Pistons' Flip Saunders under some scrutiny in Detroit
AUBURN HILLS -- Because he is the one unknown quan y when it comes to the Pistons and the postseason, coach Flip Saunders might be in for some undue scrutiny over the next couple of months.
He has coached 47 playoff games and took the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Western Conference finals two years ago. But because of his record, 17-30, and because his teams were bounced in the first round seven times, there are those who would question his playoff mettle.
None of those people play for him.
"We aren't worried about that at all, man," Chauncey Billups said. "We've been there so many times and been through so many situations together, man, there's no concern. And Flip's been there, too. He brings a lot of experience to the table. He hasn't won, but he's done everything else.
"We have complete confidence in him."
Saunders makes no apologies for his playoff record.
"The reason we got beat before is because we weren't as good as other teams," he said. "Usually, in a seven-game series, the better team prevails."
The reality is, in most of those seasons, the Timberwolves won 50 or more games and wound up as the No. 8 seed. That meant they had to play the eventual champion Lakers or Spurs in the first round.
"In the East, we would have been the third seed most of those years," he said. "It's like all those years Chicago was winning championships. The teams they beat weren't all bad teams. We were losing to San Antonio and the Lakers in years they were champions.
"Our teams always won a lot of games. We just couldn't get over the hump."
There's certainly no shame in that.
"If I didn't think my teams performed at a high level, or if I thought we underachieved or didn't give it their all, then I would say, 'Wow, what's going on,'" Saunders said. "But I never felt that. We had bad draws, or whatever, and the better teams prevailed over seven games. That's what the playoffs are about."
Looser approach
Saunders said that coaching the Pistons has been a completely different experience for him. His Minnesota teams were tighter-wound. Shoot-arounds and practices were more serious. His first couple of months with the Pistons were eye-opening.
"You always have to change and adapt to your team," Saunders said. "This is a much looser team. People always talk about that switch. I never believed in the switch. But this team, they have shown me they have the ability to turn that switch.
"I am pretty sure I have had to adjust more to them than they have to me."
Billups, who played for him in Minnesota, gave Saunders high marks for adaptability.
"Some coaches would come in and say, 'I don't care how it's been, this is how it's going to be,'?" Billups said. "It would have been tough for him to do that, given our team and our history. I give him a lot of credit for recognizing that."
Still, Saunders has not compromised his basic principles. He still demands stingy, aggressive defense and complete efficiency on offense. His offensive system, in fact, has greatly altered the dynamic of the Pistons.
No longer are they a one-dimensional, defense-only team.
"Defensive-oriented teams usually have more success in the playoffs," he said. "The longer you play against a team, the more you get comfortable with what they're doing and where they like to get their shots from. You have the ability to really lock in and take things away.
"But we run so many different sets and we have so many guys who can score and so many different ways to get them the ball, it's more difficult to defend against us."
Saunders said the looseness of the players worried him until the regular season.
"I have never been around a group as compe ive and driven to win," he said. "There is no agenda other than winning. It's really special."
Credit for success
There was a lot of talk among the Pistons coming into the season about how maybe former coach Larry Brown got too much of the credit for their success the past two years. They aren't about to put any undo stress on Saunders for what may or may not happen in this postseason.
"Nah, different team, different situation," Ben Wallace said. "It's no issue for us. They might talk about it, but we're focused on what we got to do. We know what it takes to achieve our goal, regardless of who is on the sidelines or who is on the floor.
"Everybody is committed to doing what it takes."
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...1127/SPORTS0102
good job flip
this is your playoff record
Wolves got knocked out by
Spurs - 2 times (both in first round)
Lakers - 2 times (one in the first round; one in the conference finals)
Rockets - 1 time (first round)
Sonics - 1 time (first round)
Blazers - 1 time (first round)
Mavericks - 1 time (first round)
Much like the NBA championship-less Larry Brown before coaching the Pistons, the team and the players on this Detroit Pistons team will make the difference.
And look at the T-Wolves with Flip gone.
