0 30 Dec 10 Los Angeles Clippers Playoff Preview: What Might Have Been 发帖者 Johnny Depp | 时间： 02:22

With the regular season winding down and the playoffs around the corner, it's time to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the Clippers as they prepare for what should be a long playoff run. The Clippers started this season with high expectations and did nothing to disappoint. Like his team, Blake Griffin did nothing to disappoint. The mocking taunts when the Clippers took him first in the draft were silenced by the favorite to win the ROY award in his first pro game. Nothing like a 28/15 game to silence your critics. Sure, he hit a rookie slump during the middle of the season and he failed to get calls early on, but look at him now. The power forward finished the year on a tear averaging 23 and 12 over his last 10 games, the Clips winning all but one.Griffin will finish the Washington Redskins jersey
season healthy and primed to showcase his talent on a national level again, this time in the NBA playoffs. Where are the taunts of a "Clipper Curse" now? In addition to how seamlessly Griffin fit in with the team from Los Angeles, the Clippers have to point to the evolution of Baron Davis as a key to this season.The player who willed his eighth-seeded Warriors to a victory over the then No. 1-seeded Mavericks was back.Davis showed a keen ability to shoot when needed and to dish as needed. He played the point in a way L.A. hasn't seen since the days of Magic Johnson. Eric Gordon had some big scoring games and looked great holding up that Slam Dunk trophy while wearing a Clipper jersey. The revitalization of this once perennial doormat was in full bloom at that moment. We all know now, of course, that the real transformation occurred about a month earlier. The Clippers were winning, Staples was rocking and the team was playing well. Los Angeles, however, wasn't convinced. The city has been fooled by the Clippers before. They needed to see something substantial and the Clippers delivered. Jan. 15 was the day all Clipper fans can point to as the official coming out party of the team that now rules L.A.It was on that day that the Clippers met the Lakers in what was a Laker home game. With the Clippers enjoying success to start the year the crowd had a substantial Clipper-feel to it. Something rarely seen at Laker home games. In years past a Clipper home game against the purple-and-gold felt like an away game for the Clips. The chants were pro Lakers, the cheering came for the visiting team and the stands were peppered with yellow jerseys. This time, Clipper fans began to repay the favor. It wasn't a rush of Clipper support, but it was enough to catch the attention of both teams. "Yeah, we all noticed it today. Clipper Nation was here tonight and I think it helped them, energized them" was how Kobe Bryant put it just after the game. The energy in the stadium was palpable from the the opening tip. This had the feel of a playoff game, in fact, it was more.This had the feel of a battle, a battle for respect, a battle for the hearts and minds of Los Angeles. This was more than a game and everyone watching understood that. Every rebound was fought for, every loose ball was chased; this was a game neither team wanted to lose.It was the Lakers, however, who seemed to have the game in hand. In a game that saw 23 lead changes it was Kobe Bryant who took over in the fourth.That ridiculous shot by Bryant with 4.3 seconds left with Marcus Camby all over him was amazing and left the Clippers with a three-point deficit.Bryant, aware of the significance of Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
the shot, jumped up, pulled his jersey to expose his heart; that was the dagger. Then, things changed in Los Angeles. It's funny how you can look back and pinpoint the exact moment. With 4.3 seconds left on the clock, this was a Laker town, all it took for the shift to occur was 4.3 measly seconds. Incredible. You know how it went, but I love reliving it. The ball came in to Davis. He didn't hesitate, driving past Derek Fisher as if his shoes were glued to the floor.The Lakers collapsed, they weren't going to let an easy layup and a foul tie this game. In hindsight, they should have given Davis the layup."I concur, it was a bit of a mental mistake by our squad," Phil Jackson said later. Instead, the teams competitive nature took over and with four Lakers converging on him, Davis made that amazing one-bounce pass to Rasual Butler. How did that pass get there? How did he see Butler? Who knows, but the rest is L.A. history. Butler calmly picks up the ball, checks his feet to make sure he is behind the 3-point line and sets up to make his smooth-as-silk shot.The Clippers' modern-day Jamaal Wilkes doesn't hesitate even as Lamar Odom races towards him. The shot is released, Odom charges, barrels into Butler, the crowd goes absolutely quiet. So quiet you could hear the swish as the basket drops in, followed by the blow of the referees whistle, then the final buzzer. Everyone was stunned. With apologies to Jack Buck and his amazing call of Kirk Gibson's home run against Dennis Eckersley, everyone, from the players, to the fans felt the same way, "I can't believe what I just saw."The NBA has seen possible four-point plays before, but never in this type of game, never to win a game on a last second shot, never to capture a city.That shot was beyond huge. All that was left was to ice Butler which the Lakers did with the last time-out. He hits the free throw, the Clippers somehow pull off a victory, He misses, its on to overtime.Remember the end of Rocky I where Apollo Reebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
Creed is clutching Rocky as the final bell is rung? "Ain't gonna be no rematch." Rocky's reply, "I don't want one."Sure, both teams would have hit the floor for the extra time, but neither wanted to. They had given there all in this amazing battle. No player in the history of the game has ever come to the line with more on the line than Butler. The game, the city, respect for his team.It all came down to one shot. He walked there alone. Just before he shot, Davis walked up to him and whispered something in his ear. The pair laughed, it seemed to settle everyone, including Butler.What did Davis say? "I ain't telling" he bristled as he walked away. "That will stay a Clipper secret forever". Whatever it was, it had its desired effect. With the Lakers and all of L.A. watching, Butler hit the free throw. The Clippers won. The party lasted much longer than normal for an NBA game. All the more shocking when this was, technically, a road game for the Clippers. That 104-103 victory was the catalyst, the turning point. The Clippers used to it push to an NBA-best 15-game winning streak. The Lakers, well, could never regroup. With word today that Kobe Bryant will officially opt out of his Laker deal at season's end, it seems to mark the end of an era for the once-proud franchise.There is little doubt then that Phil Jackson will not return and although the likelihood of convincing Mike Krzyzewski to leave Duke to lead this team next season is slim, all the more so now that the Lakers will be Kobe-less, they will no doubt find someone to lead them. The new coach, however, will not have a team that Laker fans are used to. The Artest mid-season trade for Caron Butler was more of a flop than the Artest experiment was, with Butler going down in his second Reebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
game with a career ending knee injury. The Lakers find themselves with an injury prone center, a soft power forward and little else as they limp to the end of season. Its sad really. Clipper fans refuse to gloat, however. The Lakers had a good run, but this is a Clipper town now. A great run in the playoffs, which is well within reach, will make Clipper Nation more than a catch-phrase, it will make it a USA reality!A Clipper fan can dream, can't he?

