Pistons' Era Ends, but What an Era It Was!

It was definitely a tough year to be a Detroit Pistons fan. 

The trade of Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson was a disaster, as was the hiring of rookie head coach Michael Curry. The team was plagued by injuries, and its remaining stars were finding their age catching up to them. 

At the same time, the team was dealing with the loss of their longtime owner, William Davidson, and the news that former Pistons' coach Chuck Daly was battling cancer.

With all of the issues that Detroit had to face this year, it wasn't surprising to see them fall to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a sweep of the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

The postseason exit following a miserable campaign has left the Pistons vulnerable to the many darts that the media has thrown at them, but although the team obviously needs some restructuring, one can't deny that they've provided fans with plenty proud memories.

After the back-to-back championships ('89 and '90) of the "Bad Boys" era, Detroit was struggling to even make the Playoffs, let alone be considered a threat in the East. But in 2000, Davidson brought in former player Joe Dumars as President of Basketball Operations, and with his vision, the Pistons managed to right the ship. Dumars was even voted Executive of the Year in 2002.

Before yesterday's sweep, the Pistons had not lost in the first round of the Playoffs since the year 2000. They had made six straight trips to the Eastern Conference Finals and two NBA Finals appearances, winning it all in 2004.

When Dumars took his position in the front office, he quickly went to work securing a team that fit his hard-working image. He traded for Ben Wallace, Rip Hamilton, and Corliss Williamson and allowed guard Chauncey Billups to take over the team. He hired respected coach Larry Brown and used his draft picks wisely. Surrounded by veterans without a selfish bone in their bodies, young players like Mehmet Okur and Tayshaun Prince thrived.

Then, in 2004, when Dumars saw that there was still something missing, he picked up his missing piece in Rasheed Wallace. This acquisition paved the way to the surprising championship win over the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers in the '04 Finals.

Although Detroit went on to lose in the Finals the next year to the San Antonio Spurs, they remained the team to beat in the East for the next few years. They became known for their blue-collar play and stellar defense. Alone, they were a bunch of underachieving misfits, but together, they were a well-oiled machine.

The Palace of Auburn Hills became one of the hardest arenas to play in, and the Detroit faithful helped set attendance records night in and night out. 

Signs bearing "Fear the 'Fro" and "Wallace X 2" became commonplace, and stellar on-court performances helped coin the nicknames "Mr. Big Shot," "Big Nasty," and the "Human Victory Cigar" for various players (Billups, Williamson, and Darko Milicic, respectively).

The supporters chanted along with arena announcer Mason's famous saying of "Deeeeetroit bas-ket-ball!", and they were there for the numerous postseason series as well as the infamous "Malice at the Palace."

Alas, all good things must come to an end, even in the sports world. Players get older and come and go. After a while every team has to adjust and rebuild.

This will be the case for the Detroit Pistons next season.

The "Goin' To Work" era may be over, but it doesn't mean that another batch of stars aren't out there.

There's no doubt that this last Pistons iteration gave us their all. Instead of criticizing them, we should be remembering the good times and looking towards the future.