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Detroit Pistons News

Palace's halftime shows are here to stay; more ideas on Pistons' horizon
February 3
Detroit Free Press
 
"The appearance of '90s flash-in-the-pan Vanilla Ice at halftime of tonight's Pistons-Bucks game at the Palace has been the subject of more than a few jokes on Twitter. The common theme is the Pistons are so desperate to reverse dead-last attendance figures that they will try anything -- even calling on Vanilla Ice, whose "Ice Ice Baby" hit song is one few will admit to liking despite topping the Billboard charts in its day. But new Pistons and Palace Sports & Entertainment president Dennis Mannion is quick to say that this is just a part of rethinking the complete game-day experience. He says Vanilla Ice (and others like Morris Day, Rose Royce and T-Pain) would be appearing even if the"
Pistons guard Brandon Knight hasn't hit rookie wall
February 3
Detroit News
 
"Pistons coach Lawrence Frank has emphasized mental toughness — not physical — during tough stretches of the schedule. Rookie Brandon Knight appeared to be a prime example. And although he insisted he didn't hit any rookie wall, Knight's lack of aggressiveness in recent games said otherwise. "My legs always feel good to me," Knight said, in the attempt to shrug off any notion of fatigue. "That's just a mental thing, but your legs might be telling you something different. I try to get rest and treatment.""
Jason Maxiell starts for Pistons as coach seeks slump solutions
February 2
Detroit Free Press
 
"The insertion of Jason Maxiell into the Pistons' starting lineup at power forward Wednesday night wasn't a major surprise. When coach Lawrence Frank hinted he would look over his starters following Tuesday night's 27-point loss to the Knicks, a basketball novice could look at the lineup and tell Ben Wallace probably would lose his spot -- largely because of the team's struggles on offense and slow starts at the beginning of halves. But Frank, who announced the move before Wednesday's game against the Nets, was almost apologetic in his comments and went out of his way to say he wasn't pointing the finger at Wallace, a 16-year veteran likely in his final season. Frank said he was just"
Pistons' losing streak reaches seven with loss to Nets
February 2
Detroit News
 
"Pistons coach Lawrence Frank asked rhetorically what kind of team he had after their blowout loss to the Knicks on Tuesday. Wednesday's 99-96 loss to the New Jersey Nets at the Izod Center probably didn't provide much clarity, but the fact is undeniable: The Pistons (4-20) are a team that has one win for every five losses. Pistons rookie Brandon Knight had a chance to send the game into overtime, but his contested three-point attempt at the buzzer hit the back rim, sealing the Pistons' seventh straight loss and continuing their inevitable march to the draft lottery."
Nets stave off Pistons despite a small bench
February 2
New York Post
 
"With a roster ravaged by injury and illness, the Nets walked from the locker room before tipoff last night. Shelden Williams, for one, stared at those in uniform. "When we stepped on the court for the first time, we looked around and said, 'Is this all?' " Williams said incredulously. Yup, eight. But who's counting. "The 'Great Eight,' " coach Avery Johnson said. With just eight available players, the Nets (8-15) found oxygen, sports drinks and whatever or whoever worked whenever as their chief allies in holding off the struggling but determined Pistons, 99-96, at the Prudential Center."
Pistons coach Lawrence Frank surprised at poor start, bad stats
February 1
Detroit Free Press
 
"If coach Lawrence Frank ever leads the Pistons back to respectability, folks might look back on the growing pains of his first season and laugh. Frank famously warned a few weeks ago that "everybody wants the baby; you have to go through the pregnancy. These are going to be labor pains." But no one -- including Frank -- was expecting this much pain. Frank admitted as much before tip-off Tuesday night in New York."
Pistons lose sixth straight by largest margin this season
February 1
Detroit News
 
"The Knicks and Pistons came into Tuesday's game with the same record in their last nine games: 1-8 However, it didn't take long to figure out which team would get well, as the Knicks welcomed back Carmelo Anthony with an easy 113-86 win over the Pistons at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks gave the Pistons a 23-point spanking at the Palace on Jan. 7 and Tuesday didn't look much different in the middle game of a three games in three nights. In a season full of them, this ranks among the Pistons' (4-19) worst losses of the season. The 113 points was the most they've given up all season, along with the point differential (27 points)."
Tayshaun Prince refuses to make excuses after Pistons' latest loss
February 1
Detroit News
 