0 29 Dec 10 NBA Playoffs: Don't Expect Suns To Pity Blazers' Injury Woes 发帖者 Johnny Depp | 时间： 05:27

Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesHurts, don't it?That's what Steve Nash and others associated with the Suns over the last five years are saying to themselves after Portland's Brandon Roy became another victim to the injury bug.Roy has decided to undergo surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus, and Blazers fans, management, and observers are already putting asterisks and "It's too bad..." next to their takes on the Suns/Blazers first-round matchup.Just don't expect the same pity from Phoenix.Look, Phoenix has suffered their own playoff misfortune over the Reebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
last few years. Ridiculous suspensions aside, their recent postseason history has been equally marred.First and most obvious, the Suns are without their one legit center in Robin Lopez. Jarron Collins is a banging bit player-turned-starter and Channing Frye is a shooting softy who won't rebound or use his length consistently on defense.Delving into postseasons past, you'll find Phoenix headlining the league's IL.2005 Joe Johnson fractures an eye socket after Dallas' Jerry Stackhouse performs the always ill-advised chase-down block attempt, which sent Johnson to the floor and the emergency room.Behind Johnson on the depth chart? An overachieving Jimmy Jackson and undeveloped Leandro Barbosa (7.1 minutes-per-game).Johnson, the do-everything facet of the Suns high-octane offense, was unavailable until the middle of the following round. By that time, the Spurs had already seized momentum of the series.2006, Part One After their '05 exit to the Spurs, the Suns were picked by many to hold their first Larry O'Brien trophy after getting their necessary and cliche "playoff experience."Instead, word trickled out of training camp that Amare Stoudemire's knee was troubling him, and that he would undergo a precautionary MRI. That in turn revealed theReebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
need for the dreaded micro-fracture surgery, 86-ing Amare's season.It's funny how nobody pitied the Suns like they're pitying the Blazers despite both teams having injury-riddled, 50-win seasons.2006, Part Two Despite Amare's absence, the Suns overachieved by coming back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Lakers, ousting the Clippers in seven games, and facing a Mavericks team that had just overcome the Spurs in seven games of their own.Up to that point, the Suns' most consistent playoff performer had been Raja Bell, who took it upon himself to add a shooter's killer instinct to his defensive tenacity.Of course, that must have just drawn the basketball gods' attention. Bell suffered a partially torn calf muscle early in the series and attempted in vain to play through it the rest of the way.2007If you're looking for suspension talk, sorry to disappoint. I've already hashed that out before , and besides, we're talking about injuries here.Instead of Game Four of the Suns/Spurs semifinal series, I'm shifting focus to the closing minutes of Game One. In a collision intentional only on the part of the basketball gods (whose sole purpose is to ensure Phoenix never wins a championship), Steve Nash had his nose ripped open.After pudding wads of bandages that came to resemble semi-solid bubble gum, Nash gamely kept playing, making clutch shot after clutch shot.But the blood kept coming, and as a result, Nash had to sit the final few possessions. This was when the Nash-or-nothing effect was still present, so Reebok Minnesota Vikings 28 Adrian Peterson Realtree camo Jersey
without Nash, the Spurs took Game One.With Nash on the floor playing the way he'd been playing up to that point? Intriguing, isn't it?The point is, the Suns have gone through (and are still going through) what Portland is currently undertaking: playing with key players injured. Phoenix understands this better than anyone except the '89 Lakers.Just don't expect Phoenix or their fans to pity them for it.

0 28 Dec 10 Can Steve Nash Reach Magical Heights? Greatest PGs Ever 发帖者 Johnny Depp | 时间： 00:43

