Detroit Pistons Schedule - 2009-10

Preseason Win - 4, Lose - 4

_OCTOBER_	_OPPONENT_	_RESULT_	_W-L_	LOCATION
Mon, Oct 5	Miami	W 87-83	1-0	The Palace of Auburn Hills
Wed, Oct 7	Milwaukee	W 113-104	2-0	The Palace of Auburn Hills
Sun, Oct 11	Atlanta	W 100-91	3-0	The Palace of Auburn Hills
Tue, Oct 13	Washington	L 98-101	3-1
Thu, Oct 15	@ Dallas	L 88-113	3-2	American Airlines Center
Sat, Oct 17	@ Memphis	L 94-115	3-3	FedExForum
Thu, Oct 22	Minnesota	L 114-122	3-4	The Palace of Auburn Hills
Fri, Oct 23	@ Milwaukee	W 95-93	4-4		Bradley Center

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regular Season Win - 5, Lose - 9

__Date___	_Opponent__	Time(ET)/Score
Oct. 28	at Memphis	WIN 96-74
Oct. 30	Oklahoma City	Lose 83-91
Oct. 31	at Milwaukee	Lose 85-96
Nov. 3	Orlando	WIN 85-80
Nov. 4	at Toronto	Lose 99-110
Nov. 6	at Orlando	Lose 103-110
Nov. 8	Philadelphia	WIN 88-81
Nov. 11	Charlotte	WIN 98-75
Nov. 14	at Washington	WIN 106-103
Nov. 15	Dallas	Lose 90-95
Nov. 17	at Los Angeles	Lose 93-106
Nov. 18	at Portland	Lose 81-87
Nov. 21	at Utah	Lose 97-100 OT
Nov. 22	at Phoenix	Lose 91-117
Nov. 25	Cleveland	8:00
Nov. 27	Los Angeles	8:00
Nov. 29	Atlanta	1:00
Dec. 2	at Chicago	8:00
Dec. 4	Milwaukee	8:00
Dec. 6	Washington	6:00
Dec. 9	at Philadelphia	7:00
Dec. 10	Denver	7:30
Dec. 12	Golden State	7:30
Dec. 15	at Houston	8:30
Dec. 16	at New Orleans	8:00
Dec. 18	at Oklahoma City	8:00
Dec. 20	Los Angeles	6:00
Dec. 22	at Charlotte	7:00
Dec. 23	Toronto	7:30
Dec. 27	at Toronto	1:00
Dec. 29	New York	7:30
Dec. 31	Chicago	3:00
Jan. 5	at Dallas	8:30
Jan. 6	at San Antonio	8:30
Jan. 9	Philadelphia	7:30
Jan. 11	at Chicago	8:00
Jan. 12	at Washington	7:00
Jan. 15	New Orleans	8:00
Jan. 16	New York	7:30
Jan. 18	at New York	1:00
Jan. 20	Boston	7:30
Jan. 22	Indiana	8:00

reserved for expansion if needed

Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Pistons 87, Heat 83
Exhibition season starts on high note
Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

Auburn Hills -- Good defense, contributions from a variety of players, a spirited return by Ben Wallace.

OK, it was the first exhibition game, but the Pistons will gladly take Monday's 87-83 victory over the Miami Heat.

"In any environment, you want to win," said coach John Kuester, making his debut on the Pistons bench. "What was neat about tonight, at times, the things we'd been talking about the last 10 practices came to fruition in regard to the way we defended and shared the basketball."

The Pistons held the Heat to 37 percent shooting and had impressive offensive balance in the first game under Kuester.

Will Bynum had 15 points and Chris Wilcox scored 11 to lead the Pistons. Ben Wallace had four points, four rebounds and two assists in 11-plus minutes, exciting the crowd with a putback dunk in the first quarter.

Speaking of Bynum, Kuester said: "He's a sparkplug. He can really give us a tremendous amount of energy."

Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 18 points.

He supplied one of the highlights, but not the way he's used to. Pistons rookie Austin Daye blocked Wade's breakaway dunk attempt in the second quarter, much to the delight of the sparse crowd at The Palace.

"It was a great block," Kuester said. "Our guys really tried to compete. Our rookies, they don't know who they're playing against at times. They just want to compete."

Another highlight was a brief scuffle in the fourth quarter between rookie Jonas Jerebko and the Heat's Jamaal Magloire. Both players took wild swings while sprawled on the floor after wrestling for a rebound.

Referees ejected both players after viewing video replay.

The game was worked by replacement referees, with the regular officials locked out. It showed at times. In the fourth quarter, referees sent the wrong shooter (Bynum) to the free throw line before correcting the error (Maceo Baston).
Big Ben returns

When the Pistons signed Wallace over the summer, many people thought it was more for insurance. The idea of Wallace making a significant contribution seemed like a reach.

But there Wallace was Monday in the starting lineup.