"In the middle of their toughest road stretch to date, Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince wasn't about to use that — or any other factor as a crutch after another blowout loss. After the Pistons' third straight 20-point beating, this time to a Knicks team that was struggling just as bad as the Pistons — and enduring the infamous New York rumor mill, someone suggested to Prince the lack of practice being a chief reason for their recent issues. "We can say that all we want, but all the other teams are going through the same situation," Prince said. "Practice time has been a problem and, with being a young team we have to get better at it and practice is how you get it done. "We have to find a"
Pistons rookie Brandon Knight learns lesson
February 1
Detroit News
 
"Rookies getting torched happens, but it occurs to point guards with more frequency. So it wasn't surprising to see Pistons rookie Brandon Knight go through the gamut Monday against the Bucks Brandon Jennings, one of the league's hottest point men. Jennings dominated Knight, scoring 21 as Knight went scoreless for the first time in his career in a 103-82 loss to the Bucks. In a way, it seems like a rite of passage for point guards to have an older player light them up. "Heck, I've seen a Hall of Fame point guard go through it," said Pistons coach Lawrence Frank, referring to Jason Kidd. "If you're struggling and the other guy has it going, it happens.""
Knicks get visit from awful Detroit Pistons at perfect time, run away with 113-86 laugher
February 1
New York Daily News
 
"Carmelo Anthony had a bounce in his step and more confidence in his jumper. Apparently a little rest, not to mention the arrival of the Detroit Pistons, can do wonders for the Knicks and their best player. "My legs felt great out there tonight," Anthony said. "I felt refreshed, just taking off these five, six days that I did, it really helped me out big time. I could feel me having my explosiveness back. Anthony, who missed the last two games, scored 25 points in his return as the Knicks crushed the dreadful Pistons, 113-86, at the Garden. It was as if Melo and his teammates suddenly discovered the secret cure for their bumps, bruises and losing streak."
Melo's return sparks Knicks
February 1
New York Post
 
"This is exactly what Knicks owner James Dolan envisioned when he traded for Carmelo Anthony — greatness. This is what Dolan envisioned when he held Landry Fields out of that deal — a dynamic teammate for Anthony. Desperate for a victory, a healthier Anthony returned from a two-game absence and breathed life into a dying season as the Knicks clobbered the woeful Pistons from start to finish in a blissful 113-86 victory at the Garden. Anthony, in his most efficient, selfless performance of the season, scored 25 points, made 9 of 14 buckets, was 2 of 3 from the 3-point line, made all five of his free throws and dished out six assists."
Short-handed Bucks roll past Pistons
January 31
Detroit News
 
"It was a different Milwaukee Bucks team than the one the Pistons took on three weeks ago, but the result was much more painful. Even without Stephen Jackson and Andrew Bogut, the Bucks handled the Pistons easily, 103-82, Monday at the Bradley Center, for the Pistons' fifth straight loss and second straight beating of 20-plus points. Brandon Jennings gave Detroit the business on Jan. 12 and Monday was no different, as the Bucks' uptempo offense led to quick shots, easy opportunities and a confused Pistons defense starting its first of three games in three nights. Jennings restored order in the third quarter after the Pistons (4-18) cut an 18-point deficit to six at the half. He scored 11 in"
Pistons hit busy stretch of schedule
January 31
Detroit News
 
"Monday started the first three-games-in-three-nights stretch for the Pistons, but nobody was really worried about the physical toll it could take. Veteran center Ben Wallace won't play a lot of minutes under any circumstance, so his situation doesn't change much. "As a player, you don't ever try to pace yourself," Wallace said before the Pistons played the Bucks at the Bradley Center. "It's on the coaches to manage the minutes but every time you step on the floor, you have to go as hard as you can go.""
Pistons young players getting plenty of court time
January 30
Detroit Free Press
 
