Posts Tagged ‘Ben Wallace’

Blogtable: Title Without A Superstar?

February 13, 2013  ·  10:45AM

Each week, we’ll ask our stable of scribes to weigh in on the three most important NBA topics of the day — and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.

Week 16: All-time favorite Dunk Contest dunk? | On LeBron’s hot streak … | Winning it all without a star

Can a team win it all nowadays without an MVP-type superstar?

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Steve Aschburner: Don’t want to say “can’t” about a superstar-deficient roster surviving to win the NBA title but I do think it’s a long shot. The ability to ride one (or better yet, two) hot hands and the role that free-throw opportunities can play in pivotal games — built off of star power, in many cases — are the things of which champions are made. It would be fascinating to a lot of hardcore pro hoops fans to see, say, a Nuggets-Pacers Finals, but it wouldn’t thrill the marketing types or maybe even the folks in Olympic Tower. But I don’t see them having to fret beyond the conference finals round.

Fran Blinebury: This is like the old kids’ riddle about how many balls of string would it take to reach the moon?  Just one, but it better be big. Of course, a team without a superstar can win it all. But it had better be talented, tough, unselfish and have enough players who could make all the big and little plays in the clutch. The stars have to be perfectly aligned to produce the 2004 Pistons again.

Jeff Caplan: OK, so the star-less Detroit Pistons won it all against the bickering, last-of-the-line Kobe-Shaq Lakers nearly a decade ago. The Chauncey Billups-Rip Hamilton-Tayshaun Prince-Rasheed-and-Ben Wallace Pistons remain the lone example, an exception to the rule. So, no, I don’t believe a team without a bona fide superstar in today’s NBA can win it all. We’ve seen that it’s nearly impossible for a lone superstar to take his team to the top. Dirk Nowitzki finally managed that task with one of the great postseason runs of all-time in 2011. And let’s be real, those Mavs caught a collapsing Lakers team with Phil Jackson having one foot out the door, a very young Thunder team just getting their feet under them and the Miami Super Friends in their first season together. I truly enjoy watching George Karl‘s squad run up and down the floor, but a team has got to have a go-to-guy who can create his own shot when the game turns into a halfcourt grindfest and when crunch-time demands an isolation takeover.

Scott Howard-Cooper: Possible, but it makes the odds much longer. The team does not have to have an MVP-type superstar, but it needs to have a player able to beat coverage to hit a pressure shot coming out of of a timeout in the final seconds. It also needs to have the player strike a fear in defenses, enough to create an opening for a teammate if Player X himself does not take the shot. That usually describes a superstar.

John Schuhmann: I think so. It would take great defense (like what we’ve seen from the star-less Pacers and Bulls) and an offense with shooting and ball movement (like the Spurs in Chicago on Monday). Of course, I don’t think the Nuggets have what it takes. They’re not good enough defensively, not good enough on the road, and not good enough from behind the 3-point line to thrive in at a slower, playoff-like pace.

Sekou Smith: It’s only been done once in my time eyeballing the league, by the 2004 Detroit Pistons. And they did it with one of the most meticulously crafted rosters I can remember seeing that was didn’t have a true MVP-type anchor (Chauncey Billups or Ben Wallace came close). I love the Nuggets and the way they are playing this season. The committee approach only goes so far in the NBA playoffs these days. Sooner or later you run into a team built around a superstar player (or players, in most instances).

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Should Pistons Keep Big Ben Ticking?

August 24, 2012  ·  11:40AM

HANG TIME, Texas – It was a good summer for Big Ben, the iconic symbol of London, still ringing loudly 153 years after its construction along the banks of the Thames.

The question is how much more ticking is left in iconic Big Ben Wallace of DEE-troit BAS-KET-ball! and whether it makes sense to bring the soon-to-be 38-year-old back at a time when the Pistons are striding toward the future.

