“The Detroit Pistons announced today that guard Allen Iverson will miss the next two weeks due to a sore back at the request of doctors at Georgetown University. Iverson’s condition was evaluated at Georgetown today and it was recommended that he suspend basketball related activities for two weeks. He will not travel with the team to prevent stress on his back and will be re-evaluated again by the doctors at Georgetown following the conclusion of the two-week period.
The doctors at Georgetown University have been in contact with the Pistons’ medical staff and Iverson will begin treatment for his sore back upon his return to Detroit on Thursday” Via Pistons.com
One question….
Will Iverson play another game in a Pistons uniform?
Bash me all you want….I smell something fishy.
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Even if AI is playing the injured card, I don’t blame him. So many “Piston” fans have been down on him because of the trade. Even his new “teammates” haven’t been too grateful for his talents. When AI was starting, you could see guys wouldn’t give him the ball when he was wide open. Obviously Dumars wanted that fire that AI brings. He wants the spark from Stuckey’s game. Billups was awesome. But did he have that same fire as AI?
Dumars should have waived AI before Sunday night so he could play in the playoffs with another team.
I actually hope that he is resting his back, then comes off the bench, and scores 30+/game.
I enjoyed watching Mr. Big Shot’s return to the Palace last night. I still hate that trade. Before work this morning, I was dreaming that I was walking down a large hallway. I saw some guys ahead. Closer, I realized that one of the guys was Chauncey Billups. Looking up, Chauncy smiled and greeted me. “Hey Fred,” he said. Excitedly, I said, “Hey Chauncey, do you think maybe sometime you and I could shoot some… BEEP!… BEEP!… BEEP!… BEEP!…BEEP! My damn alarm clock went off, and I had to go to my office job. Sometimes, it sucks being me.
I do feel bad for the guy because he’s been put in a situation that’s all wrong for his game. Hopefully he feels better after these two weeks, plays some quality minutes off the bench and learns to value every shot he takes to become more of a pure scorer than a volume scorer.
As for Juice’s comments- just because you’re a Pistons fan doesn’t mean you have to blindly agree with every decision the organization makes or blindly support every player that puts on a red white and blue jersey. As fan who devotes time and money to following a team, you take personal stock in that team and you’re entitled to applaud or complain the decisions it makes.
wow i can’t believe wat some of your comments are saying. What if AI was reading this…..would he want to play with this team anymore with a fan base thinking this kind of non-sense of him….i dont think so. To me i do think his injury is minor, but i think it’s a great thing he is taking 2 weeks to recover, because he see’s that the team is winning so why rush? i do think he is playing this safe and i will always support AI as long as he is in a pistons uniform.
Ha, Cuban pulled a Dumars and publicly announced that he’ll trade the whole team if they play like they did again after getting blown out by injury plagued OKC. Thought that was funny.
I agree natalie….And i don’t blame him, I don’t think this is about him being benched either, I think this could be because he can see as do the rest of us that he doesn’t fit in our system and now that we’ve won without him maybe he’s just being the bigger person and taking himself out of the equation. I don’t blame him for wanting to go down gracefully heck I even said that we’re winning without him and playing better so I wouldn’t play him if it was my decision so why not let him fake an injury and sit out gracefully instead of being DNP’ed every game. I love allen (Love chauncey more and said from the moment rumors hit about the trade that AI wouldn’t fit here) and I respect him and his game and wouldn’t want him to be DNP’ed every game so let him go out gracefully with an “injury”…I don’t think this has to do with coming off the bench, more with whats good for the team and it isn’t him playing! We need CHAUNCEY back, too bad there aren’t return policies in the NBA!!!
I think this will be like a test run with him out, If we do well he wont be back, If we fall he will be back.
Can’t see how faking an injury to avoid being DNP’ed is laudable, if thats what was going on.
The current starting five seem to work way better without AI for sure, but. (a) only three games folks and Boston and Denver both missing major starter (b) We need AI off the bench if he’s not a starter.
I agree with above.. the back issue could be real (esp if he was experiencing numbness in the legs two weeks ago as reported), but not doing a presser to address the obvious widespread suspicion of alterior motives is the fishiest part of all.
by the way..
“WOW” : I think we’d all appreciate if you’d not address with such disrespect the owner of this site that provides you with this forum.
