New Best Starting 5

[1Parker1]

People didn't say that they would only win 30 games. They said they would lose that defensive aggresivness later on in the year when it mattered.


Now Piston Fans want to ignore the best defensive player in the leuge the past 5 years?

Exactly. I'm not saying that the Pistons are gonna be a lottery team or anything. I just don't think they'll be able to make it back to the Finals without Ben Wallace.

[Vizzini]

Not going back to the NBA Finals = Implosion


Now that I got it straight, and am delighted that the Pistons got rid of Ben Whathisname, who I guess played for them recently, this debate should be over. I guess its funny that the Pistons, who lost their championship winning coach last year, and lost their best defensive presence this year are going to have to do some tinkering with their formula for sucess because of this change are considered to be imploding, while a team with three NBA rings, who hasn't lost any significant contributors on the floor, or on the bench, lost a game seven, at home, to a team that a lot of basketball fans considered soft. I guess its just something that is kind of funny I guess.

Question: If you were a gm, and had the cap space, and had the oppurtunity to match the contract Chicago offered Ben Wallace, the entire thing, would you have matched it?

I know from what I saw this past year, there is not a chance in I would've done so.

[cheguevara]

A starting team with Elson is not Best in NBA.

noone said Spurs have best starting 5. They never did.

[sickdsm]

Not going back to the NBA Finals = Implosion


Now that I got it straight, and am delighted that the Pistons got rid of Ben Whathisname, who I guess played for them recently, this debate should be over. I guess its funny that the Pistons, who lost their championship winning coach last year, and lost their best defensive presence this year are going to have to do some tinkering with their formula for sucess because of this change are considered to be imploding, while a team with three NBA rings, who hasn't lost any significant contributors on the floor, or on the bench, lost a game seven, at home, to a team that a lot of basketball fans considered soft. I guess its just something that is kind of funny I guess.

Question: If you were a gm, and had the cap space, and had the oppurtunity to match the contract Chicago offered Ben Wallace, the entire thing, would you have matched it?

I know from what I saw this past year, there is not a chance in I would've done so.

I'm not backing up the spurs, they were a huge dissapointment. They got "refuled" in a big way after winning a ring and choked. The pistons meanwhile last year "imploded" by getting better on paper but failing to meet expectations. Typicall Flip, which most Piston fans denied similar to the contributions a key player makes after he is gone. Go ahead and point out that the heat won it all but the Pistons struggled mightily with LeBron and trash. Not the cavaliers, Lebron james and trash around him just about beat a so called le contender that allededgely improved.

[Vizzini]

noone said Spurs have best starting 5. They never did.

that is not what I'm saying, but to look at Pistons and call it imploding, come on, they made some changes, and I will bet their will be a dropoff, but they aren't imploding. I guess I'm saying that if my team, who was the defending champs, went out and finished they way the Spurs did, I wouldnt give a about what a team from another conference was doing, I would be more concerned with my team, and how no matter what they do in the regular season, they will still have that albatross hanging from their necks come next April.

[Vizzini]

I'm not backing up the spurs, they were a huge dissapointment. They got "refuled" in a big way after winning a ring and choked. The pistons meanwhile last year "imploded" by getting better on paper but failing to meet expectations. Typicall Flip, which most Piston fans denied similar to the contributions a key player makes after he is gone. Go ahead and point out that the heat won it all but the Pistons struggled mightily with LeBron and trash. Not the cavaliers, Lebron james and trash around him just about beat a so called le contender that allededgely improved.

Everyone thought the addition of Michael Finley was great on paper, and then the Spurs failed to meet expectations as well. I guess that is an implosion then. Everyone knew the Pistons weren't going to be judged until the playoffs, and that Flip has a horrible record in the playoffs. Truth be told, I think the Pistons got caught into thinking they were better than they actually were, and that everyone would just step aside in the Eastern Conference, and they got as rude awakening by teams who wanted to take some of their luster away from them. For the record, I do not see the Pistons in the NBA Finals this year, but, every team in the East has some potetially major faults that could show up in April, so they are not to be counted out, thats for sure.

[Bob Lanier]

Conference Finalists is unacceptable.

Very true.

It's clearly the Suns.

[Rip-Hamilton32]

detroit has the best starting 5..we lost ben and gained more offence with flip and we still have 3 all stars starting, more bench power just makes us that much better

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Very true.

It's clearly the Suns.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

detroit has the best starting 5..we lost ben and gained more offence with flip and we still have 3 all stars starting, more bench power just makes us that much better

Yeah Right. So when Chauncey leaves you're gonna get bench power and still have the best starting 5? Who are you gonna sign? Bibby?

[Leetonidas]

Everyone thought the addition of Michael Finley was great on paper, and then the Spurs failed to meet expectations as well. I guess that is an implosion then.

Michael Finley performed very well for the Spurs so I don't know where you're getting that from. The WCSF could've gone either way. It's not like the spanking the Pistons got from Miami

[Rip-Hamilton32]

Yeah Right. So when Chauncey leaves you're gonna get bench power and still have the best starting 5? Who are you gonna sign? Bibby?

so when tim retires..and manu get tired of flopping what are you gonna do? hop ship just like bob lanier did when we lost ben..besides billups will re-sign

[Leetonidas]

so when tim retires..and manu get tired of flopping what are you gonna do? hop ship just like bob lanier did when we lost ben..besides billups will re-sign

What?

