boutons
02-18-2005, 08:02 AM
February 18, 2005
Pistons Hitting Stride at All - Star Break
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 7:40 a.m. ET
DETROIT (AP) -- The Detroit Pistons are suddenly playing like defending NBA champions -- it just took almost half the season.
After sputtering early, Detroit has won nine of 10 games -- the last four by at least 20 points -- with tough defense and unselfish play on offense.
``We've played about as well as we can possibly play,'' Pistons coach Larry Brown said.
The Pistons (32-19) head into the All-Star break leading the Central Division, with Cleveland close behind, and they're a half-game ahead of their pace from a year ago.
``I love the way we're playing right now,'' Joe Dumars, president of basketball operations, said in an interview with The Associated Press. ``I would really like to see us sustain this type of play.''
The Pistons seemed to lack motivation against lowly opponents and were slowed by injuries at the start of the season. Then, they were distracted by the melee at The Palace in November and Brown's delayed response to rumors he would leave in the offseason to coach the New York Knicks.
Detroit routinely was playing from behind in the second half of games against teams wanting to measure themselves against the champions.
Ben Wallace -- the team's lone All-Star for the third straight year -- had an emergency appendectomy in August, and free-agent acquisition Antonio McDyess wasn't 100 percent healthy early on. Brown also was out during an early stretch after undergoing hip surgery.
Wallace was suspended for six games for his role in the brawl on Nov. 19, and the team struggled without him -- especially because it incessantly was asked about a topic it didn't want to discuss.
The Pistons fell to .500 on Dec. 22 with losses against teams such as the expansion Charlotte Bobcats and Atlanta, which has the NBA's worst record.
``Early in the season, we were playing down to the level of our opponents, but we've gotten a lot better about that,'' Chauncey Billups said. ``The way we are playing now, it doesn't matter who we are playing.''
Since raising eyebrows with a 12-12 record, the Pistons have won 20 of 27 games.
Just when things seemed to settle down -- during their recent roll -- Brown's name was linked to his hometown team, the Knicks, and he was slow to end the conversation.
Brown since has insisted Detroit will be his last professional stop, and the focus is back on the court -- where the Pistons are not just winning, they're routing teams.
Detroit won its last four games by an average of 22.3 points, and its previous five victories were by an average of 16.6 points.
``They are playing like champs again,'' said Milwaukee coach Terry Porter, who faced Detroit in the first round of last season's playoffs. ``The guards are playing well, and that defense can cause a lot of problems for everyone. Ben's doing his thing, and Rasheed (Wallace) is really playing well.''
Though the Pistons didn't get off to a blazing start, they weren't concerned because they returned their starting five from last year, and some sound moves were made in the offseason for their short- and long-term future.
They replaced Mehmet Okur with McDyess for much less money, and the former All-Star and Olympian has averaged 9.9 points and 6.4 rebounds in 48 games, the most he's played in four years.
Corliss Williamson was traded to Philadelphia to clear salary-cap space to help Detroit re-sign Ben Wallace and Tayshaun Prince. Rookie Carlos Delfino was expected to pick up some of the playing time Williamson left behind, but he's been limited by an injured knee. Delfino hopes to start practicing again next week.
Detroit didn't bring back reserve guard Mike James, but later replaced him by acquiring Carlos Arroyo from Utah for Elden Campbell.
``They look like they are almost where we were last year in the playoffs,'' James said. ``And don't forget, they are the champs until someone beats them.''
Pistons Hitting Stride at All - Star Break
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 7:40 a.m. ET
DETROIT (AP) -- The Detroit Pistons are suddenly playing like defending NBA champions -- it just took almost half the season.
After sputtering early, Detroit has won nine of 10 games -- the last four by at least 20 points -- with tough defense and unselfish play on offense.
``We've played about as well as we can possibly play,'' Pistons coach Larry Brown said.
The Pistons (32-19) head into the All-Star break leading the Central Division, with Cleveland close behind, and they're a half-game ahead of their pace from a year ago.
``I love the way we're playing right now,'' Joe Dumars, president of basketball operations, said in an interview with The Associated Press. ``I would really like to see us sustain this type of play.''
The Pistons seemed to lack motivation against lowly opponents and were slowed by injuries at the start of the season. Then, they were distracted by the melee at The Palace in November and Brown's delayed response to rumors he would leave in the offseason to coach the New York Knicks.
Detroit routinely was playing from behind in the second half of games against teams wanting to measure themselves against the champions.
Ben Wallace -- the team's lone All-Star for the third straight year -- had an emergency appendectomy in August, and free-agent acquisition Antonio McDyess wasn't 100 percent healthy early on. Brown also was out during an early stretch after undergoing hip surgery.
Wallace was suspended for six games for his role in the brawl on Nov. 19, and the team struggled without him -- especially because it incessantly was asked about a topic it didn't want to discuss.
The Pistons fell to .500 on Dec. 22 with losses against teams such as the expansion Charlotte Bobcats and Atlanta, which has the NBA's worst record.
``Early in the season, we were playing down to the level of our opponents, but we've gotten a lot better about that,'' Chauncey Billups said. ``The way we are playing now, it doesn't matter who we are playing.''
Since raising eyebrows with a 12-12 record, the Pistons have won 20 of 27 games.
Just when things seemed to settle down -- during their recent roll -- Brown's name was linked to his hometown team, the Knicks, and he was slow to end the conversation.
Brown since has insisted Detroit will be his last professional stop, and the focus is back on the court -- where the Pistons are not just winning, they're routing teams.
Detroit won its last four games by an average of 22.3 points, and its previous five victories were by an average of 16.6 points.
``They are playing like champs again,'' said Milwaukee coach Terry Porter, who faced Detroit in the first round of last season's playoffs. ``The guards are playing well, and that defense can cause a lot of problems for everyone. Ben's doing his thing, and Rasheed (Wallace) is really playing well.''
Though the Pistons didn't get off to a blazing start, they weren't concerned because they returned their starting five from last year, and some sound moves were made in the offseason for their short- and long-term future.
They replaced Mehmet Okur with McDyess for much less money, and the former All-Star and Olympian has averaged 9.9 points and 6.4 rebounds in 48 games, the most he's played in four years.
Corliss Williamson was traded to Philadelphia to clear salary-cap space to help Detroit re-sign Ben Wallace and Tayshaun Prince. Rookie Carlos Delfino was expected to pick up some of the playing time Williamson left behind, but he's been limited by an injured knee. Delfino hopes to start practicing again next week.
Detroit didn't bring back reserve guard Mike James, but later replaced him by acquiring Carlos Arroyo from Utah for Elden Campbell.
``They look like they are almost where we were last year in the playoffs,'' James said. ``And don't forget, they are the champs until someone beats them.''