What The AI Trade Does For Rasheed Wallace
Over the course of his six season in Detroit, Chauncey Billups took about 11 or 12 shots per game. Over the 130 games that he played in Denver, Allen Iverson took about 19 shots every night. So what does eight less shots per game for the rest of Detroit’s crew mean?
For Rasheed Wallace, it’s actually a big plus. Check this: ‘Sheed took 10 shots or less last season (including playoffs), the Pistons went 37-6. That’s a ridiculous winning percentage – 86% of the time that he took 10 shots or less, Detroit won. That’s an improvement on the Pistons’ overall winning percentage – 71%.
And in those games, ‘Sheed’s field goal percent jumped from 43% FG to 48%. His three-point percentage jumped as well, but not by much (only from 35.6% overall to 36.2%) in those games. In short, not only is Wallace more efficient when he’s limited to fewer shots, but the Pistons play their best when he’s not trigger-happy.
Add in the palpable air of excitement – Joe Dumars probably still has the wry grin of someone who owns a hotel on every property along one side of a Monopoly board – some people in Detroit believe that this team is the frontrunner to win the East now. Maybe that will provide ‘Sheed the incentive he needs to be the type of “Top 10 talent” that he’s called on occasion. Perhaps less is more for ‘Sheed and the new-look Pistons.
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November 7th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
fallinup says:
If Detroit is smart. And I’m sure that they are, AI won’t be putting up 19 shots per because they should be limiting his minutes. Last season AI played 41 minutes per to get those 19 shots.
Sheed’s shots may be limited a little. But I think he’ll be shooting better because he’ll be getting better looks from AI’s driving and dishing.
Prepare to see that play run often. AI driving right, getting to the hoop or dishing to Sheed for a right baseline J. Given AI’s scoring prowess…defenses are gonna have to focus on AI, leaving Sheed sitting there all night long. Billups would do this by backing his man down and everyone running around screens…AI is gonna be doing this by driving hard. That’s a helluva difference.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
johnny says:
Good point.
And he seems better already in rebounding this season.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
QuEsT??? says:
i think this will work out better for the pistons. Even though i hate billups, he was a good pg but he and the pistons became complacent, iverson will give them a boos in energy and will give them that hunger that they lost after going 6 straight years to the nba finals. As big of an iverson fan that i am, i still dont think the pistons have passed the celtics, however i think they are getting close and have passed everybody else for the title of second in the east. If the hawks and cavs could take the celtics to 7 games, the pistons with iverson could do that AND win.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
QuEsT??? says:
typo* boost and i meant eastern conference finals
November 7th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Ben Wallace says:
My brother will benefit from the A.I trade. Even though Iverson is really a team guy I do think he wants to win a ring. Iverson has the talent around him to make a decent run. He doesnt really have another superstar to limit his ego, this team has the potential with Iverson, Hamilton, Prince and Wallance to make run for the finals.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Ben Wallace says:
My brother will benefit from the A.I trade. Even though Iverson isnt really a team guy I do think he wants to win a ring. Iverson has the talent around him to make a decent run. He doesnt really have another superstar to limit his ego, this team has the potential with Iverson, Hamilton, Prince and Wallance to make run for the finals.
PS. he needs to practice. practice?
November 7th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Scott says:
Just a thought, but if the Pistons played the Celtics, The backcourt rotation will probably consist of Hamilton, AI and Stuckey… Rondo can only cover one of them, which to me, means that Jesus is gonna cover the other, to which I wonder outloud if Ray Ray could get run into the ground during a 7 game series trying to cover any of those 3. And if they try to throw Pierce at Hamilton, Allen could get his ass backed down by Prince on the regular. Scary thoughts for the Celts.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Dime Magazine says:
Scott great point.
Hamilton hurt the C’s pretty badly last year in the Eastern Conference Finals. If Doc puts Pierce on Rip, all that running on the defensive end could hurt Pierce’s wind for offense.
Honestly, I think the Pistons are the best team in the East with AI.
- AK
November 7th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
QuEsT??? says:
@ scott, very good analysis, i dint think of that.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
GEE...Please report to the office! says:
Rip, Sheed and A.I. a big three for Detroit. Yea I think the “Big Three” thing has been worn out also. Anyway I think the A.I. move also adds more to their game as far as transition and gettin out on the break.
Look for more of that.
Gonna be interesting as far as the Center position goes. Possible weakness?
November 7th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Dime Magazine says:
Do they need to address the weakness at center? If so, what’s the right move?
Both ‘Zo and Dikembe are free agents right now…
November 7th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
chronically_ill says:
Just hand Dumars the Exec of the Year award now. The man has officially amendend for his Darko fiasco. With this trade, he’s been able to contend NOW, while having boatloads of cash to throw at the big guns in the future.
And what is exactly is Denver thinking? We all know Billups is gonna help that squad, being that he’s a pure point and a proven vet that might be able to get all those knuckleheads in Denver on the same page. But wasnt Denver going to rebuild and clear room for the salary cap? Wasnt that the point of trading Camby for two second round picks? If they were trying to save money and rebuild, why bring in Billups, who’s got like 4 years left on his contract for AI, who’s on his last year? And if they wanted to win now, as they’re indicating with the Billups acquisition, why didnt they just keep Camby? Add that to the fact that Denver’s gonna be over the cap to pay like 8 players, cuz of K-Mart and Nene’s monster contracts, and one has to wonder where exactly the Nugs are headed.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
GEE...Big Brotha Almightyyyy! says:
Most def I think Zo wouldn’t hurt them as much as he would help. I seriously would consider Deke for just his defensive presence alone.