Granted, Charlie Villanueva 's hamstring injury likely was a significant factor. But listening to Kuester rave about Wallace, it sounds like he was going to get big minutes regardless.

"If Ben Wallace wasn't doing the things he'd been doing in practice, he wouldn't be playing," Kuester said. "But if he continues to do the things he's doing right now, he will play because he deserves to play."

Kuester and Wallace were together during the Pistons' championship run in 2004, and for the last two seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where Kuester was an assistant coach.
Slam dunks

Villanueva's status is day-to-day, although he likely would be playing if this were the regular season.

"One of the things we're making sure is he understands we're in this thing for the long haul," Kuester said. "Slowly but surely, he's working his way into it."

ted.kulfan@detnews.com (313) 223-4606

Posted: Oct. 8, 2009
DETROIT 113, MILWAUKEE 104
Stuckey's night is a positive sign

BY VINCE ELLIS
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

The substitute was for Rodney Stuckey, so he slowly walked toward the Pistons' bench in the second quarter Wednesday night.

As he walked by head man John Kuester, the first-year coach couldn't pass up an opportunity to provide a little positive reinforcement.

Kuester gave Stuckey a firm pat on the back, as if to let the third-year point guard know that he has faith Stuckey can become the standout the organization envisions.

And Stuckey lived up to the billing in the second exhibition game, scoring 21 points in helping the Pistons (2-0) to a 113-104 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks (0-2) before a small crowd at the Palace.

"He's always positive and that's a great thing," Stuckey said about Kuester. "He's just trying to make me a better player and a better person.

"Everything that he always says is always positive. He just wants me to get better, and that's what I'm trying to do."

Stuckey attacked from the outset in finishing 9-for-13 from the field. His patented move for the evening was to push the ball hard up the floor, fake a quick drive to the basket and pull up for a 10- to 15-footer.

It was a move he used a lot when he was playing well early last season, but he appeared to lose confidence in it as the season progressed.

But Kuester has been encouraging Stuckey, thinking he can be a star in this league. It's kind of like the TLC he has given center Kwame Brown, who finished with 10 points, nine rebounds and a blocked shot.

"In basketball you're going to make mistakes and you definitely don't want to hear it every time you make a mistake," Brown said of Kuester. "He definitely talks to you a lot, especially on the defensive end, but it's more so trying to correct you on the next play instead of bashing you a little bit."

Ben Gordon led the Pistons with 24 points while Will Bynum continued his effort to lead the team in scoring during the exhibition season with 23 points to go with his 15 points in the exhibition opener Monday.

Rookie Brandon Jennings led the Bucks with 18 points.

Sunday, October 11, 2009
Pistons 100, Hawks 91:
Ben Gordon scored 22 off bench and Detroit stays unbeaten
Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

Auburn Hills -- Fans got a taste for what Ben Gordon can do for the Pistons on Sunday.

Gordon had 22 points off the bench as the Pistons stayed unbeaten (3-0) in the exhibition season with a 100-91 victory over Atlanta.

Gordon was 6-of-12 from the floor, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range, and the Pistons pulled away in the second half.

Rodney Stuckey had 20 points and Richard Hamilton 15 for the Pistons. Will Bynum scored 11 as the backcourt combined for 68 points.

Marvin Williams had 19 points for the Hawks.

The Pistons play the Washington Wizards Tuesday in Grand Rapids.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Wizards 101, Pistons 98 (exhibition)
Flip Saunders gets a bit of revenge against Pistons
Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

Grand Rapids -- Regrets? Flip Saunders doesn't have many, just one, actually.

"My regret is that we didn't win the whole thing," said Saunders, the former Pistons coach now with the Washington Wizards.

Saunders earned a small measure of revenge Tuesday as the Wizards defeated the Pistons, 101-98, Tuesday in an exhibition game at Van Andel Arena.

Saunders took the Pistons to three consecutive Eastern Conference finals, but never got over that hump.

He was fired after the last Eastern finals defeat, to the Boston Celtics, and replaced by Michael Curry, who lasted one season.

"Joe gave me a great opportunity and he always did whatever he had to do in the offseason or trade deadline to try better our team to win a championship," Saunders said. "The one thing Joe always talks about is the championship is what it's all about. If you don't win a championship, you haven't accomplished what you set out to do.

"That mind-set always kind of rings in my head.

"(I) got a great opportunity and had a lot of great times. We didn't have the success we would have liked to have ultimately to win the championship, but other than that, we had a lot of success."

Because it was only an exhibition game, Saunders said the emotional impact of facing the Pistons for the first time since his firing wasn't that large.

"It's different because it is the preseason and in the pre-season you're only worried your own guys and what you want to accomplish, and get through without any injuries," Saunders said.

The game

The Pistons suffered their first loss after three victories.

