NBA 2008-09 Season

Detroit has now lost 8 in a row and their 12th in 15 games. Forget the Pistons’ streak of six consecutive appearances in the Conference Finals. At their current pace, they’re in very real danger of missing the playoffs completely! How did this happen?

Sunday’s loss dropped the Pistons to .500 for the first time all year. The last two road loses puts them 2 games below .500. They could be five games under water in the blink of an eye. They still have to face the Magic and Celtics on their current road trip, and in their first game home they host Chauncey Billups and the Nuggets. If the playoffs started today, they would be on the outside looking in. The time to panic has long-since arrived!

Their core starting five with Billups, Hamilton, Prince, Wallace and Maxiell was a very solid team and has been for a long time. Why is a team with this much talent struggling?

Some blame the trade. Others, the inexperience new coach and his boneheaded decisions. One of them to bench Richard Hamilton for the ego-fragile Iverson. The results? Not so surprising.

Clearly Detroit still expected to compete this year. There are some fans who say the Billups/Iverson trade was done all for salary cap purposes. If that's the case, as a fan, I'd be screaming! Throwing away an entire season for monetary purposes?! Blasphamy!

But I don't think that's the case here. I think the Pistons still expected to compete. They took a risk. It's obvious the risk isn't working. But what can be done before it's too late? How will Dumars save a disappointing season? How will they build confidence for next season? They can't go out like this, can they? 6 straight Conference Championships are at stake!

If I was a fan, I could accept them not reaching the same milestones as years past. All good things must come to an end at some point. But the lack of heart is what kills me. A team with this much talent shouldn't be in this predicament. It's a sad, sad demise of a once proud Eastern Conference dynasty.

I'm sure Dumar's had that in mind. No forseeing Curry's inability to make this work. The cap space was the "back door" on this trade. In one sense, this summer's week FA market could point to a disappointing season next year also. That's why a lottery pick could help us for next year.
 
They can sign "Starbury" for the minimum. If he doesn't work out, they can release him. It's his career on the line. Low risk - High reward. I don't see where the Celts can lose in this situation.

That is exactly why I think this is a BAD move for the Celtics.

While the Celtics are playing for a ring, Marbury is playing for a contract. He's never shown to be a "one-for-all, all-for-one" guy. His selfishness and poor decision making is a ticking time bomb set to derail a Championship Caliber team at the worst possible time.
 
He's playing for a ring too, but more importantly he needs to show that he "plays well with others." It may be a make or break point in his career. He doesn't have many seasons left at his age. At any rate it's a low cost financially, if he's a dick, they can show him the door.
 
That is exactly why I think this is a BAD move for the Celtics.

While the Celtics are playing for a ring, Marbury is playing for a contract. He's never shown to be a "one-for-all, all-for-one" guy. His selfishness and poor decision making is a ticking time bomb set to derail a Championship Caliber team at the worst possible time.

Do you HONESTLY think the Celtics lockerroom leaders let him get away with anything?
 
Do you HONESTLY think the Celtics lockerroom leaders let him get away with anything?

I'm not just talking about in the locker room, but also on the court. Since he's playing for a contract, he'll be looking to jack up as many shots as possible to impress the doubters. He'll be using these next few months as a resume for a future job in the NBA. Remember, A tiger doesn't change it's stripes. Marbury has always been about himself. On or off the court, he's a selfish person. How that helps a team vying for a Championship is beyond me.
 
I'm not just talking about in the locker room, but also on the court. Since he's playing for a contract, he'll be looking to jack up as many shots as possible to impress the doubters. He'll be using these next few months as a resume for a future job in the NBA. Remember, A tiger doesn't change it's stripes. Marbury has always been about himself. On or off the court, he's a selfish person. How that helps a team vying for a Championship is beyond me.

