Bulls vs. Pistons: Bulls Top Pistons 108-104 Behind Joakim Noah’s Career Night

 Chicago  No Responses »
Dec 082012
 

The Chicago Bulls visited the Detroit Pistons Friday night as they kicked off their second back-to-back in just five nights. Bulls center Joakim Noah made a strong case as to why he should be an All-Star selection this season, posting a career-high 30 points and 23 rebounds (10 offensive).

Carlos Boozer was second in scoring with 24 points on 12-of-19 shooting. Luol Deng and Marco Belinelli rounded out the Bulls’ top scorers with 16 points each.

After a slow start by the Bulls—down by as many as 17 points—their offense picked it up throughout the second quarter, cutting the lead down to just five before heading into halftime.

The Bulls had one of their better performances of the season in the third quarter, shooting 63 percent from the floor and scoring 28 points to Detroit’s 19.

Chicago closed the game out in the fourth quarter behind Noah’s 12 points and eight boards.

 

Game Positives

The Bulls had one of their best offensive performances of the year, as they shot 52 percent on the night. They dominated the boards once again, out-rebounding the Pistons by 13 and scoring 23 second-chance points.

Noah and Deng’s two-man game was executed to perfection; Deng found Noah cutting to the basket on several possessions. Fifty-eight of the Bulls’ 108 points came in the paint, a testament to how well the players were making cuts to the basket and finding the open man inside. 

 

Game Criticisms

It’s hard to find something bad when the team played so well, but Chicago’s defense wasn’t as strong as it normally is. Detroit shot 51 percent from the floor (57 from beyond the arc), and Rodney Stuckey got just about every look he wanted, scoring 24 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Brandon Knight also had a big game, shooting over 50 percent for 21 points. 

The Bulls’ win over Detroit gives them their second consecutive win and lifts them to a 10-8 record.

They will host the New York Knicks on Saturday as they conclude their back-to-back.

Read more Chicago Bulls news on BleacherReport.com

Go to Source

Rodney Stuckey wouldn’t mind coming off the bench, but his coach disagrees (Ball Don’t Lie)

 Oklahoma City  No Responses »
Nov 162012
 

For years, it has been commonly accepted that basketball players would prefer to start. It marks status, showing that the coach has entrusted that player with getting the team off to a good start as part of the team’s ideal five-man unit. Earning that position is a milestone in any player’s career.
In recent years, however, the rise of players like James Harden (when he was with the Oklahoma City Thunder) and San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili has turned being a sixth man into a potentially prestigious role. This player doesn’t have to be thought of a bench player — he can be the star of the second wave of attackers, the player who gives his team a major advantage when the starters begin to tire and lesser talents enter the game.
It’s still rare for a player to want to come off the bench. That’s why it’s notable that Detroit Pistons combo guard Rodney Stuckey, long a starter, would prefer to come off the bench. What’s even more surprising is that Pistons coach Lawrence Frank doesn’t like the idea. From Vincent Goodwill for The Detroit News (via SLAM ):

Go to Source

Flop of the Night: Omer Asik

 Rumors  No Responses »
Nov 012012
 

<em>HoopIdea wants to #StopTheFlop. To spotlight the biggest fakers, we present Flop of the Night. You can help us separate the pretenders from the defenders — details below:</em>

Flop of the Night returns with <a href=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=xWln6-0MLhI” target=”_blank”>this dive from Omer Asik (Video)</a>.

In the second quarter of the Rockets’ win opening night win over the Pistons, Rodney Stuckey came off a pick and headed directly for Houston’s biggest player, who had good position at the rim.

Go to Source

Detroit Pistons 2012-13 NBA TV Schedule (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

 LA Clippers  No Responses »
Aug 242012
 

The Detroit Pistons finished the 2011-12 season with an overall record of 25-41. Greg Monroe led the team with 15.4 points per game, Greg Monroe led the team with 9.7 rebounds per game, and Rodney Stuckey led the team with 3.8 assists per game. The Pistons ranked 27th overall averaging 90.9 points per game while ranking 14th overall allowing 95.7 points per game.

