Bleacher Report - Articles by Tracy Heck

Detroit Pistons: A Work in Progress

Tracy Heck — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:43:09 -0400

With the start of the NBA season less than two weeks away, it's time to take a look at how the Detroit Pistons may fare this year after the dismal showing they put on last year.

Not much is expected of the team this year since they are clearly in a rebuilding phase with a new rookie coach in John Kuester and eight new players. However, so far in the preseason there have been a lot of positives.

Rookies Austin Daye and Jonas Jerebko have been playing well and DaJuan Summers and Deron Washington have put on decent showings.

Guard Will Bynum had flashes of brilliance last year and so far this season he has stepped up, averaging a team-leading 18 points a game in 24 minutes. He's also leading the team in assists and steals.

Kuester's offensive mindedness has worked out okay and the team's strong defense hasn't been pushed aside. His three-guard offense has been running well and his four guards have all been getting play time.

On the other hand, Tayshaun Prince has continued to be a non-factor and Rodney Stuckey's shots still are a bit shaky.

It's still way too early in the season to decide how all of these things will pan out but the preseason has shone some light on how the team will perform this year.

I think that Bynum is going to end up being the best move that the team has made in the last couple of seasons. He's small but he's quick, and his playing style has a lot of aspects that made Isiah Thomas the star that he was.

Bynum had that standout 20-game series last year where he averaged 12 points in 21 minutes but then he kind of faded the rest of the season. Because of that, he spent the summer losing weight and working on his game.

The weight loss and practice has made him quicker and improved his shot.

The jury is still out on Coach Kuester but he already seems to be reading his players' abilities better than Coach Michael Curry ever did. He seems to have a knack for maximizing his player's strengths and for finding their spot in his lineup.

He's been playing Stuckey at small forward, something that surprised everyone, but the move has worked out well.

Kuester seems to understand that he needs to adapt to his team rather than trying to force his own philosophies upon them, a mistake that Curry made the entire season.

As for the team's move toward a focus on offense rather than their defense, I don't think that it's going to hurt them.

With Wallace back in the middle and Kwame Brown, Chris Wilcox, Jason Maxiell and Charlie Villanueva joining him, I don't think the team needs to worry about a lapse in defensive strategy.

So far in the preseason, the Pistons remain ranked high in all defensive stats.

The three-guard defense is nice in that it allows all of the guards to get some heavy playing time but I think that down the line, Kuester is going to have to decide who he wants to be the front-runner.

When it comes time for big games, constantly changing guards is going to stall any momentum the team may have.

As for Stuckey and Prince's struggles, I think that Prince is the main concern. Stuckey was pushed too much too fast last year when he was thrust into Chauncey Billups' role before he was ready.

I think this season with less of the spotlight on Stuckey he will find it easier to relax. As a result, his shots should settle down. He is already shooting 43 percent in the preseason.

Prince is the main concern because he should be the team's star player going forward. Hamilton and Wallace won't be around forever and Prince is the only young player with championship experience.

In the past, Prince has been one of the Pistons' toughest and greatest players. Who could forget that infamous block on Reggie Miller? Unfortunately, injuries and shooting droughts have taken their toll on his game the last couple of seasons.

Hopefully, with a more well-rounded team, Prince will be able to get more rest this season which should help him stay healthy.

I don't see the team heading very far in the playoffs this year but I think they have a shot at making the playoffs again.

General Manager Joe Dumars has gotten a lot criticism for his moves lately but he has proven over and over that he knows how to put together a team with odd parts that seem to fit perfectly together.

Hopefully, the team that he has assembled this time around will once again help the Pistons become a powerhouse in the East.

Detroit Pistons use Summer to reshape team

Tracy Heck — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:04:00 -0400

As the Summer has moved on, Detroit Pistons General Manager Joe Dumars has continued to make moves to hopefully make his team a contender for the NBA championship once again.

After a lackluster season that ended in a early exit in the first round of the playoffs, it was time for a change.

Dumars began the season with the questionable hiring of first time Coach Michael Curry and then went on to complete the disasterous Chauncey Billups/Allen Iverson trade. By the time the season ended, it was obvious that the Pistons team was lacking big players in the middle and needed some younger, fresh blood in order to be able to compete at the level they had been used to.

Dumars started the offseason by drafting forwards Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers and Jonas Jerebko. Although none of them are powerhouse players they've played well during the Summer league and show promise.

Dumars went on to pick up shooting guard Ben Gordon and power forward Charlie Villanueva in the free agency market and traded for forwards Fabricio Oberto and Chris Wilcox. Dumars then went on to fire Coach Curry and hired another first year coach in John Kuester.

The hiring of Kuester was met with a lot of protest, particularly since Dumars had stated he was looking for more experience. The team's talks with Avery Johnson stalled after he asked for more money and guarantees than they were willing to part with.

Although Kuester's hiring was questionable, it does make sense. Kuester is known for his strong offense and previously worked as an assistant coach for the Pistons. He has a strong releationship with the Pistons top players and he understands Dumars' vision.

After hiring Kuester, the Pistons made the surprising announcement that Brian Hill would become an assistant coach. Hill is an ex-head coach and Kuester used to be his assistant.

Around the same time that Kuester was hired, both Antonio McDyess and Rasheed Wallace chose to sign with other teams, leaving two huge holes in the Pistons lineup. However, this week the Pistons re-signed former center Ben Wallace, which will hopefully help fill those holes.

Wallace has had his offensive issues in the past but he is still a strong presence in the middle. His defensive strength will also be a huge benefit to the team.

Many of Dumar's moves haven't been very popular but when you look at the big picture, the Pistons look a lot stronger than they did last year. With eight of the team's 14 roster spots occupied by new players it should be a interesting season.

Week of Change For Detroit Pistons

Tracy Heck — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:32:19 -0400

After a lackluster season that saw the Detroit Pistons fall in the first round of the playoffs, they needed to make some changes.

After the Chauncey Billups/Allen Iverson trade, the Pistons were left with plenty of cap space and because of their early playoff exit, they ended up with the 15th pick in the NBA Draft. With these things in place, General Manager Joe Dumars spent the draft week working on a new vision for his team.

The Pistons started out the week by acquiring San Antonio forward Fabricio Oberto in a three team deal with San Antonio and Milwaukee. The deal sent Pistons forward Amir Johnson to Milwaukee. Oberto was a member of the San Antonio Spurs 2007 Championship team and a member of the gold-winning Argentinean Olympic team in 2004.

Two days later, Detroit used their 15th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft to select Gonzaga forward Austin Daye. Daye's size and play have been compared to Tayshaun Prince's style, which has increased rumors that Prince may be on the trading block.

In addition to Daye, the Pistons also picked up three other young forwards in DaJuan Summers, Jonas Jerebko, and Chase Budinger. However, they later traded Budinger to the Houston Rockets in return for a future second round draft pick.

A few days after the draft, Dumars made the surprising announcement that Michael Curry had been relieved of his coaching duties due to the Pistons' new direction. The firing was surprising since Dumars had previously stated that Curry would be back for his second season as Head Coach.

Fan grumbling and the Pistons season struggles were certainly key factors in the change.

The fact that former Detroit Pistons player Bill Laimbeer had resigned as Head Coach of the WNBA Detroit Shock, to pursue a NBA job seemed to also be a factor, but Dumars has stated he is looking for a new coach with experience. The current front runner for the job seems to be former Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson.

At the same time, the coaching change talks were going on, the Pistons signed free agent Chicago Bulls shooting guard Ben Gordon for five years at $55 million. They then signed Milwaukee Bucks power forward Charlie Villanueva for five years at $35 million.

With all of the changes, it is obvious that Dumars is determined to reshape his team into one that can get back to a championship level. Unfortunately, they still have not shored up the center position, that has been lacking for a few seasons now. It is also unclear how Gordon and Villanueva will fit into the lineup. Dumars has said that he sees Gordon as a sixth man, but why would anyone pay out that kind of money to have a player come off of the bench?

With all of the money that the Pistons' had this year many felt that they would take the time to acquire a big name player. Detroit is still lacking a number of pieces they need to be at the level they once were.

It certainly appears that free agent forward Rasheed Wallace is going to sign with another team, but no decision has been made about Antonio McDyess' status. There is speculation that the Gordon and Villanueva pickups are just the first moves in Dumar's plan for his team.

Time will tell if it will be enough.

TNA Celebrates Seven Years at Slammiversary

Tracy Heck — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:20:20 -0400

Back in 2002, businesswoman Dixie Carter and pro-wrestler Jeff Jarrett and his family conceived the idea of a small wrestling organization that bypassed television and went straight to pay-per-view.

The organization Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) would go on to become the second-largest wrestling promotion in the world besides Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

TNA's base is in Orlando and it's limited traveling schedule became a major draw for wrestlers tired of the grueling schedule they had to face at other companies.

Eventually, the company expanded beyond just pay-per-views and began taping a weekly show, IMPACT!, at Universal Studios, but the schedule remained light.

With more popular wrestlers making the jump to TNA and the influx of promising young talent, the company's fan base slowly grew.

TNA also became popular because of it's use of a hexagonal wrestling ring and it's exciting X-Division wrestling.

On Sunday, June 21 TNA came to the Palace of Auburn Hills in Michigan for it's seventh anniversary pay-per-view Slammiversary.

With solid matches throughout the card and a big swerve to end the night, the pay-per-view more than lived up to it's hype.

Before the show went live, the British Invasion defeated Eric Young and Detroit native Rhino. Young caused the loss by walking out of the arena during the match.

Slammiversary officially began with a X-Division King of the Mountain match.

The King of the Mountain match is a TNA original and is basically a reverse ladder match with the wrestlers having to climb a ladder to hang a belt rather than take one down. The wrestlers have to pin someone to become eligible to climb a ladder and if you are pinned you must spend two minutes in a "penalty box".

The X-Division match featured hometown faves the Motor City Machine Guns versus Jay Lethal versus Consequences Creed versus Suicide. The match also featured a special guest time keeper in the Detroit Tigers' Curtis Granderson.

