When Chuck Daly coached the Pistons, he likened the job to managing twelve different corporations. He understood that there was a time to push, a time to pull back, and a time to simply let the players police themselves. It didn't hurt that he had several deputies on the roster, like Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer, to enforce the Pistons man law.
Flip Saunders, perhaps, doesn't have the same deft hand as Chuck Daly did. But then again, not too many did when Daddy Rich was in his heyday. Certainly never in Detroit, and certainly not since Joe Dumars began hiring coaches and firing them, right on schedule, every two years.
Chemistry is the word, and it is perhaps the most overused, ultimately meaningless group of vowels and consonants in the entire lexicon of sport. And it has popped up in Pistons Land. Tayshaun Prince was the user of it last week.
The chemistry, Prince -- the usually quiet-as-a-mouse Piston -- said, is unbalanced. Can't put his finger on it, but maybe not enough of this, or perhaps too much of that. Maybe not enough respect for the coach, and his system. Maybe too much complacency, again. Something.
Others disagreed with Prince's assessment, uttered before two ridiculous losses to the Charlotte Bobcats and Atlanta Hawks, which join several other ridiculous losses this season. Lindsey Hunter, the most veteran Piston in terms of years of service, shrugged off the analysis of Prince as much ado about nothing. Cynics would say that even disagreements about whether there are chemistry issues to begin with is, by itself, a sign of discord.
Rip Hamilton has been awfully cranky, on the floor. But it makes one wonder if there is an edge off the floor, as well. Meanwhile, though, Hamilton scores relentlessly, through wins and losses. He is beginning to rack up technical fouls at a rate usually reserved for ...
Rasheed Wallace, who has begun to complain sublimely about "things".
"Just life, man. Life and basketball. Life is bigger than basketball. But just things that I'd rather not talk about," Wallace said last week, talking to the reporters who asked him, basically, "Wassup?" It was after Sheed admitted to not being a happy camper.
Chauncey Billups, as you know, can leave the team this summer -- vanish into the night -- via free agency. But Denver, a supposed Billups destination, is probably out of the mix now that they've acquired Allen Iverson. Still, whenever a prized player can leave, it's cause for concern. Read: Ben Wallace.
Nazr Mohammed is a square peg in a round hole, and is clearly confused and frustrated. Flip Murray wonders whether Detroit was a smart choice, and, frankly, vice versa. Others have appeared mystified by their ever-changing roles.
A month or so ago, I wrote in this space that Saunders must have that secure feeling, because he employs two former NBA head coaches on his staff: Terry Porter and Dave Cowens. And that may still be true. But navigating an NBA team through the waters of a sometimes meaningless 82-game regular season takes a special type of captain. But, as Daly so astutely realized, you need capable crewmen to keep everyone in line.
There are question marks, in 16-point font, about whether the Pistons have the cohesiveness that's necessary to win big in the playoffs. There still seems to be, among my fellow media members, the feeling that Flip Saunders will be another in the ever-growing list of short-timers who've served as Pistons coach under Dumars' watch, joining George Irvine, Rick Carlisle, and Larry Brown. The signs seem to point that way, I admit. Early playoff failure this spring might be the last straw.
Now the Pistons are set to bring Chris Webber into the mix, and maybe that'll be some sort of salve. But minutes will be reduced for key players, like perhaps Wallace, or Mohammed, or Antonio McDyess. And reducing players' minutes has never been a recipe for NBA harmony.
Saunders, it says here, has exactly 47 more regular season games, and however many playoff contests the Pistons participate in, to make a case for returning as coach in 2007-08. He works for a man who has a fetish for canning coaches on schedule, don't you know.
Even the alchemist that was Chuck Daly was rumored to be run out of town, before the championship years. Certain players wore scowls on their pusses, and the ever-important chemistry was in danger. One of the sour pusses was worn by Kelly Tripucka, and he was traded, for Adrian Dantley, no less. Proof that you just might do anything to get rid of the unhappy basketball camper.
Joe Dumars hasn't been one, though, to get rid of players to save his coach. So there you have it: 47 games, plus playoffs. Flip Saunders, whether you choose to believe it or not, is on the clock.
No comments:
Post a Comment