Iverson will be worth about $20 million in cap space in another 4 months.
nuff said.
Iverson is what he is. His game requires him to dominate the ball and for his teammates to stay out of the way except for when Iverson has to dump it off. He has spent most of his career as the first and second options on teams of role players. To his credit, this system got the Sixers to the Finals in 2001. But it can’t work with the Pistons. These guys are part of an offense that only works when the ball is handled by everyone, often touched by all players on a single possession. Iverson holding on to the ball and probing the defense makes the Piston’s established system impossible. I still have hope that Iverson can play his game better with the second unit. If he won’t put up with coming off the bench, then that’s tough. You can’t sacrifice the team for the benefit of one player.
Mark my words, allen iverson will never suit up in a piston uniform again. And i dont beleive that it is all becuase of his benching or his back. he has been disrespected by the players, coaching staff, and entire pistons organization. RIP, Sheed, and Tay never accepted him as a part of this team and it showed in the way they played, as well as the remarks they have made. the coaching staff never tried to adapt to him what-so-ever, and he sacrificed his entire game to try and fit in, and therefore has (for now) tarnished his reputation as a player. I cant wait until he is gone and this nightmare is over. As im sure you all cant either. by the way, this team will never contend for anything as long as they have a coach who couldnt find his ass with both hands
As a fan of the game, I never wish any player injured, on any team. It’s just a game, bottom line. A lot of these comments are just spoken out of ignorance.
This could be trouble. I mean if the Pistons can manage to keep the streak alive until Iverson is supposed to return, then THE PISTONS are in trouble. ESPN will torture him, it will be a total disaster for A.I. Even if we go 6-2 in the next 8, it still seems like trouble.
GOOD RIDDANCE! We are overtalented on the bench. Will Bynum will shine in the time given him, and hopefully Amir, Max, and Walter get the minutes they deserve. Iverson was always saying the right things as long as they went his way. We’ll see what happens.
Also, sorry but Iverson needed to earn their respect and he never did. A.I. has poor court vision. The only reason he got any of the assists he did was because his dribble penetration would make for obvious passes. I can’t tell you how many times he misses the open man in transition. Team-oriented things just don’t come naturally to him like they do to Chauncey or Stuck. If he bails out on this season, he’s an A-1 chotch that not only deserves to go unsigned next season, but should pay back fans and season-ticket holders for being a fraud.
@Travis, little of what you said makes sense. You just made it seem like assists off dribble penetration are a bad thing, but that’s often how you get open 3-point shots. This team is far from over-talented on the bench. FAR.
i hope ai hits the buzzer beater shot that takes us to game seven in the nba finals. then you all can get off his dick.
I agree with The Fluidics:
Any of you who actually feels retribution from the news that another human being got injured should be ashamed of yourselves. I can’t help but wonder how many of those who are clapping because AI is injured have to get up every morning in excruciating pain from an injury or have had their motion limited from surgery. I DO and that’s why, if AI’s really injured (sure, I’m a conspiracy theorist at heart, so we never know), I feel for him and I wish him a good and speedy recovery.
Sure, I’m not thrilled by some of his performances, and it seems that everybody’s thriving now that we’re back to our bread and butter. We as fans have the right to criticize the players if they’re underachieving… but wish them harm? REALLY?
One more thing: I join downtown in his support and defense of Natalie. She’s devoted too much of her time and efforts in making a VERY respected website, one that’s a big part of the NBA culture already for someone to be classless toward her. Those who feel like working their way through an argument with F-bombs, try the ESPN.com forums… I think you’ll be welcome there and leave the N4S forum as a place where we can actually have a decent debate.
(As always, save yourselves the F-bombs and WTFs to respond to me. I didn’t use them to address any of you, so return the favor…)
El Patron, I see your point, but I think you’re misinterpreting people here. I don’t think anyone is actually happy that Iverson is hurt. They’re just happy that he won’t be playing. He’s already been injured, there’s not making it go away. People are reacting to the consiquence of the injury, not the injury itself.
