Will Billups finally get his act together? He's been playing more like a
fullback than a quarterback, and they need him to drive and dish. He's
also got to initiate earlier ball movement and get the ball up the floor
before Philly can set up its defense.
If McDyess isn't at full strength, who's going to take up the slack on
rebounding?
Can Hayes get his shot down? They need a guy who can hit from 18+ feet
out
to spread out Philly's defense, and Hayes is a guy they need to look to.
Is Hamilton willing to be just Hamilton? When he starts trying to make
fancy passes or puts the ball on the floor, I wince. The team needs him
to
run through and around 15 guys, leave his defenders gasping for air, and
then start shooting free as the game wears on.
Which Wallace shows up? Or more exactly, which Wallace will be there in
the 3rd quarter? This has been the key quarter for the Pistons all
series,
and they have a serious need for Sheed.
Chris McCosky of The News said it right: "The Pistons also can't rely on
their perceived edge in talent to pull them through." The key point being
"perceived" -- the fact is that they don't actually have a big edge in
talent throughout the roster on any team they'll be facing in the
playoffs,
and they're only going to win if they all start seeing beyond what's
happening in their own corner of the court.
|