Although honestly I was hoping Houston would get Deke back.
He old as all get out, but he can board and block shots and don’t care if he gets dunked on.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
fallinup says:
A true 7 foot center would be great for Motown. Zo would give a good few minutes a game. So would Deke.
Hell, just sign em both and waive Kwame.
On second thought…just waive Kwame regardless.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Zach says:
Iverson will drop about 18 a game in the regular season playing about 30-35 minutes most nights and then when its playoff time they unleash the beast and let him go off for 30 a night.
November 7th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
doc says:
AI dont like coming out the game so I’ll believe he gets his minutes cut when I see it.
November 7th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
ConverseWeapon says:
First time poster. I want state for the record before any games are played that this trade will not help the Pistons beat the Celtics.
I am a fan of both Chauncy and AI. Before CP3 and Deron came around, Chauncy would be my number 1 choice at PG to start a team. He’s a true leader, would locked you on down on D, and sink daggers into your heart during crunch time.
As a Celtics fan, I feared Chauncy the most, and I can tell you that despite the fact that AI is a scoring machine, the C’s are very effective when they get to lock in on one player who dominates the ball (ask LBJ and Kobe).
November 7th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
doc says:
Dont tell em mothing old ass cons,let them hype AI up for failure then blame it on everybody else because he hustles and make them I try hard faces.
November 7th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
AI had 19 shots in 41 minutes, but he had Melo to share with. There is no Melo in Detroit.
AI was brought in for offense, meaning more shots than Chauncey, at least 15-16 shots per game.
They know they’re good, but they wanna use Stuckey and AI, I’m assuming in rotation with RIP because you wanna cut AI’s minutes for durability, but you still wanna bring along Stuckey and mix it up with RIP.
Prince is huge for them, as shown in thei win in Toronto. Maxiell is sick. They got squad.
Defense is still there, this is a veteran team who still plays great, and they’ve added on a scorer, they want him to shoot. They aint bring him in to stop shooting.
November 7th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
GEE...Please Report to the Office! says:
hey fallinup I agree just waive dude the next time it rains in the D. When he comes up and is like “Hey why y’all cut me”, they should be like “Well it’s raining”.
I mean just to get rid of him, I feel like any excuse should do.
ZO and Deke that would be the senior citizen version of the Georgetown Hoyas back in the day lol.
November 7th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Dime Magazine says:
ConverseWeapon –
First of all, welcome.
Second, I think you make a pretty good argument that the C’s are a great defensive team when they’re assignment is stopping a go-to scorer. That’s because they collapse on that one guy incredibly well, forcing him into bad shots.
And even if that one player has been a two/three (Kobe/LeBron), I think that Rondo will do a nice job guarding a smaller guard like AI who has the same get-in-the-lane mentality.
- AK
November 7th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
GEE...Please Report to the Office! says:
Yea ConverseWeapon what up! Nice thoughts.
November 7th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
tim says:
Everyone is forgetting the Pistons training staff will work magic and AI will physically lose years while mentally being 33…that’s trouble haha…
the whole Lock in to one player concept won’t matter if AI is sucking them in and kicking out to others…liek Sheed, Rip, and Prince…
November 7th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
@ Tim, Offense wins games, DEFENSE wins CHAMPIONSHIPS! Detroit might have gotten better on offense. I have yet to see AI play the point and have the offense run fluidly. So we shall see.
Billups a better defender and POINT GUARD kept things running smoothly.
Also Detroit has to be able to stop the Celtics. As much as I hate the Celts, I don’t see the Pistons stopping the Celts. Also they didn’t take them to seven games last year and they won’t do it this year.
Call me crazy, but the only thing I see as good about this trade for Detroit is the money they save.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
SayItIsntSo says:
I swear you have the same people in here hating on Iverson everyday…do everyone a favor and shut up. If people want to wish him luck, then let everyone wish the guy luck.
Also @”Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09)”
Drink your own haterade because you be one of the main ones in here hatin’. Everyone knows that defense wins championships and Detroit is one of he best defensive teams in the L, so much so that they can cover up any shortcommings that Iverson may have on defense. Adding Iverson to light a spark undernieth their butts wasn’t a bad thing…so yes i’ll call you crazy. I sencerly hope this works out way better then what anyone would have thought, just so I can watch all the bandwaggon fans on this site continue to make fools of themselves. Because the constant hating is getting tired. Hell I can’t stand Kobe…but I cant take away from the fact that the guy is a baller.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
craig990 says:
mayne!
I must say.. every since this trade came about.. the A.I haters have been out in full form!
What has he done to you guys?
regardless of what many think.. A.I is a baller, 1st ballot Hall of Famer, was arguably the best player in the game for some time. All-star Mvp, Finals Appearance, NBA MVP, like 8 All Stars?.. this guy is increadible.
He at his age is supposed to be slowing down but he is still dropping 25 and 7 a game. He lost a bit of a step but can still light it up and given night!
Yea i admit A.i doesn’t pass much or isn’t great at running a team offense, but he is a shooting guard. Thats not his job. You can’t make a scorer a point guard. it just can’t happen. Regardless of his size, where he is forced to play PG, he is a true S.G and a superstar at that!
Gice A.I a chance before you hate!
if not.. then just shut the fuck up!