"There is a perception that the Pistons are playing veterans at the expense of playing time for the young guys. That perception is false. Take the four players considered part of the Pistons' youth corps: third-year forwards Jonas Jerebko and Austin Daye, second-year center Greg Monroe and rookie point guard Brandon Knight. Jerebko is averaging 27 minutes points per game and Daye 15.2. Daye has averaged 28 minutes the last three games as he is showing signs of breaking out of his season-long shooting slump."
Pistons' Greg Monroe showing maturity
January 30
Detroit News
 
"Pistons center Greg Monroe stood in front of his locker after a blowout loss to Oklahoma City last week and did something that hasn't been seen in recent memory. It's a concept so rare, so foreign you wonder where it's been. He blamed himself. He missed easy shots early on, which triggered the Thunder's dangerous fast break and was a small factor in the Pistons' 20-point loss. "I take a lot of the blame," Monroe said. "I missed a lot of easy buckets around the rim. Myself and the team, we have to come out with a little more fire early.""
Lowly Pistons can't copycat Tigers' move
January 29
Detroit Free Press
 columnist Drew Sharp
"The Pistons aren't getting their Prince Fielder. They signed a Prince to a free-agent contract recently, but bringing back Tayshaun didn't exactly inspire celebratory news conferences. There is no 27-year-old NBA All-Star free-agent cornerstone who will consider Detroit, regardless if the salary cap didn't exist and new owner Tom Gores could blow away somebody with a nine-year contract. The Tigers paying a king's ransom for their Prince -- making him the third-most expensive player in baseball history behind Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols -- only magnifies the long-range problems facing the Pistons. They have no choice but to draft their next star."
Pistons' late-game letdowns serve as hard lessons
January 29
Detroit Free Press
 
"Brandon Knight was standing in front of his locker Wednesday night and patiently answering questions when someone finally asked him about the two key free throws he missed in the Pistons' 101-98 loss to the Miami Heat. The 20-year-old rookie point guard made a salient point about how the team really hasn't been in many late-game situations this season, and playing winning basketball at crunch time is something that has to be learned as well. "We really haven't been in that situation a whole lot this year as a team or as a unit," Knight said. "I think it will help us the next time we're in that situation.""
Notebook: Fired-up Jason Maxiell likes coming off Pistons bench
January 29
Detroit News
 
"Pistons forward Jason Maxiell doesn't know if he's on his way to the starting lineup, but he likes playing exactly where he is just fine. "I like coming off the bench, that's my role," Maxiell said. "I like surveying things and giving the team what we need." Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said he hasn't talked to Maxiell about starting yet, which is his policy before announcing anything to the media. However, Maxiell is more offensive-minded than Ben Wallace, who starts alongside Greg Monroe — and Monroe has struggled early in games. Maxiell has provided some unexpected offense in recent games — when he holds onto the basketball. "I think he's been very, very good, Max been what we"
Pistons get their bell rung by 76ers
January 29
Detroit News
 
"The Philadelphia 76ers gave the Pistons their worst beating to date earlier this season, only to see the Chicago Bulls top their effort three days later. Well, the 76ers couldn't snatch the baton right back but dominated the Pistons from the start Saturday, winning 95-74 at Wells Fargo Center. In their two meetings this year, the 76ers have beaten the Pistons by a total of 44 points. After two inspiring home performances against Atlanta and Miami, the Pistons didn't have anywhere near that kind of look in their fourth straight loss and eighth of nine."
Ben Gordon: Shoulder is getting better
January 28
Detroit Free Press
 
"No Tayshaun Prince, no Ben Gordon, no Will Bynum and no Charlie Villanueva. The shorthanded Pistons continue to lose without a full complement of players. "In this league, no one cares who you don't have, so you just focus on the players you do have," coach Lawrence Frank said. Prince was attending to a family matter and didn't play Friday against Atlanta. Villanueva is still out with a slow-healing sore right ankle, and Bynum is still out with a strained right foot. In somewhat good news, Gordon said during Friday morning's shoot-around that his shoulder is getting better, although there's no timetable for his return. "I'm actually feeling pretty good," Gordon said. "Every day it feels a"
Pistons allow victory to slip away in fourth
January 28
Detroit Free Press
 
