DETROIT PISTONS NEWS

Thursday, October 30, 2008
Pistons' Maxiell accepts new deal
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- He took it nearly to the wire, but Jason Maxiell on Thursday accepted a contract extension that will keep the power forward with the Pistons through 2012.

Final language was being worked out Thursday afternoon between Pistons president Joe Dumars and Maxiell's agent Richard Katz, but the two sides have agreed on a deal for four years at $20 million.

A week ago, Katz said that the negotiations had broken off and Maxiell was willing to play the season out and become a restricted free agent in July.

But Katz met with Dumars again Wednesday and accepted the basic parameters of the deal.

The deadline to sign extensions was today.

Thursday, October 30, 2008
Hermann comes out shooting
Hits two 3-pointers even though he missed time in the exhibition season with rib injury.
Ted Kulfan / Thr Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- Whenever coach Michael Curry was asked late in training camp about Walter Herrmann, and the fact Herrmann missed considerable time because of a rib injury, Curry never expressed concern.

Herrmann's professionalism was going to come through, Curry felt, regardless of how much of the exhibition season Herrmann missed (who played in three of the eight exhibition games).

"He's one of those guys who has so much basketball experience, he knows how to play," Curry said at the time.

Curry's confidence was proven correct in Wednesday's regular-season opener, a 100-94 victory over the Pacers.. Herrmann came off the bench to score 10 points in 15 minutes, 37 seconds of playing time.

"Walter Herrmann came in and he's shown everyone he's a guy who can come in and give Tayshaun (Prince) a break," Curry said. "He's (Herrmann) a very capable player in this league. He's an experienced guy."

Herrmann sank two 3-pointers in the second quarter as the Pistons began to take control of the game. He scored eight points in the quarter, along with a rebound, in a little over eight minutes of playing time.

In the fourth quarter, Herrmann made an acrobatic layup which excited The Palace crowd.

"I was waiting for this opportunity," said Herrmann, who saw limited playing time last season when arrived in a midseason trade from Charlotte. "This season maybe I can play more minutes. Michael Curry told me when I come to the court I have to play hard. That's it.

"I need to wait for my minutes. Tayshaun is playing real good. When Michael needs me, I'll be there."

You can reach Ted Kulfan at (313) 223-4606 or ted.kulfan@detnews.com

GO PISTONS!

Monday, November 3, 2008
Pistons get Iverson for Billups, McDyess
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

CHARLOTTE -- The Pistons on Monday traded Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb to the Denver Nuggets for Allen Iverson.

"No, I didn't (see it coming)," Rasheed Wallace said after the Pistons' shoot-around Monday. "Everybody is shocked."

The trade, well received by both of the main players, was approved by the league office Monday afternoon.

Iverson, 33, is in his 14th season and the final year of his contract ($20.84 million). He had expressed a desire to leave Denver and join a contending team. He felt the Nuggets were in a cost-cutting mode after they dumped center Marcus Camby in the summer.

In Billups, 32, the Pistons are giving up their captain, a two-time all-star and the MVP of the 2004 NBA Finals. But Billups wasn't blindsided by the trade.

He knew with the emergence of Rodney Stuckey, the chances were slim that he would finish his career with the Pistons. Through agent Andy Miller last summer, Billups let Pistons president Joe Dumars know that if he was going to be traded, he would love to go back home to Denver.

Dumars made that happen.

"Allen has proven he is one of the elite players in the league and we like what he adds to our roster at the guard position," Dumars said in a statement."

There is still some uncertainty about McDyess. He's 34 and wouldn't appear to fit into the Nuggets' plans. There is a chance they would buy out the remaining $15.6 million (this year and next) on his contract and release him. If that happens, and McDyess clears waivers, the Pistons could bring him back after 30 days of the trade.

The deal also gives the Pistons some financial flexibility. With Iverson's contract coming off the books after this season, and getting rid of McDyess' contract and the last two years of Billups' contract ($26 million), the Pistons will save about $36 million.

Wallace's $13 million comes off the books, as well. So the Pistons would be well positioned to re-sign both players, if they chose, or shop the free-agent market.

In the short-term, Iverson is likely to team in the backcourt with Richard Hamilton.

Iverson was the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 1996 NBA draft, by the Philadelphia 76ers. He has averaged 27.7 points and 6.3 assists during his career. He averaged 26.4 points and 7.1 assists last season, his second with the Nuggets.

Iverson was named league MVP in 2001, averaging 31.1 points to lead the 76ers to the NBA Finals. The 76ers lost to the Los Angeles Lakers, but Iverson scored 48 in a victory over the Lakers.