Go to Source

Jeremy Lin’s contract in perspective

 Rumors  No Responses »
Jul 182012
 

Is three years and $25 million too much to pay Jeremy Lin?

If he’s a starting-quality guard, that rate seems to be about average. Here’s a sample of what starting point guards earn in the NBA:

Chris Paul, $17.79 million
Deron Williams, avg $20 million
Derrick Rose, $15.5 million
Russell Westbrook, $12.9 million
Tony Parker, $12.5 million
Rajon Rondo, $11 million
Jose Calderon, $10.5 million
Steve Nash, $9 million
Rodney Stuckey, $8.

Go to Source

NBA Draft 2012: The Detroit Pistons Get a Huge Steal with Andre Drummond

 Rumors  No Responses »
Jun 282012
 

Andre Drummond was one of the top centers in the draft class and could have gone in the top five, but the Detroit Pistons solidified their frontcourt with his selection. Drummond has rare athletic ability with a 40-inch vertical, is a fantastic defender of the rim and is young enough to have just graduated high school.

Drummond is the kind of player who is a classic bust or boom prospect, but he should be one of the better booms from this draft in a couple years.

Detroit has been looking for a rim protector to slide alongside Greg Monroe down low and help rebuild a Pistons team that has lacked a defensive force in recent years. Drummond should be ecstatic to have an offensive minded power forward next to him in Monroe because his offensive game needs some work.

Apart from his developing offensive game, his motor needs work and he needs to fully devote himself to the game. If there’s any way he does fix his motor and his offensive game, he could end up being the best big man to be drafted since Dwight Howard.

The Pistons seem to have gotten lucky the last couple years with players sliding to them as they have gotten Greg Monroe, Brandon Knight and now Drummond in three consecutive years after all three could have gone higher.

The rebuilding is underway in Detroit and now the team has four key pieces to build around in Knight, Rodney Stuckey, Monroe and Drummond. Things are looking up in the Motor City.

Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com

Go to Source

Ben Gordon to Bobcats: Detroit Pistons’ Move to Dump Salary Is Shortsighted

 Rumors  No Responses »
Jun 272012
 

On paper the Detroit Pistons sent Ben Gordon to the Charlotte Bobcats (via ESPN)for swingman Corey Maggette. In reality, they sold a first-round draft pick for $12.5 million.

Just which year the pick will be surrendered is not yet determined, as the pick is protected based on the Pistons’ draft status.

If the Pistons fail to make the playoffs in 2013, the pick is pushed to 2014. It is protected from the first eight selections in 2014 and the top pick in the 2015 NBA draft.

There are no protections in 2016.

Maggette will make $10.9 million in the upcoming season, before entering free agency in 2013. Gordon’s contract has two years and $25.6 million left.

Considering the Pistons will still need to spend a minimum of $3 million on a roster player for the 2013-14 season, their real net savings will be in the $12 to $13 million range.

The move will clear some salary cap room, but the Pistons aren’t lacking in that area. They have under $40 million committed for the 2013 season.

Detroit could have maintained Gordon’s salary cap hit, added a quality player next season and held on to their draft pick.

The Pistons aren’t overly vocal on why they made the move, which is understandable. This trade was about saving money, and they do so at the expense of future competitiveness.

To be fair to the Piston front office, it is understandable they would want to move Gordon. He has not played up to expectations since signing his five-year, $50-plus million contract in 2009.

The play of Rodney Stuckey made Gordon expendable, and Maggette will be a better fit for the team next season.

However, the Pistons were 25-41 last season, and don’t figure to be playoff contenders next year. Should fans be excited about missing the playoffs by five games instead of 12?

Surrendering a first-round pick will hamper their level of competitiveness in the future, and could cost them money in the long run.

Fans should be upset that finances are more important than future success. Combined with placing an inferior product on the field, attendance and revenue will drop.