The match was fast-paced and action-packed and ended with Suicide taking out Alex Shelley to retain his X-Division belt.

Next up was a Second Chance Match between "The Franchise" Shane Douglas and Christopher Daniels. If Douglas won, he would get Daniels spot on the TNA roster.

The match started out slow and Douglas was hurt in the middle of it causing it to be shortened, but the last couple of minutes were solid. Daniel's moonsault to win the match was particularly entertaining.

The women's Knockout Title match was up next between Beautiful People champion Angelina Love and recent WWE defect Tara.

It wasn't too bad for a women's match and featured a lot of ringside action. Love ended up retaining her title after interference from her teammates.

Next up was a Monster's Ball match with Raven and Daffney versus Abyss and Taylor Wilde. A Monster's Ball match is basically an anything-goes hardcore match and this one didn't disappoint.

The match was full of action and the women held their own. Most of the match took place outside the ring and in the crowd and featured a Wilde stage dive on to Daffney who was laid out on a table.

Daffney later took a dive into a pile of Tacks but the distraction gave Raven a chance to pull out the win by DDT'ing Abyss into a chair.

The Sting/Matt Morgan Main Event Mafia spot match was next. The match wasn't very long, but was pretty good.

Morgan was in charge most of the match until Sting took over at the end to get the win after doing two death drops on Morgan.

The TNA tag titles were on the line in the next match with Beer Money challenging the champion Team 3D, a crowd favorite.

The match featured a lot of back-and-forth action and double-teaming. Beer Money ended up winning the belts after the British Invasion came out and distracted the referee.

The main match of the evening was another King of the Mountain match for the TNA World Title.

The match featured AJ Styles versus Samoa Joe versus Jeff Jarrett versus Kurt Angle versus current champion Mick Foley. The match was easily the stand-out match of the night and featured a appearance by Angle in a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey to taunt the Detroit Red Wings fans.

All five competitors put on a good show as rivals Jarrett and Foley took out their frustrations on each other. They all took bumps off the ladder and Styles in particular put on a great show.

In the end, Joe stopped Style from winning the match as he and Angle both climbed the ladder. In a shocker, Joe voluntarily handed the belt to Angle and allowed him to win.

As the pay-per-view ended, the other Main Event Mafia members (except Sting) came out to celebrate and welcome Joe into the group.

NBA Draft Preview: Detroit Pistons

Tracy Heck — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:29:04 -0400

With about a week left until the 2009 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons have some major decisions ahead of them.

For the first time in six years, the Pistons did not make it to the second round of the playoffs and it appears that some major changes to the team will be ahead.

After last season’s Chauncy Billups/Allen Iverson trade with the Denver Nuggets, the Pistons were left with quite a bit of cap space as well as four picks in the draft.

The Pistons’ position with the 15th pick in the first round has guaranteed that the team has gotten a chance to visit with a number of the top players heading into the draft. General Manager Joe Dumars told Pistons.com that the team has brought in more than 50 players for individual workouts.

Over the last week, a number of rumors regarding the Pistons draft and trade possibilities have been making the rounds.

The most prominent rumors have been that they have narrowed their 15th pick down to four players and that when the July 1st trade deadline kicks in, they will be looking to sign free agent Ben Gordon at a reported $11 million.

Hopefully, the Gordon rumor will not come to fruition. In his years with the Chicago Bulls Gordon has had his moments but overall he is a weak player. He has little drive and has a hard time playing defense. He is known to be a ball hog, which is something that does not fit into the Pistons team oriented play as was witnessed with Iverson. It is also unclear why the Pistons would want yet another shooting guard.

Over the last few seasons, the Pistons have struggled in the middle. They haven’t had a true center since the losses of Ben Wallace and Corliss Williamson. The lack of strength in the middle has been a major factor in their failure to win another championship.

There are a number of good quality centers in the draft this year and hopefully a few of them will be left when the Pistons get their first pick.

North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough would be an ideal pick. His relentless play, rebounding capabilities, and strong jump shot would fit in well with the Pistons style.

Ohio State Center BJ Mullens would also be a good fit in Detroit. Often compared to big man Chris Kaman, Mullens has the size and length the Pistons need under the basket.

If Detroit picks up a Center in the draft, they could then look to fill another role in the free agent market. Power Forward Carlos Boozer’s name has been brought up a number of times and I think he is the team’s best option.

Boozer has had success with the Utah Jazz and has been their go to guy down the floor night after night. Some injuries have hampered his play but when he has played he has been consistent on both ends of the floor. During the 2008 season, he was among the league’s top five performers in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage.

The Pistons have two of their big men up for free agency in Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess. Wallace’s poor play over the last couple of seasons should make him the easy option to let go. McDyess on the other hand may have a chance at getting resigned.

With Wallace gone that leaves Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton as Detroit’s biggest options for trades.

Hamilton was one of the few bright spots in the Pistons’ lineup last year and I would hate to see him leave. Prince is still young and has many years ahead of him but he has failed to produce when it counts. His small frame and inconsistent offense have hurt the team and make him the smart option to shop around.

Still, no matter what the Pistons do in the free agency market and in the draft, the biggest obstacle they had last year was in their coaching staff. Although Michael Curry got along with his players, he failed to inspire any kind of enthusiasm in them. From game to game he kept changing the lineups and seemed lost and confused during the first round of the playoffs.

Unfortunately, Dumars is determined to stick with Curry this season. It’s a shame since former Pistons’ player Bill Laimbeer recently quit his head coaching job in the WNBA with the to pursue a NBA coaching job.

5 Questions Facing the Detroit Pistons This Offseason

Tracy Heck — Sat, 16 May 2009 19:50:49 -0400

It was a rough season for the Detroit Pistons.

The team underwent a series of changes including a new Coach and a blockbuster trade that sent team star Chauncey Billups to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Allen Iverson.

With chemistry problems and numerous injuries Detroit missed going to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in six years and ended up being swept in the first round of the playoffs by Lebron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers.

After having been a Powerhouse in the East since their surprising 2004 Championship year, it was a shock to see the Pistons struggle this season. Now in this off-season team GM Joe Dumars has a number of questions facing him. These are just five of the most pressing ones:

5. Has this Pistons team finally reached their limit? Is it time to rebuild from the ground floor up?

The aging Pistons team had begun to show some wear and tear over the last couple of seasons with veterans Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince struggling in the playoffs. They both were non-existent in the series against Cleveland.

Richard Hamilton and Antonio McDyess have continued to play at a high level but wasn't enough to help Detroit advance.

Over the last couple of seasons Dumars has begun to bring in some young talent like Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum who are guaranteed to be the team's future but the question is whether or not he should ditch all of his veterans and start from scratch.

I think that the team needs to bring in some more young talent but I would like to see Hamilton stay on in the role that Dumars played on the team after the Bad Boy years: the talented veteran who helps mold the younger talent.

4. Should the Pistons make a strong attempt to keep Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess?

Both Wallace and McDyess are free agents this Summer and will be looking for the best deal available. The Pistons have the cap room to give them the money they'll be looking for but is either player worth it?

Since Wallace came to the team in '04 Detroit has sunk or swim based on his play. On nights when he is energetic and scoring the team usually wins and on nights when he seems to disappear and can't score a basket the team usually loses.

Wallace's poor play is a large factor in the Pistons poor playoff performance this year and has been a issue in past post season play. His numerous technicals have also hurt the team in key moments.

On the other hand, McDyess has been key in keeping the Pistons afloat. Despite his age, he continues to play his heart out every night on both ends of the floor.

After the Pistons traded McDyess to Denver, he turned down other offers and took a pay cut to return to Detroit despite the fact that he could have gone to a winning team.

In the end, I think Dumars should let Wallace go and make an attempt to keep McDyess. Wallace is past his prime and has become a hindrance to the team while McDyess can still play at a top level and brings a sense of urgency to the team when he is on the floor.

3. Can Detroit continue to win without a major superstar? Who should they draft/trade for this Summer?

For years the Pistons have played without any major superstar players. The team is famous for it's underdog status and true team effort.

Back in '03 Dumars put together a hodgepodge of underachievers that turned into a championship caliber team together. All of the puzzle pieces fit. Unfortunately, that strategy hasn't been working for a few seasons.

This off season Dumars will have to decide if he wants to continue with what has worked in the past or pursue a major player. He has the cap space to do it but do the Pistons really need a Lebron James?

Personally, I don't think they need a standout player to win again. The team has been missing a true center since the departures of Corliss Williamson and Ben Wallace and I think that is what they should concentrate on in the draft.

There will be a number of good players on the trading block this Summer and the Pistons should do their best to obtain a couple of them. Carlos Boozer would be a nice fit here.

2. How can the Pistons get back to playing with the same strength and urgency that they have been known for?

There were times this season when it was almost impossible to watch the Pistons. The team has always prided itself on it's heart and strong defense and both were missing throughout the year.

One of the questions facing Dumars in this off season is how to get his team back to that style of play. There were flashes of it when the second squad was out on the floor and both Hamilton and McDyess had moments where they played with some urgency.

New coach Michael Curry does not seem to be able to inspire his team like many past Pistons coaches. The team came out again and again with no drive which brings us to the final question.

1. Should the Pistons stick with Michael Curry as their coach?

Dumars has already stated that Curry will be returning next season but I think he needs to sit down and take a closer look at the situation.

There were many reasons for the Pistons poor play this season but many of them lead back to Curry.

Previous coach Flip Saunders was fired because of his poor playoff performance but he managed to get Detroit to the Conference Finals every season that he was here. Curry barely got them into the first round.

It was well known that Saunders had a hard time relating to his players and that Curry is more player friendly but in the end, you can't be their friend; you have to be their leader. Larry Brown was a tough coach and under his watch the Pistons thrived and won a championship.

One of the most interesting things to watch this season was the revolving player lineups. Curry changed lineups weekly causing frustration amongst the team and adding to the chemistry problems.

