An Open Letter to Detroit Pistons Blogs and Fans about Iverson
Dear Detroit Pistons Organization, Blogs, and Fans:
I have been reading countless articles through the mainstream media and on Detroit Pistons blogs this morning talking about Allen Iverson being a cry-baby over playing time. Some have said he was faking his back injury, some have said “I knew this would happen when Iverson was told to come off the bench”, some have even said he should just sit out the rest of the season.
I would expect that sort of idiotic and uninformed response from the mainstream media, however I hold bloggers (especially team blogs) to a bit of a higher standard since they generally are obsessive and fanatical about the NBA and their teams. To quote the okay great Mark Jackson, “C’mon, you’re better than that!”
After reading the response in the blogosphere to Allen Iverson’s post-game comments about playing time, after the Detroit Pistons lost a close game to the Cleveland Cavaliers last night, I wonder if anyone actually bothered watching the game.
Allen Iverson played a mere 18 minutes, but scored 11 points on 5-8 shooting. Rip Hamilton played 34 minutes and scored only 13 points on 4-14 shooting. When Iverson was on the floor the Pistons were +2 in the plus/minus, when Hamilton was on the floor the Pistons were -14 in the plus/minus (worst on the team I might add).
Now i’m not normally a big ‘numbers guy’ so I want to qualify a look at the stats by saying that everyone, including Hamilton, is entitled to an off game. Who I blame in last night’s game is your Pistons coach Michael Curry. This is a players league. The Coach these days has fewer and fewer roles and responsibilities to influence the game. With that said, one of the biggest jobs of the NBA Coach is to monitor what’s working and what’s not on any particular night. It was obvious and plain as day last night that Allen Iverson was what was working, and Rip Hamilton was what was not. Iverson was scoring, he was gelling with teammates (especially Rasheed Wallace) on offense, he was penetrating and kicking, he was scoring with ease.
So if I am so easily seeing last night from home that Rip Hamilton was having an off night and Allen Iverson was playing well, was Michael Curry’s courtside seat not a good enough view? Why in the world did Michael Curry not adjust the playing time to ensure Allen Iverson had more minutes and Rip Hamilton had fewer. Does Michael Curry not want to win?
I’m not really leaning towards either Allen Iverson or Rip Hamilton being more deserving than the other for the starting nod. I think they both are excellent players and bring something a bit different to the table. What I am concerned with is the media and blogosphere response to Allen Iverson. The guy is a future hall of famer, one of the greatest scorers this game has ever seen. Pound for pound he may be the greatest scorer ever. Allen Iverson has always been considered to be a warrior on the court, playing through countless injuries, bumps and bruises, as a result of his fearless, slashing style of play. The guy takes a beating more than probably anyone in the league. Doesn’t he deserve the benefit of the doubt concerning his back injury?
It is a completely disrespectful, short-sighted, and fickle response to question Allen Iverson’s back injury. Instead Detroit fans and analysts should focus more on the fact that Allen Iverson with the recent lengthy time off he’s had (the longest stretch of rest he’s had in years), it may mean he’s finally ready to return to his level of dominance we are used to seeing. But he will need some minutes to do so. And 18 minutes a game, isn’t going to cut it. Not if the Detroit Pistons want to have any hope in hell of winning a playoff series against a high caliber team like Cleveland, Boston, or Orlando.
Allen Iverson is still The Answer, give the guy a chance, I think he’s earned it.
Sincerely,
Dr. Dime
Respectfully Dr. Dime, I gotta disagree here. The Allen Iverson you speak of, the Hall of Famer is nowhere near the player he was even 3 or 4 years ago. You could make a strong argument that AI is the worst defensive guard in the league.
Yes, I said worst. Steve Nash territory.
The beef I have with yesterday’s game resides more with Stuckey playing like crap than Rip having an off-night…if anything, AI should have taken his minutes
I’ve almost always looked at Iverson as a cancer to a team unless he is the only star. And even then, he had maybe 3 seasons where his play was productive. Stats to me aren’t anything unless you are winning, and he hasn’t done much of that lately.
