Pistons Get Some Time Away, Five Questions with Matt Dery
By: Matt Dery
Q: Is this a good time for the Pistons to have a four day break?
A: I think so. Sunday's loss to the Bobcats was very disappointing and the team could use a few practice days to prep for Milwaukee and Utah this weekend. Detroit has played the most games, 36, of any team in the East so far and a lot of that is due to an early west-coast trip and next week's visit to London.
Q: How could this team beat Miami, Milwaukee, and Atlanta and then lose to the Bobcats at home?
A: They let another double-digit lead slip away and they got outworked. Once the Pistons went up 15, they coasted and hoped that the clock would just run out. That is a sign of a young team and a team right now in need of a leader sometimes on the floor. The Pistons have to get more consistent play from Brandon Knight.
Q: Should Joe Dumars have drafted Kemba Walker instead of Knight?
A: It is still very early to answer that, but, Walker is clearly having a better second season than Knight. Many NBA scouts felt that Kemba was too small and questioned if he could play the point. Walker is proving the doubters wrong and his assist to turnover numbers are surprisingly good. He made big shots against the Pistons and it was shades of his days at UCONN. Brandon's last five games? 15 assists and 14 turnovers. He works so hard and wants to be great, and I think at times is thinking too much on the floor about running the team and not playing instinctively.
Q: Are you still on the Ben McLemore bandwagon for the Pistons?
A: Yes. Absolutely. And I am not alone either. The Kansas swingman is having a monster season for the Jayhawks and now NBA evaluators are telling me that he could go number 1 in the June draft. He fits what the Pistons need. Big time.
Q: Why are Austin Daye and Charlie Villanueva all of the sudden a part of the mix and performing?
A: Give both of them credit for not sulking or pouting and continuing to put the time in to get better. Both are shot-makers and lately the basket looks like a giant oil drum for the two of them. Assistant coach Charles Klask also needs to get some credit for really pushing both of these guys every day in practice and has made both of them study a lot of film and video and it has helped their games.