Ironically, Iverson's 2000-01 heroics came just after he was nearly involved in a trade with the Pistons.

Iverson averaged a career-high 33 points and 7.4 assists in 2005-06 with Philadelphia.

Monday, November 3, 2008
Pistons, Hamilton agree to 3-year extension
The Detroit News

Guard Richard Hamilton and the Pistons have agreed to a three-year contract extension, team president Joe Dumars said Monday.

The deal is worth $34 million, and the first two years are guaranteed, ESPN.com reported.

That was a big trade. I'm not sure what to think. Iverson is probably better, but Billups has been here for a long time.

I miss Billups


Glad I didn't buy his jersey

I dont think it was a bad trade. I think Stuckey will improve throughout the year and have a great career. So good move. But I dont know about McDyess, he was a rebound machine.

gdennis59 wrote:

I dont think it was a bad trade. I think Stuckey will improve throughout the year and have a great career. So good move. But I dont know about McDyess, he was a rebound machine.

Detroit may get him back...

The Detroit News wrote:

There is still some uncertainty about McDyess. He's 34 and wouldn't appear to fit into the Nuggets' plans. There
is a chance they would buy out the remaining $15.6 million (this year
and next) on his contract and release him. If that happens, and McDyess
clears waivers, the Pistons could bring him back after 30 days of the
trade.

Monday, November 10, 2008
Notebook
Next move is up to McDyess as free agent
He could wait 30 days and re-sign with Pistons, or chose among other bidders for his services.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- Michael Curry was asked before the game if he was confident that Antonio McDyess would be coming back to the Pistons now that the Nuggets have bought him out of his contract.

"I wish I was confident," Curry said. "That would make my life easier. But I don't know what's going to happen with the Dyess situation."

This much is certain: If, as expected, McDyess clears waivers today, he will be an unrestricted free agent. As such, he is free to sign back with the Pistons, or with any other team.

And the way the Pistons' bench has struggled without him, you can't blame Curry for keeping his fingers crossed that McDyess will be back.

"I said on the day the trade that losing Dyess would create a big void for us," Curry said. "The last two games, you can tell that Dyess wasn't out there with that second unit. When we had to take Rasheed (Wallace) out of the game, we had a veteran player (McDyess) who could spread the floor and allow Rodney Stuckey to get to the basket. Now with Max (Jason Maxiell) and Kwame (Brown), we don't have that shooter who can do that."

The Pistons' backup front court players scored four points and were a combined 0-for-7 against the Celtics.

McDyess's agent, Andy Miller, said as many as 17 teams have expressed interest. He wouldn't specify the teams, but Cleveland, Boston and Toronto are reportedly among them.

By league rule, he cannot sign with the Pistons until Dec. 12, 30 days after he cleared waivers. He can sign with any other team immediately upon clearing.

McDyess, traded to Denver with Chauncey Billups and Cheikh Samb in the Allen Iverson deal, accepted what was reported to be a $6 million buyout from the Nuggets. In doing so, McDyess gave up close to $8 million in salary.

Here's the rough math on that. He had a trade kicker in his contract that boosted his salary from $6.48 million to $7.48 million, prorated for the rest of this season and then next season. He took $6 million and thus left about $8 million on the table.

If he re-signs with the Pistons, it will be a prorated portion of the veteran's minimum, $1.9 million. Other teams, like Boston and Cleveland who have money left from their mid-level exception or trade exception, can pay him more.

The Pistons, though, will be as much as $21 million under the salary cap for the 2009-10 season. They could easily offer him a two-year contract and repay the $8 million he left in Denver.

The bottom line is the ball is in McDyess's court. He's free to sign wherever he wants. He has said before that he didn't want to play anywhere else but Detroit.

The Pistons hope he sticks to that.

Stuckey stymied

Stuckey doubled over at the end of the first half and had to be helped into the tunnel, and eventually to the locker room. Pistons medical staff and an on-site emergency medical team worked on him in the tunnel before he was able to walk into the locker room.

The Pistons released a statement saying Stuckey experienced symptoms of dizziness and that he felt light-headed.

While the doctors were working on him, Stuckey made a fluttering motion with his hand in front of his heart, like it was beating real fast.

The emergency medical team took an EKG machine into the locker room, presumably to run it on Stuckey.

But no other information was released.

"He was light-headed so they held him out (of the second half)," Curry said.

Stuckey has no previous history of heart trouble. There was speculation that he had a reaction to allergy medication but that was not confirmed.

