For the latest Inside Enemy Territory I was able to get the scoop on the Pistons from Natalie at Need 4 Sheed. Enjoy!
1. Juan Dixon didn’t get much burn this season for Toronto. How’s he looking for Detroit? Will he be part of Flip Saunder’s rotation in the playoffs?
He’s looking good in the limited time he’s been on court. In fact, he lit it up in his first game with extended minutes after only running through one practice with Detroit, going 6-for-7 for 14 points in Chauncey Billups’ absence.
I have a feeling Dixon will be seeing time on the floor during the playoffs since Flip Saunders is not a coach that likes to depend on rookies during the post season. I assume he will replace Arron Afflalo in the rotation, but don’t expect him to play heavy minutes especially if Lindsey Hunter is activated.
2. You have two prominent rookies in Rodney Stuckey and Aaron Afflalo. Will either of these guys get a lot of playing time against Toronto? What kind of role will they have in the playoffs for Detroit?
You can expect to get a good look at Rodney Stuckey, who has had a solid spot in the rotation since coming back from his pre-season injury (broken hand). Afflalo, on the other hand, is hit or miss. He is a solid defender who has really played well all season but may or may not get minutes depending on the situation. If Afflalo gets court time don’t expect much, unless the game is well out of reach.
Stuckey will have a solid spot in the playoff rotation, but I don’t expect to see much of Afflalo.
3. The team had three All-Stars in Rasheed Wallace, Chancey Billups and Rip Hamilton, yet Boston is talked about for their “Big Three” this season. Does being thought of as the second best team in the East motivate the Pistons?
The Pistons love to “fly under the radar” but whether they will admit it of not, they don’t like to be second best. Right now I would love for them to use that as motivation to fly through opponents come playoff time and use their underdog status as inspiration. But in their minds the Pistons think they are the team to beat and that every other team has something to prove. That in itself may cause a problem for Detroit come playoff time.
4. The past few seasons Detroit has had strong regular seasons only to fizzle in the playoffs. What have the front office, coaching staff and players learned that will help them advance deep into the playoffs this season?
What Detroit has worked on all season is to get the younger players and rookies involved during the season and try to limit starters’ minutes. Dumars and Saunders made it a point to get Amir Johnson and Jason Maxiell time on the floor along with the rookies Afflalo and Stuckey in order for them to be able to contribute during the post season and give the starters a break during the regular season. Whether that’s enough to get them to the finals this season we will soon find out.
Make sure you check out Need 4 Sheed for all your Pistons news, screensavers and movies. Also, don’t forget to check back after the Raptors/Pistons games for a thorough game recap.