RIP's on fire....

[bstein14]

RIP's been tearing it up lately.

Last 5 games:
32 MPG, 21.6 PPG, 62.2 FG%, 70.0 3pt% (7 out of 10)

He's actually been shooting lights out all December, making up for a poor November.

If he continues his hot shooting for the next few weeks he'll be an all-star for sure.

Hopefully we can ride this hot streak through at least the 3 game stretch against Boston, Dallas, and San Antonio.

[srt4b]

Unless Rip crushes Kobe's 40 & 50 point game streaks then he has no chance at the ASG (a good thing).

[SAKURABA216]

Unless Rip crushes Kobe's 40 & 50 point game streaks then he has no chance at the ASG (a good thing).

Kobe and Rip are in different conferences

[Cowology]

Good to see. He was sucking it up pretty bad for a while.

[JustinSane]

Even when he was going 1 on 3 offensively, his defense was solid and his shooting percentage better than it ought to have been. I never understood the "Trade Rip! He's 17% less effective this month than he's been the last 4 years!" hysteria.

It's good to see he's back to his normal, efficient self.

[ajaX82]

I swear i could go back a few pages and find trade Rip threads....

oh well

[BDM22]

I swear i could go back a few pages and find trade Rip threads....

oh well

If it weren't for Stuckey, I would probably still be on the trade Rip bandwagon. We needed a 2nd penetrator and the most obvious spot to have them was @ SG. Rip can't bring that. Hopefully Stuckey can start seeing 22-25mpg at the PG/SG spots, so we can add that dimension without losing Rip. We'll see, but the only way for that to happen is for Flip to realize he needs to bring the bench in earlier in the 1st and 3rd quarters. Stop waiting through the first 15 minutes of the game to swap these guys out.

[prophet_of_rage]

Even when he was going 1 on 3 offensively, his defense was solid and his shooting percentage better than it ought to have been. I never understood the "Trade Rip! He's 17% less effective this month than he's been the last 4 years!" hysteria.

It's good to see he's back to his normal, efficient self.

It was one of the more odd moments on the Pistons board. Those same Pistons supporters who allow Stuckey a pass for shooting without conscious (or efficiency) in his first few games decried Rip for the same behaviour ignoring that Rip too was coming off injury and trying to work himself back in the lineup, the Pistons were playing iso ball rather than movement ball, he is the Pistons best scorer and the huge psychologically altering/distracting factor that he just had a son!

I think part of the reason why it was so en vogue to criticise Rip back then is because people think he is the most replaceable of the starters. He isn't.

And with him zeroed in like this it makes the Pistons more dangerous because he attracts the attention and gets others free looks. He's also finishing teams off in the first half right now and giving the rookies time to play.

If any Piston makes the All-Star Game it should be Rip.

[Cowology]

^He IS the most replaceable starter.

The thing that has made a Rip trade less attractive isn't Rips play; it's Maxiell & Stuckeys. We've long needed somebody capable of getting into the paint on a consistent basis and we're finally starting to get some of that off our bench.

[prophet_of_rage]

^He IS the most replaceable starter.

The thing that has made a Rip trade less attractive isn't Rips play; it's Maxiell & Stuckeys. We've long needed somebody capable of getting into the paint on a consistent basis and we're finally starting to get some of that off our bench.

You're going to say the key to the offence is more replaceable than McDyess or Prince?

You're going to say an efficient scoring guard who doesn't demand the ball, defends and puts pressure on the opposing defender shoots in the high 40s and excels at the midrange is more expendable than a long-armed defender or a jumpshooting power forward? Hell, honestly McDyess can be replaced by Maxiell right now.

Which shooting guard would you replace Rip with that would make the Pistons better versus which power forward and small forward could you replace on the Pistons and make them better all things being equal?

[RTM]

Good to see. He was sucking it up pretty bad for a while.

[Cowology]

You're going to say the key to the offence is more replaceable than McDyess or Prince?

Yeah, um...I'm gonna stop you right there. I certainly don't view Rip as the "key" to our offense, so pretty much everything based on that assumption is going to be vastly divergent from my views.

[roc]

I feel Rip and then Tay (Tay does seem to step it up when Rip is out FWIW) are the most tradeable starters and enjoy making and reading trade scenarios. That said I still have a hard time realistically imagining this team without the core guys unless the deal was just too damn good to pass up. Tough to say what could happen to team chemistry if the new guy(s) didn't mesh well.

All is good... for the moment.

[nasty daddy]

I think Rip knew he had to start stepping up, otherwise he could be traded. I'm not complaing at this minute how he is playing though.

[realfung]

I think Rip and Billups are auto for ASG....

[srt4b]

-= original quote snipped =-



Kobe and Rip are in different conferences

well, that one went right over your head!


my point was Rip would have to do something AMAZING to be considered for the ASG. Something along the line of Breaking Kobe's 50+ Point game streak.

I was in no way implying Rip would have to beat out Kobe, obviously.

[prophet_of_rage]

-= original quote snipped =-

Yeah, um...I'm gonna stop you right there. I certainly don't view Rip as the "key" to our offense, so pretty much everything based on that assumption is going to be vastly divergent from my views.

We run a motion offence now. Who provides the motion in that offence? It goes Rip cut, read, high pick and roll Chauncey and Sheed.

And you're still going to tell me, even if you don't view Rip as the key to the offence, that McDyess is less replaceable than Rip?

[Chuck Nevicic]

Ignore Cow on anything Rip related. He has some irrational hate for him. Last year he wanted to start Crylos el Fino over him.

[prophet_of_rage]

Ignore Cow on anything Rip related. He has some irrational hate for him. Last year he wanted to start Crylos el Fino over him.

Say it ain't so, Cow? Delfino over Rip?

In all honesty, even though Rip is my favourite Piston and favourite NBA baller right now, there was a time when I really hated the Stackhouse for Rip trade because I thought that the Pistons got too one dimensional and they didn't have a versatile scorer who could get his own shot.

I was very wrong because Joe D got a guy who could score off screens, but also make plays that Stackhouse couldn't or wouldn't make. And his off ball movement improved and his game expanded and now he really does get everybody open off that first cut.

I haven't been a fan of iso ball since.

[Dirtgrain]

In all honesty, even though Rip is my favourite Piston and favourite NBA baller right now, there was a time when I really hated the Stackhouse for Rip trade because I thought that the Pistons got too one dimensional and they didn't have a versatile scorer who could get his own shot.

I was very wrong because Joe D got a guy who could score off screens, but also make plays that Stackhouse couldn't or wouldn't make. And his off ball movement improved and his game expanded and now he really does get everybody open off that first cut.

I haven't been a fan of iso ball since.

At the time, I also worried that we would miss Stackhouse's ability to get to the line (but I didn't like Stackhouse's game overall, so I loved the trade). But Rip has gotten there plenty for Detroit (although someone recently noted that he isn't getting there as much this year).