McDyess In Good Spirits; Good Indicator

The Detroit Free Press has an article featuring McDyess. Dice's feelings about the team are generally fairly accurate, and I pleased to hear he is optimistic, if for no other reason than it may help his play. A strong and productive McDyess is crucial for this season. I had heard he had bulked up and stayed in shape this summer, so he is obviously healthy physically as well as mentally...good news, here's some notable quotes:

"I feel we've got a pretty good chance again."

"I thought that was our last chance at getting that close to get a ring," McDyess said. "Having the most wins in the league and coming up short, I felt that was the best chance that I had at getting one."

He tried to ignore the NBA Finals between Miami and Dallas, because he didn't want to see "somebody playing for something you know you could have had." (I understand that, especially after the Mavs started faltering...)

On playing with Flip Murray: "It's been different," McDyess said. "I've been trying to learn how he plays. He's a more off-the-dribble type guy, not a spot-up shooter, so you have to adjust your ways on the floor when he's driving to the basket; he can go either way. That's my biggest difference is trying to adjust to the way he plays ... You have to wait and see what he's going to do."

Interesting. More on the completion of the preseason later...remember November 1st, 8:00 PM...

Media Preview Coverage

In eager anticipation of the regular season, the media releases its annual season previews, complete with rankings, player profiles, breakdowns, etc. (all of which are inevitably mostly wrong.) I thought I'd page through them, so you don't have to. You can thank me later.

Disrespect in Sports Illustrated
The Sports Illustrated NBA Preview Issue places the Detroit Pistons at fourth…in the East. I heard the news on Thursday, subsequently thanking God, because there are few afflictions in this world quite like a favorable prediction from Sports Illustrated.

The article itself is essentially a profile of Nazr Mohammed. More provocative quotes are to be found in the Enemy Lines section, in which a scout from an opposing team summarizes a team's situation. The author appears to be of a like mind with Sports Illustrated: the Pistons will be a good team, but "I don't think they can win a championship anymore -- those days are behind them." I am of a completely different opinion. Depending on whether or not the team can muster the hunger required, this will either be an especially great year or a particularly mediocre one. There is no denying that the talent is there.

"Their overall defense, which already suffered last year under Flip Saunders, is going to be even worse this year." As the author admits, however, the league has essentially outlawed Pistons-style defense anyway. The NBA appears committed to establishing a ratings giant, and evidently believes that comes only with high-flying dunks and 130 points. That's another topic for another time, however. Nazr, Rasheed, and Antonio are certainly capable defenders down low, and Jason Maxiell has the kind of little big man shot-blocking ability we've seen before in Detroit.

There is also a paragraph-long sob story about the "cockiness" of last year's Pistons. Hey, one man's arrogance is another man's swagger. Personally I'm all for the cockiness as long as it's focused and producing energy rather than lethargy. The scout differs from SI in that he gives us the potential for second-place…4^th place, SI? C'mon.

ESPN.com's Preseason Power Rankings
In lieu of the fact that it appears ESPN.com had condemned their actual team-by-team previews (along with next to all of their content) to pay-to-read Insider status, I'll accept Marc Stein's training camp Power Rankings. He has us at No. 5 in the NBA (that's No. 2 in the East, second only to his No. 1, the reigning NBA champions…sigh), mostly on the weakness of our offseason and the loss of "Darko and Big Ben in a five-month span." Fair enough, but I'd contest the offseason bashing; how much is there to do with such a successful team, outside of patching up the holes? We did well enough replacing Wallace, and Blalock is an excellent draft choice. We are behind the Western Conference trifecta of the Dallas Mavericks, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Phoenix Suns. Legitimate for now, but I have a difficult time believing all three will outperform us this year.

John Hollinger hits hard with his player rankings, featuring Billups at sixth among all point guards (I'm sorry, he's definitely at least second). Hamilton comes in at ninth, Tayshaun at nineteenth, Rasheed at twenty-eighth, and Nazr at twentieth in each of their respective positions. I know, I know, but that's what happens when you're strictly a numbers man.

The Rest
Fox Sports puts us down at sixth in their preseason power rankings, mostly on the loss of Big Ben and the uncertainty regarding his replacement(s). Honest concern, but I wouldn't put the Clippers into fifth. In their coach rankings, Flip Saunders received a B minus. He is joined by Lawrence Frank, Eddie Jordan, Eric Musselman, Byron Scott, and division rival Scott Skiles. Who's pulling a 4.0 and who's failing? Phil Jackson, Gregg Popovich, and Pat Riley pull "straight A's" and Isiah Thomas (C minus) and Maurice Cheeks (D) round out the bottom.

Steve Kerr, writing for Yahoo! Sports, puts the Pistons at third in the East, and just under the Bulls in the Central Division. His article on the division mostly consists of a lot of fence-sitting, but in all fairness, it is probably the strongest and most competitive division in the L.

The Washington Wizards are in town on Tuesday, and the Grizzlies come in on Wednesday to close out the preseason. More on the preseason then…

Congratulations and Best Wishes to Mo

Maurice Evans was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a draft night deal for L.A.'s 51st overal pick, the 7-1 center Cheick Samb. The move was precipitated by Mo's eagerness to play more time or move, following frustration the preceding season while splitting minutes with Carlos Delfino. Last night, Evans led the Lakers in Kobe's absence, scoring 27 points in their 113-106 preseason victory over the Lakers. Good Luck in the City of Angels, Mo.

There will be a Pistons update this weekend. I promise.