In the beginning of the season Curry stated that he wanted to use his entire team but by mid season half his bench wasn't getting any play time. Players like Bynum, who started out the season on a high, found their time dwindle until they were suddenly put back in the lineup in the playoffs. Bynum ended up being one of the few highlights.

Leaving Curry in the coach's chair for another season is a huge mistake. Anything Detroit does this Summer will be overshadowed by the fact that they have a coach who doesn't know what he is doing.

Detroit Pistons Hall of Fame Coach Chuck Daly Dead at 78

Tracy Heck — Sat, 09 May 2009 21:08:00 -0400

The basketball world and the Detroit Pistons organization were dealt another blow today with the death of Hall of Fame Coach Chuck Daly. He had been battling prostate cancer for awhile. Earlier this season the Pistons lost longtime owner William Davidson who was responsible for hiring Daly.

Daly came to the Pistons in 1983. At the time they were a team struggling to find their identity but under Daly's guidance they became a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference and went on to win back to back championships in 1989 and 1990.

The team, known around the league as the "Bad Boys", became known for their rough play, intensity and strong defense. Daly was able to take a team filled with strong egos and make them a cohesive unit.

Daly was able to form close relationships with all of his players and never took himself seriously. Former Piston John Salley gave him the nickname "Daddy Rich" for his impeccably tailored suits after the media began to make a big deal about them and his well groomed hair.

Former Piston Isiah Thomas had this to say after learning of Daly's death this morning, "I can't explain in words how much he gave me as a player and a man."

Daly retired after nine seasons in Detroit and two coaching for the New Jersey Nets, but he remained a vital part of the Pistons organization. Over the years he was there to lend his point of view and guidance to the various Pistons' coaches who followed him.

Daly returned to the bench in 1997 with the Orlando Magic and coached them two seasons, then retired at the age of 68. He later joined the Vancouver Grizzlies as a senior adviser.

Each playoff season Daly was on hand to provide commentary, often appearing with local Detroit Pistons' broadcasters George Blaha and Greg Kelser.

His presence has been sorely missed this year as The National Basketball Coaches' Association created pins with the initials "CD" that many coaches and broadcasters are wearing dedicating the postseason to him. The organization also established the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be given annually.

Because of Daly's success with the Pistons that led USA Basketball to tab Daly to coach the 1992 “Dream Team” at the Barcelona Olympics.

The team boasted the likes of Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird and easily led the way to a gold medal. The gold medal win was perhaps Daly's greatest achievement. There has not been a team as good since.

"He handled that team and its talent as well as anybody could. He treated us all with respect and had us all vying for the same goal." said Bird.

Despite his success, Daly never won the Coach of the Year honors but was on hand to present the trophy to former Pistons' coach Rick Carlysle in 2002.

The Pistons retired No. 2 in 1997 to honor Daly's two NBA titles.

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

Tracy Heck — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 20:06:20 -0400

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.

Pistons' Playoff Run Ends In First-Round Sweep

Tracy Heck — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:18:00 -0400

"Rough Season."

These were Rasheed Wallace's only words after his scoreless game in the Detroit Pistons' sweep in the first round of the NBA playoffs Saturday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The losses came after Detroit had made six straight trips to the Eastern Conference Finals and two trips to the NBA Finals including a 2004 championship. It was also Detroit's first opening-round playoff defeat since 2000.

The defeat was just one more disaster in a season full of injuries, in-fighting, personnel changes, lineup changes, and personal losses.

Cleveland Cavaliers 102-Pistons 84 (Round 1 Game 1)

The Pistons opened the playoffs with a strong offensive first quarter. Detroit had 25 points in the first quarter and shot 56 percent. They made their first four shots of the second and were within a point of the Cavaliers before things started to fall apart.

Cleveland went on a 9-1 run late in the second quarter and took a 57-45 lead into halftime. The second half was all Cleveland as the Pistons struggled to make a basket and their defense broke down allowing Lebron James to end up with 38 points. The Pistons bench put up a good showing and Rodney Stuckey finished with 20 points.

Cavaliers 94-Pistons 82 (Round 1 Game 2)

Unlike the first game where the Pistons came out on fire, they opened the second game missing five of their first six shots. They struggled through the first three quarters before their bench was able to get things going.

Will Bynum and Aaron Afflalo turned the game around with Bynum scoring 13 and Afflalo scoring all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter and making it an eight-point game. Unfortunately, after 14 unanswered points by Detroit, James returned to the Cavaliers lineup and helped his team to win.

James ended up with 29 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.

Detroit struggled with foul trouble including two technicals from Kwame Brown and Amir Johnson.

Cavaliers 79-Pistons 68 (Round 1 Game 3)

This was Detroit's best shot at getting back into the series on their home floor and for three quarters they played strong but it wasn't enough. With both Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince struggling offensively, they had no answer for James.

James scored 11 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and Cleveland's Joe Smith had a career high 19 points.

Cavaliers 99-Pistons 78 (Round 1 Game 4)

Detroit continued the inconsistent play that has been a staple this season. Rip Hamilton, Wallace and Prince, the only remaining Pistons members from the '04 championship, were just 2-of-16 from the floor.

The only shining moments of the game was the stellar play from Stuckey, Antonio McDyess and Will Bynum. The trio were responsible for 62 of Detroit's 78 points.

McDyess, who showed loyalty in resigning with the team after he was traded to Denver was understandably upset, “It was written in stone before we stepped on that court."

The Detroit Pistons Make Playoffs, but Continue To Struggle

Tracy Heck — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:25:00 -0400

For the eighth straight season, the Detroit Pistons will be heading into the postseason. Unfortunately, their poor play has landed them in the eighth seed in the East, meaning they will have to face the league leading Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs.

The Pistons will have to play at the top of their game to even have a chance at knocking off the strong Cavs.

76ers 95-Pistons 90

Looking to clinch their own playoff spot, the Philadelphia 76ers took a win over Detroit on their home floor. The other AI, Andre Iguodala, had a season high 31 points and the game's final point. The Pistons led by 12 in the second half and had a shot at closing the game out, but some late fouls led to the loss.

Pistons 104-Bobcats 97

In a necessary win for their playoff hunt, Detroit's Will Bynum led the way, setting a franchise record of 26 points in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with 32 points and seven assists. Not bad for someone who wasn't even in the league last year. Bynum stepped up after the Pistons 17 point lead slipped away in the third quarter and guard Richard Hamilton was ejected.

Pistons 113-Knicks 86

In an all-around team effort, the win helped the Pistons move into a tie for the seventh spot in the East. Hamilton contributed 22 points, Rasheed Wallace had 14 point and 12 rebounds, and Antonio McDyess had 13 points and 16 rebounds. The win was their biggest victory of the season.

Pistons 100-Nets 93

Detroit clinched their eighth playoff seed with the win over New Jersey. The Pistons' starters shot 70 percent in the first and then watched as the reserves increased the lead to 19. Once again, Bynum led the way with a team high of 20 points.

Pacers 106-Pistons 102

Coming off their two strong wins, the Pistons' attempt to climb up in the playoff standings was stalled by the Indiana Pacers. Indiana's Danny Granger had 24 points, while Detroit's Hamilton had 24.

Bulls 91-Pistons 88

The loss to Chicago cemented the Pistons' place as the eighth seed, as the Bulls moved up in the standings. The game was uneven at best. The Pistons seemed tired, frustrated, and didn't put up much of a effort. It is Detroit's first season below .500, since 2000-2001.

Heat 102-Pistons 96 (OT)

The Pistons finished their disappointing season with a loss in overtime to the Miami Heat.

DET-NJ: Pistons Clinch Playoff Spot

Tracy Heck — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 20:25:24 -0400

Friday night the Pistons clinched a NBA playoff spot with a 100-93 win over the New Jersey Nets. The win came after beating the New York Knicks by 27 points in their largest victory of the season on Wednesday. Friday's win solidified the eighth straight playoff appearance for Detroit.

The Pistons started out strong against the Nets and led the entire game. The Pistons starters shot 70 percent in the first quarter and the bench kicked in 27 points in the second. Reserve Will Bynum scored 11 points in the second and ended up with a team-high 20 points for the game.

The Pistons outscored the Nets shooting 61 percent compared to Jersey's 36 percent. Detroit out rebounded them 24-13 and took a 54-38 lead into halftime.

The second half was mostly in the Pistons' favor. They were still up by 10 at the end of the third quarter but the Nets staged a comeback at the end of the fourth, bringing the score to 96-91 in the final minute. However, Pistons' guard Richard Hamilton drained a three pointer to take the win.

The Pistons had two losses against the Nets this season mostly due to the strong play of Jersey guard Devin Harris. Detroit had better luck on Friday as they limited Harris to one point and one assist. He ended up leaving the game in the third due to a sore shoulder.

The game was unique in that much of the fourth quarter was played with six of the 10 players on the floor being in their first or second year in the league.

The Pistons have now won three in a row and are sitting in the final playoff spot. They have three games left and need two wins to finish with a .500 record. Monday's game against Chicago will be pivotal in deciding which playoff spot they will end up in.

Sports Fan's Paradise: Why April Is The Best Month of the Year

Tracy Heck — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 22:06:52 -0400

There are many times during the year that a number of sporting events take place at the same time, but no month is busier than the month of April.

In the span of 30 days, each major sporting league is represented. From the start of a season, to quarterfinals and championships, there is a little something for everyone.

Obviously, the top standout event in April is the NCAA basketball Final Four. After the insanity that is March Madness, the Final Four is the best of the best and is always guaranteed to be a good show.

This year, the games are in Detroit where Michigan State University has the hometown advantage going into the championship game.

The Final Four is not the only basketball in April. The month also plays host to the start of the NBA playoffs.

This year's tight race in the West should be interesting to watch and everyone is looking forward to seeing LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers take on Kobe Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers.

If someone else manages to knock one of these teams out of the Finals, you'll want to be there to watch.

The NHL playoffs also begin in April.

The Stanley Cup stands above and beyond any other trophy in the sporting world and the 16 teams in the race for the championship always play their hearts out.

Can the defending champion Detroit Red Wings hang on for another shot?

