Detroit Pistons: Set Individual Career Highs, Play Ironman Ball & Fall To Sixers

Awesome

That's the only word that can describe what happened Friday Night to the once proud "Bad Boys" of Detroit.

A total of seven Pistons missed Friday's shoot around: Richard Hamilton, Chris Wilcox, Rodney Stuckey, and Austin Daye missed the bus, Tayshaun Prince had an upset stomach, Ben Wallace was tending to family maters, and Tracy McGrady was out with a headache.

In a bit of a throwback moment to the "if you don't practice, you don't play" days, the Pistons played Friday night's entire game with only the six players that actually did attend shoot around.

In what may be the NBA's quote of the year, Detroit Pistons point guard Will Bynum said, "I sat and got DNPs (Did not play) for a month and a half, you think I was turning down 48 minutes? I ain't crazy".

Bynum, who is in his third season with the Pistons is currently averaging 17 minutes and 7.5 points a game. Friday night, Bynum played all 48 minutes and lead the Pistons with 29 points.

Forward DeJuan Summers went from 6 minutes a game to a whopping 39, Center Greg Monroe played 42 minutes, or about 17 more minutes than he normally averages a game, and guard Ben Gordon doubled his minutes from 27 to 45.

And perhaps feeling guilty for benching so many players, or perhaps feeling satisfied for getting his message across, Pistons Head Coach John Kuester left Friday Night's game early after being whistled for two quick technical fouls in the second quarter.

In the end, fresh legs eventually prevailed as the Sixers pulled away late to beat the 6-player Pistons 110-94. After starting off their season 3-13, the Sixers are 26-13 since and have pulled to within striking distance of the sixth place New York Knicks.

Basketball legend Michael Jordan once said, "Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation". Let's hope that Kuester's message more than anything is not lost in what wasn't just another typical basketball game.