Even without Iverson it should be a very tough game.

Good chance for a prolonged look at Stuckey and whatever improvements he made this offseason.

Detroit is a seriously deep team, Maxiell and Stuckey are huge (Joey doesn’t belong in the NBA) and the Raptors will be very lucky to win this.

It would probably be easier if Iverson DID play because they would be discombobulated…

The Raptors starters are going to have to play the entire game and even then, they can be easily over-powered and out rebounded.

Let’s hope they really click..it would be a great win, but I ain’t holding my breath.

Detroit’s bench is good. Very good.

Stuckey will likely get Iverson’s minutes. Afflalo and Bynum receiving Stuckey’s minutes.

Billups on the other hand will play on Friday. He was in Charlotte when traded and can’t make it out to GSW in time for the game. Billups is traveling to Denver first, and can’t make it although the way across country by game time. He’ll practice tomorrow and meet the media before they play Dallas on Friday.

Hopefully Iverson will play tonight. I’m giddy about seeing this new Pistons team.

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Those poll results are surprising to me.

43% of people think a second round win is playoff success. That’s a large chunk of people who don’t feel a first round victory isn’t good enough.

Another 46% of people feel the team should be in a tight battle in the second round. That’s 89% of people who expect a good showing in the second round.

Interesting results. Good poll.

Jose/AP vs. AI/Hamilton

Jose is gonna be in for a tough test!

JO vs. Wallace = Battle of the big-boyz
Jose & AP vs. Stucky & Iverson = Battle of the starting back-court duos
Moon vs. Prince = Battle of the skinny starting SF

very well. yeah, he’s a scoring PG, but over the last five years, he’s put up similar distribution #s to billups. he’s also not nearly as inefficient as you seem to suggest (nor is billups as efficient – their true shooting %’s are quite similar, and billups hasn’t shot any better than AI over the last few years, he just shoots a lot less). the knock on AI is that he dominates the ball…which, when you think about it, is perfect for the pistons. who, on the pistons, is a go-to scorer? they’re all very good complimentary scorers (i.e. they are each better when the D is focusing on someone else, and can take open jumpers / drives when the rotations are slow/late/nonexistant), and when all were playing at a high level with a high intensity, they jelled incredibly well. over the last couple years, the talent was still there, but the intensity had diminished somewhat from their championship year (though it was still higher than most)…not having ‘that guy’ who can take over games may have hurt them. now, i’m not suggesting that for the trade to work for the pistons, AI needs to dominate the ball – far from it, he’s going to have his minutes reduced, and will have to become more of a distributor. but with excellent complimentary scorers, either those guys (sheed, wallace, prince) are going to be getting easier looks, or he will. as a defense, who do you focus on among those four? that’s not even taking into consideration what maxiel, amir & stuckey can bring to the table (or mcdyess, when/if he returns).

no, i’m thinking this trade will work out for the pistons. not sure whether it makes them better than NO, boston, LA, but it keeps them in the mix of those teams.

Only when you watch enough long-version daily media interviews with Smitch on RapsTV, will you understand that Smitch and the grunts have a positive, respectful relationship.

Coach Mitchell is not a boring interview and frequently provides them with goods quote, along with entertaining daily conversations).