For those that pay attention to world sports, they can catch more playoff action over in Europe where the Champions League soccer quarterfinals are taking place. The raw emotion and electricity of the soccer world are unmatched.

While the NBA and NHL are winding down their seasons, the MLB is just beginning theirs.

Baseball has always been America's favorite past-time and nothing says Spring like Opening Day.

Last April, golf favorite Tiger Woods won his fourth Masters tournament right before a injury sidelined him for the rest of the year.

After making his return a few weeks ago all eyes are focused on next weekend's Masters.

Will Woods be able to gain a fifth green jacket?

April also plays host to the popular NASCAR Talladega race and the wrestling world's event of the year: Wrestlemania.

Finally, the month allows for a look forward into the future as the NFL Draft takes place.

Football fans around the world are always glued to their televisions trying to find out who their team will pick and whether or not their favorite college players will get their shot at greatness.

Detroit Pistons March Recap: Injuries Decimate Team

Tracy Heck — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:28:00 -0400

March was a rough month for the Detroit Pistons team.

They started it out with a huge win over the defending champion Boston Celtics, but quickly fell into a skid that has left them clinging on to the last playoff spot in the East.

In the midst of it all, they had to deal with the death of their long time owner Bill Davidson and learned that former coach Chuck Daly is fighting cancer.

After Richard Hamilton's return, it looked like the team was finally moving in the right direction—but then Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace and Rodney Stuckey all suffered injuries of their own.

To make matters worse, Hamilton re-aggravated his injury and had to miss some games.

At first the team seemed to thrive despite the losses. The young bench players really stepped up and the team was playing with a lot of energy. This week the starters returned, and once again the team is in a free fall.

Pistons 105, Celtics 95

After breaking their eight-game losing streak in Orlando the night before, the Pistons headed into Boston with a little more confidence and managed another improbable win. The win was the Pistons' first against the Celtics this season after three previous losses.

Detroit played with high energy on both ends of the floor and Will Bynum and Walter Hermann had strong games off the bench. Richard Hamilton put up 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds.

The win helped put Detroit back in the playoff race, as they once again reached the .500 mark.

Pistons 100, Nuggets 95

Former Piston Chauncey Billups scored a season-high 34 points in his homecoming at the Palace but it was Detroit who walked away with the win. The Pistons came back in the third quarter from a 11-point deficit and never looked back.

Iverson was on the injury list so couldn't help carry his team to the win over his former one. Antonio McDyess was the star of the game, putting up 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Pistons 108, Warriors 91

The Pistons gained their fourth-straight win against a eight-man Warriors roster due to multiple injuries and illness.

Coach Michael Curry used the game as a breather for his starters lowering their minutes and allowing his bench to take over. Jason Maxiell, in particular, seemed to thrive on the extra playing time.

Hawks 87, Pistons 83

It was a rough game for the Pistons. Over and over, they would gain a sizable lead over Atlanta—but then the Hawks would come right back and tie it up.

Detroit's 13 turnovers came back to hurt them late, allowing the Hawks' to get the win. The game was Wallace's 1,000th game, but ended with him coming down on Mcdyess' leg and twisting his ankle.

Pistons 98, Magic 94

Wallace left the game early with a strained calf but Kwame Brown stepped up in his place and helped Detroit get the win. He tied his season-high of 10 points while Hamilton had a career-high 14 assists and McDyess had a season-high 18 rebounds.

Knicks 116, Pistons 111

It was a hard-played game on both ends of the floor, but the Pistons saw the game slip away from them in overtime. Detroit's 15 turnovers hurt them and the loss of Wallace really hurt on the three point end. New York's Nate Robinson drew a number of fouls and ended with 30 points.

Pistons 99, Raptors 95

Another game, another overtime but this time the Pistons walked away with the win. Hamilton once again broke his assist record with 16 and put up 24 points. Both Hermann and Aaron Afflalo put up solid games off the bench. Afterwards, the game the team was rocked by the news of the death of owner Davidson.

Grizzlies 89, Pistons 84

The night began with a moment of silence for Davidson and the Pistons sporting black arm bands in his memory, but unfortunately ended in another rough Sunday loss. After this loss, the Pistons fell to 2-11 on Sundays.

With the death, the injuries and back-to-back overtime games the Pistons came out with no fire and seemed to sleepwalk through the game. The game was Brown's best of the season though with his six points, 13 rebounds and six assists.

Mavericks 103, Pistons 101

It was the Will Bynum-Arron Afflalo show in Dallas with Hamilton missing the game due to injury. Bynum had a career high 19 points and Afflalo put up 16. Unfortunately the game came down to the final seconds and ended in a loss.

Houston 106, Pistons 101

This time it was a double-overtime game that resulted in a loss for Detroit. The loss saw the Pistons once again drop below .500 and threatened their playoff position.

Pistons 108, Clippers 90

With Stuckey fighting the flu the Pistons were down to a nine-man roster but still eked out the win. Bynum once again stepped up and had a career-high 22 points and six assists. Mcdyess had a season-high 24 points and 17 rebounds while Tayshaun Prince had a career-high 12 assists and Brown added a career-high 14 points.

Heat 101, Pistons 96

The Pistons led the game through the first 46 minutes but then let their lead slip away. A questionable foul on Stuckey resulted in Coach Curry being ejected and allowed Dwayne Wade to continue his scoring run.

Wade ended with 39 points. Stuckey returned with 24 points.

Bulls 99, Pistons 91

The Bulls took an early 11-point lead and never had to worry from there. Detroit struggled offensively and allowed Chicago to creep up on them in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Lakers 92, Pistons 77

L.A. paid the Pistons back for the previous loss with Kobe Bryant putting up 30. The Pistons kept coming back thanks to Bynum's career high 25 points and 11 assists but the stronger Lakers team were able to shut them down.

It was Detroit's third-straight loss.

Pistons 98, Wizards 96

Hamilton made his return and carried his team to the win. His 31 points stopped their losing skid, and helped the Pistons inch closer to Chicago for the seventh playoff spot.

Pistons 101, 76ers 97

Iverson made his return, but it was once again Bynum who took over the game, scoring 13 of the Pistons 22 points in the fourth-quarter points.

After the game, Iverson spoke about his new role: "I thought about the big picture and that’s helping my teammates get a win and the more I thought about that, the more I relished the challenge of having to come off the bench.”

Cavaliers 79, Pistons 73

For a while it looked like the Pistons would once again put a stop to Cleveland's win streak, but then the game fell apart. Detroit turned the ball over four times in the fourth quarter and their shooting went cold.

They did a good job of slowing down LeBron James, but they let him take over late. Wallace made his return and then proceeded to argue a late foul call, resulting in his 16th technical foul of the season and guaranteed one-game suspension.

Nets 111, Pistons 98

After the late loss to Cleveland, the Pistons didn't even seem to try in New Jersey. Missing Wallace because of his suspension and struggling to adjust to having Iverson coming off the bench, the team played sluggishly throughout the loss.

The game could easily be the one that costs them their playoff spot.

Pistons Finally Get Win Over Celtics

Tracy Heck — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 18:02:31 -0500

It took four tries, but the Detroit Pistons finally picked up their first win over the Boston Celtics this season. The game was a close one throughout, but the Pistons managed to pull out a win over the defending champions 105-95.

The Detroit team on the floor today seemed to be the winning team of old, as they were led by guard Richard Hamilton's 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds.

The win is the Pistons' second straight without Allen Iverson, who is back in Detroit with a back injury. Boston was playing without their star guard Kevin Garnett.

Friday night's win in Orlando snapped a eight-game losing streak for the Pistons and marked the return of guard Richard Hamilton to the lineup. In both wins, the team seemed to have gotten rid of all of the chemistry problems that have plagued them since Iverson joined the team.

Coach Curry has stated that when Iverson does return he will take Hamilton's place on the bench. The two tough road victories over two of the top teams in the NBA should go a long way to restoring some of the confidence the Pistons have been lacking over the last couple of months.

The Pistons took control of the game early, starting off on a 11-2 run. But Boston went on a 7-0 run at the end of the first after Rasheed Wallace picked up his 15th technical foul. He is now one shy of a league suspension.

The game went back and forth in the second, but the Pistons had the lead at the half. Detroit came out cold in the third quarter, allowing Boston to go on a 12-0 run, but got back into the game with their strong defense. They entered the fourth quarter up 77-70 and maintained the lead for the win.

The Pistons were strong on both ends of the floor and saw some good bench production. Both Will Bynum and Walter Hermann helping keep the team in the game during Boston's run in the second.

The win puts the team back at .500 and keeps them in the race for the final playoff spot in the East.

Pistons Break Eight-Game Losing Streak

Tracy Heck — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:27:00 -0500

Last night, the Pistons finally managed to stop their eight-game losing skid that began before the All-Star break. They had been struggling with chemistry issues and injuries game after game.

Since coach Michael Curry made the change to have Richard Hamilton come off the bench, Detroit is 4-12. Rather than let his team play to their full potential, he has stifled them both offensively and defensively.

But last night, the old Pistons team were visible. Allen Iverson was out due to injury, and Hamilton had to start. Rodney Stuckey had been having diffiulties, but with Hamilton running the offense again, Stuckey looked refreshed and put up a solid game.

I think it's obvious that Iverson should be the one coming off the bench on a regular basis. His energy and drive will be key late in close games, and this will allow Rip to take back control of the team. He should have had it in the first place.

Game summaries of the Pistons' recent games follow.

Spurs 83, Pistons 79

The Pistons put up a good fight in this one, and the game came right down to the wire.

Iverson put up 31 and dished out seven assists. Antonio McDyess has thrived since being put back into the starting lineup, and showed it as he ended up with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Unfortunately, both Iverson and Rasheed Wallace missed a couple of late threes, and that allowed the Spurs to maintain the lead and capture the win.

Cavaliers 99, Pistons 78

This one was easily the Pistons' most embarassing loss of the season. The Cavaliers went on a 20-5 run in the first quarter and never looked back.

Detroit looked confused, and their lackluster play kept them from even having a chance at the win. Wallace's frustration with his foul calls was just one of the many low points in the game.

