Kelly Dwyer of Yahoo Sports picks Jason Maxiell the 4th best Dunker of the decade.  And FYI Lebron #5!

I went through the Need4Sheed archives for you….in no particular order enjoy a little Baby Eating.

A – Jason Dunking on The Spurs

B – Jason Dunking on Boston ECF

C – Jason Dunking on The Sixers

D – Jason Tomahawking The Hawks

E – Jason Dunking on The Nuggets

F – Jason HL night Dunking on The Raptors

G – Jason Dunking on The Celtics

H – Jason Dunking on The Cavaliers

I – Jason Dunking on The Knicks

J – Jason Dunking on The Bucks

Vote Away!

Videos courtesy of the NBA and the Detroit Pistons

Despite the fact that this video was put together pretty recently, it seems like lifetime ago.

Video courtesy of The Detroit Pistons and myTV20 Detroit

I would like to get your take on the matter…does it put a smile on your face or cause you pain over what was, and maybe what could have been if things didn’t go the way they did last season?

It’s also not uncommon for parents to want their kids to be something they never were and maybe push them that way.

What am I getting at?  Well I just noticed something the other day…I think Jason Maxiell’s parents were hoping he would be a male model because I had no idea that Jason’s middle name was not “baby eater” but it DIOR.

Yes Dior, Jason Dior Maxiell….  If Jason went that rout he would look a little something like this.

Click on Image to Enlarge

Not bad huh?

Then I really thought about it, the Pistons would make great models.   Austin Day and Tayshaun Prince have that this wiry frame that fashion designers like Prada love and Charlie Villanueva just has that “look.”

And Rip…well he likes to be up on his game and considers himself a fash0nista …especially with the furs.

Key Points:

• Give a hand to Rip Hamilton for making the move to the bench even if he didn’t really have a choice in the matter.  Rip sat courtside on his stationary bike to keep warm during the first quarter.  He had a rough time getting used to his new role, scoring 7 on 3-for-9 shooting in 21 minutes on the floor.  Three of his misses game from behind the three point line, but he stayed in the action picking up 4 assists.  Had the game been closer in the fourth Rip would had played more minutes.
• Rip on coming off the bench (audio) via The Detroit News.
• Rip has had a difficult time since his partner in crime was traded so a move to the bench is just another obstacle he needs to deal with. Time people.
• The Fluidics noticed something I didn’t last night (probably because I was busy talking to a good friend). “About Rip though. He didn’t do his pre-game antics in the corridor with the team, punching their chests. When they ran out of the tunnel, Rip was nowhere to be seen, he was the last to the court, walked out by himself.”
• Sure we made mincemeat out of a bad Raptors team, but we have to look at the bright side of things. We were losing to teams like the Thunder, so this is a welcome change no matter who it was.
• Nice start to the new lineup change, but lets see if the Pistons can transition to a new beginning.
• Jason Maxiell started the show in the first quarter throwing down dunks like he was playing nerf basketball in the basement of his mother’s house when he was 10. The man should never put up a DNP, but we have said that plenty of times before.

Video Courtesy of The NBA, The Detroit Pistons and FSN Detroit

• Jason put up a double-double with 16 points and 11 boards with 2 blocked shots in 24 minutes on the floor. The highlights were plentiful and babies were in danger.
• Amir Johnson, who started the game, scored just 2 points, grabbing 5 boards and a blocked shot in 21 minutes. Mark my words, he going to fit into his new role just fine. Give him time.
• A less than quiet night from Rasheed Wallace who went 1-for-6 with 3 points, 2 boards and a blocked shot in 24 minutes.
• Finally Tayshaun Prince is back to where he belongs….his position.  To commemorate the occasion, he led the Pistons with 24 points on 11-for-16 shooting in 32 minutes on the floor.  When he’s where he’s supposed to be things happen.

Photo/Getty Images

• The Tayriffic Highlights.
• Five Pistons in double figures.
• Detroit shot 50% from the floor and 80% from the line.
• 37 points for the Pistons bench who really haven’t put up those kind of numbers save a couple of times this season.  Most of that was due to playing time so you really can’t fault them much for that.
• “We’re just a more balanced team,” coach Michael Curry said of the starting lineup of Prince, Amir Johnson, Rasheed Wallace, Allen Iverson and Rodney Stuckey. “So when you have a quarter when you don’t play great basketball in that first quarter, you can go to the bench and be really good.” Via The Detroit Free Press
• It was nice to see the Pistons finish a game in convincing fashion.  Someone tell me the last time they did that.  It was especially nice after starting the game down 10 to 2 to Toronto.
• Poor Jason…. He has a big game and just when he’s getting some face time with Matt Dery, Rasheed Wallace strikes.

Video Courtesy of The NBA, The Detroit Pistons and FSN Detroit

• A surprisingly quiet 17 points and 7 assists for Rodney Stuckey.
• FSN Highlights by the quarter.
• Rebound war won convincingly 40-28.
• Not much from Allen Iverson who scored just 11 on 3-for-9 shooting. He did however have 6 assists in his 38 minutes.
• Rip or AI are both upset, trust me. AI isn’t getting the number of shots he’s used to and Rip has got to be pulling his hair out coming off the bench. I just hope if this translates into wins they will be able to deal with it better. You would think so at least.
• I was lucky enough to get invited to the game by Matt from DBB.  It was actually his suite night, so meeting his readers and enjoying this win made last night that much better.  Thanks Matt!

“(The team has) expressed that he is a major contributor to their success,” Maxiell’s agent, Richard Katz, said in a telephone interview on Friday. “What we differ about on, is what that is worth.”

Detroit was offering Maxiell a three-year deal worth $15 million, with a team option for a fourth season.

“He loves it in Detroit, and is very comfortable,” Katz said. “We’ll just have to see how all this plays out.”

“I’m not really thinking about (contracts),”Maxiell  said. “I’m just going to play this thing out, and go from there.” Via A. Sherrod Blakley at MLive.

I happen to share the opinion of Matt at DBB.

“I think Detroit’s offer is fair, and considering Max has never proven himself as a full-time starter, I don’t think there’s much risk in another team throwing the full mid-level at him. That said, there’s nothing wrong holding out for another guaranteed year or two.”

Keep in mind that Dyess is my nephew Joe’s favorite Piston, as you can tell by his declaration while shaking his hand, but what comes next will make anyone a Dyess fan.

Seems Antonio and Maxiell feel just about the same about Sheed.

I can’t believe I forgot I had this one in the vault.

Looks like some fans are shedding a few tears and complaining of unfair play. Is it because Jason Maxiell has been DOMINATING Hoops Addict Floor Burn Tournament? I know I read some snide remarks about Pistons fans spamming for votes for Maxiell.

“After a month long battle to crown the Floor Burn Champion, the final contestants are Jason Maxiell and Shane Battier. Despite complaints from some readers about these players being heralded on message board across the ‘net, I have no qualms with these two finalists because they are a great representation of what the Floor Burn Tournament represents: two players who don’t get the shine they deserve for being glue guys and integral parts of their respective teams success.” Via Hoops Addict.com

It’s the Finals, lets really put a beat down on Shane Battier for Maxiell and let the world know how much we appreciate The Baby Eater aka The Putback King. VOTE AWAY