Allen Iverson or Rip Hamilton could be Detroit’s sixth man
With Rip Hamilton sidelined (groin) last night, the Pistons snapped Orlando’s seven-game win streak and turned in one of their most impressive all-around performances of the season. Instead of starting Rip at the three and Tayshaun Prince at the four, coach Michael Curry went with a more traditional lineup of Stuckey, Iverson, Tayshaun (SF), Amir Johnson (PF) and ‘Sheed. Along with McDyess and Maxiell‘s help off the bench, Detroit’s defense was stellar, holding the Magic to 82 on the scoreboard, stopping Jameer Nelson‘s recent hot streak (9 pts, 0 asts), and poking and prodding Dwight Howard (18 pts) into a one-point first half and a mostly ineffective fourth quarter.
When Rip does get healthy, Curry says he’ll consider using him as a sixth man, in order to get an extra big on the court with ‘Sheed and bolster the defense. And according to the Detroit Free Press, Iverson could even end up in that sixth man role:
Curry said all he had to do was look around the league for several examples of teams bringing established stars off the bench.
“We look around, and you look at teams that have done it and it’s pretty effective,” Curry said. “I think the Lakers with Lamar Odom; it’s effective for them. (Andrei) Kirilenko in Utah has been effective, and the same thing with (Manu) Ginobili in San Antonio.
“It can be effective if it’s any of our perimeter guys coming off the bench … maybe we will have to look at it, but we’ll just cross that bridge when we get to it.”
Who would you bring off the bench if you had to choose between Rip and Iverson?
Source: Detroit Free Press
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December 30th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
QQ says:
Iverson’s giant ego called. HE said he will never allow Iverson, NEVER, to come of the bench. It also said, and I quote, ‘Sixth man? We’re talkin’ bout sixth man?’
December 30th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
haslem says:
Rip off the bench because he can play more positions. unless you want to run AI as a one as well.
December 30th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Coop says:
For business reason I’d bring Rip off the bench; you’d want to keep Ivey’s stock as high as possible for obvious reasons.
Ignoring that, I still think Ivey is better in the flow of the game so I’d let Rip come off the bench.
December 30th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
control says:
I’d keep AI on the bench. I just don’t feel him on the Pistons, he still goes into his greedy AI modes and fucks it up for the rest of the team. Even his quotes are talkin crazy “Wow, I only had 15 points and had a good game, that’s crazy, I’M MOTHERFUCKING AI BITCHES! I NEED TO SCORE 50 POINTS!”
December 30th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
QQ says:
@ control:
Felt the same way when I read that quote. “15 points? We talkin about 15 DAMN POINTS? The MVP of the leauge, and we talkin bout FIFTEEN SHITTY BITCHASS POINTS?”
Well, not like that, but you get the idea.
AI sucks.
December 30th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
JCARR says:
RIp is not the same player anymore.. bring him off the bench.
AI- trade? cuz it aint workin’
December 30th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
it aint easy being green says:
i dont know why it took this long for curry to go with this system in the first place
December 30th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Big pink Big says:
Umm..we aren’t talkin bout practice?
December 30th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
boo says:
I’ve been saying that Rip could come off the bench ever since the Pistons had a chance at Carmelo or Dwayne during that draft when they took that sucky European kid at #2. I think Rip coming off the bench would work well because the Pistons would have Rip and McDyse to hit shots when the first unit sits. It would be no fall off production wise. The only problem I forsee is Rip stealing the Affalo’s minutes who is a lock down defender.
December 30th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
PALakerFan says:
AI needs to be somewhere there are no other players of any value so he can be the offense. The fact the 6ers made the finals was a freakin miracle. He is not and can not be a team player. His game doesn’t allow for that. It’s too dependant on him having the ball and penetrating or shooting J’s.
He’s not long for the Pistons, but some other team will be glad to take him and let him score 27-30 a game on a 40-42 squad.
Rip is acting like a bitch though. Was Chauncey his boyfriend, or what? Snap out of it!!!
December 30th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Diego says:
Rip. He’d be Detroit’s version of Ginobli, getting lots of buckets and really upping the team’s second unit.
That real small Detroit line-up with Rip at the 3 was unimpressive–no way a small line-up like that makes much of a dent in the playoffs, with AI looking to be on the downslide of his career (and also no longer getting the benefit of superstar calls by the refs) and Rip also sliding a bit.
December 30th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Dwade or Lebron in Detroit 2010!
AI will be a Raptor next year lol
Bring in AI off the bench.. Energy and scoring.. Let the big boys play and start the game right.. That shit AI said summed up his career “i never though i would have 15 points and have had a good game”
I hate to jump on the man for that but has there been a more under the radar ball hog??
Sad because he could’ve been top 5 PG’s of all time (yes i said it) if he was built right in the head..
December 30th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Coop says:
You AI haters make me sick. He’s always been the same. He was great then and he’s still pretty great now. Get off the guy for not being John Stockton.
December 30th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Chaos says:
i would go with rip because he would be a better leader of the second instead of iverson who would just bitch and complain about it. rip is a good volume scorer who along with maxiell, afflalo and mcdyess would make an above average second team
December 30th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Tim says:
Rip…
December 30th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Mikey F Baby says:
I love it when theres any article on Iverson. The haters come out in droves!
December 30th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Talented says:
I would prolly bring Rip off tha bench myself. Just cause A.I. gets more buckets than Rip in a shorter amount of time(usually). Id rather get an early lead and have Rip come in and maintain instead of the other way around
December 30th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Tbone says:
RIP
end of story
December 30th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Tim says:
Yea rip would be better cause he could then run his curls ragged and destroy teams in the process.
December 30th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
rocky lobs says:
yea rip would be better as a volume scorer off of the bench, iverson coming off the bench…hahahahaha….pardon i had a laugh at the mere thought, the same laugh i get when i think about the smell of my own blood after a good fight.
hahahahahahahahahahaaaaa
December 30th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
!!! says:
RIP off the bench. he been pouting since chauncey left.
December 31st, 2008 at 2:26 am
V says:
lmao i really dont understand all the iverson hate some people just need to RELAAAAAAAAAX the Answer is here to stay
December 31st, 2008 at 10:03 am
YOUNGFED..."I'll have ya girl singing, while she's catching my balls like my names Willie Beman." says:
@16 and 21
Couldn’t of said it better bruh.
I’d have to go with rip for sixth man.