Game film doesn't lie after Pistons preseason lossTuesday, October 24, 2006
AUBURN HILLS -- Detroit Pistons coach Flip Saunders is certainly not a movie critic, ala Ebert & Roeper. But he knows a big-screen stinker when he sees one.
It's even easier for him to spot when it stars his players, which was the case when Saunders and the Pistons reviewed the game film from Sunday night's 124-105 preseason loss to the Denver Nuggets.
"The film doesn't lie," Saunders said. "It shows what you're not executing. It shows you what you're doing right. It's called a truth machine."
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And the truth is, the Pistons have already accomplished their primary preseason goal, which has been to develop a bench with the ability to impact games.
"We know we got some good firepower on that bench," said Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace.
Detroit's reserves will get another opportunity to play big minutes tonight against Washington, with Saunders likely to keep several starters on the bench.
"Maybe three or four of them," said Saunders, who indicated he had yet to decide which players would not play.
Affording the reserves an opportunity to play more is one of the positives that will come from tonight's game. Saunders also wants to make sure he doesn't wear down his starters between now and the regular season, which begins next week.
Saunders said his decision to bench some starters tonight, and possibly others in Wednesday's final preseason game against Memphis, doesn't mean there's little left for his team to accomplish before next week.
"We'll get something out of both days," he said. "It's just a matter of who's playing in those days."
Saunders would like to see a little more of how a "small" lineup with Chauncey Billups, Ronald "Flip" Murray, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Wallace, plays together.
Saunders is optimistic that lineup can be good, with Murray being a key.
"Flip brings a different dimension where you can play small, you can do some different things," Saunders said. "That's the nice thing about his addition to the team."
Center Dale Davis, who has been limited because of a left hamstring injury, re-aggravated it on Monday and is questionable for tonight's game. Also, forward Antonio McDyess has a sore groin, and his status for tonight's game is unclear.
There is, however, some good news on the injury front. Wallace, who played only eight minutes on Sunday after getting a knee to the groin area, is healthy enough to play.
"I'm all right, I'm all right," said Wallace, who is one of the players Saunders is considering holding out tonight. "Just took a shot below the belt. The ref should have taken a point from that."
A. Sherrod Blakely can be reached at sherrodb@aol.com or mlive.com/forums/pistons.
It's even easier for him to spot when it stars his players, which was the case when Saunders and the Pistons reviewed the game film from Sunday night's 124-105 preseason loss to the Denver Nuggets.
"The film doesn't lie," Saunders said. "It shows what you're not executing. It shows you what you're doing right. It's called a truth machine."
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}
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And the truth is, the Pistons have already accomplished their primary preseason goal, which has been to develop a bench with the ability to impact games.
"We know we got some good firepower on that bench," said Pistons forward Rasheed Wallace.
Detroit's reserves will get another opportunity to play big minutes tonight against Washington, with Saunders likely to keep several starters on the bench.
"Maybe three or four of them," said Saunders, who indicated he had yet to decide which players would not play.
Affording the reserves an opportunity to play more is one of the positives that will come from tonight's game. Saunders also wants to make sure he doesn't wear down his starters between now and the regular season, which begins next week.
Saunders said his decision to bench some starters tonight, and possibly others in Wednesday's final preseason game against Memphis, doesn't mean there's little left for his team to accomplish before next week.
"We'll get something out of both days," he said. "It's just a matter of who's playing in those days."
Saunders would like to see a little more of how a "small" lineup with Chauncey Billups, Ronald "Flip" Murray, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Wallace, plays together.
Saunders is optimistic that lineup can be good, with Murray being a key.
"Flip brings a different dimension where you can play small, you can do some different things," Saunders said. "That's the nice thing about his addition to the team."
Center Dale Davis, who has been limited because of a left hamstring injury, re-aggravated it on Monday and is questionable for tonight's game. Also, forward Antonio McDyess has a sore groin, and his status for tonight's game is unclear.
There is, however, some good news on the injury front. Wallace, who played only eight minutes on Sunday after getting a knee to the groin area, is healthy enough to play.
"I'm all right, I'm all right," said Wallace, who is one of the players Saunders is considering holding out tonight. "Just took a shot below the belt. The ref should have taken a point from that."
A. Sherrod Blakely can be reached at sherrodb@aol.com or mlive.com/forums/pistons.
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