"It was a good test for us, we needed to get tested and we did," Pistons coach John Kuester said.

"We had some moments where we felt we had the lead, but you have to get back on transition defense. There was a little slippage on defense and we didn't shoot the ball as well."

Will Bynum led the Pistons with 23 points. Richard Hamilton scored 14 and Jonas Jerebko had nine points and nine rebounds off the bench.

Gilbert Arenas led the Wizards with 24 points.

In the paint

Charlie Villanueva missed his fourth consecutive game with a hamstring injury Tuesday. But Kuester said Villanueva had a good workout Tuesday morning and is on target to play Saturday in Memphis.

...Tayshaun Prince didn't play the second half because of a cut right big toe. He's expected to play Thursday in Dallas.

... An announced crowd of 9,378 attended the game at Van Andel Arena.

ted.kulfan@detnews.com (313) 223-4606

Posted: 3:02 a.m. Oct. 16, 2009
Dallas 113, Detroit 88
Stuckey impresses in losing effort

By VINCE ELLIS
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

DALLAS – Now that’s what Pistons coach John Kuester is talking about.

All preseason, he has encouraged young point guard Rodney Stuckey to attack, attack and attack some more.

And while Stuckey has had his moments earlier in the preseason, he put together his best stretch of offense with a 17-point first half in the Pistons’ 113-88 loss to the Mavs Thursday night.

There was a stretch where Stuckey hit six shots in a row during the second quarter. Although he cooled off in the second half and finished with 20 points as the Mavs opened a huge lead – Kuester liked what he saw from Stuckey.

But Kuester cautioned afterward that the third-year player from Eastern Washington is still learning to navigate that fine line between looking for his own offense and involving others.

“He was very aggressive,” Kuester said. “He did a nice job of attacking to the basket and understanding what I want to get accomplished.

“But at the same token, we got to get a number of other people involved and that’s where he has to have a good mix.”

Stuckey was almost forced to look for his shot as the Mavs matched smaller defenders like Jose Barea and Rodrigue Beaubois against him.

He would overpower them on drives to the basket or pull up for jumpers over them.

Stuckey finished 8-for-18 from the field and said the solid night was just a result of hard work.

“It’s just hard work getting up a lot of shots throughout the summer and my shot is feeling better,” Stuckey said. “The more I keep working on it, the better it’ll be.”

Kuester wasn’t feeling as good about a defense that allowed the Mavs (3-1) to blaze away at 55.8%. Dallas blew open a close game at halftime by putting up 36 points in the third quarter.

Kuester also wasn’t pleased at how his team ended quarters.

“The first half we did some pretty good things,” Kuester said. “The problem we got to understand is finishing quarters.

“The first quarter we’re in a good rhythm and then all of sudden they have a 10-2 run. The second quarter, 9-2 run, and that’s where we got to continue focusing on executing and making sure they don’t have as many spurts in a game.”

The Pistons (3-2) were without Tayshaun Prince (right big toe), Charlie Villanueva (left hamstring) and Ben Wallace (rest). Kwame Brown was effective offensively with 11 points and seven rebounds.

Jason Terry led the Mavs with 21 points.

Contact Vince Ellis at 313-222-6479 or vellis@freepress.com.

Last Updated: October 29. 2009 3:32PM
Pistons 96, Grizzlies 74
Richard Hamilton, Ben Gordon power Pistons in opener
Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

Memphis -- Richard Hamilton and Ben Gordon gave doubters their first answer as to whether they could coexist.

The answer was a resounding yes.

Hamilton scored 25 and Gordon 22 as the Pistons defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 96-74, in the season opener for both teams Wednesday night.

The victory made coach John Kuester a winner in his NBA head coaching debut.

"We have to continually build on this but it's a good start to the season," Kuester said. "One game doesn't make a season but it's the right type of way to win."

Wednesday's opener was a good base to build from.

After a roller coaster exhibition season the Pistons looked robust offensively and downright stingy on defense, which where the team's chances for success this season largely rest.

"We came out aggressive, helped each other at both ends of the floor and fed off each other's energy," said Hamilton, who twisted his right ankle in the fourth quarter. "We wanted to make a statement and we a did good job of that early in the game."

Hamilton said he came down on the ankle on someone's foot and couldn't push off it. Hamilton had X-rays after the game which revealed no break.

He'll have the ankle re-examined today in Detroit.

The Pistons held the Grizzlies to 36-percent shooting (26-of-72). Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 21 points, while Rudy Gay scored 16 and Zach Randolph (Michigan State) had 14 points.

It was the Grizzlies, you might remember, who scored 115 points and shot over 50 percent two weeks ago in an exhibition game against the Pistons.

"We did a good job holding them under 38 percent, the team was really focused," Kuester said. "Memphis came out strong at the start of the game but our guys kept taking the punches and were very resilient."

