Iverson Misses Practice, Won't Start vs. Bucks

[Primetime]

Pistons coach Michael Curry held practice on Thanksgiving because his newest player, Allen Iverson, wasn't part of the team during training camp and has had less than a month to get familiar with the system and develop chemistry with the rest of the players.
"Some things you have to do," Curry said, "to pay the price to get to where we need to be."

But Iverson skipped the Thursday morning session. And there will be consequences.

Iverson will not start on Friday night when the Milwaukee Bucks visit the Palace, and the coaches will decide during the game whether he plays at all. He also will be fined. Curry wouldn't disclose the amount, but said it would be "heavy."

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/pistons/2008-11-27-iverson-practice_N.htm

[dboy_dc]

I'm glad he did that so no one think that they're bigger than the team.

[Primetime]

Already a little distraction. Fining him heavily won't do anything to a guy that makes 20 Mil a year. Suspend him for the game rather.

[dboy_dc]

Yea, but this is only the first offense. can't get too brutal this early. He doesn't have the chemistry to do something like that yet. Once he develops a relationship with the team he would have no excuse to miss practice really (unless personal) so that's when you suspend and shit.

[Primetime]

He needs practice the most right now so he CAN get that relationship with the team though. He's breaking the little chemistry they have. It's not like this is the first time it's happened in his career. Dumars should take charge and make sure it doesn't happen again.

[Primetime]

Besides....It's the Bucks.

[Primetime]

He means he would have skipped for Thanksgiving too and the fact that there is no such thing as fining heavily. $20,000 means nothing to AI.

[Rush]

I would have skipped this as well, also lol @ Curry for saying the fine would be heavy. It's fucking Allen Iverson, I am sure his yearly salary is chump change to AI.

[Primetime]

Bottom line: Detroit didn't trade for AI to win a championship. They traded for his salary to get Chris Bosh.

[Primetime]

Yea, but ya see, Dumars can't win now...He has Iverson.

[Primetime]

He is one of the best to ever play and also one of the best without a title. Something he'll probably never get. The whole Pistons team has done worse since AI arrived. That's no coincidence. I believe the Nuggets are like 9-3ish since Billups arrival. That no coincidence either.

[dboy_dc]

I think that trade wit Denver was needed and I believe that Dumars has more up his sleeve than just Bosh and Boozer.

But AI gives us more that Billups did other than leadership. I mean Detroit has never had that go to guy in the closing minutes to take over or finish a game. Yall see Cleveland has LeBron, the Celtics has 3 (unfair), and the Heat has Wade. Chi town is finding their dude and Detroit hasn't had one since Grant Hill and I personally wouldn't count that.

Plus it's still early and we all know season record don't mean shit if you a front runner or whatever...Ask the Mavs about that. Lets see how both teams do in the Playoffs.

[mfbmike]

Pistons guard Allen Iverson promises he won't miss practice again without permission. And everybody in the Pistons organization, from president Joe Dumars to coach Michael Curry, also expects Iverson to never repeat what happened Thanksgiving Day. The law has been laid down: nobody skips practice without permission, not even NBA All-Stars. verson blew off a mandatory practice Thursday morning, a frowned-upon move. Curry punished Iverson with a fine and removed him from his usual starting spot against the Bucks. Rodney Stuckey, who started in place of Iverson, had 12 points and four steals to help lead the Pistons to a 107-97 win over the Bucks. "I have no excuses," Iverson said about his actions. "I apologize to my teammates, first and foremost, the coaching staff, the organization and definitely, our fans. "It's something that shouldn't happen and it won't happen again." Dumars spoke with Iverson on Thursday evening about expectations. "He let me know how things are run around here and let me know it wasn't something that can continue to happen," Iverson said. "He let me know it was unacceptable." o why did Iverson miss practice? The Pistons played the night before Thanksgiving, throttling the Knicks 110-96 at The Palace. After the game, Curry called for practice on the holiday, mostly to work on conditioning. "It was a personal matter, but I just handled it the wrong way," Iverson said. "I didn't call and let them know what was going on. I talked to my teammates and they let me know they're still with me. And I let them know I'm with them. Its just a mistake, something that shouldn't happen." Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince said the players are satisfied with Iverson's explanation and apology.

Detroit News

lol, he's sorry and everyone is cool with it. oh well not like they have much of a choice if they want to win games.

[dboy_dc]

[QUOTE=mfbmike;34683]Pistons guard Allen Iverson promises he won't miss practice again without permission. And everybody in the Pistons organization, from president Joe Dumars to coach Michael Curry, also expects Iverson to never repeat what happened Thanksgiving Day. The law has been laid down: nobody skips practice without permission, not even NBA All-Stars. verson blew off a mandatory practice Thursday morning, a frowned-upon move. Curry punished Iverson with a fine and removed him from his usual starting spot against the Bucks. Rodney Stuckey, who started in place of Iverson, had 12 points and four steals to help lead the Pistons to a 107-97 win over the Bucks. "I have no excuses," Iverson said about his actions. "I apologize to my teammates, first and foremost, the coaching staff, the organization and definitely, our fans. "It's something that shouldn't happen and it won't happen again." Dumars spoke with Iverson on Thursday evening about expectations. "He let me know how things are run around here and let me know it wasn't something that can continue to happen," Iverson said. "He let me know it was unacceptable." o why did Iverson miss practice? The Pistons played the night before Thanksgiving, throttling the Knicks 110-96 at The Palace. After the game, Curry called for practice on the holiday, mostly to work on conditioning. "It was a personal matter, but I just handled it the wrong way," Iverson said. "I didn't call and let them know what was going on. I talked to my teammates and they let me know they're still with me. And I let them know I'm with them. Its just a mistake, something that shouldn't happen." Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince said the players are satisfied with Iverson's explanation and apology.

Detroit News

lol, he's sorry and everyone is cool with it. oh well not like they have much of a choice if they want to win games.[/QUOTE]


They don't need him to win games... yes he's completely a factor but he's not of dire need. What do you think their gonna do when his contract expires after this season?

I think the FA pool is at its deepest in 2 years.

[mfbmike]

what would they do, start stuckey? Stuckey isn't quite on AI's level yet.

I'm not saying they will part ways after this season. In fact it would probably be the smartest thing they could do.