The Indiana Pacers are the best story in the playoffs. Yeah, we all love seeing Timmy dominate the Clippers, but who didn't see that coming. Same for Kobe and the Lakers melting down and the Celtics continuing to win games. The most interesting thing about the Pacers-Heat series isn't why Spoelstra and Wade are fighting or whatever. It is about how far the Pacers have come and how good they are going to be.

Larry Bird got the GM of the year award, but he had been setting this one up for at least 2 years. He used the draft well, managed the salary cap, and then used a couple acquisitions to get the Pacers in position to win for a long time. Comparatively, our team could be in a similar situation within 2 years if they make similar moves.

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Now that Kentucky has won a national championship under Calipari, there is going to be craploads of people talking about "What this means for college basketball." Some will argue that Calipari had a sick recruiting class won on the back of a freshman national player of the year, but most will argue that Kentucky's questionable recruiting practices dis-interest in graduation rates are corroding the soul of college basketball, and all college athletics.

In my epinion, the NCAA has long traded the lives of these players in pursuit of more advertising dollars and final four ticket sales. Harvard and the Ivy League teams who decided almost a century ago that college sports should be about academics first and athletics paved the trail for what a real student-athlete focused university should loo like. The remainder of college teams have gone in the other direction and now have trouble fusing the words student and athlete while keeping a straight face.

Calipari has become a punching bag for those that hate what the NCAA has become, but in honesty, Calipari is probably the most vocal critic. He is upset that the NCAA takes money from the players and spent most of his bully pulpit leading up to the tournament talking with reporters about how the NCAA and the NBA should do right by young players. According to the Deadspin article he doesn't even use the word Student athlete because he knows that it is an oxymoron. I'm sure people can and will hate on him, especially some of those talking heads on the 4 letter network, but I think he might be the only one who has this whole thing figure out.

It is rare when a team has to have the existential discussion tanking discussion before the All-Star break. This years pistons are lucky(?) enough to have a real chance at a top 3 pick, or were lucky, until they started this recent run of lottery ball crushing victories. Is it worth continuing to cheer for the Pistons' opponents after our recent string of luck, or is it time to fire up the bandwagon and set a course for the playoffs? Here are some thoughts I've had about this:

We are being out-tanked

The Hornets and the Nets are terrible in ways that we really can't achieve (especially now that we put a couple of their guys on the IR). Both guys have big injuries to their key players on top of having a shit roster to start with. Let's be real, their owners are to busy wondering about their future (new owner, new arena) to care about this season. Let's go ahead and throw Washington into this pot as well. We're not getting in the top three conversation unless we sneak in with a lucky lottery night, we trade away half the roster before the deadline, or Greg Monroe starts scoring baskets for the other teams because he's tired of not getting enough shots.

We already hit bottom

As bad as we are this season, we probably aren't going to end as bad as we were last year, or the year before. Last year when we were in the middle of (still) being sold, with Kuester falling apart, and Jonas got injured, that shit was terrible. Now we have a real coach who is probably too good to keep losing, we have a legit All-star caliber player, and we have talent that would make good trade fodder. We are on the rebound as a franchise and the kids might as well get some run in may or just get close enough to see what the playoffs smell like.

If the players keep improving, we'll have to start winning eventually

The growth we've seen in Moose this season is phenomenal, and it seems Jonas is coming along right with him. If everybody keeps getting better, we're going to have to win some games. Along with the bonus of player development, we are also boosting trade value. If we are winning games, we are likely to get more value for the players we have in a trade because they are a) better, and b) they seem better. That's the halo effect (Piston Powered talked more about that in the tastiest batch of Kool-aid to not come out of the Palace.

Ultimately, the Draft is too far away

So at the end of the day, we aren't getting a top 3 pick unless we get really lucky in the lottery. In the mean time, it is better for the development of our current players if we are winning games. Who knows, things might still work out in our favor. Maybe after the trade deadline someone will scoop up Stuckey and Gordon and we have to watch Knight and Walker D tank ourselves to glory. Maybe David Stern owes Gores a favor (from that dead hooker incident from the last time he was in L.A) and we'll win 2nd in the lottery. Maybe Drummond, Sullnger and the entire Kentucky team decides to return to college. We can't guarantee we will win the Unibrow we need, or that we won't. We can guarantee that the player development we see with wins now will lead to more wins later.

