"Tayshaun Prince is trying, but the frustration is all over his face.

After being told of Pistons coach Lawrence Frank's comments that the growing process might be painful, he made it clear struggling in this manner was not what he expected.

"Of course that's not how I envisioned it coming in, for it to be painful," Prince said after the Mavericks dropped the Pistons, 100-86, at The Palace on Tuesday. "I expected to see progress."

Prince was battling a knee injury the first few games, but said it's no longer a factor and hasn't been since the first Pistons-Bulls meeting."