“WOW”, Downtown and El Patron are correct. Back off Natalie. This is her site. You can choose to agree or disagree with her, but show her the respect she deserves.
look guys anybody could say watever they want im sure she can get the person banned from the site but my point is ignorant people are gna stay ignorant but see me personally ive cursed on here but im a die hard fan i love the pistons n i even call work and tell them that im sick just so i can watch the game , yes we all get mad n say shit out of anger but reality? we will support our team and honestly i dnt think AI is fit for our team but wishing him harm is realy F’ed up cuz believe me god will get u twice harder ! , and as far as ppl talking shit about natalie ,kill urselves , natalie we love u n keep up your good work :-* muah habibi
do the pistons sign autographs on away games? if so when do they at shootaround before the game or after?
Can I get a refund for my Iverson #1 jersey?.. =(
I think you guys are forgetting that we beat Boston – without Garnett… (I don’t know, kind of an important part to their team?) We beat Orlando – who we never seem to lose to… Then we beat a Carmelo-less Denver team? But it’s all AI. I think the team wants RIP to start, you can tell by Sheed’s effort, but to blame AI, you have to be ignorant. How about Stuckeys defense? He is the worst defending PG I’ve ever seen.. Hell I don’t like AI as a point, but at least the man caused turnovers. If I see another opposing PG put up 25+ points on us.. I’m going to lose it.
Great,without Iverson Pistons is better team.
go Pistons go
the sad part is (sad because i want ai to work out, i love my team) is that it’s not just the recent wins. it’s the way we won. seeing the ball movement, and the teamwork and the lack of selfishness was like watching last year, or the year before.
everytime ai gets on a new team he says the right things about doing whatever he can to make the team better. then he goes out and plays the exact same way he’s always played. he thinks that doing what he can to make the team better is to take more shots himself. i appreciate where he’s coming from, but he’s wrong. that style of iso ball isn’t going to be effective anymore, and his personal style relies too much on chaos for others to effectively play off of him.
Maid thank you for your intelligence.
let me guess your next extremely well thought out logical statement would be
A.I SUX go PIstons woot woot.
To those people saying that he is faking it you are some kind of basketball fans.
How much punishment has this guy taken over the years with his relentless attack on the basket, yet he cant take 2 weeks off. Just when rip was demoted he also got injured just prior to out 7 game streak.
I didn’t really hear conspiracy theories then.
The fact that Sheed has not tried this year and you people still go and attack Iverson who has just been trying to find a identity with this team.
People are saying that he is upset he is coming off the bench. PROVE IT. He is more upset at losing games then his starting job. He does not care about stats ( if he did he would be launching 30 shots a game) anymore it is all about getting that ring.
However Detroit as a team and organization does not deserve it. How did an unproven Stuckey get into the starting lineup if we are trying to win now. Looks awfully a lot like we dont care about maximising this season and we are just playing for the future.
I am kind of upset at Natalie. Doubting A.I’s motives. Dyess, A.I are the only guys on this team that have showed up every game. granted A.I took bad shots and such but he gave his heart night in night out,
Natalie you have given up on Iverson who last time i checked plays for the red white and blue therefore you have given up on the Pistons. Get over the fact that Chauncey is gone and dont turn your back on a Piston player who has not wronged us. You want a scapegoat look at a certain PF who is just out there to lazily defend the pick n roll and launch 3′s.
Guys,
Just remember games 3 and 6 from the ECF 2008 and you’ll see why the trade was made.
After Finals 2005 the Pistons players stopped caring, that’s it.
Or do you think the 2006, 2007 and 2008 champions were better than the Pistons?
I love Chauncey but he was not going to take us anywhere anymore.
As I said before, Detroit playing like years past equals the same result: loss in the ECF!!
Nuff said.
ure actually wrong because rip plays all the time and bottom line is this guy does NOT fit in this team hes got his own style of basketball and our “red white & blue” plaus a TEAMWORK basketball , so check your status on AI ((avery johnson)) because with him were 12 games under 500 with him in the team .!! GO PISTONS !!!
SORRY 6 GAMES UNDER 500
i believe we will need AI in the playoffs, that’s because he can create his own shot. the problem is, the ball will not move around. i think he should accept the sixth man role. it would be better for the team (we are already seeing the result of having Rip back in the starting 5), racking up three straight W’s over playoff teams.
Okay, after reading all of this, I have a few replies.