Elsa/Getty ImagesThe 2010 playoffs currently showcase awesome point guards like Deron Williams and Tony Parker, not to mention Steve Nash and Jameer Nelson. But do they stack up on the all-timegreatestpoint guard list?I created a formula that indicates how productive a player was per minute in their greatest season, and then combined it with a title wins/finals appearances list, then divided them. This list is a reflection of that final result.31 Mark Jackson 30 John Lucas 29 Brandon Roy 28 Derek Harper 27 Damon Reebok Dallas Cowboys #9 Tony Romo Realtree camo Jersey
Stoudamire 26 Reggie Theus 25 Rod Strickland 24 Terrell Brandon 23 Norm Nixon 22 Baron Davis 21 Walt Frazier20 Chauncey BillupsHits the big shots and won a ring in 2004 against Lakers.19 Gail GoodrichLed LA to 1972 title and could score like crazy.18 Mark PriceSweet passer and shooter, especially from the charity stripe.17 Maurice CheeksWon it all in 1983 with Dr. J to pass to; a steals wizard.16 Michael AdamsPlayed for Denver so wan't exposed but he was amazing. Check his stats. At only 5'9", to do what he did was great.15 Jason KiddStill seeking a title but can pass like no other player in history.14 Tim HardawayDid the UTEP Two-Step all over the NBA, even as a rookie. At 5'11" he was second place for NBA Rookie of the Year in 1989 to 7'1" David Robinson.13 Tony ParkerBeing an awesome scorer and teammate has helped him win three titles with the Spurs, and maybe four after this year.12 Calvin MurphyAt 5'9" he was great atcontrollingthe pace of the game. He scored 17,949 points in the NBA and dished out 4,402 career assists and made it, but lost in the 1981 finals.11 Lenny WilkensThe true and pure point guard scored 17,772 career points, passed off 7,211 assists, and grabbed 5,030 rebounds in 1,072 career games. He's not a bad coach either.10 Kevin JohnsonPut up great numbers in his career, amazing really, and he went to the finals in 1993, and lost to...Jordan.09 Chris PaulRushed up this list because of astronomical per-minute stats, but he has never won anything. Has the potential to be top three all time.08 Gary PaytonPlayed glove-like defense throughout his career and could score too. Had winning drive but met Michael Jordan in the 1996 Finals, and of course lost. Then in 2004 he had a chance to win Reebok Denver Broncos #15 Tim Tebow Realtree camo Jersey
one with Shaq, Karl Malone, and Kobe Bryant, but they somehow lost. Finally, in 2006 his Heat beat the Mavs and he earned his ring, and then soon after retired. Nice career GP.07 Steve NashIs two years older than me and damn he's in awesome shape to still be in the mix of a title possibility in round two vs. the Spurs. This dude is sick, but he's never won a title, so I guess his two MVP awards say a lot.06 Bob CousyThe Houdini of the Hardwood led the Celtics to multiple titles and designed for future generations how to play point guard. He'd be a sweet passer now.05 Nate "Tiny" ArchibaldAnother UTEP product who, despite his size (6'0", 150 pounds), was an amazing player and who won championships with Boston in the '80s. In 1972-73 Archibald did what no one ever had or ever will do: "Tiny" led the league in scoring and assists in the same season. Check this out: 80 games played and 46.0 minutes per game! Shot .488 from the field and .847 from the line and averaged 11.4 assists and 34.0 points. What?04 John StocktonMan, I feel so bad for this guy; having to go up against Jordan two years in a row and losing. If it weren't for that, he'd be the perfect point guard.03 Isiah ThomasAt 6'1" Zeke was able to do anything. I mean anything and he did. If he were 6'6" he'd probably be the greatest ever. He is one of a few guys that destroyed Jordan teams well before Jordan figured the Bad Boys out. He was the first player ever to have over 1,000 assists in an NBA season.02 Oscar RobertsonReebok Green Bay Packers #12 Aaron Rodgers Realtree camo Jersey
The "Big-O" was a walking triple double,averagingone for an entire season. This guy is what LeBron wishes he was. He won a title in 1971 along with Jabbar.01 Magic JohnsonWonfivetitles in nine tries. He went to the finals nine times! He was awesomein every single way. The most successful point guard of all-time.

