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Tag: Wayne Ellington

James Edwards III: Griffin, “Gritty, In Your Face, Bruising” Embodies Pistons’ Identity

Reggie Jackson has one year remaining on a five-year, $80 million contract before he hits unrestricted free agency (Keith Allison/Creative Commons).

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With the Detroit Pistons closing in on their first playoff appearance in three seasons, The Athletic’s James Edwards III joins the show. Among a number of timely Pistons topics he broaches, Edwards breaks down the Pistons’ chances of maintaining their playoff position and their shot of staging a first-round upset. He also looks ahead to the consequential offseason looming for the franchise. If it somehow misses the playoffs, could Detroit elect to blow it all up and rebuild from the ground up?

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According to James, the Pistons are all in on Griffin, but that sentiment could change in a hurry (10:23-11:07):
“They love him. The city loves him. I really, truly believe that he likes playing in Detroit. He likes this challenge of building an organization up and trying to get it to a height it wasn’t at before his arrival. But with that said, I would not be surprised if this team misses the playoffs…with those three guys [Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson and Griffin] being relatively healthy, I think that says a lot. And I would not be surprised if they capitalize on how good Blake has been, and they finally begin a rebuild and they try to trade him.”
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Josh Baumgard: Miami Heat’s Justise Winslow “Is the Key to the Whole Season”

Expectations for 20-year-old forward Justise Winslow are soaring. Can he live up to them in 2016-17 (Erik Drost/Creative Commons)?

Expectations for 20-year-old forward Justise Winslow are soaring. Can he live up to them in 2016-17 (Erik Drost/Creative Commons)?

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In the first team-focused interview of the season, Slice Miami’Josh Baumgard makes On the NBA Beat history by becoming the first guest to appear three times, and the third time was certainly a charm (as were the first two). In this Miami Heat-themed episode, he gushes about the monstrous numbers Hassan Whiteside has the potential to post as the focal point of Miami’s offense. Baumgard also waxes nostalgic and practical about the ramifications of Dwyane Wade’s departure after 13 seasons as the franchise cornerstone. Plus, along with a range of other timely topics, he explains how Miami’s already stout defense can be even stronger this upcoming season. Scan some scorching excerpts below:

2:58-3:10 As the episode title suggests, second-year wing Justise Winslow will make or break Miami’s season, according to Baumgard: “I think he’s the key to the whole season. I think he’s the difference between whether they’re gonna be a 35-win team or a 45-win team. You’ve got to see some offensive improvement out of him, and I think with the increased role he’s ready for it.”

5:50-6:22 “That’s gonna be huge, because if he can develop a consistent jump shot, the defense is gonna play closer to him; that’s gonna open up driving lanes. And as we saw in the preseason, he’s a pretty good ball handler and he’s a very underrated passer. I think he can find guys in the corner for those open 3s, so, again, I think it goes back to Winslow. If he’s able to create some offense behind Goran Dragic, it’s gonna ease the burden on them scoring, because they’re likely not gonna be a great offensive team, but if they’re at least better than average, I think that bodes really well for their playoff chances.” Continue reading

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