The Grizzlies, though an interesting collection of young talent, never got going. Playing without Allen Iverson (hamstring), they struggled to put down shots.

The Pistons, on the other hand, had no such problem.

Hamilton had 17 points in the first half (on 7-for-14 shooting) and Gordon 15 points (5-for-7). Each made all three of his 3-point attempts, as the Pistons sprinted to a 53-41 halftime lead.

Gordon came off the bench firing, and obviously in a groove. That was apparent early when he sank an off-balance 3-point shot, was fouled, and made the free throw for a four-point play, giving the Pistons an 18-16 lead.

"He (Gordon) got things going in the right direction," Kuester said. "Ben's a very special offensive player and he's done a great job of coming into the game and giving us instant offense."

Because Gordon and Hamilton are similar offensive threats, catch-and-shoot guys who don't need to handle the ball, Gordon believes there isn't an issue as to whether the players can co-exist.

"We don't need the ball in our hands to be effective," Gordon said.

ted.kulfan@detnews.com (313) 223-4606

Last Updated: October 31. 2009 5:52PM
Pistons 83, Thunder 91
Kevin Durant stars as Thunder spoil Pistons' home opener
Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

Auburn Hills -- Time to lower the expectations.

All that chatter on the forums and sports talk radio about the Pistons after winning the season opener is sure to get muted a little.

That's probably a good thing, too. Friday's 91-83 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder showed it could be an uneven ride this season.

But as coach John Kuester often says, this will be a work in progress. And that showed Friday against the Thunder, as the Pistons opened the home portion of their schedule.

"We were doing some good things but we didn't sustain it for 48 minutes," Kuester said. "They played good defense but we allowed them to play good defense because we didn't have ball movement and we didn't execute."

An announced sellout crowd of 22,076 saw the Thunder gradually take control in the second half, led by forward Kevin Durant, who had 25 points and 12 rebounds.

The front line of Durant, Jeff Green (16) and Nenad Krstic (14) combined for 55 points and played a big role wearing the Pistons down in the second half.

Ben Gordon scored 25 and Rodney Stuckey 21 for the Pistons.

Durant's 3-pointer with 1:38 left gave the Thunder an 87-78 lead and sent most of the crowd home.

The Pistons were without Richard Hamilton, who missed the game because of a sprained right ankle.

Hamilton was injured in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's game in Memphis and also will miss tonight's game in Milwaukee.

The Pistons are listing Hamilton as day to day.

Gordon started in Hamilton's place and the Pistons didn't miss a beat early. They did later, though.

"There are no excuses," Kuester said. "The elements of the NBA are you travel, guys get sick, guys get injured. You have to play and the our guys understand the challenge."

The Pistons shot 26-of-70 (37.1 percent) from the floor and 5-of-16 from 3-point range.

Durant's three-point play to end the third quarter gave the Thunder a 62-61 lead, capping a quarter which the Pistons saw control slip away.

The perimeter shooting of Krstic and Durant's slashing erased what had been a seven-point Pistons lead.

The Pistons held a 45-38 lead at halftime.

"We had the lead but it was fool's gold a little bit," Kuester said.

"We didn't have the flow we needed. Defensively at times we did a great job, but we couldn't get into a flow offensively."

Trailing 31-30, Gordon and Prince triggered a 15-7 run to end the second quarter. Each had six points during the stretch, as the Pistons dominated from the perimeter.

Gordon appeared to draw a foul at the end of the quarter, falling hard to the floor after a shot attempt.

No foul was called, though Gordon needed three stitches to close a cut over the left eye.

The Pistons opened up an eight-point lead, 20-12, after the first quarter.

Consecutive 3-pointers from Charlie Villanueva and Tayshaun Prince pushed a 14-12 lead to 20-12 as the Pistons capitalized on hot shooting and an aggressive defense.

The Pistons held Oklahoma City to 34.8 percent shooting (8-of-23) in the first quarter.

ted.kulfan@detnews.com (313) 223-4606

Last Updated: October 31. 2009 1:00AM
Bucks 96, Pistons 85
Pistons falter again in second half, lose to Bucks
Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

Milwaukee -- In some ways, Saturday's game was a carbon copy of the Pistons' loss Friday night.

They led at halftime, tenuous as it was, before the Bucks exploded in the second half en route to a 96-85 victory.

"We had an outstanding effort in the first half," Pistons coach John Kuester said. "They (the Bucks) played with the type of passion I expect us (to play with). We gave them life in the third period."

The Bucks outscored the Pistons 36-14 in the third quarter, turning a 49-38 halftime deficit into a 74-63 lead.

The Pistons committed three consecutive turnovers early in the third, resulting in Milwaukee buckets and quickly changing the momentum.

"We can't afford to come out and take off the first five minutes," said Ben Wallace, who finished with eight points and 10 rebounds. "We got ourselves into a dogfight and they took advantage of it."

