Betrayer

This pretty much sums it up. I'll just add a few of my observations as well. The only way you're beating the Spurs is if you can shoot from outside. Cade was shooting well from three in this one and probably needed to take about 5 more threes rather than forcing bad shots into Wemby because they were daring him to shoot. Teams like the Spurs that can protect the paint and don't turn it over are a real problem for this version of the Pistons. We can't score from the perimeter and if we aren't getting out in transition, we're in trouble. That's why Ausar is the 2nd most important player on this team, not the All-Star JD. I'll also add that Huerter had some nice minutes in this one. He certainly looked more playable than LaVert. Jenkins has been struggling since he signed that contract as well. Now watch JB start LaVert or Jenkins in place of Ausar in the next game rather than going to Holland, Huerter, or Green. It's time to find a way to get Reed 10 minutes per game. I actually liked the minutes with him and Stew in there and he always makes a positive impact on the game in some way.

They wanted to by most accounts I heard. NAW had other plans and wanted to go to Atlanta. Maybe he heard good things about the wings. But you're right that NAW would've been a great addition. They need guys who can do both the 3 and the D. I also agree, we probably aren't the favorites even though we're the #1 seed. Trajan seems like the patient sort who's ok with that for a super young team that came in with an expectation of winning about 47 games and is playing with house money. Personally, I'd love to have seen them address some weaknesses at the deadline because I agree with you that only get so many chances. Then again, I have no idea if any good deals were out there. I'm sure other teams didn't want LaVert at this point either, and I don't want to see them break the bank for a Blake Griffin type deal.

Except if they followed what ALL OF US on here said, we wouldn't have signed anybody. Not Beasley or Tobias last year, who were pretty critical to the turnaround. Not Robinson or Lavert this year. Not Green, who's been a great find. Probably wouldn't have picked Ausar either (my bad on that one). The Front Office isn't going to bat 1000, but it sure would be nice if the coach could figure out how to adjust to the situation at hand.

Rough game. Cavs are great at using their (moving) screens to isolate and attack mismatches (Robinson), or get the ball into the paint to force rotation, and then finding the open shooter. Piston defense was constantly having to rotate and switch and we didn't recover fast enough. Guys were caught out of position all night leading to wide open threes that the Cavs knocked down. On the other side of the ball it took 7 quarters of basketball against the Cavs before we realized that we can do the same thing to Schroeder they do to Robinson. He's too small to guard and yet we didn't create and attack the mismatch until the 3rd quarter when Tobias went on a tear. JD was feeling his Player of the Week title a little too much in the first half. Pressing hard to score against multiple defenders rather than make the easy pass to an open teammate. It turned into a lot wasted possessions. Cade had a rough night on both ends. Tyson really bothers him defensively and the Cavs were doubling and swarming him a bunch. A lot of assists but still you need more scoring, or at least more efficiency, from Cade. He was also really bad on defense, missing rotations that led to open threes. JB continues to bow to whatever blackmail LaVert has on him. He was actively hurting the team again with turnovers, dumb fouls, and terrible shots. Just cut him at this point so JB can't play him. Any other player on the bench would be better in those minutes or just give more minutes to Ausar/Ron/Green. Speaking of, Ausar was awesome on both ends, especially his defense in the 4th. He changed the game and gave us a chance, but most of the others fumbled it. Cavs are a real problem for this team. They're ability to shut down the paint kills our primary offense and they have multiple ballhandlers that can break you down for easy shots on the other end. Ausar can only guard so many people, and JB feels the need to keep Robinson on the court even when he's getting targeted on every play, rather than going defense heavy with Ausar + Holland/Green.

That image is so freaky looking.