It is obvious that the team has become frustrated with Coach Curry and his directionless style of play.

Heat 103, Pistons 91

The loss in Miami pushed the Pistons under .500 for the first time in eight years. The (then) seven-game losing streak was their longest since 2002.

Iverson, McDyess, and Tayshaun Prince had solid games, but it was the Heat's Dwyane Wade who stole the show with his 31 points and career-high 16 assists.

Hornets 90, Pistons 87

The Pistons put up a good fight, but still lost in New Orleans.

Iverson had to leave the game in the first after he injured his back, and Wallace was ejected in the fourth. Hamilton had 24 points and six assists and Prince had a good game, but the loss of two key players hurt their comeback chances.

Pistons 93, Magic 85

Watching last night's game in Orlando was like watching the Pistons of old. They dominated on both ends of the floor and completely shut down Dwight Howard.

Still, they were trailing 51-43 at halftime and had to come out and dominate in the third, in which they outscored the Magic 28-14. Stuckey had his first great game in weeks with 22 points, and Hamilton, in his first start since Jan. 19, put up 31 points and six assists.

"This is what I do. There is no added pressure," Hamilton said after the win. "This (being in starting lineup) is my comfort zone. Coming off the bench is not my comfort zone. It is what it is and we got a win and that is a great thing."

Detroit Pistons Pick Up Where They Left Off after All-Star Break

Tracy Heck — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:58:00 -0500

The Pistons continue to struggle as they head into the second half of the season. Coach Curry remains determined to tinker with his lineup this time, inserting Antonio Mcdyess into his starting lineup.

The new lineup did not stop them from losing their first game back last night and continuing their four-game losing streak. This is particularly unsettling since their next seven games are against potential playoff teams.

Pistons 126-Bucks 121

Allen Iverson and Richard Hamilton led the comeback against Milwaukee. Iverson had nine assists and Hamilton had Detroit's last five field goals in overtime. Hamilton ended with 38 points in 36 minutes off the bench, the most points in franchise history by a reserve. Antonio Mcdyess also went five-for-five in the fourth.

Suns 107-Pistons 97

Rodney Stuckey's shooting woes, due to injury, continued as he missed nine of his 10 shots. Phoenix guard Steve Nash helped lead his team to victory with his 21 assists, the most by a Pistons opponent in 23 years. Hamilton continued his hot shooting, finishing with 27.

Bulls 107-Pistons 102

Bad shooting and turnovers led to another loss against Chicago. The Pistons had control of the game in the third, with Hamilton putting up another 30, and Rasheed Wallace putting up 20. Nevertheless, the game quickly turned around due to sloppy play. Iverson missed the game due to the flu.

Hawks 99-Pistons 95

The Pistons did a good job of containing Atlanta's key, young players, but it was former-Piston Flip Murray who helped lead his team to the win. Wallace had to leave the game in the third because of tendinitis in his knee. Iverson returned and had a solid game.

Bucks 92-Pistons 86

It was the Pistons' fourth-straight loss and their first after the All-Star break, despite having Mcdyess in the starting lineup. He finished with 24 points and 14 rebounds but the rest of the team was sluggish at best. Stuckey was non-existent, finishing with only three points.

Phoenix Hosts Historic All-Star Game

Tracy Heck — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:35:00 -0500

Phoenix played host to this year's 58th annual NBA All-Star Game. This year the West took back control of the game, beating the East 146-119. The game started out unusually competitive, with both sides playing tough defense, but by the third quarter the intensity of the game began to slow down.

The East tried to stay in the game by shooting triples, but they ended up missing 26 of 34 attempts and were never able to catch up.

The game was highlighted by the return of the Shaq, Kobe, and Phil Jackson show. It was the first time since 2004 that the three players—former teammates, rivals, and champions—have played on the same side.

Shaq had to sit out last year's game, so he was more than ready to prove that, although he has gotten older, he is still capable of taking over a game. Before the game even began he was entertaining the crowd by performing with freestyle-dance-group Jabbawockeez.

He went on to combine with Bryant for 44 points, and both ended up becoming co-MVP's. The award was the third for each, tying them with Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan. They are one shy of Bob Pettit.

The entire weekend was a huge success, beginning with Friday night's rookie vs. sophomore challenge. Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant set a record, with 46 points leading the sophomore squad to a 122-116 victory .

The next day Durant competed in the first ever HORSE competition and took home top honors.

All-Star Saturday night was exciting from start to finish.

Chicago's Derrick Rose took the Playstation Skills Challenge honors, Miami's Daequan Cook beat former champion Jason Kapono in the Three-Point Shootout, and team Detroit picked up the win in the Shooting Stars Contest.

The highlight of the weekend, however, was the Slam Dunk Contest. Orlando's Dwight Howard and New York's Nate Robinson both returned this year. Once again, both did everything they could to impress the fans.

In the end "Superman" Howard helped Robinson win the contest by allowing the smaller Robinson to jump over for him for a dunk.

NBA Eastern Conference Mid-Season Review

Tracy Heck — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:28:00 -0500

As the second half of the NBA season kicks into gear, it’s time to take a look back at the first half. Here’s a look at each division and which teams have excelled, defied expectations, and disappointed in the East:

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics (44-11): The defending champions picked up where they left off by setting a NBA record for the best start at 27-2. They had a small misstep in the New Year with a string of losses but they’ve righted themselves and continue to lead the league. Their stellar defense has them poised for another championship run but they have to keep an eye out for the Lakers whose victory over them last month gives them home court advantage in the Finals.

Philadelphia 76ers (27-25): The Sixers season started out slow after last year’s playoff surge with a 2-5 record. The young energetic team that everyone was expecting looked stagnant and seemed to have trouble inserting their free agent pickup Elton Brand. In the last month after a coaching change and Brand’s season ending shoulder injury the team is once again in the playoff hunt.

New Jersey Nets (24-30): The Nets have continued to struggle to stay afloat in their division. They’ve got good bench production but the team does not seem to have a plan. Star Vince Carter’s play is erratic at best. If the team can find a way to play consistently they still have a chance to make the playoffs.

New York Knicks (22-31): The Knicks finished the season with a six-game losing streak. They have had a hard time closing out games. Their sloppy defense has usually been behind the losses so if they can find a way to control it they may finally be able to bring playoff basketball back to New York. With Lebron possibly heading their way next year some playoff experience would be nice.

Toronto Raptors (21-35): The Raptors have struggled to get above .500 this season but this weekend’s trade with Miami may be a step in the right direction. Jermaine O’Neal struggled to fit into the Raptors’ run and gun offense and should fit in better in Miami and Shawn Marion’s play should fit in well in Toronto.

Central Division

Cleveland Cavaliers (41-11): Well after setting a franchise record for reaching the 40-win mark it is obvious that the Cavaliers and Lebron James have turned into one of the premier teams in the league. The team still needs to work on its defense but they have an amazing bench and Mo Williams is James’ perfect sidekick. It’ll be interesting to see if Cleveland can take the Celtics.

Detroit Pistons (27-26): After spending the last five years at the top of the Eastern Conference it seems that the Pistons may have finally run out of steam. After making the biggest and most controversial trade of the season, Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson, it seemed that the team was poised to make another championship run but team chemistry problems and injuries have plagued the team. New coach Michael Curry seems to be lost and has been playing musical chairs with his team’s lineup. The Pistons can still get themselves back in the playoff race but they have a lot of work to do.

Milwaukee Bucks (27-29): After trading Mo Williams the team has continued to take a downward slide. Richard Jefferson has been playing well but the Bucks are inconsistent at best. They have also been plagued by injuries. They may have a chance to sneak into the playoffs but until they find the consistency that they need they’ll continue to not get anywhere. With Andrew Bogut out for the season they did make a trade with Orlando and picked up shooting guard Keith Bogans which will help shore up the hole that Bogut left.

Chicago Bulls (23-30): A couple of years ago it looked like Chicago was finally moving in the right direction with a host of young talented players but once again the organization has taken a turn for the worse. The team struggles both offensively and defensively and struggle with closing out games. Today’s trade with Sacramento, Drew Gooden and Andres Nocioni for John Salmons and Brad Miller, may be a step in the right direction but it may be too little too late.

Indiana Pacers (22-34): The Pacer’s continue to struggle but despite being so far down in the standings they are the only team in the league to beat the Lakers, Cavaliers, Magic, and Celtics. They have a good nucleus but struggle to beat the teams that they should. If they can find a way to stay in every game to the end they might have a chance at moving up in a struggling conference.

Southeast Division

Orlando Magic (39-13): After struggling a bit in the start of the season Orlando quickly took control and has become one of the powerhouses in the East. Led by “Superman” Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson the Magic had their best start in franchise history. Unfortunately, Nelson, who was playing the best basketball of his career, was injured before the All-Star break. Orlando just made a trade sending Keith Bogans to Milwaukee and picked up point guard Tyronn Lue who should fit in well with Howard and will hopefully keep the team on it’s winning path.

Atlanta Hawks (31-22): With numerous injuries and a tough early schedule the Hawks have managed to have a successful first half of the season. The Hawks have a nice mix of veteran and young players but their lack of depth may hinder them in the playoffs.

Miami Heat (28-24): The Heat perhaps had the biggest trade during the All-Star break picking up Toronto star Jermaine O’Neal who should fit in well with Dwayne Wade. The Heat have struggled for a couple of seasons because of their lack of a center so O’Neal’s presence in the middle will be huge. The Heat have a tough schedule to end the season and will have to stay consistent in order to have a playoff run.

Charlotte Bobcats (22-32): After struggling all season, Charlotte began to put a fight just before the All-Star break but it is unlikely that they will be able to contend with the other teams in the East. With no real stars to turn to Coach Larry Brown has his work cut out for him.

Washington Wizards (12-42): What to say about Washington. Year after year their franchise player Gilbert Arenas gets injured and their playoff hopes go up in smoke. Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler are both great players but neither is a leader and that is what this team needs. It may be time to scrap the lineup and rebuild from the bottom up.

