Saunders fires back...

[VF21]

I found this at PacersDigest. I'm not a fan of Flip Saunders, but I like his response to the criticisms his players came out with...

http://www.belleville.com/mld/miamih...l/14695345.htm
Saunders reacts to criticism
BY ISRAEL GUTIERREZ
igutierrez@MiamiHerald.com

Before Monday's game, Pistons coach Flip Saunders reacted strongly to his players questioning him for assorted things after Game 3.

• On Ben Wallace suggesting that Saunders doesn't emphasize defense as much as ex-coach Larry Brown: "This is the same group that said we did more defensive drills than we ever did. . . . You want to talk about lack of defense? Yeah, there's a lack of defense because guys aren't doing what they're supposed to do. If I gave up 50 points in the paint and I gave up 13 straight drives to the basket when I'm supposed to be guarding someone, I mean these are things you learn in the sixth grade: Stay between your man and the basket. If you can't do it, you are right, there's going to be a defensive lapse.''

• On Tayshaun Prince questioning why Lindsey Hunter, who has had some success defending Dwyane Wade, did not play in the second half of Game 3: "The reason we couldn't put Lindsey on the floor was . . . because Tay wasn't scoring. That was one of the things that went into it, so it's pretty ironic.''

Saunders made it clear that players would not dictate his decisions: "As a coach, I make decisions. I have to live by the decisions. As players, they play, and they have to implement. . . . [But] we're better when we're irritable, and we're feeling fat cats about ourselves.''

Saunders said his players have voiced opinions all season, "but it's just that everybody didn't know about. That's how players are.

". . . This isn't about egos right now. This is about winning. If you have a job to do, go out and do your job.''

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Sorry, Flip, but if you're dealing with Rasheed Wallace it IS about ego...and a big mouth. You have to wonder how many of those things quoted were said because Sheed has been running his mouth off.

 

[mavsman]

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Sorry, Flip, but if you're dealing with Rasheed Wallace it IS about ego...and a big mouth. You have to wonder how many of those things quoted were said because Sheed has been running his mouth off.

Agreed.

And don't forget VF that it was when Rasheed opened up his big mouth did the Cavs make a serious run at beating the Pistons. I was rooting for the Cavs just so he would be taught a lesson.

 

[acisking]

^^same here...I can't stand how he goes out and garuntees a game and then when the Pistons lose not only that game but the next one as well, he just blows it off like it was nothing. I mean, doesn't that defeat the purpose of a garuntee in the first place.

 

[VF21]

This tells it like it is:

If I gave up 50 points in the paint and I gave up 13 straight drives to the basket when I'm supposed to be guarding someone, I mean these are things you learn in the sixth grade: Stay between your man and the basket.

Those last seven words are pretty clear, even to a little old lady...

STAY BETWEEN YOUR MAN AND THE BASKET

It wasn't Flip Saunders out there with the guidelights showing the Heat the easy way through the lane.

 

[acisking]

While I don't see any team as being more arrogant than the Detroit Pistons, I can't help but feel bad for Flip Saunders. He is getting the blunt of the blame from both fans and his own players.

I fail to understand how players like Ben Wallace can criticize Flip for not stressing defense. If you just won the defensive player of the year, you better be damn sure that you bring it every night without a coach having to reinforce defense (As an aside, Ben had 0 blocks in game 4). Flip opened up the Detroit offense and really made it more potent than Brown ever did. However, if the players aren't putting forth the effort on the other end of the floor, that blame can only be put on them.

 

[VF21]

But remember, acisking. Players win, coaches lose. And it sure looks like the players are making sure no one forgets it.

 

[bozzwell]

It looks to me that Flip is entering final stages of a meltdown. Calling out players in the media is something that LB would do and Flip should have kept the zingers for the locker room even if he didn't start it. Of course, it is entirely possible that this LB-esque retort by Flip will prove to be productive, but with DET 3-1 down even then it will be too little too late.

 

[VF21]

I would normally agree, bozzwell, but after the crap the players said in the media, I don't blame Saunders for trying to put his version out there...

This isn't good and I strongly suspect it's not going to get better, regardless of what happens the rest of the playoffs.

Nothing better than a nice train wreck to break up the monotony of the ECF.

 

[KevinMartin'sShotDoctor]

Saunders should be commended for not saying something like, "Make a free throw" to B. Wallace or "If you want it inside, why do you keep chucking threes?" to R. Wallace. (This is not to say that his snap back about defense wasn't pretty direct and hurtful.) I feel for Flip. He's probably not a great coach, but the revisionism wheels are really turning right now. Earlier, he was the liberator of the Pistons' offense. Now, he's the guy that only got out of the first round once until this year. (That's not very fair, either. The T'wolves were getting better every year. They did a great job when the pieces came together. Then two important cogs, more than Flip, brought that promise crashing down.)

Part of me wants to see the Pistons come back just to save Flip from the grief.

 

[BMiller52]

The pistons players need to stop acting like *******s and go out and get their damn job done. That's the bottom line. Detroit's done and Flip does deserve some blame but so do players like Sheed and Ben. When Wade/Williams penetrate it's Rasheed's job to alter/block a shot if he's not guarding Shaq. It's Chauncey's job to stop that from happening in the first place. Wasn't Chauncey supposed to be a great defender? He only looked good in the regular season because he had the Wallaces behind him.