1: AI HAS to leave Detroit. Wanna know why? He’s ruining his All-Star level caliber staying here. His stats, believe it or not, ARE NOT that good (Rip was scoring more off the bench than he was starting for a while), his fan base is either CRYING in his defense or bashing him into hell, and he can’t be feeling great right now knowing that since he’s been out the teams done great. It just doesn’t look good for him to be here.
2: I don’t understand how this site can bash Sheed so much. I freakin love Sheed. I don’t see how bad of an idea it would be to have a starting lineup of Stuckey/Bynum, Rip, Prince, Sheed, and a center (which we don’t have).
3: I loved seeing Chauncy here. Judging by what he says in his interviews, he still loves Detroit and I guarantee he would not mind coming back. “Trade him so Stuckey has a chance to shine” my ass. I would love to see us suck in our pride and ask for him back and sit Stuckey back for a few more years so he can learn from one of the greatest PG in the NBA. (Everyone has to admit at some point or another that Stuckey isn’t exactly turning out as great as he thought he would. It’s only his second season, but come on, he needs more time to develop.)
“Guys,
Just remember games 3 and 6 from the ECF 2008 and you’ll see why the trade was made.
After Finals 2005 the Pistons players stopped caring, that’s it.
Or do you think the 2006, 2007 and 2008 champions were better than the Pistons?
I love Chauncey but he was not going to take us anywhere anymore.
As I said before, Detroit playing like years past equals the same result: loss in the ECF!!
Nuff said.”
It’s funny, cause all those years we went to the playoffs, Chauncy and Rip lead us in scoring. You take out one of them and put in AI, who is giving our team a hard time even GETTING there and you expect to win a championship?
Retard.
“Avery Johnson”
It’s sorta disgusting to hear you cry over AI’s downfall with this team, bash Sheed who’s probably just as frustrated as everyone else on the team, praise McDyess who DOESN’T EVEN WANT TO BE HERE ANYMORE, and question Stuckey (which I agree with, but that just makes our Chauncy/AI trade look even worse).
Fact is reading your statement, looks like you won’t be a pistons fan after this year when Sheed, AI, and most likely McDyess are gone.
All I hear is “Give AI a chance”. I think that statement is wrong and it should be “Give Detroit a chance”. AI came here and played just like hes always played and got us nowhere.
If he played within the Detroit system
- Defence first
- Share the ball
- Go to practice
- Do what your team expects of you
(Start as PG or six man)
He might have a easier time… Otherwise hes just a flash in the pan chasing a ring.
I actually had a dream last night that Lindsey Hunter was bought out by the Bulls and resigned here. I even had John Mason in my head doing the intros. Like “Back in the Pistons Red Blue and White tonight Lindsey Hunter”
I love that you think the Pistons can swallow their pride and ask Denver for Chauncey back, and then call other people retards.
Alright, I’m sorry for yelling at Natalie like that. I love this site and everything it offers, and I do believe she’s doing a good job.
I admit I’m a bit jumpy at all of this, mostly because I don’t like seeing Pistons fans DOUBT AND SUSPECT the organization of foul play like she did. Sure, I hate AI, and I will never support him in a Pistons uniform over Stuckey or Rip, but I love the Pistons.
I might be naive to think there is nothing going on, but I find it hard to believe our Pistons would be stubborn enough to blow games, fake injuries, and come close to blowing a season just to get what they want. That sounds like the crap the Lakers do.
btw, what happens to this site when Sheed leave? I mean, not to make a bad pun, we won’t have a need for sheed if he isn’t here.
Juice, thank you for stating the truth. I completely and totally agree with everything you have said. Ivo will come back in two weeks, then after that, its a 7th straight ECF for our Pistons
I will always be a piston fan but i gotta admit that chauncey deal is looking mighty bad.
I will defend the players on this team that warrant defending.
DOES ANYONE BLAME DYESS FOR NOT WANTING TO BE HERE ?
the man could have played for a championship team and get that championship he deserves so much but instead he has to deal with this dysfunctional mess known as the pistons.
Sheed has made more 3′s then attempted free throws.
let that one sink in. Is he doing anything inside anymore or is it just rainbow after rainbow (He does bring the interior D though still at least)
How he is frustrated with this team, Is that why he ejects himself in close games namely the other night against New Orleans.