He did not go to the hospital and he is expected to travel with the team today to Sacramento.

Briefly

FSN Detroit has added the Dallas at Pistons game Jan. 23 to its schedule. That game will also be televised nationally on ESPN.

You can reach Chris McCosky at (313) 222-1489 or chris.mccosky@detnews.com

Pistons need McDyess back!

Monday, November 24, 2008
Pistons excited about return of McDyess
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- The mood at practice Monday -- considering it was the day after a humiliating home loss to Minnesota -- was remarkably upbeat Monday, even after a hard-hitting three-and-a-half hour practice.

The reason: The news that Antonio McDyess was coming back.

"I think you saw guys with a lot more pep in their step today," coach Michael Curry said. "Guys were more talkative. I told them, 'Hey, we've been walking around for about a week or so like there was a cloud over us. Even when we won in L.A. and won at home against Cleveland, we didn't have that feel or that look like everything was good.' Today, we had that look. Which was surprising coming off that loss, but not surprising knowing that they realize Dyess is coming back."

McDyess will re-sign with the Pistons on Dec. 7 -- 30 days after he agreed to take a buyout from the Denver Nuggets. He will sign a two-year contract with a player option for the second year. He will make a full $1.9 million this year, and $2.06 million if he took the second year -- which he most likely won't.

"I am definitely relieved to have him back," Curry said. "Some of our guys who we've asked to play outside their roles, they are going to be really excited, as well. Him coming back helps the whole setting. We never make excuses, but our guys lost a lot when they lost Chauncey Billups and Dyess. The fact that we are getting Dyess back really helps, and not just from a basketball standpoint. Just having him around again will help."

Thursday, November 27, 2008
Iverson misses practice; he won't start Friday
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- Allen Iverson was among the many Pistons players grumbling after the victory over the Knicks on Wednesday because coach Michael Curry called a practice for 10 a.m. Thanksgiving morning.

"I got to get up at 9 a.m. and practice on Thanksgiving," Iverson said.

Well, apparently not. Iverson was the only Piston to skip practice Thursday and that didn't go over too well with Curry.

"He will be fined, a heavy fine, and he won't start (Friday against Milwaukee)," Curry said. "Whether he plays or not, we will make that decision internally (before the game)."

Rodney Stuckey, who posted his first career double-double (13 points, 11 assists) on Wednesday, will start at point guard.

"A lot of (the players) were grumbling," Curry said. "That's part of it. There are things you have to do to pay the price to get where we need to be. We've got a lot of work to do. These guys have seen what the work has done."

Iverson deserves not to play! He wanted to come to Detroit to win a championship.... but he does not want to follow the extra demand in practice to be championship caliper. I hope the fine and not starting (or playing the next game) will wake him up!

Friday, November 28, 2008
Pistons' Iverson: 'It won't happen again'
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- If Allen Iverson didn't know it before, he knows it now. Pistons president Joe Dumars isn't going to play around with guys who skip practice, not even future hall-of-famers.

"I talked to Joe last night," Iverson said Friday morning. "He was very supportive of me. He let me know how things are run around here and let me know it wasn't something that can continue to happen. He let me know it was unacceptable."

Iverson, who skipped practice on Thursday, was extremely contrite Friday morning.

"I have no excuses," he said. "I apologize to my teammates, first and foremost, the coaching staff, the organization and definitely, our fans. It's something that shouldn't happen and it won't happen again."

Iverson, who was fined and kept out of the starting lineup, will dress and could play against the Bucks.

"It was a personal matter but I just handled it the wrong way," Iverson said. "I didn't call and let them know what was going on. I talked to my teammates and they let me know they're still with me. And I let them know I'm with them. It's just a mistake, something that shouldn't happen."

Tayshaun Prince said the matter was dealt with appropriately and the team had already moved on.

"I've had an opportunity to be here long enough to understand how important it is to be on time," Prince said. "Either way, it hurts the team. But every time somebody has been late, they apologize and we move on. Everybody gets penalized for it and you have to move on -- simple as that.

"Good thing about it is, no matter who it is, everybody gets treated the same way."

Rodney Stuckey was to start in Iverson's place.

You can reach Joanne C. Gerstner at (313) 223-4644 or joanne.gerstner@detnews.com

Saturday, November 29, 2008
Pistons: Notebook
Blazers will provide good test
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- The Portland Trail Blazers may fly under the national radar, but they certainly have the Pistons' attention.

The teams meet at 3 p.m. Sunday at The Palace.