Pistons Struggle to Find Their Identity

Tracy Heck — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:50:00 -0500

Over the last couple of weeks, Pistons' Coach, Michael Curry, has continued to shuffle his lineup around making it difficult for the team to find any semblance of continuity and chemistry.

Having Richard Hamilton come off the bench seemed like the solution, and it has provided the team with some nice bursts of energy and a couple of wins, but there still seems to be something missing.

Whenever a unit seems to be playing well together and the team develops a comfortable need, Curry takes them out.

It's understandable that he wants his entire team to have playing time but when something is working you don't mess with it.

Team egos are supposed to be set aside in the interest of the team and the goal of winning a championship. Unfortunately, while the team continues to search for its identity, they are playing themselves right out of a playoff spot.

Pistons 95 - Raptors 76

Hamilton's first game off the bench led to a win over Toronto despite his offensive struggles.

The new lineup move spurred Jason Maxiell to his best game of the season including a dunkfest in the first. Tayshaun Prince also had a great game and the entire team shot 50 percent from the field and combined for 25-assists.

Mavericks 112 - Pistons 91

This one was all Dallas from the start.

They put up 31-points in the first half on the heel of the Pistons' 13 turnovers. It was a particularly rough game for Rodney Stuckey.

Rockets 108 - Pistons 105

It should have been a win against the visiting Rockets who were playing without Yao Ming.

The Pistons shot 56.4 percent from the field and had 31-assists.

They limited their turnovers, scored more than 100-points and had more points in the paint.

All of the building blocks for a win were in place but they only led twice the entire game.

Hamilton had his best game since returning to the lineup putting up 27-points and Rasheed Wallace contributed 22-points. Unfortunately, Detroit's spotty defense and struggles from the free throw line, led to the loss.

Pistons 98 - Timberwolves 89

The Pistons opened strongly making their first six field goals but once again let their lead slip away before halftime.

Minnesota was up by 11 in the third but Wallace took over the game.

Wallace scored seven consecutive points to the end game with help from Antonio Mcdyess and Hamilton. Both Wallace and Mcdyess ended up with double-doubles.

Celtics 86 - Pistons 78

The third time wasn't the charm for Detroit as they dropped their third loss to Boston this season.

Unlike the first two games, the Pistons did put up a fight.

They started the fourth quarter strong thanks to the team of Hamilton and Maxiell.

Unfortunately, Maxiell and Celtic's Kendrick Perkins got into a struggle under the basket leaving Maxiell with a technical foul and Perkins tossed from the game. The incident took the fire out of the Pistons and the Celtics went on 8-2 run to finish the game.

Cavaliers 90 - Pistons 80

For 36-minutes, the game was all Detroit: they shot better, rebounded better and had fewer turnovers.

They led 66-58 heading into the fourth quarter and then things fell apart.

They missed five of their first six shots and struggled from the free throw line.

Although, they had done a good job of keeping Lebron James contained, the rest of the team went 15-2, while he was on the bench. Once James came back in he went on a run of his own and ended up with 33.

Allen Iverson had a solid 22-point game and Hamilton put up 16.

Pistons 93 - Heat 90

After losing six of their last seven home games, the Pistons needed a win, especially since they are now battling Miami for the last Eastern conference playoff spot.

Detroit led most of the game but once again found it hard to close out the game.

With a under a minute left the game was tied and Stuckey ended up putting up a awkward shot that went in for the win.

Five Pistons were in double figures including Stuckey who finished with 18-points, six rebounds and six assists.

Coach Michael Curry Makes Change and Pistons' Losing Streak Ends

Tracy Heck — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:50:54 -0500

After the numerous injuries that the Pistons have had to contend with lately, it was nice to see the team begin to find a rhythm with both Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton sidelined.

Detroit had a nice seven-game winning streak going with Amir Johnson in the starting lineup and Wallace stepped back into things with no problems. Unfortunately, Hamilton’s return threw the team into chaos. The small ball lineup led to five losses which led to Curry’s announcement today that Richard Hamilton will now be coming off of the bench.

Trail Blazers 84-Pistons 83

The Pistons took an early double-digit lead and kept it until the middle of the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, some shooting issues allowed Portland back in the game. It came down to a final Allen Iverson possession which clanked off the basket ending the Pistons’ seven-game winning streak.

Pistons 93-Denver 90

In the Pistons’ most important and emotional game of the season thus far, they managed to win one over former teammate Chauncey Billups’ Denver Nuggets.

The game was an exciting one, with both teams playing their hearts out.

Billups and the Nuggets took an early first-half lead and Billups put up 20 but Iverson scored 20 in the second, keeping his team in the thick of things. The game came down to a tying Billups three-pointer attempt that didn’t make it in.

The win broke Denver’s five-game winning streak and was done without Hamilton, Wallace, and Stuckey, who was out with back troubles.

Jazz 99-Pistons 82

It was yet another loss in Utah for the Pistons. Detroit has dropped seven straight to the Jazz and haven’t won since November 2002.

It was all Utah from start to finish. The Jazz jumped out with a 14-2 lead, but the Pistons bench put up a good fight. Arron Affalo contributed nine points and was strong defensively.

Unfortunately, the Pistons had a hard time holding onto the ball. The team was obviously tired after having been on the road for seven straight games.

Bobcats 80-Pistons 78

Rip Hamilton finally made his return after missing eight games, but the Pistons could not pull the win out.

Detroit led the entire second half but the Bobcats scored the game’s last nine points. Stuckey and Iverson combined for 31, but the Pistons' lackluster defense and poor handling gave the game away.

Pacers 110-Pistons 106

This was another game that came down to the Pistons' final possession. They had a late lead but missed their last seven shots of regulation. Indiana’s Danny Granger sent the game into overtime.

The Pacers never trailed in OT, as Wallace missed two three-pointers. Stuckey put up 30 but had no points in OT.

The loss broke the Pistons’ eight-game winning streak over the Pacers and broke their season streak of holding opponents below 100 points.

Thunder 89-Pistons 79

In an embarrassing loss to the league’s last place Oklahoma Thunder, the Pistons allowed their lead to unravel in the fourth. The Thunder scored 13 unanswered points at the beginning of the fourth, with the Pistons’ defense and scoring lacking.

Continuing the Pistons' bad luck this season, Tayshaun Prince had to leave the game with a groin injury.

Hornets 91-Pistons 85

“We’ve just got to get this monkey off our back—that’s it!” said Allen Iverson after the loss.

Hamilton and Jason Maxiell finally had strong games but late foul trouble put a hurt on the Pistons’ lead. Iverson had to sit out the third quarter after banging his knee on the floor at the beginning of the second half.

Pistons 87-Grizzlies 79

Before the game in Memphis Monday night, Coach Curry said that he was looking at changing up his lineup. Since Hamilton’s return, fans have been calling for him to come off the bench as a sixth-man.

It has been obvious that the small ball starting lineup was not working. Despite the Pistons' win over the Grizzlies, Curry announced today that Hamilton will be coming off the bench permanently.

Iverson scored 12 points in the first quarter and Hamilton put up his own 12 points in the second quarter with the second unit. The game was a preview of what he may be able to do coming off the bench.

Detroit Pistons Midseason Awards

Tracy Heck — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:58:52 -0500

It’s been a rough first half of the NBA season for the Detroit Pistons. After the early blockbuster trade of Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson it appeared that the team was set up for another championship run. Unfortunately, team chemistry problems and an influx of injuries and starting lineup changes have taken their toll.

Currently Detroit has a 23-17 record and are eight-and-a-half games back from the Central Division-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.

Today Coach Michael Curry announced that he will once again be rearranging his starting lineup. Time will tell if it will be enough to start the Pistons on another championship run.

First Half MVP: Rodney Stuckey

It is hard to argue against Stuckey.

After Billups was traded, Stuckey was forced into the role of team leader and stepped into the job with ease despite his inexperience. He put up 40 in Chicago and then just 10 days later had a 38-point game against Sacramento.

Detroit sportscaster Eli Zaret said it best, “I’ve got two adjectives for Stuckey: unflappable and incorruptible.”

Sixth Man: Antonio McDyess

It’s hard to pick anyone for this category since the Piston’s starting lineup has been a revolving door this season, but McDyess has always been a valuable component to the team’s success.

McDyess’ return to the starting lineup helped stifle some of the angst that came with the Billups trade. He gives the team a nice boost whenever he takes the floor and he averages seven points and eight rebounds per game.

Most Improved: Amir Johnson

There were times last season when Johnson looked like he’d rather be anywhere else than on the court so it’s nice to see him flourish under Curry’s tutelage.

Due to the many team injuries and lineup changes, Johnson has gotten quite a bit of playing time this season and he has seized the opportunity. Although he still sometimes struggles offensively, he has brought a strong defensive mind to each game he plays in.

Johnson’s Pick-and-Roll dunk against New Jersey is one of the most exciting plays of the season so far.

Biggest Surprise: The Chauncey Billups-Allen Iverson trade

After Pistons’ GM Joe Dumars failed to make any trades over the summer, fans were settling in for another season of same old, same old. Imagine the surprise when fan-fave Billups was suddenly heading for Denver in exchange for premier player Iverson.

It’s still too early to tell what impact the trade will have on both, but it certainly has people talking.

Biggest Disappointment: Jason Maxiell

After re-signing a pretty big contract with the Pistons, Maxiell seemed to lose the drive he showed over the past couple of seasons.

In the past, Maxiell had been a powerful force off the bench both offensively and defensively. This season he has struggled from the line and has had very few of the power dunks that he is famous for. He’s still getting rebounds but even those are few and far between.

Most Fun to Watch: Allen Iverson

Despite his age, Iverson remains one of the top players in the league. He has struggled to find his game with the Pistons, but when he is on he remains the player with the smoothest moves and most speed.

Most Memorable Win: The Pistons Beat the Lakers 106-95

After the rough start to their season, no one was expecting them to put up much of a fight against the defending Western Conference Champions. Boy were they wrong.