The Bobcats are thrilled with their acquisition. Not only do they fill their most glaring need for a backcourt shooter, but they also acquire a first-round pick for a player that hasn’t made an impact on their team.

Maggette was injured and missed much of last season for the 7-59 Bobcats:

With this trade, we have acquired two things we covet in our plan to build this team. By acquiring a young and proven talent in Ben Gordon and a future first-round draft pick, we have both addressed our need for three-point shooting and acquired an additional asset to help continue to improve our team in the future.

Rod Higgins, Bobcats president of basketball operations

The Pistons have filled their need for saving a few dollars in salary. In doing so they will also likely push the surrendered pick off for a few more years.

The odds of them making the playoffs over the next two seasons are low.

Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com

Go to Source

Detroit Pistons Reportedly Trade Ben Gordon to Charlotte Bobcats

 Rumors  No Responses »
Jun 262012
 

The Charlotte Bobcats and Detroit Pistons continued Tuesday’s trade parade with a reported deal that sent Ben Gordon and a future first-round pick to Charlotte for Corey Maggette.

The news comes from Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski:

Detroit has traded Ben Gordon and a protected future first-round pick to Charlotte for Corey Maggette, league sources tell Y! Sports.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 27, 2012

 

Let’s take a closer look at this swap of high-volume scorers. 

 

What it Means

Maggette, who is heading to his fourth different team in the last five years, is coming off arguably the worst season of his career.

In 32 games for the Bobcats, the dynamic wing shot just 37 percent the field, but his well-known ability to get the free-throw helped him still average 15 points per game. 

When healthy, however, Maggette can be an electric scorer, as he proved in 2010 when he averaged 19.8 ppg on 52 percent shooting from the field.

Ben Gordon, of course, has seen his career take a step back since joining the Pistons. After averaging over 20 points per game in 2009 (and 2007), Gordon has seen his scoring dip below 14 per contest for three straight years. 

As far as contracts go, Maggette will make about $1 million less than Gordon in 2012-13, but Gordon has a player option in 2014 while Maggette comes off the books. 

 

What Happens Next

The Pistons’ addition of Maggette means he will challenge Tayshaun Prince for time at small forward. And Brandon Knight and Rodney Stuckey can then move ahead as the starting guards without Ben Gordon taking away minutes. 

It also means they are likely to take a big man with the ninth pick in the draft.

As far as Charlotte goes, the addition of Gordon is a little perplexing. He can play both guard positions, but young Kemba Walker (and D.J Augustin, who is a restricted free agent) is entrenched at the point guard position and Gerald Henderson is coming off a career year at the 2. 

Nonetheless, the Bobcats need veterans who can step in and contribute right away, and at the very least, Gordon gives them a scoring option off the bench they didn’t previously have.

As far as the draft pick Charlotte receives, CBS’ Ken Berger tweeted this clarification:

Sources confirm pick going to Charlotte is lottery-protected in ’13, top-8 in ’14, top-1 in ’15, unprotected in ’16.

— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) June 27, 2012

 

So you can be sure Michael Jordan will be cheering for the Pistons to make the playoffs next season. 

 

Follow @t_keen

Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com

Go to Source

NBA Draft 2012: 5 Players the Detroit Pistons Should Target with Picks

 Rumors  No Responses »
Jun 052012
 

The Detroit Pistons have been handed the No. 9 selection of the up and coming NBA Draft. With Joe Dumars’ team on the brink of a turnaround, the Pistons must walk out the draft as winners with promising prospects.

Over the past few years, the Pistons have assembled a quality core of talent to build around. Greg Monroe is one of the best centers in the league, Brandon Knight has shown flashes as the point guard of the future, and Rodney Stuckey is now capable of a breakout scoring season as the Pistons shooting guard.

Even with these pieces set, Detroit still has holes in the roster. Dumars plans on addressing needs instead of picking the best talent available. Lucky for them, this up-and-coming draft class is deep in both rounds.

Here are five players the Pistons should have on their draft board.

Begin Slideshow

Go to Source

 Older Entries