"This is going to be a good test," Richard Hamilton said after practice Saturday. "They are a really good team. We've got our hands full."

The Blazers are 11-6 and coming off an impressive romp over New Orleans Friday. They are 7-0 at home.

"I really like their team," coach Michael Curry said. "Nate (McMillan) does a really good job. Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge are right there as far as being all-stars and now they've added Greg Oden and a veteran presence in Rudy Fernandez. They are really good."

Sunday's game will feature several compelling matchups:

• Rasheed Wallace vs. Aldridge. Curry had Wallace laughing during practice Saturday.

"I joked with 'Sheed, I told him it's the young Sheed versus the o-o-o-ld Sheed," Curry said.

Aldridge, like Wallace, is a 6-foot-11 force with a deft shooting touch. He's averaging 15 points and seven rebounds.

"'Sheed really likes (Aldridge)," Curry said. "He thinks he's got great footwork, plays both ends of the court and scores inside and out. He's a young guy that has the total package. You know if 'Sheed is talking about a young guy, he's got to be pretty good."

• Hamilton vs. Roy. Roy is averaging a quiet 21 points and shooting 46 percent.

Hamilton, slowly but surely, is starting to find his rhythm alongside Allen Iverson. He scored 17 points and made 8 of 13 shots against the Knicks. Against the Bucks, he got plenty of open shots, but missed 7 of 11.

"Rip is getting good looks," Curry said. "He just has to keep working them. He's going to start making a higher percentage."

• Kwame Brown vs. Greg Oden. It's a matchup of former No. 1 picks, reality vs. expectations.

"It's a lot of pressure," Brown said of being the No. 1 pick. "But my situation was very unique. I don't think there will ever be a situation like that again where you had one of the greatest players ever come out of retirement."

Michael Jordan made his second comeback in Brown's rookie season in Washington.

"With (Oden) it will be more of a normal process, which it should be," Brown said. "Anything he gives you is a positive and they are bringing him along slowly. They are doing a good job with him."

Oden is averaging 7.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 20.5 minutes.

• Tayshaun Prince vs. Nicolas Batum. Prince is going to feel like he's playing against a French version of himself. Batum is a long, athletic 6-8 wing player who is probably the Blazers' best perimeter defender.

"Nic has been the guy we've put on the (opponents') best wing all season," McMillan told Portland reporters last week. "We allow him to use his energy defensively, and he's knocking down shots. He's not taking a lot of shots, but he's shooting a high percentage."

In a victory over the Heat last week, Batum shut down Dwyane Wade, something Prince has had to do in the past.

Maxiell heating up

In the last four games, Jason Maxiell has averaged 11 points and nearly seven rebounds, made 20 of 32 shots and blocked nine shots.

"I just think it's that we've got back home and been able to get more work in," Curry said. "With Max and Amir (Johnson), they seem to benefit from more practice time. The better their bodies are, the more active and alert they are to all situations. Max's activity has been off the charts."

Slam dunk

Allen Iverson will return to the starting lineup Sunday.

You can reach Chris McCosky at (313) 222-1489 or chris.mccosky@detnews.com

Friday, December 5, 2008
Pistons: Notebook
Iverson enjoys situation, but ...
... he's dealing with not being called upon to produce points and not getting as many minutes.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- Understand what the Pistons are asking Allen Iverson to do runs counter to just about everything that's made him the third-highest scorer, per game, in NBA history.

Understand, too, he wants very badly to be the player the Pistons are asking him to be.

"I am just in a better situation now, for me," he said. "Hopefully I get the chance to compete for a championship. That's what it's about for me."

Just listening to him talk after practice Thursday, though, you could sense how genuinely conflicted he is right now.

In one breath he said, "It's different. I am not called upon to score as I was throughout my career. It's just a different experience for me."

Or, "I am used to leading the league in minutes every year. This is just something I have to adjust to."

Then in the next breath he said, "But it's easier for me, and hopefully it will allow me to be a lot stronger at the end of the year. It's different, but I won't have any problems adjusting to it."

The 76ers, whom the Pistons host tonight, might not completely recognize this version of the Answer, the player who was the face of their franchise from 1996-2007. Instead of dominating the ball and scoring close to 30 points a game, he's playing off the ball and scoring close to 20.

"He's still the same guy," Pistons coach Michael Curry said. "He's still able to dominate the game. But we're not asking him to dominate games like that every night. We aren't asking him to play 45 minutes or take 25 shots a game, so he's not going to have the same numbers. But he still has the same kind of impact on the game in terms of putting pressure on the opposing defense."