I will be a pistons fan past this year even when A.i, dyess and sheed are gone cause then maybe we will have a team that will not bitch about everything.
A.I bitching bout coming off the bench, Rip bitching bout coming off the bench, Sheed talking about being traded to spurs. PRINCE, DYESS, AMIR and STUCK, MAXX have the mentality of shut up and play ball reminiscent of the great Ben Wallace.
As Ben was a catalyst for making this team feared I believe that subtracting the loud and outspoken players we can be great once again.
Times like these show us how valuable Prince is to this organization. A Pillar of stability.
here’s what i dont understand: a.i. is in orlando and the test there say that there negative. he goes back to detroit and the test says there negative. BUT WHEN HE GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHERE HE PLAYED COLLEGE BALL THE DOCTORS SAY THAT HE NEEDS TWO WEEKS OF REST!!! THATS A LOAD OF BULLS***. IM PRETTY SURE IVERSON PAYED THE DOCTORS TO TELL THE PISTONS MEDICAL STAFF THAT HE HAS A “SERIOUS INJURY”. I’LL TELL U THIS WHEN/IF HE EVER COMES BACK HE BETTER PRODUCE HIS LOAD COMING OF THEN BENCH. I MEAN DIDNT HE SAY IN THE PRESS CONFRENCE WHEN GETTING TRADED TO THE PISTONS HE WOULD DO “ANYTHING IT TAKES AT THIS POINT TO WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP” AND THEN JOE SAYS “EVEN COMING TO PRACTICE?” A.I. STILL NEEDS TO GROWN UP!
YES!!! We might go undefeated during that stretch, HOPE HE’S OUT FOR THE WHOLE DAMN SEASON!!!!!!
DEEEEETROIT BASETKBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
well I CAN TALK ALL IN CAPITALS JUST LIKE THE DUDE ABOVE ME
I think Pistons fans need to accept that this is a rebuilding year. So don’t be surprised if they suck. And don’t be so hard on Stuckey and his defense, he’s still learning on the job. Same goes for Amir (although I’m not sure if he’ll ever pan out).
The Billups trade had nothing to do with Iverson, it had everything to do with his contract. Dumars is fed up with the underachieving mentality of this team, so he’s blowing it up. That’s why he went after Carmelo Anthony last summer, remember? Obviously he would like to go after Lebron in 2010, but more realistically I think he will sign Boozer this summer. A lot of familiar faces could be gone after this year… AI (obviously), Sheed, Dice, maybe Rip. Like Dumars said, no one is safe. I’ve already accepted this year as a lost season… time to start thinking about the future.
I really hope that it’s just his back and he’s ok because if he can buy into coming off the bench where I said he should’ve been all along the Pistons could be the team no one wants to see in the playoffs.
With how good the Pistons look with RIP back in the starting line up just think of how good they could be with the 2nd coming of THE MICROWAVE coming off the bench!!
With him coming off the bench he can shoot all he wants and light up the other teams 2nd unit! If he can do this, all you A.I. haters out there will start loving him, and then but only then he will become a true Piston.
TEAM FIRST!!!!
I really look forward to Allen rejoining the rotation, because I love it when one guy can put up 30 points in a loss.
Although we had great games against teams like Boston, Orlando, and Denver, I still think we can definitely use the help of AI, off the bench. I know I’m saying what a lot of people said above, but I don’t think our team, despite how good we’ve been playing lately, has what it takes to beat premier teams in the NBA with their healthy guys come playoff time. AI can add that extra scoring punch, even if it doesn’t have to be with the starting lineup..virtually creating two different lineups on one team. If everyone can overlook their own egos and learn to play together, we could have a heck of a team. We’ve got time to pull ourselves together WITH AI. So, I’ll say, AI, get better soon and come back, we need you. But to our active boys in blue, keep playing with the same intensity and fire that we’ve been seeing in the last couple of games, because that’s what it will take to win games this year.
hey natalie, check this out http://www.freep.com/article/20090305/SPORTS03/90305060/1051/Iverson+targeting+early+return++fine+with+coming+off+bench
now this is the A.I. im talkin bout!!! good job A.I.
go pistons!!
Iverson Sucks. I can drop 40 on him
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