"The Pistons "kicked" one away according to coach Lawrence Frank after the team's 107-101 overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night at the Palace. Ahead by three, the Pistons (4-16) allowed Joe Johnson a three-pointer without fouling with 1.9 seconds left. In overtime, the Hawks dominated the Pistons, 20-14, scoring the first three baskets. Johnson scored 28 of his 30 points in the second half and overtime. "Yes (we wanted to foul), but it goes back to this," said Frank. "We hit the bucket with 39 seconds to go to go up six (87-81), and they're walking the ball up the court, and we don't get matched up, and we give Marvin Williams (22 points) the three; now six becomes three. "We"
Breakout game could be dawn of a new Daye for Pistons swingman
January 27
Detroit Free Press
 
"On the morning after arguably the best performance of his three-year career, Austin Daye showed up at the Pistons' practice facility early to work more on his game. It was good timing -- considering his personal trainer, Joe Abunassar, based in Las Vegas, was still in town. Daye was working to prove his 28-point explosion against the Miami Heat in a 101-98 loss at the Palace on Wednesday night wasn't a fluke."
Pistons coach says losing stinks, but fun starts again after midnight
January 27
Detroit News
 
"The only sounds on Roundball One were the roaring engines. Lawrence Frank still was upset the Pistons folded against the Timberwolves on the road. He was in one of those moods. He didn't want to talk to anyone. And he didn't want to hear anyone. But by the time the clock struck midnight last week, laptops were open, and coaches started talking about what went wrong and how to improve against the next opponent."
This time LeBron James finishes, as Heat hold off Pistons
January 26
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 
"This time LeBron James was finishing. On the court. At the foul line. Whatever it took. And this time, Erik Spoelstra, who has taken such pride this lockout-compacted season in measuring the minutes of his star forward, wasn't about to get in the way. So with Dwyane Wade sidelined yet again, and with the too-young-to-know-any-better Detroit Pistons mounting an unexpected challenge, Spoelstra stepped back."
Yeah, Pistons lost, but it felt different
January 26
Detroit Free Press
 columnist Michael Rosenberg
"Forget the final score. You have to do that a lot this season, anyway. (I think that is actually the Pistons' slogan: Forget The Final Score!) This was a night for a little hope for the fans, some belief for the players, sunlight in the winter. The Miami Heat came to town, and the Pistons were supposed to roll over and play like the Pistons. Instead, they ... well, they lost, 101-98. But it was an encouraging loss in so many ways Wednesday."
Brandon Knight shrugs off key misses
January 26
Detroit News
 
"The Pistons have endured their share of losses so far this season, but rarely in a tight situation. That's why it was not shocking to see rookie Brandon Knight miss two crucial free throws down the stretch of a close game. Late free throws against the reigning Eastern Conference champions, no less. Knight, an 81 percent free-throw shooter, had the chance to give the Pistons a five-point lead with 1:25 left. The nearly-full Palace crowd was rocking and Knight had a chance to really put some pressure on the Heat."
Pistons stumble late, despite Austin Daye's effort
January 26
Detroit News
 
"Conventional wisdom says a lot of things, but this isn't an ordinary NBA season. The Pistons, led by "The Kids," nearly upset the Miami Heat Wednesday but came up short, 101-98 at The Palace. Austin Daye scored a career-high 28 points, but traveled while attempting a game-tying 3-pointer with 0.08 left on the clock. LeBron James led the Heat (13-5) with 32 points, making the last six free throws to give them the lead. With Tayshaun Prince out (family matter), in addition to being without Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva and Will Bynum, the Pistons (4-15) gave their most inspired effort of the season, arguably after their worst in Oklahoma City."
Even without Dwyane Wade, Heat presents tough challenge for Pistons
January 25
Detroit Free Press
 
"There's never a good time to face the Miami Heat, but at least the Pistons get the favorites to win the Eastern Conference without one of the Big Three. All-Star guard Dwyane Wade missed his fifth straight game Tuesday night and isn't expected to play tonight at the Palace. Wade has an ankle injury, and there would appear to be no reason the Heat would risk further injury against a team that has trouble scoring 85 points."
Heat about to turn up in Palace
January 25
Detroit News
 