On one hand, he averaged just 1.3 rebounds and 1.4 points and 15.8 minutes in 37 games last season. On the other, he could step in an right away become the best big man and inside force behind Greg Monroe.

In his PistonPowered blog at the Detroit Free Press, Patrick Hayes acknowledges that newcomers Andre Drummond and Slava Kravstov will need time to develop. He presents the pros and cons of the decision facing general manager Joe Dumars and comes down on the side of a 17th NBA season for Wallace:

I’m not big on the symbolic, mentor type narrative, though. I think Wallace is a positive influence in that regard, but I think his presence on the roster offers something more important. Namely, I don’t think it’s the right move to hand rotation spots to untested players. I think teams that are the best at player development are the teams that make young players earn their spot by beating out an incumbent for minutes. (more…)

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Two Homecomings Worth Mentioning

January 5, 2012  ·  10:35AM

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HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – We’d be remiss here at Hang Time if we didn’t review a pair of returns Wednesday night, Rip Hamilton in Detroit and Rashard Lewis in Orlando. For completely different reasons, both players made their mark on those franchises before moving on, mainly because those franchises didn’t want them anymore.

Let’s get to Rip first. He led the Pistons to the 2004 title and a string of deep playoff runs last decade before the team around him crumbled. And then he was bought out and waived by Detroit and fell into the lap of the Bulls, thrilled to have a guard with a nasty mid-range jumper playing next to Derrick Rose. Well, Rip was warmly welcomed back to the Palace — by all six fans who showed up (actually, the announced crowd was 9,125. For the Bulls. Yeesh. Remember when The Palace was always filled with 20,000 strong?). It was a surreal sight for Rip, if only because the atmosphere was far different during the glory years, but times have changed for Rip and the Pistons, as we see.

Hamilton had nothing but positive memories and things to say anyway, as recounted here by Perry A. Farrell in the Detroit Free-Press:

What few fans showed up for the Pistons’ 99-83 loss to Chicago gave Richard Hamilton a warm round of applause tonight at the Palace.

Public address announcer John Mason described him as the longtime shooting guard.

Before the game Hamilton chatted with Austin Daye, and just before tip-off went over to the Detroit bench and hugged Rodney Stuckey, trainer Mike Abdenour, assistant coach Brian Hill and coach Lawrence Frank. He spent a lot of time at half-court afterward greeting his former teammates.

Hamilton said every time he looked up into the Palace rafters he saw his name — alongside those of Ben Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Corliss Williamson, Elden Campbell, Mehmet Okur, Rahseed Wallace, Chauncey Billups and the rest of the group that brought a title back to Detroit in 2004.

He faced his old team for the first time since being waived and bought out of his contract last month.

“It was fun,” said Hamilton, who scored seven of his 14 points in the third quarter and played through a sore left groin while racking up five assists and three rebounds. “I couldn’t wait for the ball to be thrown up. There was a lot of emotion early in the game, being on the visitor’s side and not being accustomed to it in this building. It was difficult. I said. ‘Man, please don’t start crying or anything crazy.’

“The fans appreciate what I did here. They’ve always been supportive of me. Even when things weren’t going well they’d always chant my name. I have a lot of love for them. It’s tough to see this place half empty. I think when Chauncey and Rahseed and I were here they had sellouts for seven straight years.”

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Curtains For The Real Big Ben?

April 7, 2011  ·  3:49PM

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – Long before someone decided to tag that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback with the same nickname, “Big” Ben Wallace was busy becoming an icon in Detroit.

One of the truly unique players of his era and really in league history — he was a four-time All-Star and a four-time Defensive Player of the Year while barely a factor on offense for much of his 15-year career — Wallace is talking about calling it quits after this season.

He didn’t say he would retire. But he did say it is one of the options that could be under consideration this summer, per my main Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News:

“That’s always been the case, the last couple of years,” said Wallace, 37. “When the season is over with, I’ll see how my body feels. See if I can get my strength back. If can help this team, maybe I’ll come back.”