I will admit that the guy has done some remarkable things in his career, but he is definitely reaching retirement territory…in fact, I’m not sure he is capable of even going “Grant Hill” on us and becoming a relevant role player on a contender.
As for that “faking injury” stuff though…those fans and bloggers need to be donkey punched. Guys like Allen Iverson don’t fake f-ing injuries. The guy has played his entire career in pain. He’s a freaking warrior.
When Iverson was not playing,and Sheed and Rip were healthy, the Pistons played their best basketball. When Iverson was getting 30-35 minutes a night, they played their worst. But let’s ignore the facts.
Very well said. The only I’d add is that everyone seems to be saying, “Oh, see, we told you A.I. wouldn’t accept coming off the bench.” Well, there are plenty of bench players who play more than 18 minutes. Coming off the bench and playing 18 minutes vs. coming off the bench and playing 25-30 minutes are not the same. I think A.I. was expecting the latter, not the former, and rightfully so.
except that will bynum played extremely well as of late and stole some of the bench minutes while Iverson was out. but again, this was the 2nd game of AI coming off the bench. they need to figure this out still.
Iverson is tha s&*T yo! dime has it right.
isaac is right that ivereson is poor defender these days. but if the pistons are such a great defensive team, shouldn’t they play good enuf help ‘d’ to compensate for it?
Iverson is the socrer they need, they just need to use him right! If Pistons are so selfless and ‘team oriented’ as they say they would learn to rebound and let iverson control the ball most of time. and defend like mad. then they’ll win.
@sparty – Bynum has been playing really well off the bench and definitely needs to get some burn. I think Curry should avoid playing Bynum and Iverson together at the same time because they both have a scorers mentality.
@isaac – thanks for the kind words you sent to Adam. I agree with you on one front, Stuckey played terrible last night too. Between him and Rip, you’d think Curry could have found a few more minutes for Iverson who was playing great. Especially given the psychological importance of winning a close game like last night against the best team in the league. It could have really boosted the Pistons confidence coming down the home stretch.
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[...] games against sub .500 teams … Sheed & Rip alma mater schmack talk’n … Hoop Doctors does the open letter thing to Piston blogs getting down on AI … Five Magazine’s Q&A with Iverson … Pistons 1 1/2 point favorites tonight [...]
[...] An Open Letter to Detroit Pistons Blogs and Fans about Iverson … April 1, 2009 – Dr. Dime Dear Detroit Pistons Organization, Blogs, and Fans: I have been reading countless articles through the mainstream media and on. … I will admit that the guy has done some remarkable things in his career, but he is definitely reaching retirement territory?in fact, I?m not sure he is capable of even going ?Grant Hill? on us and becoming a relevant role player on a contender. As for that ?faking injury? stuff though?those fans and bloggers need to … The Hoop Doctors – http://thehoopdoctors.com/online2/ [...]
Dr. Dime, You question if others watched the game, but did you? Iverson got to the basket a couple times, but he also committed three turnovers in those 18 minutes, missed two of three free throws, and generally did not play well. He no longer deserves the benefit of the doubt because he has played terribly all season long. Why should it matter what a 25yo AI did in 2001? The 2009 version of AI has been more deserving of 0 minutes than 30. I’m not going to question his back injury, but I will question his production on the court. Up until RIP and Sheed got hurt, they were playing their best basketball of the season without Iverson.
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[...] An Open Letter to Detroit Pistons Blogs and Fans about Iverson (The Hoop Doctors) [...]
I completely disagree Dr. Dime. Allen Iverson is done and i’m so happy that he will be off the books next year. If he would have accepted his bench role the Pistons would have been a better team. Allen needs to wake up and realize that his skills are diminished. Go Will Bynum!!! Curry got it right this time and i’m glad he was the first coach in Iverson’s career not to put up with his premadonna behavior.
iverson is the most-ungrateful fool i have ever had the displeasure of meeting. he forgets the fans pay his way better be nicer or get out