Rasheed Wallace’s superb coverage of Pau Gasol took him out of the game while the rest of the team limited Kobe Bryant’s shots. All five Pistons starters scored in double figures and gave fans a glimpse of what this team could be capable of.

To top off things, the win broke the Lakers' undefeated streak.

Most Memorable Loss: The Sunday Nightmare

It took the Pistons seven Sunday tries to get a win. The fact that most of their six Sunday losses were at home did nothing to endure them to frustrated fans.

Technical Foul Counts

Rasheed Wallace is at 13. Richard Hamilton is at 4. Hamilton’s going to have to step it up if he wants to challenge Rasheed.

Best Quote

“It’s all about winning, it’s all about being in the big dance at the end of the year and those are his goals along with ours.”

-Dumars on Iverson

Detroit Pistons Fight Through Injuries to Quiet Seven-Game Winning Streak

Tracy Heck — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:33:00 -0500

A week into the new year, the Pistons are in the middle of a seven-game winning streak despite being plagued by injuries.

After losing their first six Sunday games this season, the Pistons managed to squeeze out a win last Sunday in L.A. giving them their seventh straight win. The win kicked off their latest four-game West Coast trip that continues tonight in Portland.

Rodney Stuckey, Tayshaun Prince and Allen Iverson have continued their stellar play including a 38-point game from Stuckey that earned him NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors.

The bench has also stepped up in the face of injuries.

Richard Hamilton has been out for five games with an injured groin and doesn't look to be back anytime soon.

Rasheed Wallace has been out for two games with a sore foot, and Antonio McDyess was out for a couple of games with thigh and rib injuries but made his return in Sunday's game against the Clippers.

Despite the losses, the team has found a way to continue winning.

Pistons 90, Thunder 88

It was the Iverson show at the Palace the day after Christmas.

Fans have been clamoring to see a true Iverson finish and after finding themselves with a slight lead over the league's last-place Oklahoma Thunder, the Pistons turned to him to close the game out.

The move was surprising, since Iverson was nursing his own groin injury and had been a non-factor early in the game. Living up to his "The Answer" nickname Iverson pushed through his injuries in the fourth quarter and found his shot, scoring 12 of the Pistons first 14 points.

He made the winning shot with three-tenths of a second seconds left.

In the double overtime loss to Utah, Iverson was widely criticized for passing up the game's final shot to Rodney Stuckey, who missed his shot. This time around the lively Palace crowd got what they wanted.

Pistons 87, Bucks 76

The Pistons started out slow in Milwaukee, missing their first four shots, but their stellar defense kept them in the game. They entered the fourth quarter with an 18-point lead.

Iverson continued to play strong and Amir Johnson played a solid 35 minutes with 8 points and 11 rebounds.

This was the Pistons' first game without Hamilton.

Pistons 88, Magic 82

The Pistons trampled Orlando in what should have been the toughest game during this stretch of the season. The Pistons' defense neutralized Magic star Dwight Howard, who did not have a field goal in the first half.

McDyess took a rough shot to the ribs but had his best game of the season, finishing with 8 points and 11 rebounds.

Pistons 83, Nets 75

The Pistons closed out the New Year with a win against New Jersey without Hamilton and McDyess.

By the middle of the second quarter Wallace had to leave the game because of his sore foot and Jersey star Vince Carter was ejected after arguing with referee Danny Stafford.

The Pistons bench compensated for Wallace's departure with Arron Afflalo and Kwame Brown stepping up.

Pistons 98, Kings 92

Still missing three of their key players, the Pistons managed to lead Sacramento the entire game.

Only 10 days after his 40-point game, Stuckey put up another 38 in front of the most raucous crowd the Palace has seen this season.

As the crowd chanted his name, he missed his final final shot that could have given him another 40 but it didn't matter because in the eyes of the fans he had truly arrived. Tuesday, he was named Player of the Week, and his name is already being thrown around for All-Star consideration.

Pistons 88, Clippers 87

The Sunday curse almost struck again in the final moments of the Pistons game against the Clippers. Iverson's final shot didn't go in but the refs felt it was on it's way calling a goaltend against L.A.'s Al Thornton.

Call it luck, call it divine intervention or call it good timing on Iverson's part but whatever it was it not only broke the curse but gave the Piston's their seventh straight.

Rodney Stuckey Takes Control

Tracy Heck — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 17:35:00 -0500

Things have begun to look up for the Pistons over the last couple of weeks. They've gone 4-2 with one double overtime loss that could have gone either way.

Since head coach Michael Curry rearranged his lineup the team has looked more together and seems to be getting more comfortable as a unit.

Inserting Rodney Stuckey into the starting lineup was a great decision and has allowed his teammates to open up their own games while improving his own. In his seven starts Stuckey is averaging 18.4 points and 7.4 assists and he can only get better from there. His 40-point game against Chicago on Tuesday is already starting All-Star discussion.

The Pistons still need to work on getting back their defensive intensity, but I think that will come with time. Allen Iverson has never been a defensive-minded player and it's going to take a while before it comes naturally to him.

Pistons 114 Pacers 110

It was another rough start for Detroit, but they turned on the defense at the end of the game and managed the win. Rasheed Wallace's late seven was key in the victory after the Pistons' slow offensive fourth quarter start.

Pistons 90 Bobcats 86

Curry's small ball lineup came out on fire and had an 18-point halftime lead. Unfortunately, Detroit's play once again collapsed in the fourth and almost blew the win. Wallace's late triple averted the loss.

Pistons 88 Wizards 74

Iverson led the way in an easy win over the Wizards. Iverson scored 28 despite having to leave the game for a while after a knee collision. After the game he said that this was the first time he'd felt like he was in a real groove.

Jazz 120 Pistons 114

The Pistons' losing streak against the Jazz continued with this seventh straight loss. Both teams played their hearts out in this double overtime game. Detroit's Iverson put up 38, Richard Hamilton put up 30, and Utah's Deron Williams finished with 29.

Hawks 85 Pistons 78

The Pistons still have not won a Sunday game this year. They started out making their first seven shots but it was all downhill from there. The game also marked the Pistons' eighth straight game with a technical foul. Both Hamilton and Wallace picked up one, with Hamilton getting ejected.

Pistons 104 Bulls 98

Stuckey continued his stellar play going toe-to-toe with Chicago's rookie star Derrick Rose. Stuckey had 17 points in the first half and bailed the team out in the second half when they once again let their lead slip. By the end of the game he'd scored 40, breaking his own career high and the Pistons' season high which had been held by Iverson with 38.

Lakers-Celtics: L.A. Wins in Possible Finals Preview

Tracy Heck — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 09:27:58 -0500

On Thursday night, the Los Angeles Lakers gave themselves a nice Christmas gift: a 92-83 win over the Boston Celtics. The Lakers were looking for revenge against the Celtics in the teams' first meeting since the Celtics beat the Lakers in last year's NBA Finals.

With the win, the Lakers put a stop to Boston's franchise best 19-game winning streak and extended their home victory streak to 12.

The Lakers came into last year's Finals playing strong and looking like a true contender for the championship, but the Celtics quickly took control of the series and never looked back.

One of the many reasons for the losses was the fact that the Lakers had a hard time defending the offensively strong Celtics.

Earlier this week, Lakers' Coach Phil Jackson spent an entire practice reminding his team of their defensive troubles. The talk seems to have worked as the Lakers' defense in Thursday's win was strong, with the Celtics turning the ball over six times in just the first quarter.

"It was a good measuring stick for us to show how much we have progressed since the Finals," said Lakers guard Kobe Bryant after the game.

Bryant had a game-high 27 points with Celtics MVP Kevin Garnett putting up 22. Laker's Pau Gasol chimed in with his own 21 points. His clutch play in the fourth helped clinch the win. The Lakers' win also earned Jackson his 1,000th career coaching victory.

It's still early in the season but the win was a nice start to making the Lakers' contenders once again.

Detroit Pistons Continue to Struggle

Tracy Heck — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:08:57 -0500

"I just don't like the fact that right now we're a team where if things are not going good, we sort of give into it."—Pistons coach Michael Curry

It's been another rough couple of weeks for the Pistons.

Grumblings amongst the players about playing time and Coach Curry's tactics, a last-minute Thanksgiving practice that Iverson did not show up for, and continuing identity problems have plagued the team.

Some games they're brilliant offensively, and defensively and other nights nothing they throw up is going in and they can't hold onto the ball.

Hopefully some of the energy they've been lacking will be restored with Antonio McDyess' return—but after Tuesday's loss to Washington, even he said this is not the same team he left just a month ago.

Chauncey Billups' recent success in Denver has fans complaining about the Allen Iverson trade—but to be fair, any team would have a hard time after going through the changes the Pistons have this season. Losing Billups and gaining Iverson certainly threw the team's chemistry off—particularly for Richard Hamilton, but both he and Iverson have begun to adjust to the change and at times have been brilliant.

I think the team's two main problems are ones they've been dealing with for a few years now—lack of drive and a lack of a true center.

For some inexplicable reason, the team's veterans tend to play on a come and go basis. Rasheed Wallace in particular tends to only get up for certain games, and the rest of the team usually follows his example.

Both Wallace's and Jason Maxiell's defensive intensity have been down during most of the Piston's recent losses. As Hamilton and Iverson's speed has begun to mesh, there is no reason that the team should not be pulling out more wins.

Although I still believe that Curry was not the right man for the job, I don't think that he is the main problem here. He has experimented with a number of different lineups trying to find the right fit for his team, and I think he has found it with the latest addition of Rodney Stuckey as a starter.

Moving Tayshaun Prince back to the power forward position will not only help him be more comfortable, but will open up the floor for the rest of the team.

The value of the moves was apparent in the first half of Tuesday night's loss, when the Pistons had an early 15-point lead. In the coming weeks we will have to wait and see if it pays off in the win column.

Unfortunately, while we're waiting, the team is falling further and further in the Eastern Conference standings—and may find themselves with a huge hole to climb out of going into the All-Star break.

Timberwolves 106, Pistons 80

The Pistons continued to play with no energy after their Boston loss. and lost another one to the Timberwolves. This time it was on their home floor.