Ben Gordon led the Pistons with 26 points, while Rodney Stuckey added 13. Charlie Villanueva and Tayshaun Prince both scored 12.

Brandon Jennings scored 24 for the Bucks and Hakim Warrick 21.

Jennings, the Bucks' ultra-quick, first-round draft pick, keyed a 12-0 run in the third, turning a 55-50 deficit into a 62-55 lead. Jennings had nine of the 12 points.

"He had some good looks and is playing with a lot of confidence, but we did a good job on him early on," Kuester said. "He got it going (in the third quarter), attacking the basket."

Right now, though, the Pistons have to figure out how to close games.

"Those third quarters, -- it seems like we have control of the game in the first half -- it's exactly what happened (Friday) against Oklahoma City," Villanueva said. "It just seems like in the third quarter, I don't know what it is, but it seems like a team makes a run and we can't respond."

Said Milwaukee's Warrick: "We tried to get out right away and get some transition points. We did a much better job in the second half pushing the tempo and that's what got us over the top."

ted.kulfan@detnews.com

Last Updated: November 04. 2009 7:22AM
Pistons 85, Magic 80
Bynum, Pistons frustrate Magic
Terry Foster / The Detroit News

Auburn Hills -- Will Bynum saw white flashes before his eyes.

It scared him and he immediately thought he had a detached retina when he was knocked to the floor during the Pistons 85-80 victory over the previously unbeaten Orlando Magic on Tuesday night at The Palace.

He had surgery on both eyes a year ago, and doctors said if he got hit the wrong way he might have to have surgery again.

"I was scared," he admitted. "But I am OK now."

Bynum was blinded by the white but he kept on attacking the basket. He knows that's his job and it was the only way the Pistons could win this game. He finished with 20 points and made a number of critical baskets during a grind-it-out second half.

"We knew if we could keep attacking the basket that we could get Dwight in foul trouble," Bynum said. "So we kept attacking the basket and scoring the ball. That is the way I play."

Superman, by the way, left the building angry, frustrated and to a chorus of cheers.

Dwight Howard didn't make much of an impact, fouling out with 3:18 remaining. In fact, the entire Magic team left grumbling about officiating, and the short-handed Pistons took advantage.

Bynum is no Superman. But he played a super game.

"I have been kind of down on myself with the way I have been playing the last couple of games," Bynum said. "Once I smelled blood, I wanted to keep on attacking."

The Pistons (2-2) played a gritty game of defense and grinded it out on offense. They were like a band of brothers, but had no choice because they had to play one of the NBA's top teams without Tayshaun Prince (lower back strain) and Rip Hamilton (ankle sprain).

The Prince injury was surprising and came just minutes before tip-ff. The Pistons said he might not return until Sunday for an afternoon game against the 76ers at The Palace.

The team said he would not travel with the team for road games at Toronto tonight and Orlando on Friday.

He was replaced in the starting lineup by rookie Jonas Jerebko, who went scoreless. But they didn't need him. The Pistons got 23 points from Ben Gordon and another 20 from Rodney Stuckey. But the big little man was Bynum, who kept the Pistons afloat by attacking the rim against the foul plagued Howard.

It was his biggest performance of the season. The Pistons are not healthy and they needed a miracle performance. Bynum came off the bench to give it to them.

He said solid defense set him up and gave him confidence.

"I was getting stops on the one end and keeping them contained," Bynum said. "I was scoring, and once I felt they could not stop me I wanted to keep on going."

This was one of those ugly games that happen in the NBA. The Magic also were short handed and missed a number of open 3-point baskets. This is a team that wins by dumping it into Howard. And when defenses collapse, they bury teams with 3-point shots. But the Magic was off.

Howard finished with just eight points and five rebounds in 17 minutes. The Magic made just 29 percent of their 3-point shots. But the Pistons put up ugly numbers, also. They shot just 37.5 percent from the field and had just eight assists for the game.

They did not make a 3-point shot the entire game, missing all six attempts.

This also was a big evening for the big men. No one inside put up big numbers, but Charlie Villanueva, Chris Wilcox, Kwame Brown and Ben Wallace all took turns banging bodies with Howard.

The Magic were attempting to go 4-0 for the first time in team history. They led 77-75 when Bynum drove the lane and was fouled by Howard.

The little man got the better of the big man and carried his team the rest of the way.

terry.foster@detnews.com (313) 222-1494

Last Updated: November 14. 2009 1:00AM
Pistons 106, Wizards 103
New-look Pistons show resilience, moxie in win over Wizards
Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

Washington -- Many people wondered what kind of identity this Pistons team would develop over time.

They always used to be associated with defense. Tough, stifling defense that led them to a championship and six consecutive Eastern Conference finals appearances since 2002-03.

This group, no one knew. But there's an identity forming, especially after Detroit's 106-103 victory over Washington on Saturday night.