0 27 Dec 10 2010 NBA Draft: Talking Hoops With Wizards Beat Writer Rashad Mobley 发帖者 Johnny Depp | 时间： 05:08

Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesOn late Thursday afternoon, I was lucky enough to sit down with Rashad Mobley, Washington Wizards beat writer for HoopsAddict.com. I recorded the interview, unfortunately, there was no way to post the audio on B/R. However, you can listen to everything over atTennessee Titans jersey
my site, www.aarontorres-sports.com.Rashad gave incredible insight into the playoffs, but started with the NBA Draft process discussing the following subjects:- How he found out that his beloved Wizards ended up with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. It's not how you think!- How much different Washington will look next year, regardless of who they take with the No. 1 pick- Will a potential backcourt of Gilbert Arenas and John Wall work?- What the Wizards need to do going forward to make themselves a playoff team againWe continued our conversation about the NBA Playoffs, as Rashad broke down each of the four remaining teams. Amongst his insights:- Why he thought since before the playoffs that the Celtics would give the Magic trouble - What the Celtics need to do to win the next two games and close out Orlando on their homecourt- If this is the best we'll ever see from Dwight Howard offensively- Can the Suns do anything to even make their series with the Washington Redskins jersey
Lakers interesting? - And much, much more...Again, if you're an NBA basketball fan, this is an absolute must-listen, as Rashad gives insight that can't be found anywhere else

0 26 Dec 10 Celtics-Lakers: Good for the Casual Fan, Terrible for the Rest of Us 发帖者 Johnny Depp | 时间： 23:37