Wallace is under contract through next season ($1.9 million), but with the drama — and losing — it’s not hard to envision him reconsidering.

“I’d definitely like to honor (the contract),” Wallace said. “But I have to do what’s best for me as far as my body.

“My legs are feeling good. Let me run up and down the court a little bit, see if I need to do some more work or sit my butt down.”

(more…)

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Yet Another Twist In Pistons’ Saga

February 27, 2011  ·  8:42AM

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – The finger pointing in Detroit won’t subside anytime soon.

It’s going to take someone’s departure — Rip Hamilton or John Kuester, whoever goes first, take your pick — before we get any sort of handle on what’s really going on in Mowtown.

Because as of right now, there are more conflicting reports than there is anything else emanating from pile of rubble that is this once proud franchise. Kuester has “lost the locker room,” per our very own David Aldridge of TNT and NBA.com (above). That massive player revolt of the other day was actually just a perfect storm of events, highlighted by Hamilton’s one-man revolution. And at least one local scribe, Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News, asked for the players to apologize before Saturday night’s game against Utah for a stunt that others suggest never was:

They can call it whatever they want, but this was a players’ mutiny against Kuester, a decent guy but a poor leader. He’s not strong enough to be an NBA head coach and surely will be fired at some point, but the players’ power-play against a powerless coach is indefensible.

Those guys are permanently stained, unless they make a sincere move to address it. Here’s their one short-term shot: The players should take the microphone before tonight’s game against Utah at the Palace and apologize to the fans — however many are left — for poor decisions. Say they’re remorseful and they’d like to try to fix it. Then play as if their careers are at stake.

Of course, that’d require accepting some blame, and accountability sure is in limited supply these days. No, words don’t automatically heal, but the Pistons must realize they still have fans who’d like to cheer instead of boo all night.

The Pistons did knock off the Jazz with an inspired performance led by their youngsters and journeyman. Hamilton watched it all unfold in street clothes, same as he has much of this season.

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The Pistons’ Player Revolt

February 25, 2011  ·  2:30PM

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – Things have gone from bad to worse for the Detroit Pistons after Thursday’s trade deadline.

Several Pistons missed this morning’s shootaround practice in Philadelphia in some sort of “player protest” against coach John Kuester, per the Detroit Free Press.

Tracy McGrady, Tayshaun Prince, Richard Hamilton and Chris Wilcox all missed the shootaround. But that’s just the start. More from the Vince Ellis of the Free Press:

Team spokesman Cletus Lewis said Rodney Stuckey and Austin Daye missed the team bus as well, but they did arrive toward the end of the media session.

Lewis said McGrady had a headache, Prince had an upset stomach and Hamilton and Wilcox missed the bus from the team hotel.

Ben Wallace also missed the shootaround. Lewis said Wallace was dealing with a family matter. Wallace has missed games and practices over the past month because of the issue.

Only Greg Monroe, Will Bynum, Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Jason Maxiell and DaJuan Summers were full participants in the morning shootaround.

Sources indicated that the discontent is directed at Pistons coach John Kuester, who has clashed with players repeatedly this season. The organization downplayed the absences, insisting Prince and McGrady were ill.

One source, who asked not to be identified, said he didn’t know what the next step would be, and didn’t say who organized the absences. But he said it was an organized protest, with some players deciding it was best to show up anyway.

Has it come to this for the Pistons?

Have things really gotten this bad for this Kuester, who said he will go with whoever is available for tonight’s game against the Sixers?

Maybe the players thought there was going to be some mass exodus at the trade deadline. And when that didn’t happen, they decided to take matters into their own hands.

Either way, this is a disastrous start to the stretch run of the season for a Pistons team that certainly didn’t need any more distractions.