The Pistons are never out of any game. They never roll over, either, even when things aren't going their way.

"Without a doubt, that's the personality of our team, that's what Detroit basketball is all about," said Charlie Villanueva, who continues to make a significant impact as one of the Pistons' key newcomers, scoring 25 points in the win. "You're in for a long night regardless of the score. It's going to be a battle."

The newcomers continue to make their mark.

Ben Gordon scored 29 to lead the Pistons and complement Villanueva. Will Bynum scored 20 and Rodney Stuckey had 17 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

What made this victory impressive was the fact the Pistons built a 13-point lead early, saw the Wizards battle back and take as much as a 10-point lead in the third quarter, then rally late.

"We have a gutsy group of guys," said coach John Kuester, fighting a cold, but feeling much better after the victory. "What a gutsy win in regards to having a big lead, losing the lead, then playing with a lot of confidence and us not losing our confidence. That's why this is a special group.

"You have a group that's growing each game and practice. Our guys compete. I was very proud of them."

The Pistons (5-4) outscored Washington, 14-7, in the final three minutes to erase a 96-92 Wizards' lead, with Gordon hitting a runner that put the Pistons ahead for good, 98-96, with 1 minute, 44 seconds left. Gordon added a tough leaner with 19.9 seconds remaining to give the Pistons a 101-98 lead, and sank three free throws in the final 16.1 seconds.

"Right now, we're not in a position to lay down," Gordon said. "That's what I like about this team. When they chipped away, we didn't hang our heads. We just made sure to keep fighting."

Former Eastern Michigan star Earl Boykins, signed to a contract earlier this week, had 20 points for the Wizards (2-7), as did Mike Miller.

The Pistons host the Mavericks tonight before embarking on a four-game, seven-day West Coast trip.

"Our guys are buying into it, understanding they have to take every possession seriously," Kuester said. "I'm very proud of the way they've approached every game.

"I'm tickled pink right now, I'm not going to lie to you."

ted.kulfan@detnews.com

Last Updated: November 16. 2009 12:07PM
Mavericks 95, Pistons 90
Pistons hang close but can't shake Mavs
Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

Auburn Hills -- Never mind he was struggling, Ben Gordon was going to get the last shot.

With the game on the line Sunday, Gordon had the ball and it was his shot to take. He would take the Pistons into overtime, or to defeat.

It turned out a defeat, 95-90, to the Mavericks.

Gordon's 3-point attempt at tying the game bounced off and Dallas guard Jason Terry made two foul shots with 0.5 seconds left, sealing the visitors' victory.

Gordon's final stat line: five points on 1-for-16 shooting, 0-for-6 from 3-point range, and 3-for-6 from the foul line.

"I had a good look. I just wasn't able to knock it down," Gordon said of the potential tying shot.

"I just wasn't able to knock any down. My team was confident in me and they got me some decent looks. I just wasn't able to convert. They (shots) didn't feel good and didn't look good. You have games like that every once in a while."

Despite Gordon's struggles, coach John Kuester drew the final play to go to Gordon.

"Are you kidding me? I wanted him to have the last shot," Kuester said. "I have the utmost respect and confidence in Ben Gordon. He said he felt good and he had some great looks. All the shots he took, I was fine with."

Rodney Stuckey (28 points) and Will Bynum (27 points) more than filled the void.

Stuckey, though, missed most of the fourth quarter because of leg cramps.

Dirk Nowitzki had 25 points for the Mavericks.

Trailing by eight points early in the fourth quarter, the Pistons rallied to tie the game, 78-78, on a Ben Wallace bucket.

But a three-point play by Nowitzki broke the tie, and after a Charlie Villanueva free throw, baskets by Nowitzki and Jason Terry (3-pointer) pushed the Dallas lead to 86-79.

"Detroit is a persistent team and extremely well coached," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "We knew they were going to battle hard and so did we. Both teams had struggles at times. We're just fortunate to get a spurt and enough of a cushion in the fourth quarter to get out of here alive. We'll take it."
Slam dunks

Dallas center Erick Dampier spent Sunday evening at Pontiac's St. Joseph's Mercy Oakland Hospital after becoming ill before the game. He's expected to be released today.

... Kuester, on Stuckey's performance Sunday: "His ability to take the ball to the basket, he was really focused on attacking. That was the thing I was most impressed with."

... The Pistons will know today whether Richard Hamilton (sprained ankle) or Tayshaun Prince (ruptured disc) will accompany the team West. Neither is expected to play.

ted.kulfan@detnews.com (313) 223-4606

Last Updated: November 18. 2009 10:22PM
Lakers 106, Pistons 93
Pistons lit up by livid Lakers
Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

Los Angeles -- The Los Angeles Lakers came into Tuesday's game angry, and the Pistons paid the price.

After ugly losses their previous two games, the Lakers beat the Pistons, 106-93.

