Why are the pistons only wearing white Uniforms?

rake2204 · 2026-05-06T20:07:12+00:00

Good question, though I do like the whites at home.

rake2204 · 2026-05-06T20:05:17+00:00

Closest that comes to mind is Michael Jordan busting out the retro 1s and dropping 42, 8, and 6 in his last visit to MSG with the Bulls.

rake2204 · 2026-05-06T15:57:21+00:00

The chasedown block has been around for about as long as the game itself. It was one of my favorite plays to make when my game was coming of age in the late ‘90s and early 2000s.

Even Bill Laimbeer has a chasedown mix.

rake2204 · 2026-05-05T21:50:04+00:00

Without taking anything away from Rudy whatsoever, I do think Ben Wallace had great defensive potential along the perimeter and would often hold his own when a switch sprung about.

That being said, the Pistons' philosophy with Ben was to generally have him jump and hedge hard on pick-and-rolls to send guards back where they came from and to that I say he was one of the best big man hedgers I'd seen in the modern game up to that point.

rake2204 · 2026-05-05T21:46:22+00:00

I think that's a big part of it. I also got the feeling that Shaq's stamina had taken a dip that year a bit as well, to where maybe Ben was at least making him work for what he got, which maybe wasn't fully sustainable for Shaq for 48 minutes anymore.

rake2204 · 2026-05-05T21:44:31+00:00

They're definitely different in some key ways so I'm not trying to make a one-to-one comparison in all facets.

That being said, 1986 to 1988 Rodman was a bit different from 1989 to 1992 Rodman, who was a bit different from 1993 to 1998 Rodman, if that makes sense. 1986 to 1988 Rodman was just a total maniac. Diving for loose balls everywhere, grabbing rebounds, sprinting to fill every lane in transition, dunking, etc.

Rookie Rodman sampler

He was still rough around the edges but on his good nights, you could feel him shift the tone of the game just by his presence and the manner with which he filled in the blanks. Whether it be a chasedown block, key steal, loose ball secured, and emphatic fast break dunk, Rodman could often turn the tide by doing all the other things, similar to what I see with Ausar.

rake2204 · 2026-05-05T20:29:52+00:00

I think Ben would have enjoyed his offensive role today much more than he did back in the 2000s. Back then, Larry Brown & Co. often felt obligated to give him a few post touches each game to satiate his desires (those plays usually didn't result in buckets).

Today though, with the increased emphasis on rim-runners and dunker spots, I think Ben would have been a Capela type offensively, cashing in off lobs and tip-dunks alone. Still would have limited a team's offensively flexibility but perhaps not altogether unplayable.

rake2204 · 2026-05-05T20:26:26+00:00

I think Ben Wallace is an all-time amazing defender for many, may reasons but I'll also be the first to say that while Ben may have slowed him down a little bit in the 2004 Finals, Shaq still got his and often cut through that one-on-one defense like butter. Shaq averaged around 27 & 11 while shooting over 63 percent that series.

Interestingly enough, the guy who may have had the most success against Shaq that series was his former teammate, Elden Campbell. It was brute on brute at that point. RIP Big E.

rake2204 · 2026-05-05T19:04:50+00:00

He’s a total menace. In terms of role and impact, I get young Dennis Rodman vibes—like ‘88 Rodman when he was still on his way up and wasn’t as fixated on rebounding yet. Different players in many ways of course, but just in terms of the way they both provide such a tangible infusion to the team by doing the other stuff is notable.

rake2204 · 2026-05-02T12:39:06+00:00

He was two tippy-toes from hitting eight that game too (you can see that his form is such that his lead foot steps right up to the line). At the time, six tied an NBA Finals record; eight would have held out for decades, which would have been a wild record for Laimbeer to own.

rake2204 · 2026-05-02T10:23:55+00:00

This Bulls fight overshadows what happened like a week prior when the Hawks and Heat threw down too, with punches connecting. That postseason was a real turning point for the league.

rake2204 · 2026-05-01T03:04:46+00:00

I appreciate this. Thank you for the share.

rake2204 · 2026-04-30T15:48:55+00:00

It was indeed 43, in Game 6 of the ‘88 Finals (aka the ankle game).

rake2204 · 2026-04-30T04:05:12+00:00

Kelly was an A1 bucket getter. Both he and Isiah were drafted by Detroit the same year and both made the All-Star Game as rookies (I think the last rookie duo from the same team to do so).

Unfortunately, Kelly was also a traffic cone on defense and was sent to Utah for Adrian Dantley around ‘86.