Jim Rogash/Getty ImagesAnother Lakers-Celtics NBA Final? Excuse me while I yawn my way to the remote.Spare me that Two storied franchises line, which I heard as a kid by Brent Musburger in 1987. Yes, I know they are. Ive seen it for years. Go ahead, show all the pictures/film of Jacksonville Jaguars jersey
Cousy, Russell, Chamberlain, Havlicek, West, Cowens, Kareem and Magic, Bird and McHale, Worthy, Parish, Shaq and Kobe and Pierce, Allen and Garnett. My response will be Really? After following this league my whole life, I had no freakin idea! After all, I got the same history lesson two years ago.Admittedly, one fact must remain: They did win it. They did beat all the competition - this year and in the past - to achieve this. I can say how much they deserve it before the mid-1980s, when I began following the game, but to call it a good thing for the casual fan is an insult to armies of hardcore fans who has sat hungry at the expense of two franchises who have feasted.Want an interesting stat? When the Celtics ended their agonizingly long drought of 22 years without a ring, the average drought for the entire league was22 years*. There 30 teams in the league. Fourteen of them have never held the Larry OBrien trophy. Of those 14, 11 are over 20-years-old.. Go ahead. Sell expansion of championship-level basketball. Yeah.Eleven cities arestill waiting, so why should your city sign up, especially if the league celebrates an NBA Finals tradition that doesn include you?(Another stat: In the past 25 years, over $4 billion has been spent on new arenas.)Lakers-Celtics, v. 12.0 now means that for the past 28 years, only seven teams will have won it all. After this years finals, that average drought number becomes almost 25 years. Logically, that would mean that fan-bases in a clear majority of the NBA have waited at least a generation for their first, maybe second title. All while the Lakers and Celtics go deeper into the teens.If you look up my profile, Im a Cavs' fan. And yes, I can hear it now: This is just sour grapes about your LeBron's choke job Kansas City Chiefs jersey
against the Celtics. I write this for the fans who had the nerve over the years to support any of the other 28 teams with the exception of Jordan Bulls, who took up the dynastic slack while these two storied franchises took the decade off championship-wise. The Cavs, anointed by Magic Johnson as the Team of the 90 ran into them. My beef is more with them and Jordan Shot than The Lakers-Celtics rivalry. Besides, our drought still ranks tied for only fourth longest.Were tied with the Clippers, whose four decades of futility is hardly due to the Lakers or Celtics. However, we are surpassed by the 42 years the Suns fans have waited. That franchise hasn exactly shamed the basketball world with Alvan Adams, Larry Nance, Charles Barkley, and now Amare Stoudamire. Still, 42 years. All that fan loyalty. No rings.The most tragic is the Kings franchise. Their last title was in 1951 when they were the Rochester Royals. Then they moved to Cincinnati, where they didn even play in an NBA Finals. Then to Kansas City. Bupkiss. Then for the past 25 years, it was Sacramento, where they ran into the wall of the Lakers, just like they did when they were in Cincinnati and the Lakers were in Minneapolis. Look up the story of Maurice Stokes and wonder how that wouldve fit into the annals of the NBA if he played for Red Auerbach.Seattle waited 29 years before the team bolted. Their Pacific Northwest neighbors, the Blazers, have waited 33 years since Rip City. The Jazz have existed 36 fruitless seasons. The Bucks last won 39 seasons ago. The Hawks, have gone over a half-century. The list goes on and on.Since Im not watching the series, can someone post an answer to a curiosity I have? Im wondering how heavily, ABC will use the series to Minnesota Vikings
promote their new cop drama Rookie Blue and their new criminal forensics show Body of Proof. Itd only be fitting since it already being watched by people who don mind the same old thing.* ABA titles were not included, but I only included post-merger seasons as franchises of the NBA as part of their drought.

0 25 Dec 10 Isiah Thomas: New York Knicks Bring Back Thomas 发帖者 Johnny Depp | 时间： 01:16

Isiah Thomas is coming back to the New York Knicks organization. Many fans of the team are likely to be unhappy about this move. Thomas will not be the team's head coach. At least not yet. The former Knicks coach is rejoining the organization as a consultant. He will assist senior management in various ways, Atlanta Falcons jersey
including recruiting players. This move seemed to be coming for a while. Thomas was part of the team that was put together to try and get LeBron James signed. He also helped the team with other free agents, including the signing of Amar'e Stoudemire. Thomas was the team president from December 2003 until April of 2008. During that time, the Knicks had the league's highest payroll but failed to make the playoffs. He served a dual role of head coach and president during his final two seasons. He was dismissed after compiling a record of 23-59 in the '07-'08 season.The former coach remained close with team owner James Dolan and Knicks current team president Donnie Walsh. Thomas will continue his job as head coach of Florida International University.The rumors floating around Baltimore Ravens jersey
are that Thomas could become the team's next general manager or possibly even coach the team once again. Knicks fans are surely not happy about that. Read more NY/NJ Sports News at Double G Sports.