"No, Miami isn't the running circus it appeared to be last season. But you'd be hard pressed to find many people who'll bet against the Heat returning to the NBA Finals this season. And, Miami is the last group a struggling team wants to see on the court. Enter the Pistons, coming off what coach Lawrence Frank termed an "embarrassing" loss to the Thunder on Monday. Miami strolls into Auburn Hills at 12-5, and is the only team in the East averaging more than 100 points, headlined by the Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh."
Thunder roar as Pistons sputter
January 25
Detroit News
 
"The Oklahoma City Thunder are primed for a title run this June. The Pistons look well on their way to a spot at the draft lottery. Thus, Monday's result was predictable. The Thunder didn't leave any doubt and the Pistons didn't put up much of a fight with their 99-79 loss at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Guard Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 24 points, six assists and five rebounds. The Thunder once were where the Pistons are, when they started 3-29 in head coach Scott Brooks' first season (2008-09) but the next season made the playoffs. Now they own the league's best record (14-3)."
Guarded optimism for Pistons guards Brandon Knight and Rodney Stuckey
January 24
Detroit Free Press
 
"It's fairly well known how NBA teams are going to attack offensively. The point guard runs a lot of high pick-and-rolls with the big men. Two-guards come off baseline screens with small forwards doing a little post-up and running off screens as well. So there's a premium on having players who can attack in transition, come off screens, play pick-and-roll and beat defenders off the dribble. That's part of the benefits of having a starting backcourt of Rodney Stuckey and Brandon Knight."
Thunder roar as Pistons sputter
January 24
Detroit News
 
"The Oklahoma City Thunder are primed for a title run this June. The Pistons look well on their way to a spot at the draft lottery. Thus, Monday's result was predictable. The Thunder didn't leave any doubt and the Pistons didn't put up much of a fight with their 99-79 loss at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Guard Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 24 points, six assists and five rebounds. The Thunder once were where the Pistons are, when they started 3-29 in head coach Scott Brooks' first season (2008-09) but the next season made the playoffs. Now they own the league's best record (14-3)."
Rodney Stuckey makes progress before injury
January 24
Detroit News
 
"Every NBA player's body is on a specific clock, which explains the inconsistent play around the league in the lockout-shortened season. As for Rodney Stuckey, though, Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said he's seeing signs the guard is trending toward getting his body where it should be. Frank was encouraged after Stuckey's 28 points, five assists and four rebounds in the victory over Portland last weekend. But let Stuckey tell it, and he doesn't quite feel that way. "I'm not in shape at all, nowhere near it," he said, half-jokingly. "I just have to go out there and play instead of thinking.""
Pistons put up little fight against Thunder
January 24
Detroit News
 
"The Oklahoma City Thunder are primed for a title run this June. The Pistons look well on their way to a spot at the draft lottery and thus, Monday's result was predictable. The Thunder didn't leave any doubt and the Pistons didn't put up much of a fight with their 99-79 loss at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Guard Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 24 points, six assists and five rebounds. The Thunder were once where the Pistons are, when they started 3-29 in head coach Scott Brooks' first season (2008-09) but the next season made the playoffs. Now they own the league's best record (14-3)."
Pistons coach Lawrence Frank weighs Ben Wallace/Jonas Jerebko option vs. Thunder
January 23
Detroit Free Press
 
"Pistons coach Lawrence Frank might have an interesting decision for tonight's road game against Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Does Frank continue to start defensive stalwart Ben Wallace, or does he opt for more firepower by starting Jonas Jerebko? In Saturday night's 94-91 win over Portland, Wallace started his fourth game in five days. It paid off, as Wallace limited the damage by the Trail Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge, who entered the game seventh in NBA scoring and put up 25 points."
Tough stretch follows Pistons' victory
January 23
Detroit News
 
