This nag doesn't look so good when the lights are
bright
Opponent File
Detroit
Pistons
The Pistons play in the The Palace at
Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, MI Their 2002 - 2003 record was 50- 32 (first
in the Central). Here's what Joe had to say about Detroit
in his Central Division Preview. Here's the Detroit
Pistons Roster.
Local Paper:
Detroit
Free Press
Detroit
News
Team Pages:
CNNSI.com
| Pistons
ESPN.com
| Pistons
NBA.com | Pistons
The
Sporting News | Pistons
Sportsline.com
| Pistons
Head Coach: Larry Brown
2003 Draft: C Darko Milicic, Serbia (#2);
G Carlos Delfino, Argentina (#25); C Andreas Gliniadakis, Greece (#58).
New Players: PF Darko Milicic (draft); SG
Bob Sura (Warriors); C Elden Campbell (Sonics); SF Darvin Ham (Hawks);
PG Lindsey Hunter (Raptors).
Season Goal: With Larry Brown, it's nothing
short of winning the NBA title. Anything else will be considered failure.
Record vs. Nets: 1 - 0
G7: Pistons
98, Nets 84
Other Opponent Files
Projected Central Division Standing:
Chris Carrino: 1
Tim Capstraw: 1
Ian Eagle: 1
Joe Netsfan: 1
Steve Politi: 1
Brown Out
Genuis fixes everything, right? Well, new coach Larry Brown better figure out how to turn the Pistons' electricity back on, because the power is flickering with Detroit having lost 6 of their last 8 after a 14 - 6 start. Who pulled the plug? They've suddenly turned less physical, and their defense has struggled, two former trademarks of Piston teams under former coach Rick Carlisle. Of course, the offense hasn't exactly been high powered either, failing to score 90 points during that time. Can the Nets keep the Pistons' lights low and plug in a big road win? Or will the Pistons turn the juice back on behind Big Ben Wallace, Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups and electricute the Nets?
- Joe
Detroit Pistons Cheat Sheet
The Story from Detroit: What do the Pistons have to do to get back on track? Perry Farrell (Detroit Free Press) quotes Ben Wallace and Rip Hamilton. Said Wallace: "I have to step up and lead this team. . . . If I'm going to play the way I'm playing I have to demand everybody else come out there and do the same thing or else we're always going to be singing the same old song. "I have to be a leader. I'm going to put it on myself to be a little more vocal with this team. That's what I'm going to do." Farrell adds that there wasnt' much more that Wallace could have done on the court during the Pistons' loss to the Bucks the other night, "when he had 20 rebounds, scored 16 points (including the third three-pointer of his career), blocked three shots and ran down 10 offensive boards in 42 minutes.
Hamilton's take: "We don't score at times, but we have to show some toughness out there. We have to get grimy and just get down and dirty. Put somebody on the floor one or two times. We haven't done that. It seems like that's something we've been lacking. In order for us to be a scrappy team and get down and dirty, you have to do those things. We haven't done nothing."
What does Larry Brown plan on doing, according to Farrell? ""Every team I've ever coached has struggled early," said Brown, in his 32nd season of coaching. "I'm getting calls from everybody that has ever been around me, and they say we're not defending, we're not sharing the ball and we're not playing hard. I generally hear the same responses initially with every team I've ever coached. "In order for us to be a good team, I can't play 15 guys or worry about playing 15 guys. I'm the worst coach when it comes to playing everybody. Somewhere along the line we have to get to a point where this is how we have to play."
Pain Game: G Lindsey Hunter (knee), G Hubert Davis (thumb), and F Darvin Ham (wrist) are on the injured list. F Corliss Williamson is listed as questionable.
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