Slowly but surely, Iverson is finding his niche with the Pistons. He had his best floor game of the season in San Antonio on Tuesday, scoring 19 points, on 17 shots, with six assists and four steals.

"I am not playing any differently," Iverson said. "The burden for me to score isn't what it used to be, but I am still the same guy on the court. I play the same style, but I just have better players around me. That's not taking anything away from the guys I played with before, but it's just that the chemistry is a lot better and the players are a lot better here."

But, when he was asked if he missed being the one who played 45 minutes and took 25 shots a night, he didn't hesitate.

"Yeah," he said. "That's just the competitive nature that I have. That's just inside me. I want to be the guy with the ball. I want to be the guy that makes decisions. That's not that case anymore, and I have to make adjustments. I have no problem with it. The bigger picture is winning a championship."

That all might be true, but inside of Iverson the team player beats the heart of a scoring champ.

"I'm a basketball player, and I am going to score, it's as simple as that," he said. "That's what I can do on a basketball court. So, whenever I am needed to, that's what I will do."

Wallace gloats

Rasheed Wallace was proudly wearing his powder-blue North Carolina Tar Heels Nike sneakers at practice, honoring his team's rout over Michigan State on Wednesday. He had a little something for former Spartan Greg Kelser to hear at practice, as well.

"I don't know why they had to come all the way up here for practice," Wallace said, with Kelser sitting near by. "They could have just stayed in Chapel Hill to practice."

You can reach Chris McCosky at (313) 222-1489 or chris.mccosky@detnews.com

Thursday, December 4, 2008
Pistons' Iverson excited about facing 76ers
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- Allen Iverson ended practice Thursday by zinging football passes through the hands of Arron Afflalo.

"I told him he couldn't catch my passes," Iverson said, shaking his head.

Iverson was in good spirits, partly because he's starting to find a comfort zone with the Pistons and partly because next up on the schedule is his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers, on Friday at The Palace.

"It's always fun to play against the guys I used to play with," Iverson said. "Obviously, I had a long career there and a lot of memories. I would be lying if I said I didn't want the game. I want (to win) this game, but I want to get them all. It's just going to be special to play against those guys again."

The 76ers are in disarray. They are 8-11 and will be without leading scorer and rebounder Elton Brand, who injured his right hamstring Wednesday night in a loss to the Lakers.

"They have been adapting to change, just like we have," coach Michael Curry said.

Rasheed Wallace was proudly wearing his powder blue North Carolina Tar Heels Nike sneakers at practice, honoring his team's rout over Michigan State on Wednesday. He had a little something for former Spartan Greg Kelser to hear at practice, as well.

"I don't know why they had to come all the way up here for practice," Wallace said, with Kelser sitting nearby. "They could have just stayed in Chapel Hill to practice."

Tayshaun Prince says techs are hurting Pistons

BY CHRIS LAU • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • December 23, 2008

Tayshaun Prince responded jokingly to a lighthearted question posed Monday regarding Pistons teammates Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton.

"Have you offered any free anger-management training for those guys?" a reporter asked.

"I'm going to have to sooner or later, because this is getting embarrassing," Prince said, smiling. "So, I'll let them know in a couple days."

Underneath the humor, though, is an attitude problem that the perpetually levelheaded power forward wants to resolve.

Wallace received his NBA-leading 10th technical Friday, and Hamilton was called for his fourth Sunday. Both came during a tight fourth quarter of an eventual loss.

Wallace got his tech even though it appeared he was yapping at teammates -- not the officials -- during a time-out. The Pistons have appealed. Coach Michael Curry had no update Monday.

Allen Iverson also has four technicals.

The Pistons have an active streak of nine games with at least one individual technical.

"Them dudes, they off the chain," Prince said. "I can't help them. I talk to them as much as I can. I can't do nothing. You know what? There's been plenty of times where we've been aggressive going to the rim, couple things don't go our way, then a couple ticky-tack calls and the next thing you know, we start to yell at the refs."

Prince hasn't received a technical this season.

"This is what happens when you get a technical foul: Teams make a run, referees start to give them a couple calls here and there, and the next thing you know, we put ourselves in a bad position," Prince said. "So, Rasheed and Rip will have to realize when is a good time to make that happen and when is a good time not to make that happen."

Curry's solution is simple and constant communication.

"Rip and 'Sheed have always been emotional guys -- they've gotten onto the officials," Curry said. "And A.I. has definitely been one of those guys, as well. Some of the makeup is the guys that we have. That's part of who they are.