The defense in the second half of this game was amazing. Without that, they're a poor half court team trying to outscore their opponent which will never work for this team. Get stops, get out and run. They held Orlando to 35 points in the half. That's nuts in 2026. Yes, I'm making another case for Ausar's minutes. He had 9 pts, 11 rebs, 3 assists, 5 stocks, and the third highest +/- of any Piston player. He did all that in just 21 minutes. Sure, he was in foul trouble for a bit in the first half, but he only finished with 3 fouls and there's no reason he shouldn't have still hit at least 25 minutes in this one while Caris gets 20 minutes.

Sounds like a good draft to move up 6 spots in. Hopefully that JI trade can yield something useful, or at least a more valuable trade chip.

Totally opposite for me. You can replace 90% of what Duren gives you as a rim running big for half the price he's going to get and probably get better defense in the exchange. Sure, Duren does some extra stuff, but that 10% isn't the truly important stuff like running the offense, spacing the floor, or locking down the paint. Most of what he gives you relies on someone else feeding him. On the other hand, Ausar is a top 1% athlete with defensive instincts and a high basketball IQ. That's rare. He completely bends the game (and the laws of physics) when he's in there and his on/off stats show it. The team is simply better on both ends of the court when he plays because he's a high level passer, cutter, and offensive rebounder who gives you easy buckets and extra possessions - and this team is entirely built on winning the possession game. Everyone's job gets easier when he's on the court. JD's only 22, so maybe he learns to shoot the three someday and the narrative changes. But then again, maybe Ausar gets to 33% someday as well. Both are about as likely, but for now I'm keeping Ausar in my core over Duren all day.

They really need to let the market dictate Duren's price. I don't think they will because "player relations", but they should. Signing Ausar to a friendly contract this summer would be huge. His numbers are just going to get better as his minutes increase (they better increase) and he improves. But more than likely he's going to make an NBA All Defensive team and I'm guessing he won't sign for cheap. I'd be happy with bringing Harris back as a backup PF. He's fallen off, but still a smart player, good in the locker room, and would be among the league's better bench players, imo. Depends on the cost though. Their needs: To me, it's 2-way players. You can't keep running out guys like Robinson hoping he's hot enough from three to make up him getting targeted on defense every time down the court. Unless Ron or Ausar magically learn to shoot, they've got to replace Robinson and Harris with 3-and-D forwards.

I have no idea who we could get, but you presented the exact problem I have with it: 2 max players is about all your going to get. In today's NBA would you want that second max player to be a Center who's mediocre on defense, can't shoot threes, and is mostly dependent on Cade to get his numbers? A simple rim runner like Daniel Gafford could give you much of what Duren gives you on offense while adding better defense for far less than the max. I want my second max guy to be able to run the offense when Cade sits or has a bad night, similar to a Tatum/Brown pairing. Of course, that ship has sailed and I doubt there's anything to be done but pay the man at this point. At 25M I'd have been fine with it, but at 40M it's going to cap the ceiling of this team.

He's getting a max and it's going to cap this team's ceiling. I can't deny he puts up good numbers, but big men aren't good enough at creating for themselves and others to warrant a max in my opinion (except for Joker). And his mediocre defense doesn't make up for it. It's not like Cade can sit and Duren can run the offense, he still needs someone to feed him most of the time.

They don't call him Lu Dirt for nothing.

Cavs lost that game, we didn’t win it. But I’ll take the W nonetheless.

lol at Malone saying “usually you foul when you’re up three like that.” Dude doesn’t know our coach.

Was Daniss flexing at the ref after the buzzer?

So many fouls on that “jump”

You need one stop. Yet still no holland or green.

That ball touched every part of the rim for Tobias. Glad to see it go down but why aren’t we running pick and roll with Daniss and Duren the last five times down?

We won a challenge!

Just give me Ausar, Green, Holland, Reed, and Duren. Ausar can run point. Go all in on defense.

We needed Holland or Green instead. Jenkins and Sasser is too small. Pick one or the other.

This’ll be another failed challenge. He hit him on the wrist.

Why are we dribbling out the clock with a 1 pt lead and this much time to go?

Finally Duncan fouled out.

Jenkins giveth and Jenkins taketh away.