02-21-2006, 09:28 AM
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HoopsAddict.com
Join Date: Jun 2002
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Blackboard Motivation Material
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AUBURN HILLS -- Just so you know, Shaquille O'Neal has seen how this season is going to wind down.
He sees the Pistons and Heat meeting again in the Eastern Conference finals, and he sees the Pistons going into that series with home-court advantage.
"I don't see them going on a 15-game losing streak, or even a two-game losing streak," O'Neal said during All-Star Weekend in Houston.
"So, I don't think anybody's going to catch them. We just have to keep ourselves solid in that No. 2 spot.
"It looks like it will be like last year -- us and Detroit."
The way his Miami teammate Dwyane Wade sees it, the Pistons already have shown their top gear.
"We are still going to improve," Wade said. "The Pistons and Spurs, those teams, I don't think they can play any better than they have. We know the level they are going to be at. It's on us now to show that we can get to that level or higher."
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We are going to get the rest of our offense in and, defensively, we're going to put in some more changes -- like using our zone more, and half-court traps and things like that," Saunders said.
Though they remain the third-stingiest defensive team in the league, the Pistons haven't been nearly as disruptive as they have in the past. They rank 24th in forcing turnovers.
Enter Lindsey Hunter and, perhaps, more of Carlos Delfino.
"Lindsey is going to help so much defensively," Saunders said. "People are just not going to beat him (off the dribble). He applies so much pressure, he really disrupts people."
With Hunter now in the rotation, and Carlos Arroyo now playing in Orlando, the Pistons will be able to do things they couldn't before. They can trap more effectively. Their zone becomes more impacting. And the results, Saunders believes, will be more forced turnovers and more opportunities to score easy baskets in transition.
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Saunders is serious about using more zone as the regular season comes to a close. The players don't really like it, but, in spots, they saw how it can be effective.
"We have a chance to be a very good zone team," Saunders said. "I think we are going to use that more in certain situations."
Saunders is also serious about using Delfino more.
"He has to be a part of the picture," he said. "I made a conscious effort to play him and he responded. I have been especially impressed with his ability to defend. He is going to be a very important person for us down the stretch."
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Detroit News
Last edited by Austin Kent : 02-21-2006 at 09:40 AM.
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