"But we want them to make sure it's not interfering with what we're trying to do as a team. A couple of times, we've let it interfere with that, and we've talked about it."

Too much charity: The Pistons have another ongoing, inauspicious -- and possibly related -- nine-game run: consecutive games failing to outdo their opponent in free-throw attempts. In the past two games -- losses to Atlanta and Utah -- Detroit was beaten by 15 and 17, respectively, in free-throw tries.

"I don't really know," Curry said. "I just know that we've got to continue to be aggressive, move our feet defensively and continue to be on the attack offensively, and hopefully we can change that trend around."

Hamilton agreed.

"We just got to be aggressive, leave the refs alone, just come out and play," he said. "Whatever happens out there happens."

Contact CHRIS LAU at 248-351-3688 or clau@freepress.com

Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Pistons: Notebook
Wins, not points, propelling Iverson
A 15-point showing against the Magic is upstaged for a guard known for his scoring.
Terry Foster / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- The early goal in an NBA career is to score a lot of points and make a lot of money.

But at some point, players begin looking at the bigger picture, and they want NBA hardware more than anything.

That point has come to Pistons guard Allen Iverson, who talked as if he'd won another scoring title following a 15-point night Monday. That is almost half of what he was used to scoring as a fire-burning guard with the 76ers.

But the Pistons beat the Magic, and that is all that matters for Iverson.

"It is a different feeling, but it feels good," Iverson said.

"It says a lot about the personnel on the squad. It makes me a lot stronger after games. Usually the scouting report is all on how to stop me. Now there are other names on that scouting report."

Five Pistons are averaging double figures in scoring. They are Iverson (18.0), Richard Hamilton (17.2), Tayshaun Prince (14.0), Rasheed Wallace (12.5) and Rodney Stuckey (12.3).

Coach Michael Curry said a light turns on inside players' heads at a certain point of their careers. They are rich, have made All-Star teams and are destined to own some scoring records. But it is not enough.

"Ultimately you are judged by titles, making NBA Finals, winning NBA titles," Curry said. "That is what everybody will talk about."

Iverson agreed.

"I have a bigger goal," he said. "Those things don't mean as much to me as they used to.

"Man, I used to score 50 points, and you can't sleep at night because of what you were able to accomplish."

Hamilton to sit

Curry said Hamilton (left groin) sat out practice Tuesday and won't play in today's 3 p.m. game at The Palace against the Nets.

Curry said he wants him to be healthy for an upcoming West Coast trip and does not want a recurring injury.

Harris prospers

Nets guard Devin Harris is enjoying a breakout season and is averaging career highs in minutes played (36.4) and points (23.8). In his last 25 games, Harris has averaged 25.2 points and shot 47.4 percent from the field. In his last game against the Pistons, Harris scored 38 and made 20 of 24 free throws.

Curry said he will get a different look. The Pistons plan to trap and take the ball out of his hands.

"We allowed him to get going downhill, and we have to stop that from happening," Curry said.

You can reach Terry Foster at (313) 222-1494 or terry. foster@detnews.com

Thursday, January 22, 2009
Iverson selected for 10th All-Star start
Magic center Howard sets NBA All-Star voting record
Tim Reynolds / Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. -- He was the first to dress as Superman to win a dunk contest.

He's now the first player to get 3 million votes from fans.

Yes, the All-Star game is fast becoming Dwight Howard's personal showcase.

The Orlando Magic center -- who leads the NBA in rebounds, blocked shots and double-doubles -- got a record 3,150,181 votes to lead this season's All-Star team, released Thursday.

The Feb. 15 game in Phoenix will mark the third All-Star trip for Howard, who'll be starting for the second time and easily topped the previous record of 2,558,278 votes collected by Houston's Yao Ming four years ago.

"Wow, what a blessing," said Howard, the 6-foot-11 center who dressed in full Superman regalia, cape and all, on the way to winning last year's slam dunk competition. "That is what I took it as, a blessing from God and then the fans. It's just a great honor and I was surprised, but like always I thank the fans for everything they have done for us."

The final results of fan balloting didn't exactly bring any major surprises.

Miami's Dwyane Wade (2,741,413) and Detroit's Allen Iverson (1,804,649) will be in the East's backcourt, alongside reigning All-Star MVP LeBron James of Cleveland (2,940,823) and Boston's Kevin Garnett (2,066,833), who beat New Jersey's Yi Jianlian for the starting nod by 253,004 votes.

"The All-Star game is always so meaningful to me because of the fans," said James, whose 24.3-point scoring average is the highest in All-Star game history for players with four or more appearances.

Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers (2,805,397) was the West's top vote-getter, and will be joined at guard by New Orleans' Chris Paul (2,134,798). At center, Yao (2,532,958) will start for the sixth time, along with forwards Tim Duncan of San Antonio (2,578,168) and Amare Stoudemire of Phoenix (1,460,429).

"When I first heard I was leading in votes, I was shocked, to be honest with you," Howard said. "I really didn't expect anything considering you have guys like Kobe, LeBron and Dwyane."

Howard entered Thursday averaging 20.2 points, 14.1 rebounds and 3.2 blocks for the Magic, who took the league's best overall record (33-8) into a home game against the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics.

But on the national stage, Howard still might be best-known for his exploits in last year's All-Star dunk contest in New Orleans, with his cape sailing on one jam and capping his night by using teammate Jameer Nelson as a prop in another slam.

"That's his element there. He's an entertainer. He loves it," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I think sometimes people look at that kind of thing, where Dwight's out there having a good time, and they doubt the seriousness of a guy. That's not the case at all. He's very serious about winning and very serious about being a great player."

Van Gundy likened Howard's All-Star antics to what the NBA has come to see from another giant jokester -- Shaquille O'Neal.

"Like Shaq, Dwight is a great person who loves to make other people smile and laugh," Van Gundy said. "That's what really makes him go. He likes to have a good time and he likes to help other people have a good time. It's his nature. It's his character."

That all being said, O'Neal is reluctant to anoint Howard as the game's, well, next Shaq.

"He's a good player, but everything he's done I've invented, so I'm not impressed," O'Neal said. "For me to get my eyes wide open about another big man, he'll have to do something that I haven't seen before or something that I haven't invented. Everything that he's done, I've invented it."

For Garnett, it's his 12th All-Star selection -- second-most among active players behind O'Neal's 14 trips. O'Neal could see that total increase by one; he could easily be announced as a reserve when coaches' balloting to fill out the seven remaining spots on each roster are announced next week.

"It's like a good wave, man," Garnett said. "If you've surfed the boogie board, you know you ride it 'til it dies out. And I love boogie boarding. It's all about that good wave and holding on and holding on for dear life. And once it's over, you crash and you go out and try to find the next one."

Much like the East, the West voting was a bit predictable.

Stoudemire's spot turned out to be the most vulnerable; he nipped San Antonio's Bruce Bowen -- who isn't even starting for the Spurs right now -- in the starters' balloting by 68,031 votes.

Plenty of late voting helped shape the West starting five.

The league's next-to-last voting update, released on Jan. 22, showed Denver's Carmelo Anthony -- who's currently sidelined with an injured right hand -- ahead of Stoudemire by 10,431 votes, plus Houston's Tracy McGrady leading by a 157,063-vote margin over Paul.

Neither lead held up.

Paul wound up prevailing by nearly a half-million ballots, and Stoudemire took his appeals directly to voters.

Stoudemire launched an Internet campaign -- www.vote4Amare.com -- and Anthony said Thursday he probably would have given him the spot anyway.

"He's in Phoenix," Anthony, who finished fifth among West forwards behind the starters, Bowen and Houston's Ron Artest, told The Denver Post. "It's his All-Star game."

In all, five players (Howard, James, Bryant, Wade and Duncan) all topped Yao's previous record vote mark.

"It's always an unbelievable honor, because there's so many great players in this league and so many young guys coming in, when you get named a starter from the fans," Wade said.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Bob Wojnowski: Commentary
Pistons should grab Stoudemire

AUBURN HILLS -- The Pistons are a puzzle right now, teetering between nowhere and somewhere, not sure which path to take or when to take it.

Well, there's one fascinating path that makes sense, if they can pull it off. Phoenix All-Star forward Amar'e Stoudemire is available, even readily available, and Joe Dumars should chase that option right up until the Feb. 19 trade deadline.

If the Pistons could get Stoudemire for Rasheed Wallace (and his $13.6 million expiring contract), young Amir Johnson and a draft pick, I'd do it now. So would Dumars, I bet.

The problem is, the market for Stoudemire, 26, is ever-expanding, or at least the rumor market is. There's also some risk, with Stoudemire's contract up after next season. But hey, if it doesn't work out here and he bolts in 2010, no harm done, the Pistons are back where they figured they'd be, with salary-cap space to pursue others.

And I'm sorry, there's no risk in dealing Wallace, Johnson and a pick, if that's what it would take. I'd be surprised if Phoenix GM Steve Kerr settled for that, especially with many suitors -- Golden State, Chicago, Miami, Portland, among others. But because Phoenix is shamelessly trying to shed Stoudemire to avoid the luxury tax and save money, anything is possible.