Ever think it was KG's inability to perform when it counted? When they finally got a proven playoff performer (Cassell) look what happend. They made it to the Conference Finals where Cassell got hurt in the first game and they were eliminated.
I'll give Flip the benefit of the doubt untill he proves it one way or another with a team other than the T-Wolves and a star player other than KG.
Last edited by FreshPrince22; 04-21-2006 at 10:28 PM.
flip is not a bad coach
can he make the big adjustments in a 7 game series?
he should be ok though with this group of people
"We aren't worried about that at all, man," Chauncey Billups said. "We've been there so many times and been through so many situations together, man, there's no concern. And Flip's been there, too. He brings a lot of experience to the table. He hasn't won, but he's done everything else.
Umm everything else other than winning is losing. sorry to break it to ya... Ha Ha
I do think he will be better this year though (i.e. he might get past the first round)
A lot of NBA coaches could've led that team to 60+ regular season wins. The difference is providing the leadership in the postseason as well as making the right adjustments during games and in the series. Gregg Popovich has yet to lose a NBA Finals. If he has to make lil' Flip his again, sobeit.
QUOTE=Billups "We aren't worried about that at all, man," Chauncey Billups said. "We've been there so many times and been through so many situations together, man, there's no concern. And Flip's been there, too. He brings a lot of experience to the table. He hasn't won, but he's done everything else.
That's one way to put it, the other way is to say that his teams won enough to get them into the playoffs in 7 consecutive years and the WC Finals once.
So he's won, just not enough.
Hopefully this year his team will win "enough".
LB couldn't.
Flip has yet to lose an NBA Finals either so what's your point?The difference is providing the leadership in the postseason as well as making the right adjustments during games and in the series. Gregg Popovich has yet to lose a NBA Finals. If he has to make lil' Flip his again, sobeit.
Flip has never had a team this good, and he's never had a team as good as any of the teams Popovich has had.
Keep on wishing. I guess they have it locked up, just like last year.
Prior to Larry Brown arriving, the Pistons were swept out of the playoffs and was 4-1 to Boston. I think Brown as the difference but Flip has done a great job with the team. He did his best with Minnesota, despite the screw ups of the T-Wolves front office.There was a lot of talk among the Pistons coming into the season about how maybe former coach Larry Brown got too much of the credit for their success the past two years. They aren't about to put any undo stress on Saunders for what may or may not happen in this postseason.
Sure. We were swept by Jersey...yes. We lost the first 2 games by 1 or 2 points a piece. We pretty much gave up after that. And little known fact for everyone...Chauncey Billups was playing on a BADLY SPRAINED ANKLE. Sad the media never mentioned that factoid but bring up every other injury the opposing teams have. And the year we lost to Boston...it was not like the team was expected to win.
Not to mention that was pre-Sheed, and it was Tayshaun's rookie year where he had barely played untill the playoffs.
Detroit has it's leadership on the floor they know how to win and how to play tight defence I have no worries...
...and thank you
Boring. Nice specualtion piece. Why don't they actually wait until the coach of the best Pistons regualr season record ever coach a playoff game before guessing he can't get it done. These aren't the Minnesote Wolves. Next filler acticle please...
Scrutiny? The team won 64 despite packing it up for the season that last 4-5 games. I can't wait to see these guys tomorrow.
I admit I'm a little nervous for the first game. Last year we let the Sixers run out to a 16 point lead in the 1st quarter in the first game before settling down. This Bucks team has run out to 15 point leads on us twice this year VERY early in the 1st quarter (One was 15-0 to start the game and the other was 17-2). They've got a lot of weapons. I don't want to be sweating this first game out like that.
"Prior to Larry Brown arriving, the Pistons were swept out of the playoffs and was 4-1 to Boston."
What?
Didn't Rick get fired after taking the Pistons to 2 straight 50-W seasons and 03 EC Finals? Larry inherited, didn't build, a uva team.
wow! flip never led those terrible twolves teams to the finals? I'm sure it's his fault and had nothing to do with having no good players except one guy that's nothing more than a slightly more talented chris webber!
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