But not without the Pistons giving the Lakers a scare at the end.

The Lakers (8-3) took a 28-point lead in the third quarter, but the Pistons cut the margin to seven points (98-91) with 1:55 left in the game.

DaJuan Summers then fouled the Lakers' Shannon Brown (Michigan State) on a 3-point try, which extended the lead to 101-91 and all but clinched the outcome.

"We gave them too much respect early on," Pistons rookie Jonas Jerebko said. "In the fourth quarter, we just played hard and not as much respect. But we can play a lot better than we did."

This was the start to a four-game Western trip for the Pistons (5-6), who play Wednesday in Portland.

"The first quarter we competed, (but) the second and third we didn't play the way we have been accustomed to as of late," coach John Kuester said. "I'm very proud of the group that came in at the end. They competed. They didn't care who they were playing against. They did a real nice job."

That group consisted of primarily of the second unit -- Jerebko (the lone starter), Summers, Will Bynum, Kwame Brown and Chris Wilcox.

"The second group came in and played the way we should have had been playing all along and made the game close," Ben Wallace said. "They (the Lakers) were the aggressor. We were a step behind them the entire game."

Bynum had 24 points and Ben Gordon 18 for the Pistons. Jason Maxiell had 13 points and seven rebounds.

Kobe Bryant had 40 points for the Lakers, reaching that mark for the 100th time in his career. Bryant had been bothered by a sore groin Sunday in the Lakers' loss to Houston.

"It's the kind of effort he gives," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of Bryant. "It's kind of a remarkable trait that he has, that individually separates him from other players."

Said Bryant: "We didn't play defense like we did the first few games. On offense we tried to do too much and we weren't concentrating.

"I wanted to come out and have a good game and have people stop asking about it (the groin). I know you have to ask about it, but I don't like discussing it."

Andrew Bynum added 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, who scored 56 points in the paint and 26 points off 17 Pistons turnovers.

"They did hurt us in the paint, they have a lot of length," Kuester said. "When you're able to get easy buckets, it creates such a momentum for your team. That's what they did in the third period."

Baptism by fire

Jerebko, a rookie from Sweden, guarded Bryant quite a bit Tuesday. It was an experience Jerebko won't soon forget.

"He's the best player in the league in my opinion," said Jerebko, who had eight points, two rebounds and an assist in 29 minutes. "It was tough but it's fun to play against such a good player. It was an experience."

Bryant nailed a 3-pointer with 19 seconds left to reach the 40-point mark.

"Kobe's a great player. He's very special," Kuester said. "He had it going and we tried to do a number of things. When he has that rhythm going, he's very difficult to guard."

Sloppy game

The Pistons didn't look like a team in sync in the middle two quarters.

"We just weren't on the same page defensively," Gordon said. "Our coverage defensively was late."

The Pistons gave up 65 points in the middle two quarters, allowing too many easy Lakers baskets on the fast break, or in the paint.

"We played the first quarter pretty good but everything else was sloppy," Rodney Stuckey said. "We just didn't execute offensively and defensively."

ted.kulfan@detnews.com

Last Updated: November 19. 2009 2:12AM
Trail Blazers 87, Pistons 81
Pistons' latest comeback fizzles again
Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

Portland, Ore. -- This looked as if it would be a difficult trip, and it's turning out to be so.

Four games, two back-to-backs, against teams who all made the playoffs last season.

The Portland Trailblazers sure look as if they'll be in the playoffs again this season. The Pistons, playing their fourth game in five nights (in four different cities) had few answers to counter Portland -- until late in the game, which is becoming a custom -- losing 87-81.

"It's a great effort, the comeback is nice, but why be in that position in the first place?" Charlie Villanueva said.

The Trailblazers led 48-38 at halftime, and stretched the lead to 20 points after three quarters (70-50).

Then, as the evening before in Los Angeles, the Pistons roared back.

They closed the gap to 78-75 on a Villanueva three-point shot with 1:29 to play. Villanueva added a layup to close the gap to 78-77 with 1:05 left.

But Portland's Steve Blake sank a 3-pointer with 25.2 seconds left to push the lead to 81-77. Blake missed a 3-point attempt moments before, but grabbed his own rebound.

"We had our chances in the end," Ben Gordon said. "If Blake's miss had bounced anywhere else, if we had gotten it, we would have been in pretty good shape."

Still, Rodney Stuckey's two free throws cut it to 81-79. Then Portland's Andre Miller made two free throws (after his four previous attempts) to extend the lead to 83-79.

Villanueva's tip made it 83-81, but Blake's two free throws with 10 seconds left gave Portland another four-point lead (85-81).

Miller sank two free throws to close the scoring.

Another spirited comeback by the Pistons (5-7), typical of the feisty attitude of this team thus far this season, but still a loss.