If the Suns demanded Rodney Stuckey instead of Johnson, forget it. If they wanted Jason Maxiell instead of Johnson, fine. If they wanted some combination, the Pistons should talk, because at 27-22, it's painfully obvious they're in limbo. Stoudemire, a dynamic, 6-foot-10 inside presence, wouldn't necessarily save the Pistons, but he sure would redefine them.

Heck, let's be more blunt. If the Pistons were able to add a prime low-post guy to a decent core, they'd be contenders again.

I still endorse the team's plan to clear cap space -- contracts for Wallace and Allen Iverson expire after this season -- and pursue a free agent such as Toronto's Chris Bosh in 2010. But there's no guarantee Dumars would land him, so he'll explore all possibilities.

New Orleans might unload center Tyson Chandler, who could be swapped for Wallace. Or what about this nugget: A three-way deal involving Phoenix and Toronto that nets the Pistons their targeted prize, Bosh.

Any trade now that doesn't involve Stoudemire or Bosh doesn't make sense for the Pistons. There's no reason to plug pieces just hoping to salvage this season. If Dumars can swipe Stoudemire, go for it. If not, this riddle will continue, unless Iverson somehow rediscovers his Hall of Fame game.
Identity crisis

For years, we knew what the Pistons were about -- defense and toughness. Now it's impossible to figure out what they really are, and easier to determine what they aren't.

They're not a good offensive team or a great defensive team. They're not a running team or a half-court team or a big team or a small team or a quick team or a young team. They're certainly not a bad team but they're also not a contending team.

The Pistons are a bunch of disparate pieces scattered on a board, with a rookie coach in Michael Curry who isn't sure what to do with them. I appreciate Dumars' long-term vision, but in the short term, the Pistons can be hard to watch.

"It's definitely confusing right now," Tayshaun Prince said after Detroit's 107-97 loss to Phoenix Sunday. "We haven't figured it out. Every game is something different."

Some nights, the Pistons try to be the Iverson Show, and it can be scintillating. At other times, Iverson looks like a 33-year-old fading superstar shooting 42 percent.

Some nights, especially the past two games when he scored 38 and 27, feisty Richard Hamilton returns. Give the guy credit -- he's adjusting nicely to a reserve role.

Occasionally, it's Stuckey's team, although the second-year point guard has worn down and needs the upcoming All-Star break to rejuvenate.
Team needs a jolt

Iverson has not replaced what Chauncey Billups gave the Pistons: A calming sense of self, with a whiff of swagger. From six straight Eastern Conference finals, the Pistons are headed toward mediocrity, which isn't totally unexpected, but with a Stoudemire steal, could be avoided.

It should be noted, as good as Stoudemire can be, he doesn't play much defense, and we already know how difficult it is to fit a big-time scorer (Iverson) onto a team. Stoudemire also underwent microfracture surgery on his left knee three years ago but appears fully healed, averaging 20.9 points and 8.2 rebounds. He sounds like a guy ready to move, calling Detroit fans "phenomenal."

The Pistons are confused, even dispirited at times, and Curry doesn't have the experience to change it. So either they accept they're just not good enough, or they try to do something about it.

Iverson still could recapture something, but that possibility dims. So Dumars should go hard after Stoudemire, the Pistons' best immediate shot to turn a shaky transition into something much more interesting.

You can reach Bob Wojnowski at bob.wojnowski @detnews.com

VINCE ELLIS' BLOG | WITH VIDEO
Iverson cuts off his cornrows before game

BY VINCE ELLIS • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • February 15, 2009

Updated at 6:44 p.m.

PHOENIX – Who would have thought that a hairstyle would be the biggest news out of All-Star weekend?

With apologies to the Knicks’ tiny guard Nate Robinson winning the dunk title, the blogosphere blew up with news of Pistons guard Allen Iverson’s new hair cut.

He is now wearing his hair short as opposed to the legendary cornrows that are just as synonymous with A.I. as the many tattoos that are all over his 6-foot frame.

He broke out the cornrows early in his NBA career and the hairstyle has become a part of the hip-hop culture.

He told the media Saturday that he was just looking for a change.

Something tells us Pistons fans hope the new ’do pays off with wins with the second half of the season begins Tuesday.

VIDEO

2009 NBA All Star Scene - Allen Iverson Haircut (AI's new look) Cuts Off His Braids *Rookie's look