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

so when tim retires..and manu get tired of flopping what are you gonna do? hop ship just like bob lanier did when we lost ben..besides billups will re-sign

First off we have like 3-5 years to worry about Tim and Manu retiring, we'll just keep stealing European prospects that nobody knows about such as Manu and Tony, and we'll be fine. David Robinson retired and in 2 years we were back on top. We already got some good big European players to take the team after Tim retires and we have a lot of time to develop a guard. The Pistons need to get to steppin because they only have 1 year to get back their best player or get someone to replace him. The Pistons are declining and then Chauncey's gonna leave because he wants another ring and he for sure as isn't gonna get it there, then Rip, and the only reason you're gonna keep Tayshaun is because you signed him to the extension instead of Wallace when Prince could've gone and you could've gotten Harrington, Stojakovic, even Bonzi. So the Spurs have plenty of time to prepare for life after Tim and Manu but as for the Pistons, they lost their star center and now they are gonna lose their best player, so good luck!

[mabber]

Best starting 5 has to be Dallas. They are the only team that gives us trouble (now that Detroit is out of the picture).

No, Dallas' strength is their depth and their ability to play different styles very well. Only about 3 of their 5 starters are on the court when the game is on the line.

I'd have to go with Phoenix if Amare is playing ok.

[midgetonadonkey]

Anyways Pistons still might have the best starting 5 if they start Mcdyess. If delfino gets some playing time and a couple others step up along with Chauncey, Rip, Tay, and Sheed this team has a chance to be better.

Wishful thinking.

[NBA Junkie]

Exactly. I'm not saying that the Pistons are gonna be a lottery team or anything. I just don't think they'll be able to make it back to the Finals without Ben Wallace.

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

The East is still weak enough where the Pistons could easily make it back. The Heat are defending champs, 'tis true, but they're not getting any younger. The Bulls are improved with big Ben, but not enough to put them over the top. The Nets? Please. Kidd is aging fast, Carter can't play defense. The Cavaliers still have LeBron and not much else. Forget Washington as they're the worst defensive team of any of the playoff teams in the East. Milwaukeee and Toronto will be improved, but they're still a few years away from being taken seriously as playoff threats.

The Pistons still have a weak bench and defensive rebounding will fall off some due to Ben's absence, but they're still a force to be reckoned with. That is, if Billups, 'Sheed and Rip can turn in better playoff performances than they did this past postseason.

[Vizzini]

First of all, the Pistons no longer have the best starting five in the league. Okay, now that the Pistons window of oppurtunity has been closing b/c Chauncey is GUARANTEED to leave after next year, b/c Joe Dumars didn't think ahead when Chiacago made that offer to Ben Wallace that it is either a great defensive pressence who has no offensive game to speak of, and is starting the downside of his career, or a clutch NBA Finals MVP, who actually makes his free throws and is very hard to match up, and is three years younger than the big man to choose from. I loved the way Ben Wallace played the game, I loved his heart and passion, but if finances dictated I could only keep one, I would keep Billups. Plus as long as Danny Ainge is in charge of a team, Joe Dumars will be able to get all-star caliber big men for next to nothing.

BTW, the Spurs are a great team and will be so for the next five years or so, but my point of contention is that a loss like they had in this past years playoffs just doesn't go away, Dallas knows they can beat them, at any time, no matter what is on the line, they lost their air of invincibility, and that never comes back, so while Spurs fans can talk up Detroit's problems, they should realize everyhting with the Spurs isn't quite gravy.

[Vizzini]

Michael Finley performed very well for the Spurs so I don't know where you're getting that from. The WCSF could've gone either way. It's not like the spanking the Pistons got from Miami

Yeah, he played well, but you still lost in the second round, everyone thought that Spurs got a ton better, and coming off a championship, were a lot of people's pick to win it all again, but they didn't meet those expectations, so if the Pistons failed to meet expectations, and it is called an implosion, what is it when the Spurs failed to meet them?

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Yeah, he played well, but you still lost in the second round, everyone thought that Spurs got a ton better, and coming off a championship, were a lot of people's pick to win it all again, but they didn't meet those expectations, so if the Pistons failed to meet expectations, and it is called an implosion, what is it when the Spurs failed to meet them?

It ain't as bad when the Spurs lose because they don't lose any star players.

[NBA Junkie]

I don't see Chauncey leaving Detroit. Period.

[Leetonidas]

Yeah, he played well, but you still lost in the second round, everyone thought that Spurs got a ton better, and coming off a championship, were a lot of people's pick to win it all again, but they didn't meet those expectations, so if the Pistons failed to meet expectations, and it is called an implosion, what is it when the Spurs failed to meet them?

The Pistons had problems within themselves, the Spurs didn't. It could've gone either way, and it should've been the WCF if not for the stupid seeding. Miami spanked Detroit, while Dallas barely beat us. That's the difference.

[Vizzini]

The Pistons had problems within themselves, the Spurs didn't. It could've gone either way, and it should've been the WCF if not for the stupid seeding. Miami spanked Detroit, while Dallas barely beat us. That's the difference.

Expectations not met are still expectations not met. Dallas still beat you, on your home court in game seven, a team some compared to Charmin still beat you. The Pistons have their problems for sure, and yes they are greater than the Spurs losing their invincibiltiy, but don't think the Pistons are dead, they play the best when no one expects anything from them.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Expectations not met are still expectations not met. Dallas still beat you, on your home court in game seven, a team some compared to Charmin still beat you. The Pistons have their problems for sure, and yes they are greater than the Spurs losing their invincibiltiy, but don't think the Pistons are dead, they play the best when no one expects anything from them.

So are you saying they will go farther WITHOUT Ben???

[Leetonidas]

Expectations not met are still expectations not met. Dallas still beat you, on your home court in game seven, a team some compared to Charmin still beat you. The Pistons have their problems for sure, and yes they are greater than the Spurs losing their invincibiltiy, but don't think the Pistons are dead, they play the best when no one expects anything from them.

I never said they were dead. I was just defending the Spurs when you said because the Pistons imploded the Spurs must have too, when they didn't.