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Daye-ja Vu

October 26, 2010  ·  1:01PM

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – No strangers to slender frontcourt starters in recent years, the Detroit Pistons are taking it a step further this year with the announcement that second-year man Austin Daye will start at power forward.

That means the 6-foot-11, 200-pound Daye will work alongside Tayshaun Prince, who outweighs him by roughly 15 pounds. Starting these two with Ben Wallace in his prime might not have seemed like basketball red flag for opposing teams when they attack the rim. But just thinking about the Pistons’ frontline trying to hold up against some of the larger groups around the league — Boston, Los Angeles, Orlando, etc. — makes you shake your head.

No one is questioning Daye’s offensive prowess. But just like Prince found out a couple of years ago, working every night at power forward is much tougher on the body than playing small forward. And when you don’t have as much body to work with, well … it makes things even tougher:

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The Big Three That Never Happened

October 6, 2010  ·  10:05AM

Miami — Of the thousands who flocked to American Airlines Arena to witness the coming out party of the most discussed, and cussed, free agent bounties in some time, two folks in particular stood out.

Tracy McGrady was in the house as a member of the Pistons, John Gabriel as a scout. A decade earlier, they held the same hopes and dreams as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Pat Riley, dreams shattered with the force of a Dwight Howard block.

In 2000, the Magic had cleared enough cap room to sign 2 and maybe 3 top-shelf free agents. This was the plan from the previous season, when they carried a team almost completely composed of players on the final year of their deals. Orlando was led by Doc Rivers, the freshly-named coach of the year, and Gabriel, a well-respected general manager. And just by chance, T-Mac, Grant Hill and Tim Duncan were free agents.

Orlando swung a sign-and-trade for Hill (sacrificing Ben Wallace, who 4 years would later be the anchor for the Pistons’ championship team). Duncan came for a visit, then T-Mac, who saw nothing but prosperity ahead for Orlando.

“It would’ve been us playing the Lakers for the championship,” T-Mac said Tuesday, “every year. C’mon, man, nobody was gonna beat us.”

Nobody, except tough luck. Duncan re-signed with the Spurs (“He was loyal. I can’t hold that against him,” says McGrady) and Hill spent most of his 4 years in Orlando with a bum foot. McGrady prospered and became rich, but the Magic never went anywhere until he left and Howard was drafted.

T-Mac is now trying for yet another comeback from knee issues, saying, “I’m 31 but my body is just 28,” and counting himself as one of many who’s curious about the Heat.

“I’m jealous,” he said. “I hope they win 10 championships.”

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A Good Home For T-Mac?

August 9, 2010  ·  10:56AM

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Posted by Sekou Smith

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – Tracy McGrady seems to be running out of options.

He’s been on a bit of a workout tour this summer and has yet to find a home.

The news that his representatives are meeting with the Detroit Pistons today, courtesy of our main man David Aldridge of TNT, might not register with most, since the Pistons have fallen on hard times and McGrady’s way past his prime.

But as far as shelter for wayward talents goes, McGrady couldn’t land in a better place.

Tough times or not, no one does cast-offs and reclamation projects better than the Pistons.

Chauncey Billups was an afterthought in July 2002 when the Pistons signed him as a free agent and helped him turn his career around. You’d never heard of Ben Wallace before he showed up in Detroit. And Rasheed Wallace was toxic before the Pistons acquired him in a trade that turned out to be the linchpin of their drive to the 2004 NBA title.

Even Kwame Brown (another member of the Summer 2010 free agent class still looking for a home) looked good (in spurts) wearing red, white and blue … fine, that was a stretch, but you get the point.

If T-Mac has anything left, it’ll come out of him in Detroit.

General Manager Joe Dumars has the ultimate eye for the right fit (that Darko Milicic thing notwithstanding). And if he takes a chance on McGrady, that’s more than enough validation for us.

(So long as McGrady is careful about what he says when the cameras start rolling. Because things didn’t go so well when it happened after his workout in Chicago, below).

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