Flip Saunders not returning to Detroit Pistons

[Sauru]

the pistons did the best they could have this season, the celtics are just too good for them, getting rid of the coach cause they lost to a obviously superior team is just stupid imo.

[Laxation]

For all his shortcomings he must be doing something right. After all, the Pistons did have three consecutive 50+ win seasons that all featured trips to the Conference Finals. Some of his methods must be effective.

They are effective for winning in the regular season... but not in the playoffs.

the pistons did the best they could have this season, the celtics are just too good for them, getting rid of the coach cause they lost to a obviously superior team is just stupid imo.

pistons played like shit - they weren't motivated. Cavs last year certainly weren't better...
flip failed 3 years in a row to get past ECF - thats definitely reason enough to fuck him off
not to mention he failed time and time again in Minnesota to win in the playoffs

[joejam999]

I don't think Sloan is leaving Utah for atleast one more season. When he does he will probably retire.

[Laxation]

You're an idiot.

[Andrew]

They are effective for winning in the regular season... but not in the playoffs.

They've managed to bring teams within a couple of games of the NBA Finals on four occasions, including one in Minnesota. That's not to say Saunders is infallible but it might have something to do with the opponents in each of those series as well. Three straight Conference Finals appearances that saw the Pistons a couple of wins away from the Finals is a modest amount of success, albeit still short of their ultimate goal.

[shadowgrin]

pistons played like shit - they weren't motivated. Cavs last year certainly weren't better...
flip failed 3 years in a row to get past ECF - thats definitely reason enough to fuck him off
not to mention he failed time and time again in Minnesota to win in the playoffs

I more inclined to think that Flip's shortcomings has more to do with the personnel he's given with, or management as in the case of his tenure in Minnesota thus the numerous times being booted out of the playoffs.

After reaching the WCF with Minny, they really stunk the season after partly because of Sam "I made KG MVP" Cassell and Latrell "I got my family to feed" Sprewell's attitude concerning their demands to management. Both players are an important part of his rotation so it's no surprise it will disrupt the team, which it did.

With Detroit, Ben Wallace was a crybaby in Flip's first season and then there's Sheed. I'm not saying Sheed is the main reason why they lost those ECFs, but Sheed seems to disappear during the crucial do or die games and Sheed's contributions in defense and offense is one of the most important things Detroit needs because of the things he can do, which unfortunately he doesn't do in the clinching ECF games.

I just saw a replay of Game 7 of the 2005 NBA Finals, even Sheed disappeared in that game for the most part, Ben Wallace showed up with his game more than Sheed in that one. Flip's not even around at that time.

When Sheed's game disappears the Pistons end up with almost zero post presence in offense and defense with their regular starting five.

[Laxation]

If you want to make excuses, then fine. His resume speaks for itself.

[Andrew]

His resume is respectable though. He may not be a great coach but he's not exactly a failure either.

[Laxation]

He is a good regular season coach who's system does not succeed in the playoffs. I can see that being a good coach for a team who is up and coming, trying to win fans, but not for a contending team.

[benji]

In 2008, they lost to the better team among other issues including an injured Billups early in the series. In 2004, Cassell got injured and even Darrick Martin couldn't save a team playing Latrell Sprewell 43 minutes a game and using Ervin Johnson and Michael Olowokandi as their center rotation. In 2007, yeah, they collapsed, but LeBron turned on God Mode, and loaned it to Gibson for game seven. (As Rasheed and Prince tried to shoot themselves out of the series...and Rip didn't help with 39% in game six despite his free throw mastery.) In 2006, they didn't have a bench.

Were those Timberwolves teams ever better than the team they faced? He's coached to four Conf Finals in five years, three of those years had around 60 wins, 53 in a fourth to go along with three other career 50 win seasons. And some might try to argue he developed KG into a basketball god.

He's a master offensive coach, easily one of the better ones the league has seen in recent years. (Skipping 2004-05, his last five teams have posted 5th, 5th, 4th, 6th, 6th. Look what he's done to unleash Billups. Defense? 6th, 5th, 7th, 4th skipping 2004-05.) His failings are the same as most coaches, he loves "proven" veterans too much and come playoffs seems to ignore what won games during the regular season for them.

I doubt Curry will be anywhere near as good. If his favorite coaches are any indication he'll constrain the offense and bypass good young "unproven" players for hustling "proven" veterans.

[Laxation]

Maybe he did face better teams every year, maybe players did suck, maybe players were injured...

...or maybe he just can't make adjustments well enough to coach in the playoffs.

He did a good job this season - much better than the last couple. This season Boston were just too good, and Pistons were too slack.