Today's Game Discussion [11/26/12]

[Bogg]

I still don't understand why Stuckey got so hyped up just for playing adequately off the bench in the 2008 ECF. Remember when Detroit turned down Boston's offer of Rondo?

[ChrisWoj]

Don't remind me. Talk about a bad deal. Admittedly Stuckey is a very very good change of pace combo guard off the bench, but he is no starting guard for a contending team.

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[Jace]

Originally Posted by ChrisWoj

The Pistons are a "Hey look we're not the worst team in the league" 4-3 in their last 7 games. Don't know if anyone has paid attention to this development - but Kyle Singler has been playing great basketball. In light of the NBA guys (Hollinger and Stein both if I recall) for ESPN saying he had no shot at being an NBA player, this has been pleasant. The Pistons were 0-8 with Stuckey starting at the 2, and are 4-3 with Singler out there. He's out of position, but the big difference is he doesn't need plays run for him. He gets his when left open from outside, he gets his when the defense breaks down and he can get a bucket at the basket. He also makes tons of smart passes, hustles, and rebounds. Since being made a starter he's getting 12+ per game on 55% shooting, and 50% from beyond the arc.

Obviously not a star, but making some people reconsider his ceiling - he's an effective NBA player and has made the Pistons better.

That's odd. All of the pre-draft scouting reports I'd read about him were positive, and he was on my list of players I wanted the Heat to draft.

[ChrisWoj]

The main thing is - he's not a point guard. Detroit tried to turn him into one. He's got okay size for a shooting guard at a strong 6'5" but he simply isn't a shooter. Period. He can't shoot. And although he doesn't do it a ton - he does take more outside shots than he should. He's only really effective when he's getting to the basket to get fouled with that strength of his, but without a) elite footspeed and b) a strong jumper, defenses can play back on him and negate that often. This leaves him at his best as a bench guy coming in against weaker defensive second units.

[Jace]

I was speaking of Singler. Guess I forgot to load the next page.

Edited it to clear it up.

[ChrisWoj]

Ahh.. my bad. Yeah - I think a lot of people had him as a typical system Dukie, and his shooting rated poorly despite a reputation for being a shooter. Some guys just rise to the occasion.

[Jace]

And I'm sure him spending a year overseas later skewed people's views further. I thought Detroit would be a lot better this year, but I hadn't yet gotten the memo that Stuckey was in fact pretty sucky. How's Daye playing? He was terrible to start last year, then did the usual "Oh, we're playing the Heat? Career-game time" thing and almost got them the W.

[ChrisWoj]

Originally Posted by Jace

And I'm sure him spending a year overseas later skewed people's views further. I thought Detroit would be a lot better this year, but I hadn't yet gotten the memo that Stuckey was in fact pretty sucky. How's Daye playing? He was terrible to start last year, then did the usual "Oh, we're playing the Heat? Career-game time" thing and almost got them the W.

Austin Daye has been fantastic, perfectly playing the role I expect him to play for the rest of his time in the NBA. He waves the towel with great aplomb, has grown some nice facial hair to give himself a more intimidating look at the guard (the water cooler) position. And when we put him on the floor in the occasional blowout for a few minutes he manages to run up and down the floor without falling over at all.

My opinion on Austin Daye, ever since that atrocious start to last season, has been reaffirmed on a constant basis: his entire game is completely thrown off kilter right now by even the slightest physical play. He can't handle the rigors of the NBA game. If you put him in a summer league or preseason game he'll shoot the lights out with the minimal contact he sees. But as soon as an NBA body is put on him? He completely wilts. He has no future in the NBA unless he learns to take some contact, or at least fills out an NBA capable body of his own so he doesn't notice it as much.