0 24 Dec 10 Detroit Piston Austin Daye Set to Break Out, As Long As T-Mac Stays Away 发帖者 Johnny Depp | 时间： 00:41

Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesSo far this exhibition season, Detroit Pistons fans have been treated to some rough basketball. Of course this is not the type of rough basketball they are accustomed to, with hard elbows, tough blocks and clutch rebounds.This type of basketball is rough on the eyes.It is not as though Detroit has not been competitive this preseason. They have, losing the last three games by an average of six points.What is tough for Pistons fans is how they have been playing, more importantly the style in which Reebok New York Jets #6 Mark Sanchez Realtree camo Jersey
they are competing.Their most recent loss against Charlotte was a reminder of how far they have strayed from prototypical "Pistons basketball". The most striking aspect was the fact that the coach on the other side of the court was none other than "play the right way" Larry Brown.The Pistons right now are not playing Larry Brown basketball.Brown became a Hall of Fame caliber coach by stressing ball control with minimal mental errors on offense, even fewer three pointers, and strong, hard-nosed defense.The Pistons are playing essentially the exact opposite way, launching three pointers at will and doing their best to outscore rather than out defend their opponents.This reminds me of something in my own life. The year after I graduated from college, I had an opportunity to coach girl's basketball in my home town. The high school coach had asked me to take over at the middle school since I had had some experience coaching at that level. When we first got together to discuss coaching philosophy, he told me he believed in two shots: the layup and the three.Needless to say, I turned down the job.For a Pistons fan, we know first hand that this style of basketball does not lead to long term success. However, when I watched this coach's teams that year, I realized that his roster was such that this would be the only way he could field a competitive team.John Kuester is in a similar situation. He is a disciple of Brown and he knows about playing the right way. But he has been saddled with a roster that will not allow this style of basketball, so his only hope to keep Detroit out of the lottery is to run and gun.And while the preseason has been ripe with terrible play and sloppy ball handling, the one player that has stood out is Austin Daye.The second year player out of Gonzaga looked primed to break out during the Summer League, showcasing a (slightly) bigger body, and a new trick: a post game.Personally, I thought Daye looked like a stud and I was curious to see what kind of impact he Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
would make for the big club during the season. It appeared that Pistons president Joe Dumars had the same thing in mind, basically running the offense directly through Daye on every possession.But a funny thing happened on the way to a breakout sophomore season: Dumars signed Tracy McGrady.While this signing was a head-scratcher for a number of reasons, the biggest seemed to me the fact that McGrady's minutes were almost sure to come directly at Daye's expense.So why do you force feed Daye during the summer if you are only going to take away his minutes for T-Mac?Let's compare the two. McGrady is an over-the-hill, ex-superstar that hasn't played defense in nearly a decade. Daye is just a shade over 22 and has a very bright future ahead of him.McGrady has had his career derailed by injuries, robbing him of anything resembling quickness. This has left him stuck on the perimeter exclusively.Daye, on the other hand, can shoot with anyone in his face due to his long arms, he has the quickness to get past defenders, and he now has a back-to-the-basket game.This should be a no-brainer.Just take a look at this preseason. In the first exhibition game against Miami, McGrady saw his first and likely last look during the preseason. He played eight minutes and looked terrible.By comparison, this was the only game this preseason in which Daye played fewer than 20 minutes. He still managed to put in 12 points in only 17 minutes.The real story has been what Daye has done during the rest of the exhibition season. He has easily been the MVP of the exhibition for Detroit, averaging 16 points and six boards per game.Coach Kuester has been trying his hardest to find a winning combination amongst his guard and forward heavy roster. As a result, Daye has lined up all over the court, even starting at power forward.The Pistons have a ton of holes and hopefully once the ownership situation gets resolved Dumars will be able to pull the trigger on some deals and Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
clear up this roster mess.But in the mean time, Kuester is going to have to find a way to get Daye meaningful minutes. If that means sitting McGrady every game and only putting him in when the game is a blowout (a la Darko Milicic), so be it.Detroit has to make the full transition from winning now to building for the future. There is no greater example of this than the situation with Daye and McGrady.Daye is the future, and McGrady is the past.The fans will be patient if they see reason for optimism on the roster. What they will not tolerate is a slapped together, rag tag bunch of past their prime vets trying to squeeze their way into the playoffs. We have been there before and nobody likes that.The key to the future is finding out which of the young players will be big time contributors to a future winner, and that starts with Austin Daye.