"In case you missed it, the Pistons won a game Saturday night, 94-91, over the Portland Trail Blazers. But don't get too excited. Detroit (4-13) plays four consecutive games against teams with winning records, including tonight's game in Oklahoma City (13-3). The Thunder have the best record in the Western Conference and are 6-1 at home. The Pistons follow that up with home games Wednesday against the Heat (11-4) and Hawks (12-5) on Friday. On Saturday, they end the gantlet at Philadelphia (11-5). So this win over the Trail Blazers does not mean the team is turning things around. Even in winning the Pistons showed some old flaws that might come back to haunt them this week. The most"
Pistons' Greg Monroe trying to cut down on fouls
January 22
Detroit Free Press
 
"Even though the production has dropped a bit for Pistons center Greg Monroe, coach Lawrence Frank isn't worried. Monroe, who leads the Pistons in scoring and rebounding, went from a bit of an offensive tear to suddenly quieter performances. He went from averaging 25.3 points against Milwaukee, Charlotte and Golden State to averaging 9.25 points against Houston, Minnesota, Memphis and Portland. Monroe also has gotten into early foul trouble lately, and Frank said better positioning could help negate that. In Saturday's 94-91 over the Trail Blazers at the Palace, Monroe had 10 points, eight rebounds and four fouls, the fourth coming late in the game."
Notebook: Pistons practice, focus on building togetherness
January 22
Detroit News
 
"The Pistons shut The Palace down for a bit to hold a rare pregame practice. They've only had two full practices the past two weeks and coach Lawrence Frank wanted to get some work in. But the other reason for the practice was to allow the team to bond more. "We try to get as much court time as possible," assistant coach Dee Brown said. "We try to text each other and talk to each other as much as possible because it builds a brotherhood. You've got to build a brotherhood in Detroit and try to be around each other. You can text and Skype but we got to touch each other and be around each other and try to grow our game." The Pistons (4-13) needed every bit of bonding while holding off the"
Rodney Stuckey catches fire, helps Pistons end losing streak
January 22
Detroit News
 
"Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey played with fresh legs and a fresh spirit Saturday night. He was everything the Pistons wanted him to be when they drafted him out of tiny Eastern Washington University. He made clutch plays down the stretch. He hit four crucial free throws and although he was anything but perfect, Stuckey was exactly what the Pistons needed during a game that teetered for much of the final four minutes. The Pistons beat the Trail Blazers, 94-91, ending a four-game losing streak during which the Pistons were only competitive in one game. Stuckey returned after missing four of the last 10 games with a sore groin. And in the games he played in this season — outside of a burst"
At last, Walker D Russell Jr.'s big break arrives with Pistons
January 21
Detroit Free Press
 
""Welcome back, my dude," Charlie Villanueva said as he playfully punched Walker Russell Jr. in the shoulder Friday night in the Pistons' locker room. Russell Jr. might have been in the mood to punch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Just 24 hours earlier he was in Sioux Falls, S.D., with the Ft. Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Developmental League when he got a call from the team general manager that the Pistons needed him in Detroit the next night for the game against the Grizzlies. So after playing in foreign countries and bumping around the D-League, Walker finally realized his NBA dream at age 29. Making the night even more exciting was he was playing for the Pistons, a team he"
Grizzlies thwart Pistons' rally in fourth quarter
January 21
Detroit Free Press
 
"The Pistons played a first half Friday night that made you go looking through the records for marks of offensive futility. The second half featured a glimpse at what Pistons fans hope will eventually be a bright future. But the end result was the same -- another double-digit loss. The tormentor on this night? The Memphis Grizzlies (minus former Michigan State star Zach Randolph, who was out with a torn MCL) who held the Pistons to 30 points in the first half on their way to a 98-81 victory. With a sore groin sidelining Rodney Stuckey, the Pistons (3-13) had 25 turnovers. "Memphis is very good at doing what they do," Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said. "They overplay passing lanes; they"
Pistons run in third quarter, otherwise fizzle in loss to Grizzlies
January 21
Detroit News
 
"If Pistons coach Lawrence Frank could bottle up the third quarter for his team and duplicate it, they'd probably win a lot more games. It doesn't work like that, though, and the Memphis Grizzlies built enough of an early cushion to take care of the Pistons, 98-81, Friday at The Palace. It was the Pistons' fourth straight loss. Brandon Knight (22 points, four assists) did his best to rally the Pistons, but it wasn't nearly enough to bring the Pistons back from what was a 23-point third-quarter deficit. The Pistons put up maybe their worst performance of the season in the opening half, mustering only 30 points and trailing by 19. Against one of the league's best defenses, their turnovers"
Joe Dumars: Rebuilding Pistons' 'talent base' takes time
January 20
Detroit Free Press
 
