Will Tayshaun Prince play in Game Three tonight?
“I will give whatever I can give,” he said. “It felt better today (Thursday), but at the same time, I didn’t go at game speed. I am not the type of person to give excuses about injuries because I know both Rasheed and Rip (Hamilton) played hurt for us this season.
“But this is the pivotal game, so if I am not getting anything going early, I will let Arron (Afflalo) and those guys take the load.” Via The Detroit News
Read into this if you will, especially considering all that’s been going around regarding Prince’s playoff non production.
He’s not injured enough to not start (remember the streak), but if he’s not productive he will let Afflalo play (injury or not). Sounds a bit like an excuse is already in play for Prince.
I don’t know about you, but I would love for Tayshaun to have huge game, we need him to, but with the injury and how he’s been playing lately I wouldn’t mind Afflalo and Herrmann for that matter to try to see what they can do.
Could Tayshaun be worried about being moved in the offseason? He may not be untouchable anymore.
He is tired…really really tired, he playes all season long for us, and he was great! he had some worse games, but he didn’t let us down. None of our guys played so much as him(Dice was absent, Rip and Sheed injuries, Stuck wasn’t starter) and now he has to guard Lebron..he isn’t 100% healthy and I really understand him. He is a real Piston and I pray not to trade him offseason!!! He is the “dirty work” type of a player. He is just better Bowen or someone like him. He is not a problem and if Joe D could make some nice moves I am sure he will be a major factor in our team next year! Not in stats but he will be just the same Tay we knew earlier. For me he is untouchable!!
Doesn’t sound like an excuse to me- sounds like a reason. He’s hurting, he’s doing the best he can, and if he can’t be prductive, he’s willing to let someone else take his spot, which sounds uncharicteristically unselfish if you ask me.
If that is the reason for Tayshaun’s play and he hurting and tired, Detroit is clearly in a worse spot than before.
Voice of reason Richie.
I love Tay & Appreciate everything he’s done for us. In the 6 years he’s been in the league he’s played well into June every year. He even played in the Olympics. He is asked to guard the other teams best player for a majority of the minutes & to score. Lebron doesn’t guard Kobe, Wade or any of those guys most nights & when he has to, his numbers hurt too. Tay is not as big or strong as most of the SF he is asked to guard & he’s not as fast as most of the GF he guards either, but he does a decent job. Lebron hasn’t had to try to guard KG, Paul Pierce & Ray Allen in 1 game. He wasn’t asked for 2 months to play out of position at PF for 2 months while Curry (Please fire him Joe). We ask a lot of Prince & he never complains. How many games has he been ignored on offense, how many games has he saved us by locking down on D or blocking a big shot or hitting the big shot. If anything Tay should be begging to get out of the D for some respect. Unfortunately though, if we want to get better Tay is our best bargaining chip. We won’t get back to the finals on his back. So if we can offer Tay Amir & Cash to a poor team with a legit star, I say go for it. Joe let Ben walk & traded Chauncey. It was their team. Letting Tay go shouldn’t be a problem as long as we get something in return.
Maybe Pistons fans can find a way to blame Tayshaun’s injuries on Iverson! or they’re down 2-0 because Iverson is watching the games on TV!YEAH the Pistons are so much better without Iverson they not gona win one game in the playoffs but they are SO MUCH BETTER! I remember the Pistons beating the Cavs Iverson this year… I like Prince nd Antonio but the rest of the team sucks and I only watched the Piston because Iverson but damn some of the fans are completely rediculous I stopped watching them because of a lot of you fans always bitching and complaining no matter what just cause you wanted to cry that Billups is gone even when Iverson made the Allstar there was a lot of bitching instead of being happy that some one on this crappy team made it but no there was bitching that he didn’t deserve it… well who cares why cry about it he made it and he represented the Pistons I just really hope that he goes to a team with fans that won’t cry about everything he does and I mean EVERYTHING!I really wanted to like this team and I watched everygame this year I got Season Pass just to watch every Pestons game but alot of you fans just made it impossible I hate watching a team where the fans always talk shit bout the team and players who are working hard trying to win ya he had his flaws but he tried just look at how many shots he took compard to the rest of his career it just didn’t work out so quit bitching and crying he’ll be gone next year and you can go back to sucking with another roster!
Honestly, the games that i’ve been able to see on T.V. Tay really hasn’t been producing, there has been times where he has looked lost offensivly. A few turnovers.. not looking like he even wants to play. I say bring out the reserves…because we know damn well that bynum should be starting at point right now. Stucky is a GREAT off ball scorer. There has been times where he’s sooooo damn quick…and times where he looks like a worse shooting older version of billups! Start Bynum, and if prince doesn’t want to play put herrmann in because get him consistant and he’ll be REALLY good offensive weapon…lookin like Dr. J with his finger rolls!
Victor, Like all bandwagon or fair-weather fans, you just don’t understand what it’s like to route for a TEAM, not 1 player, a TEAM. AI came in, said he’d do what ever the coaches & TEAM asked, so they asked him to take less shots & play a little D. Not a lot, just enough to help. It didn’t work. Then they moved a very consistent Rip Hamilton to the bench, because EVERYONE knows AI won’t go to the bench willingly. Everything they ASKED him to do, he complained. So as a Pistons fan, not an AI fan, we all wanted him gone. He came in & completely killed the chemistry. We all had reservations about adding Sheed too. But that worked out beautifully & we won a ring. Whenever a player comes to your TEAM you have an opinion. We all hoped AI would work out, but we know our TEAM. We knew it couldn’t work. So when AI hit the court, as a starter & played AI ball & shot 15 times but only made 6 shots we knew, he was not the ANSWER. He wasn’t getting to the line as often & as the point, he never ran the plays correctly. So while we have openly criticized AI, we understand that this just isn’t the team for him & definitely want him gone. But the blame for this season isn’t just on AI. It’s on Joe D for thinking beyond this season & hiring a coach with no experience, it’s on the coach for not being able to make up his mind on a rotation & not making adjustments in his plays to fit the players we had, it’s on our vets who refused to adjust their games to fit with a star scorer like AI & it’s on AI for not finding a way to fit in to a TEAM, to not want to practice, to prefer being a distraction & quitting on his team because he doesn’t understand the team concept. But Victor, you can pack your bags & kick rocks with AI too. Because real Pistons fans ride with the team with or without AI. Have fun routing for the Bobcats or where ever AI lands.
i take it for what it is… its hard for me to read into it…. if he aint producing or others for that matter — i would play the young guns.