On the contrary...Like Paul said, he will be looking to be a "team player" and show he can play nice with teammates....his best behavior. And NO SOONER he gets out of hand, they sit his ass down. Do you think he is gonna do whatever he wants and give the head coach the finger....??!!:confused:
 
On the contrary...Like Paul said, he will be looking to be a "team player" and show he can play nice with teammates....his best behavior. And NO SOONER he gets out of hand, they sit his ass down. Do you think he is gonna do whatever he wants and give the head coach the finger....??!!:confused:

No sense in arguing back and forth. Until the season plays out, we're all speculating. I've stated my viewpoint. We'll all have an answer in June.

BTW, a wise man once had this to say about Marbury....

"I don't know him that well," but I could never have a guy like that on my team."
Any guesses to who made this super intelligent statement on the prospect of playing with Starbury? Click on my avatar to reveal the answer. :)
 
I'm not exactly a Marbury fan.......................never have been.

But if the likes of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have gone out of their way to "recruit" this guy...........well, who am I to argue!? :)
 
Wow- Cleveland got beaten up badly.

I am surprised they lost this badly to Houston- it's one thing if it's against Orlando or the Lakers, but Houston?

I guess this may be a sign- no T-Mac equals good vibes for the Rockets?
 
I'm pretty sure they won more than half of their games the last time T-Mac was out. Wasn't he out for half of that real long wining streak they had a couple of seasons ago?
 
I'm not exactly a Marbury fan.......................never have been.

But if the likes of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have gone out of their way to "recruit" this guy...........well, who am I to argue!? :)

You would think if THEY endorse the deal....HOW could ANYONE here OR the media know more than those three on whether he would "fit" or not??!!:confused: I have MANY times and it has been proven MANY TIMES....chemistry is a NON FACTOR when you win.
 
Wow- Cleveland got beaten up badly.

I am surprised they lost this badly to Houston- it's one thing if it's against Orlando or the Lakers, but Houston?

I guess this may be a sign- no T-Mac equals good vibes for the Rockets?

We played awful last night. The loss was deserved. Yao Ming killed us down low.

And to add insult to injury, Ben Wallace was severely hurt when Yao came down on Ben's leg, breaking his right fibula. Ben was our best interior defensive player and our starting power forward. He will be out 4-6 weeks. If he makes it back for the playoffs, it'd be a miracle. This is a devastating loss, any way you look at it. Another serious blow to an already injury riddled team. No one said it was going to be easy, but this is getting discouraging. Players will definitely need to step up. Namely, rookie J.J. Hickson.
 
We played awful last night. The loss was deserved. Yao Ming killed us down low.

And to add insult to injury, Ben Wallace was severely hurt when Yao came down on Ben's leg, breaking his right fibula. Ben was our best interior defensive player and our starting power forward. He will be out 4-6 weeks. If he makes it back for the playoffs, it'd be a miracle. This is a devastating loss, any way you look at it. Another serious blow to an already injury riddled team. No one said it was going to be easy, but this is getting discouraging. Players will definitely need to step up. Namely, rookie J.J. Hickson.

That is why I have said that you really have to be lucky...sometimes MORE SO than being good....to win a championship. I mean just about every moon in the solar system has to be aligned....:(

...that's what makes going 72-10 and winning it all, like the Bulls did, so amazing!
 
That is why I have said that you really have to be lucky...sometimes MORE SO than being good....to win a championship. I mean just about every moon in the solar system has to be aligned....:(

...that's what makes going 72-10 and winning it all, like the Bulls did, so amazing!

I agree. Unfortunately, if it wasn't for BAD luck, Cleveland would have NO luck at all! :(:(:(

Go ahead, smile all you want Boston and Orlando. I know your licking your chops now. :(
 
I agree. Unfortunately, if it wasn't for BAD luck, Cleveland would have NO luck at all! :(:(:(

Go ahead, smile all you want Boston and Orlando. I know your licking your chops now. :(

Well....I really and truly think they cannot be "breathing easier" just yet. I twist here..a small tear there...and ANYONE'S season is over.
 
Hopefully my Cavs can use this as a rally cry to all step up in the loss of Big-Ben.

All hands on deck! Buck up Cavaliers! The time is now! Let's do this! We need to play balls to the wall! Take no prisoners! Tonight we dine in Hell!!!!!
 

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