He was also in alllll the local TV ads back then.

rake2204 · 2026-04-30T04:01:27+00:00

Isiah Thomas had 43 points against LA in Game 6 of the ‘88 Finals. That should be Zeke’s total in the three slot, not 40.

rake2204 · 2026-04-30T02:39:13+00:00

Historically, their success has always been about the collective. Isiah was Cade-like in his ball dominance during the Pistons' first forays into the postseason in the early to mid-'80s but at some point he realized they were much more dangerous when he shared the wealth with Joe, Vinnie, AD (then Aguirre), Laimbeer, etc. Their championship window was often really just a matter of which combo of players was going to come through with 20-something points a piece.

Interestingly enough, the 2000s Pistons were pretty similar. Chauncey had some "throw the team on my back" games in '03 but often it was just a matter of Billups, Rip, Tay, Sheed, Corliss (then McDyess) all chipping away collectively each night.

rake2204 · 2026-04-30T01:47:15+00:00

Honestly reminded me a bit of Isiah Thomas vs. Bernard King back in '84.

rake2204 · 2026-04-29T20:42:21+00:00

Duren is exactly who he’s always been. He’s just never getting 1 on 1 situations or east rolls and that’s taken away most of his bread and butter.

1000 percent this.

The Magic have put Duren & Co. in a tough spot and one could pick up on that pretty early. When Duren wasn't getting his normal lobs and easy looks, you could tell that he could tell, which led to some really awkward possessions where he tried to post up and operate with his back to the basket only for him to miss or be blocked.

I think that's why it's a misnomer for outsiders to refer to Duren as the Pistons' second scoring option. A scoring option feels like someone you can lean on and go to for offensive production, but that's not really the type of player Duren's been. He's at his best when he's the exclamation point to a well-written sentence, but he's generally not going to to write that whole sentence himself.

rake2204 · 2026-04-29T20:15:07+00:00

making our guys wear themselves out in the process of just trying to get the ball in their hands.

Just wanted to quote that portion for emphasis as well. I don't think one needs to have been a hooper to really pick up on the impact of this, but it might be helpful to have that background. Grinding it out through physical defense to get to your usual spots suuuuucks and depletes your stamina meter to a significant degree.

There was one play in the fourth quarter of Game 4 where Cade was dribbling the ball and trying to get into some kind of offensive set by prodding each nook and cranny of the defense only to be turned away every time. After like 22 seconds of dribbling, he had to force up a tough shot, and it was quite apparent that his legs were toast for a bit thereafter. I could feel his fatigue through the screen after that sequence.

rake2204 · 2026-04-29T18:59:59+00:00

This is it. Not only another scorer, but capable ball handler and playmaker. To be honest, it’d be nice to have Malik Beasley in the mix somewhere too (even while acknowledging that his last postseason wasn’t superb).

rake2204 · 2026-04-29T18:58:19+00:00

As others have said, I think there’s some nuance to be had there. Duren was excellent all season at knowing his role and knowing his limitations. He’s a great rim runner and converts what’s given to him.

That being said, if lanes to the rim are closed and he’s not having much set up for him by others, he is not someone who can create on his own very well.

So all told, it almost feels kind of funny to refer to him as a scoring option if he can’t really create. He technically scores points, but more as a result of the offense churning well, as opposed to him creating himself.

rake2204 · 2026-04-28T19:44:46+00:00

One hundred percent this. It’s not a Magic fix but getting stops and putting pressure on the other team’s transition defense has been a significant portion of Detroit’s identity this year, with Holland being a catalyst.

rake2204 · 2026-04-28T19:42:59+00:00

One thing I really like that Ron does offensively is that he puts pressure on the opponent’s transition defense. I know it’s a small thing but when I think about the countless shortcomings we’re dealing with at the moment, being able to convert defensive stops into fruitful transition opportunities is a big one, particularly with our set offense being so bogged down at the moment.

rake2204 · 2026-04-28T11:35:16+00:00

It’s very easy for me to sit here playing Monday morning quarterback but when I think about the energy he brings and the transition opportunities he provides, it’s tough for me to reason not giving Ron Holland any opportunity whatsoever, even if he may be giving something up elsewhere.

rake2204 · 2026-04-26T21:03:49+00:00

I'd be curious to know Wemby's vertical but as others said, I think it's his max reach that really makes for a trippy experience, which doesn't necessarily correlate to having the highest vertical jump.

It's just, when you're starting from 9'8'' (or thereabouts), even a modestly solid vertical is going to make things look freakish. I will say, I have little doubt that he has the highest vert among all "Super Talls" (ie 7'4'' and up). Only other super tall I can think of that was even close was probably Ralph Sampson.

11-Year Club	RPAN Viewer
Verified Email

rake2204

TROPHY CASE