Once again they were out of the game before the fourth quarter even began, falling down 28 points with Iverson and Hamilton going five for 22.

Pistons 110-Knicks 96

Still reeling from their back-to-back losses and two strenuous practice sessions, the Pistons took out their anger on the struggling New York Knicks. This was Richard Hamilton's first big game since the Iverson trade, and three of the Pistons starters were in double figures before halftime.

Pistons 107-Bucks 97

Allen Iverson led the team with 17, but it was the bench who were the stars of the game. They put up 63 points, with Amir Johnson and Jason Maxiell leading the way on the boards.

Trail Blazers 96, Pistons 85

The Piston's continued their Sunday loss streak, dropping another one to Portland. Once again, the second unit tried to turn the game around but found they couldn't get out of the hole the starters had dug for them.

After the game Coach Curry was not happy with his veterans: “As a coach, I should have to search to find where I’m going to find my energy. I coach the game, I can’t coach the energy.”

Pistons 89, Spurs 77

The Pistons headed out to San Antonio, and once again the energy that was lacking against less-talented teams was there against their old rivals. Detroit's physical play and aggressiveness lead them to the win, with Wallace leading the way with three triples in the fourth.

76ers 96, Pistons 91

Allen Iverson and the Pistons found themselves on the losing end against Iverson's former team, who were playing without star Elton Brand. Detroit played most of the game ahead but collapsed down the stretch and gave up in the final minute of the game and made some key mistakes, like Maxiell's late technical foul.

Curry's lack of a timeout at the end of the game was also rather questionable.

Knicks 104, Pistons 92

In the low point of the season, the Pistons were trampled by the Knicks in New York. The Knicks started out 10-0 and never looked back. Tayshaun Prince's 23 was the only highlight in a miserable game. The Pistons continued to struggle behind the arc.

Wizards 107, Pistons 94

The Pistons started out with lots of energy, and a 17-point lead that showcased the brilliance of their new lineup. Sadly, by the end of the first half they let Washington make a run to get within three.

The second half was all Washington, as the Pistons offensive struggles led to a let-down in their defense. McDyess made a strong return with nine points and six rebounds in twenty-six minutes.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: The Pistons' Long Week

Tracy Heck — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:10:00 -0500

Pistons 100, Kings 92

The Pistons began their four-game West Coast trip with a nice win in Sacramento. Once again, Rodney Stuckey was unavailable and the team started the game sluggishly. Allen Iverson stepped up and went to work, putting in 30 points and helping his team cruise to the win. Both Richard Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace continued their shooting slumps.

Pistons 107, Warriors 102

The team repeated their sluggish start at Golden State the next night. They were trailing by 12 midway through the third quarter but the Pistons closed the quarter strong leading by seven. Rasheed Wallace's late triples had a lot to do with the comeback and the subsequent win.

Kwame Brown started the game up front with Wallace instead of Amir Johnson. Later, Michael Curry said he sees that as the most viable option for the future in order to compete with the other large centers scattered throughout the league.

Pistons 106, Lakers 95

The Pistons' win over the undefeated Lakers was the first glimpse of what this new lineup may be capable of. Rasheed Wallace's superb coverage of Pau Gasol and the team's ability to limit Kobe Bryant's shots were behind the win. All five starters scored in double figures and Iverson looked as if he'd always been playing with them.

Suns 104, Pistons 86

Phoenix spoiled the Pistons' shot at sweeping their West Coast trip. Despite the fact that Shaquille O'Neal was ejected after a hard foul on the returning Rodney Stuckey, the Pistons were never able to gain control of the game. Amare Stoudemire scored 29 and Steve Nash kept hitting his infamous threes.

The only bright spot was that Richard Hamilton seemed to finally find his shot again and Kwame Brown turned in another solid outing as a starter putting up 10 points, three rebounds, and a blocked shot.

Pistons 96, Cavaliers 89

This was another hard fought win as the Pistons returned home from their West Coast trip. The Pistons were once again down at halftime but put up 58 points in the second half leading to the win over Cleveland. Iverson, in his first Palace win, scored 23 points with Rasheed Wallace right behind him with 21. The struggling Rodney Stuckey ended up having a nice game down the stretch along with Arron Afflalo.

Celtics 98, Pistons 80

The score on this one was actually closer than it should have been. Boston had control of the game the entire way through led by Rajon Rondo's 18 points. The chemistry that seemed to be building between Detroit's starting lineup was nowhere to be seen on Thursday night.

Boston clogged the lanes and forced the Pistons to take bad jump shots while offensively taking charge. Boston's bench managed to dominate Detroit's as well. It's still early in the season and Detroit is still trying to find it's identity but it appears that Boston may still be too much for them.

A Glimpse Of The Future: Pistons Give Lakers Their First Loss

Tracy Heck — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 08:25:21 -0500

The Detroit Pistons Friday night 106-95 win over the undefeated Los Angeles Lakers is the first true glimpse of what these Allen Iverson era Pistons may be capable of.

Over the last week, Detroit has been struggling to get into a rhythm with their new lineup. Their defense has been lackadaisical and their offense has been non-existent. Richard Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace have particularly struggled with the change of guard. However, none of these problems were apparent in last night's win.

The Pistons had control from the start of the game and were ahead by nine points at halftime. Chemistry was not a problem as Iverson appeared to have been playing in Detroit his entire career. Rasheed Wallace had the best game of his season with both he and Iverson finishing with 25 points. Wallace did a great job of containing L.A.'s Pau Gasol. Hamilton still struggled with his shooting but started to turn things around in the second half.

Laker's star Kobe Bryant finished with 29 points and made a valiant last ditch effort to keep his team in the winning column but it wasn't to be. The Lakers went into the game with the league's best offense but Detroit managed to hold them to just 44 points in the first half. The game was also the first time this season that L.A. had allowed a team to score 100 points.

The game was a start in the Pistons bid for a championship. As the season moves on, the chemistry between Iverson and his teammates will continue to get better. His consistent offense will be a nice addition to the Pistons playoff run who have a history of scoring droughts down the stretch.

Allen Iverson, Pistons Can't Pull Out First WIn Together Against Celtics

Tracy Heck — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:42:00 -0500

Allen Iverson's home debut against the Boston Celtics started out great.

Rip Hamilton included him in his usual pre-game warmup and the raucous Palace crowd welcomed him with open arms.

He quickly scored the night's first basket, amid loud cheers, as the Pistons quickly took an early lead. Both teams seemed to be over excited early on, as they played sloppily on both ends of the court.

But, in the second quarter Boston found their footing and never looked back. With Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace going 0-11 in the first half and Rodney Stuckey leaving the game after a dizzy spell, the Pistons had no chance of catching up.

Boston's Tony Allen shot the lights out and their entire bench was contributing throughout the game. Iverson had some flashes of brilliance but seemed hesistant to take over the game.

He tried for more assists than shots, something I think will come in time as he and his teammates get used to playing together. Hopefully the team will have a more solid identity next week when they play the Celtics in Boston.

As of today doctors were still checking Stuckey out and he was not on the plane to Sacramento this morning. For the moment, he is listed as day to day.

Antonio Mcdyess was officially released from Denver today. Rumor has it that Boston is now looking at acquiring him so I guess he has a choice to make.

Chemistry Lesson In the D: Allen Iverson Joins the Detroit Pistons

Tracy Heck — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:29:23 -0500

Hard work, strength, aggression, defense, overlooked, and consistency; these are terms often used to describe the Detroit Pistons. Since the early 80's Bad Boys, they've had a reputation of being a team of misfit underdogs who use their size and defensive strategy to take them to the top of the NBA ladder.

This was certainly true in 2004 when Ben Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Rasheed Wallace brought home an unexpected NBA Championship, beating the heavily favored L.A. Lakers. Over the last four years, the Pistons have continued to play at the top of the league, but have fell short of recapturing the championship.

Last week, GM Joe Dumars shocked the league when he traded Billups and Antonio McDyess to Denver for Allen Iverson. Now, the question is whether or not Iverson can help the Pistons once again get a ring and whether he can adjust to Coach Michael Curry's system. In my opinion, this will not be a problem because Iverson embodies all of the qualities associated with being a basketball player in the D. In the words of Hamilton, "He has the heart of a lion, and he plays every game like it's his last."

Both Wallaces', Billups, and Hamilton had played for a number of teams before Dumars brought them to Detroit and had had moderate success. Rasheed Wallace was known throughout the league as being a troublemaker and the others were looked at as being insignificant, expecting the team to implode.

Shockingly, Coach Larry Brown was able to deal with Rasheed's attitude and his starting five turned out to have an amazing chemistry together that helped them make their championship run. Years later, the team is in the exact same situation. Iverson's reputation has followed him everywhere despite the fact that most of the issues that he has had were during his early years in the league. He has proven again and again that he is willing to work hard and has moved from selfish basketball play to being a team player determined to win.

His scoring stats speak for themselves (he has the league's third highest scoring average behind Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain) and he has been a Rookie of the Year, league MVP, an Olympian, and an eight time All-Star. The only thing he hasn't done yet is win a NBA Championship. Now, he may finally have his chance.

New Coach Michael Curry's strategy this season has been simple: Aggression and accountability on both ends of the court. He wants his whole team to get playing time and work towards their singular goal of winning another ring. Iverson should have no trouble with this. He is not as strong defensively as the other players on his time, but in time he will adjust and get better.

When he is on the court, he is focused and he always plays his heart out. His take—no—prisoners attitude meshes well with the Pistons' "going to work" concept. In Detroit, it is all about what you can do for the team and not about personal scoring stats.

When Iverson came into the league, he had issues with this concept but as he has matured, it has become more about winning than personal recognition. He has learned that in order to win it is all about sacrifice. It will surely take a little bit of time before his chemistry with his new teammates will develop, but I think in the end it will be the best thing that could have happened to the team. Hamilton modelled much of his game after Iverson and I can't wait to see them running the floor together. According to Iverson, "I know the sky's the limit for us."