Don't forget about Dumars

Don't let all this draft stuff let you think that the key to rebuilding the team is in the lottery balls. It is in Joe Dumars' magic 8-ball. If he can't do something about the salary situation soon we will be talking about Greg Monroe sign-and-trade deals very soon. If he doesn't create a balanced roster it doesn't matter who we draft. Whether we get a top draft pick or not, the problem with this team is because Dumars made it that way, and he will have a variety of ways to fix it whether we pick 4 or 15. The onus for fixing the team should remain on him until we actually show some promise, or he gets fired.

Buckle up Pistons fans, we are headed towards new depths of futility. Tonight's game could mean the worst record in the league, Lawrence Franks' 21st consecutive loss as a head coach, and the worst start for our franchise since 1999 (not counting last year). The 1999 team would rebound and finish 42-40 with the help of their bald-headed, over-weight, three-point shooting big man, Terry Mills. The current team brings back welcomes their Terry Mills equivalent, Charlie Villanueva, back from suspension. CV31's return to the Pistons, and how well he's adopted Frank's defensive lessons, will be the deciding factor in this game. Certainly a more confident Brandon Knight, a sharper shooting Ben Gordon, and Greg Monroe's high post magic will be important tonight, but victory rests largely in Charlie's crumb covered hands.

Game Time: 6:00

Indiana Pacers: 3 - 0 at Detroit Pistons: 0 - 3

The Situation

Frank Vogel and his Pacers are on a mission this year and this party starts in the front court. Georgetown big Roy Hibbert anchors a the rotation that includes former all star David West, mildly over-rated Danny Granger, and features Psycho-T coming off the bench. The last time we played West, Hibbert, and Tyler Hansbrough combined for 39 rebounds...so yeah there's that (one less than our whole team). In the back court, 2nd year player Paul George grew two inches over the summer giving the Pacers a large set of wings, with Danny Granger. The Pacers shocked many last year when their stiffling defense gave the Bulls serious problems during last years playoffs. This years version of the Indianapolis team is likely the 5th best team in the conference and could look to make a deep playoff run this spring.

Keys To The Game

To be at all optimistic about this game the Pistons need to drink some Charlie V Koolaid. As a Pistons fan, asking you to get excited about Charlie V is as foreign as asking Charlie V to get excited about a vegetable tray, but this time it's different!

1. We really need bench scoring - Excluding Brandon Knight, our bench has combined for 12.3 points per game. With such paltry bench production, CV scoring points in bunches will certainly be "impactful"
2. He will play down low - Have you noticed that Daye is not playing the 4? Frank knows that he's best used on the perimeter. Likewise, I assume CV will be posting up more since he is effective down there.
3. He will be aggressive - The last regular season game he played he was so riled up he got kicked out. Because Charlie knows that if he is going to do anything in this league it starts inside, and playing with some pride. This one is kind of a stretch (since he played awful in preseason and couldn't start for the Dominican National team this summer), but I'm sure we all would happy if he took more players to the loading docks.

If these things don't happen at least the Pistons can have more fouls to throw at the Pacers front line, to prevent Monroe from getting in foul trouble like last game. Also, Charlie V provides another shooter for Monroe or Knight to feed.

Other Keys To The Game

• Defend three point shooters,
• Box out down low and crash the boards from the perimeter
• Give Monroe the ball every possession
• Get Stuckey in the post

Question Of The Game

Can the Pistons neutralize the Pacers front court?

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And now... The final results of...

The Piston Acquisition and New Development Awards Tournament

First off I want to thank everyone for playing, I thought that it would be a cool thing to do, and I stuck through and did it even though it took a while.  That said, the thing didn't end up the way I wanted, because it ended up with a Tie.  After I cast my vote for Jonas Jerebko it made it 7-7 between Bill Laimbeer as coach and Jonas Jerebko returning healthy with a deadly 3.  For the moment, there is no Champion.

The PANDA tournament was successful in a lot of ways, P.A.N.D.A. was a successful acronym, I learned a lot Excel functions, and it at least gave me something to be interested in during the dark days at the end of the season. If people want, we can do this again in the fall, or after our season ends next June. We should give ourselves around of applause and a slap on the back for a job well done. 

But it wasn't really successful.  Why?  Because we don't have a winner, and I don't feel right just saying that Jonas wins because he earned more votes over the whole of the tournament than Laimbeer (63 to 54).  At least not in the championship round.