"As his team sits at 3-12 going into this weekend's two-game home stand, Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars gave two recent lengthy interviews to discuss the state of the franchise. His comments reveal that the Pistons are focused on the long-term and are not interested in doing anything this season just to get a few more victories. Dumars told Keith Langlois of Pistons.com: "What you can't do is allow any part of the season to force you to start thinking small. You always have to look at the big picture -- where you're going as a team, where you want to go as a team and how you're going to get there."
Pistons' Austin Daye struggling with ankle, and his game
January 20
Detroit News
 
"Pistons president Joe Dumars walked out of Houston's Toyota Center next to dejected forward Austin Daye. The veteran NBA player and front office executive told Daye to be ready. His time to play is coming. "But when that time comes, you'd better be ready," Dumars said during a recent interview. These are not good days for Daye. He sits on the bench way too often with hecklers calling his name and degrading his game. "Hey, Austin! You stink!" one boo bird yelled during a recent home game."
Minnesota 93, Detroit 85: Pistons' 16-point lead fades away in second half
January 19
Detroit Free Press
 
"It was a curious night at the Target Center on Wednesday night. Somehow, the low-scoring Pistons ran to a 16-point lead over the Timberwolves with only 3:55 left in the first half. And somehow they did it with limited contributions from their best player, Greg Monroe, who was saddled with foul trouble. But the curious part was that the big lead actually was a negative for the Pistons: The Timberwolves were playing so badly that the Pistons should have been leading by more."
Scoring is down, but Pistons' leaders slowly improving
January 19
Detroit Free Press
 
"The Pistons' offense has been beyond futile. Entering Wednesday night's game against the Timberwolves, the Pistons were averaging a league-low 85 points per game. Minnesota beat the Pistons (3-12), 93-85. The Pistons have not scored 100 points yet. It's the longest the franchise has gone without hitting the century mark -- at least in the shot-clock era."
Pistons run out of gas in fourth quarter, fall to Timberwolves
January 19
Detroit News
 
"The Pistons have shown an inability to play from behind on the road so far this season. Playing with a lead doesn't look much better. The Pistons (3-12) fell apart down the stretch against the Timberwolves, losing a winnable game, 93-85, on Wednesday night at Target Center. The Pistons entered the fourth quarter with a seven-point lead and were outscored, 29-14. They once led by 16 in the first half. Tayshaun Prince was in a groove, making up for Greg Monroe's foul trouble, finishing with a season-high 29 points. But he only had four in the fourth when the Timberwolves made their run. Monroe had 13 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out."
Austin Daye takes Ben Wallace's advice
January 19
Detroit News
 
"Pistons center Ben Wallace would never describe himself as the warm and fuzzy type. So when he decided it was time to get Austin Daye's attention, it didn't matter when or where that talk would occur — even if it was in the shower after the Pistons' home loss to Golden State on Sunday. In no uncertain terms, Wallace, 37, told Daye, 23, what he expected the next time Daye got an opportunity to play. "He's not doing what we know he can do," Wallace said of Daye's extended shooting slump. "He's one of the best shooters we have. He needs to get his head out of his (butt) and shoot the ball.""
After 48 hours of smacking Wizards and Pistons around, Rockets could get used to playing NBA's Least
January 18
Houston Chronicle
 
"For all the times in April, it was impossible for the Rockets not to look over at the Eastern Conference standings and think of how different life would be if they were still in the NBA's lesser half, that feeling came early this season. The big advantage, of course, would be that all those winning teams that failed to make the playoffs – the Rockets have done it an NBA record five teams – would have advanced. The Rockets would not have had to even sneak in considering some of the teams that get in the postseason in the East these days. After consecutive days against the Wizards and Pistons, the real loss might be only getting to play them a couple times each season. The shame of Tuesday's"