"We just can't put ourselves in such a big hole," coach John Kuester said. "They're two losses. The guys played hard, but the bottom line in our league is you have to win."

The Pistons outscored the Blazers 31-17 in the fourth quarter. Stuckey led the Pistons with 21 points and Villanueva added 20 points in 16 foul-plagued minutes. Gordon scored 11 and sat out the fourth quarter as Kuester stayed with the lineup that got the Pistons back in the game (Stuckey, Jonas Jerebko, Villanueva, Ben Wallace, Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers)

"We played terrible basketball in the first three quarters," Villanueva said. "That fourth quarter we turned it around, but we need to play like that a whole game.

"It's been kind of the theme (this season). We dig ourselves into a big hole and then try to dig ourselves out."

Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge each scored 20 for the Blazers (9-4). Blake added 17 points.

Portland went on a 13-0 run late in the third quarter, stretching its lead to 65-48.

"It was a good lesson that you play the game 48 minutes and you play it the right way," said Portland coach Nate McMillan, not happy with his team's fourth quarter. "You don't relax because it's never over."

Gordon sits

Gordon said he understood Kuester's decision to stick with the lineup that rallied the Pistons in the fourth quarter -- and kept Gordon on the bench.

"They were playing real well and I thought it was important for them to stay out there," Gordon said. "They had a great flow going. I was in full agreement."

Gordon said Kuester looked his way a couple times during the rally, but ultimately stayed with the group on the floor.

Said Kuester: "The other young guys had done such a good job of working and getting into the game. I know Ben has worked so hard trying to keep us in games, (but) we just stayed with the younger guys."

Slam dunks

Will Bynum sprained his right ankle in the fourth quarter Tuesday in Los Angeles and lacked his usual explosiveness against the Blazers. Bynum had eight points in 21 minutes.

... The Pistons are 0-4 in the second game of back-to-backs this season. They have another one this weekend -- Saturday in Utah and Sunday in Phoenix.

... Stuckey has scored in double figures in all 12 games this season.

ted.kulfan@detnews.com (313) 223-4606

Last Updated: November 23. 2009 1:00AM
Suns 117, Pistons 91
Hot Suns send weary Pistons to fifth loss in row
Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

Phoenix -- Maybe returning home will do the Pistons some good.

Certainly the time spent on the road last week didn't accomplish much in the win column.

At least the first three games of the trip, the Pistons could bank on the fact they stayed close and had a chance to win each night.

There wasn't much suspense in Sunday's 117-91 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

The Suns (11-3, tied for NBA best) controlled the game pretty much from the start, while stretching the losing streak to five games for the Pistons (5-9).

"They (the Suns) played well and took advantage of easy opportunities," Pistons coach John Kuester said. "We just didn't get back on defense the way we're capable of.

"There are no excuses in this league. You have to be ready to go. Everybody talked about it being the last game of a road trip, but sometimes you have to lie to your body. Unfortunately, we just didn't have the juice we've had (in other games).

"I'm disappointed in the way we played."

Charlie Villanueva and DaJuan Summers had 13 points each, and Will Bynum scored 11.

Amar'e Stoudemire scored 21 for Phoenix, while Steve Nash had 20 points and nine assists.

Before the game, Kuester talked about Nash's impact in the game.

"He'll go down as one of the greatest point guards of all time," Kuester said.

It's Nash's passion for the game, said Kuester, that separates him from many players.

"He's a tremendous competitor, and he has a great love for the game," Kuester said. "Other players enjoy playing with him and that's as big a compliment as you can have."

The Suns shot a blistering 62.9 percent (22-of-35) from the field in the first half, thanks largely to Nash's 12 points and six assists, not missing any of his five shots or two free throws, while helping the Suns to a 58-42 lead.

Playing their fourth game in six nights -- and coming off an overtime loss against the Jazz the night before -- the Pistons had little energy.

The backcourt, which played heavy minutes against the Jazz, struggled against the Suns.

Stuckey scored only eight points on 4-for-15 shooting. Ben Gordon scored 10 while going 3-for-11 from the floor in a foul-plagued 24-plus minutes.

"It was tough to defend out there, the constant movement and pick-and-rolls, it was tough," Bynum said. "They pretty much did what they wanted to do and outplayed us."

Taking advantage

In the NBA the schedule plays such a determining factor, and the Suns knew they had an advantage in this game.

"We did a good job of coming out with energy," said ex-Piston Grant Hill, who had eight points and eight rebounds for the Suns. "We did what we had to do. They (the Pistons) played hard. They have some young guys over there and they aren't going to quit."

Said Suns coach Alvin Gentry: "We were playing a tired team. We did a good job of trying to jump on them early and get off to a good start."

Slam dunks

Phoenix has opened the season with 14 consecutive games scoring over 100 points.

... The Pistons are 1-6 against Western Conference opponents.

ted.kulfan@detnews.com (313) 223-4606