So, it's a tie. 

It would be interesting to see someone on either side present a fact based argument for why one should win or why the other should lose.  I am confident that 80% of the evidence for what Bill Laimbeer could do is based on opinion, and 80% of the conversation about Jerebko's potential has been coming from Keith Langlois's coverage of his recovery.

If you want to defend the honor of Jerebko or Laimbeer, feel free to finish this thing once and for all in the comments below.

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Welcome to the Championship Round of...

The Piston Acquisition and New Development Awards Tournament

The tournament where users vote on future outcomes for the upcoming off-season.  In the last round we had lots of surprising action 

Final Four Highlights

• Laimbeer Rolls - There are plenty of Laimbeer fanboys giving each other highfives right now, but calm down.  Laimbeer managed to win every vote, but that was because he was matched up against Mike Ilitch owning the team.  This victory is as much a head-tilting win for Gores as it is for the former Bad Boy.  Let's see how he fares next round
• Jonas Wins the Tiebreak - Jonas Jerebko and Austin Daye received the same number of votes, even after leaving the voting open for 3 more days.  As a tiebreak I compared the total number of votes each option got throughout the tournament, and Jonas wins.   Hopefully the two will wage as competitive battle next fall in training camp (if we have a training camp next fall that is). Final Round: Bill Laimbeer hired as Coach takes on Jonas Jerebko regains full health and a deadly 3
• Biyombo and Kenneth were victorious, because Biyombo is always victorious, everytime, forever.  People would rather see Ben Gordon get 21+ shots so he could re-kindle his scoring touch instead of 30 minutes of the Will Bynum show.

Final Four Results

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Welcome to the FINAL FOUR of 

The Piston Acquisition and New Development Awards Tournament

The tournament where users vote on future outcomes for the upcoming off-season.  In the last round we had lots of surprising action 

Elite Eight Highlights

• Mike Ilitch still moved on to the next round, beating "Dump Rip" and advancing to the round of four.  If he made it this far it seems unfair to take him out.  Maybe people still want him to be owner?  Maybe people want the Pistons to move downtown?  If so I he will be around and people can vote on him there 
• Bill Laimbeer defeated the young European Jonas Valanciunas by a single vote.  The European propsect is the highest vote getter of the draft picks that were still around, hopefully he will actually be around when the Pistons pick at seven.Next Round:  Mike Ilitich as owner will be facing "Bill Laimbeer hired as coach."
  
• Apparently, draft picks less important than anointing the predecessor to Tayshaun Prince.  The development of both Austin Daye and Jonas Jerebko's return handily beat the drafting of Perry "Rasheed" Jones or Kenneth Faried by a combined 21-5.  Jonas has been quite the juggernaut this tournament, but if Austin Daye hits more clutch 3 pointers this matchup might get interesting.  Next Round:  The future of our 3 position hangs in the balance as "Austin Daye Plays Lockdown Defense" faces "Jonas regains full health and a deadly 3"
  

Second Round Results

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Welcome to the Elite Eight of 

The Piston Acquisition and New Development Awards Tournament

The tournament where users vote on future outcomes for the upcoming off-season.  In the last round we had lots of surprising action 

Second Round Highlights

• 'Draft Perry Jones' defeats 'Dumars being fired'?!?!  Seriously??? I get that he does have a pretty good upside, but it's almost as if users here think he should be compaired with Rasheed Wallace.  They are PF’s the same size,weight and wingspan (in college) both shoot 3s,both play on the wing on offense and in the low post on Defense,both have a great face-up game,have great foot work.will shoot a post-up fade away and are guys with a nasty side.  This is without question.  But is this addition more important than ousting Joe D?  Maybe a lot of people have not yet decided to jump off the band wagon. Next Round:  A rookie Perry Jones is a good matchup against an improved Austin daye, a skinny 6-11 forward who actually shot 3s in college.
  
• Jonas continues to roll, taking out Derrick "Don't call me a power forward" Williams.  Next Round:  He is going to face a similar energy power forward in Kenneth Faried.  Faried just took out Kuester being fired by huge margin, which is probably voters not wasting their vote on the coaches inevitable ouster.
• The failed Cleveland trade meets the downtown stadium next round as last week's voting sets up a match up between Dumping Rip and a future first round pick and Mike Ilitch buying the team.  This should make for an exciting match up, as should the rest for this week. 

Second Round Results

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