Chemistry

If you would have asked me a year ago whether team chemistry was an important factor in winning, I would have laughed at you and given you a lecture on the importance of talent. After suffering through a summer of lackluster Tiger baseball and even worse Michigan football, I think I might have to change my tune.

On January 17th, after a Pistons loss to the pathetic Oklahoma City Thunder, Allen Iverson attributed the Pistons lack of success to a lack of team chemistry. Earlier this year, I questioned the timing of the move to get Allen Iverson by Joe Dumars. Although my reasoning behind my apprehension mostly involved familiarity with each player's game, as well as a full knowledge of the playbook and defensive schemes, perhaps chemistry could be an equally important, or at least enough of a factor to start a conversation.

Team chemistry, or camaraderie, synergy, or however you want to call it, is not something you can force, but it is something a coach could facilitate. Much like a plant, chemistry needs the right environment to grow and blossom. While each team requires a different set of circumstances and characteristics to create this "right environment," a good coach should be able to adapt and put players in the right situations to succeed. It is the lack of a good environment due to the failure to facilitate by Michael Curry, and, probably indirectly, Joe Dumars.

Sunday night I saw video evidence of the Pistons chemistry problem; I even took a picture of my screen to prove it too you (seen above). Here is a little context. Allen Iverson played very little in the 4th quarter, a move made by coach Curry because Rip Hamilton had the hot hand. Iverson was on the bench, doing his best to play cheerleader for those Pistons on the floor. The Pistons had just called time out, and this is a picture of Rip and McDyess walking off the court to the bench. As you can see, Iverson is reaching out trying to give them high fives as encouragement. However, neither Rip nor McDyess returned the gesture, nor even looked at Allen.

Now what does this picture suggest to you? To me, it is quite obvious. At least two members of the Pistons, and likely more, straight up don't like Allen Iverson. Admittedly these two players were probably the closest teammates to Chauncey Billups, but even several months after his departure they still don't like the Answer.

While I realize that these players are professional and getting paid a lot of dollars to play a game, regardless of with whom, the level of effort a player exerts has a lot to do with those personalities around. Right now, there is a fracture within the Pistons team, involving at least Rip Hamilton, Antonio McDyess, and Allen Iverson, that is creating a bad environment and leading to unacceptable losses.

McDyess was interviewed about the lack of Chemistry and said "You can see it from the outside", and "I don't know what it is going to take." Well Antonio, it might take a bit of effort on your part to, maybe, meet Allen half way. Seems like he is the one trying, and you and Rip are the one keeping him out.

Rip can be angry that Allen took his starting role, and McDyess can be upset for having to miss a month of the season, but I thought winning was the ultimate goal. Rip even said so when he was benched, "“The bottom line is you want to win games. If this is the best way we can win a championship, then I am all for it. The thing is, we have two great scorers, me and A.I. We have to figure out how both of us can be our best.” Sounds like lip service after looking at the picture above.

That picture proves the lack of chemistry, and suggests mistrust and that bad environment I earlier suggested. Iverson called it out, and it looks like he is doing his best to try and build bridges instead of burn them. Hopefully, guys like Rip and Antonio aren't as petty as this picture makes them seem.

Ultimately, I think it is the job of coach Curry and Joe Dumars to settle this and find the winning combination. My solution would be a tall task for any coach, and especially tall for a first year, rookie coach. Unfortunately, I do not think that Coach Curry is the facilitator this team needs, and I do not think the Pistons can find a championship mold before the playoffs.

Perhaps it is better now to just blow this team up... (to be continued)