’s thinking cap on, has some fun, works smart, works together with others, and thinks in a manner which others might consider to be unconventional [i.e. outside-the-box].

To wit:

Please see, 1.The Life Truth of The Kobayashi Maru; 2. What it means to Not Believe in the No-Win Scenario, in the first place; and, 3. What to do when caught with your britches down.

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Since the Pistons have refused to implement Option 1, thus far, it is now incumbent upon their basketball brain-trust to search for, and then implement, an Option 2.

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Whether Michael Curry, Joe Dumars, or Rodney Stuckey, likes it or not … the Pistons can still become the 2nd best team in the Eastern Conference, again this season, if they eventually come to the following realization about their team’s mix of players:

#1. PG - Allen Iverson
#2. OG – Rip Hamilton [at least 30 MP and finishing their games]
#3. SF - Tayshaun Prince 
#4. PF – Antonio McDyess
#5. C – Rasheed Wallace
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#6. Back-up PG/OG - Rodney Stuckey [ala The Micro-wave]
#7. SF - Arron Afflalo
#8. PF – Amir Johnson/Jason Maxiell
#9. C – Maxiell/Kwame Brown
=========
#10. SF - Walter Herrmann
#11. PF/C - Johnson/Maxiel/Brown
=========
#12. PG - Will Bynum [4th string]

Although their best Group-Of-5 does no longer includes Mr. Iverson at all, given his defensive & rebounding limitations, at this stage of his illustrious career, if he’s used as the Starting PG, exclusively … with The Real Deal in relief of him, in addition to getting extra time at the OG-spot, as a Back-up to Rip … AI would [i] still be able to receive major minutes on this team, and [ii] would not be holding back the long term development of Rodney Stuckey, as the future leader of the Pistons,

who would then still have what it takes to regain their perch beside the Boston Celtics.

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Despite the fact that first-year Head Coach, Michael Curry has not handled his initial crisis with the Pistons in an effective way, how he handles this situation, moving forward from here, is now the second significant test of his leadership with their team.

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Hopefully he Chooses [more] Wisely this time around.

Whether Michael Curry, Joe Dumars or Allen Iverson like it or not … the Detroit Pistons will only become the 2nd best team in the Eastern Conference, again this season, if they eventually come to the following realization about their team’s mix of players:

#1. PG - Stuckey [should be playing 30+ MPG]
#2. OG – Rip [should be playing 30+ MPG]
#3. SF - Prince [back-up back-up PG, should be playing 30+ MPG]
#4. PF – Maxiell/Johnson/McDyess
#5. C – Sheed
=========
#6. OG/PG - Iverson [ala The Micro-wave]
#7. SF - Afflalo
#8. PF – McDyess/Maxiell/Johnson
#9. C – Brown
=========
#10. SF - Herrmann
#11. PF/C - Johnson/Maxiel/Brown
=========
#12. PG - Bynum [4th string]

Although their best Group-Of-5 does not include Mr. Iverson, if he’s used corrrectly, off the bench …

for high intensity spot duty, in relief of Stuckey or Rip, ala Vinnie Johnson [from yesteryear], as the 3rd Guard in the rotation, behind Zeke & Little Jo, who could really fill it up whenever he’s in the game; but, is nowhere nearly good enough defensively or in terms of rebounding, at this stage of his career, to justify [i] receiving major minutes on this team, or [ii] the holding back of Stuckey, in general, at the PG spot … 

then, the Pistons still have what it takes to regain their perch beside the Celtics.

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How he handles this situation, from here on in, is the first significant test of Michael Curry’s leadership with the Pistons.

If this keeps much longer … KSB [much appreciated, JE Skeets!] is going to be listed as a Detroit Pistons’ mouth-piece.

Not to fear, however … as this correspondent has always had a predilection for anyone, and anything, linked with Making A Commitment To Excellence.

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Courtesy of nbaroundtable …

Curry going back to basics
“No matter what the rules are, the game of basketball goes to the most aggressive teams and players,” Curry said. “We want to be the team that’s always on the attack, both defensively and offensively.”

• Pay attention to detail.
• Daily conditioning and player development sessions.
• Increase the intensity and consistency at the defensive end.
• Increase scoring in the paint.
• Establish clearly defined roles. Curry expects to play 10 or 11 players on a regular basis.

Click the link and read the whole thing.

Close your eyes and listen intently.

Do these words and simple concepts harken back to a different place?
A different time?
A different hairdo? 

Say, perhaps, the 1982-1983 season … when a certain young relatively inexperienced assistant coach was promoted internally to the head man’s chair, for a team – and a GM who was himself a HOF immortal – that had recently captured an NBA Title but was also in need of re-direction, at that time, with a fascinating combination of wily vets, established All-Stars, and a certain ‘New Kid On The Block‘ [an athletic 21 year old, 6-9, 225, PF], who was ready-to-rock-and-roll into Prime Time.

Hmmmmm …

Could it possibly be … delectable symmetry?

… in the same season featuring the ‘Re-birth of SHOWTIME, in LA‘.

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The most important sentence in the whole article?

“[Rasheed] Wallace, who has been at the practice facility most of the summer, has complied.”

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First-class stuff, all around, from the new Sheriff … in [Mo]Town.

Showtime in the Motor City.