DETROIT PISTONS 2008-2009 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

Pistons hand Lakers their 1st loss!!!! 106-95, with all Piston starters scoring in double digits!

Lakers Suck



GO PISTONS

Whoo Iverson!

Saturday, November 15, 2008
Pistons 106, Lakers 95
Brown, Pistons hand Lakers their first loss
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

LOS ANGELES -- One of Kwame Brown's final memories of playing at Staples Center as a member of the Lakers last season was getting booed off the court.

He got booed again Friday, but this time he loved every minute of it.

"It was better to get booed this way," said Brown, whose inside presence helped the Pistons beat his former team, 106-95. "It made more sense this way."

It was the Lakers' first loss of the season and the Pistons' third straight win on this West Coast trip.

"I was anticipating a big game," said Brown, who had 10 points, 10 rebounds, a block and a steal. "I was excited to play all day. I was antsy. I couldn't sleep. It was just real good to get a win against a team that traded you."

Rasheed Wallace, back to playing his natural power forward position with Brown in the lineup, responded with 25 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocks. Wallace and Brown outscored the Lakers' frontcourt of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, 35-23.

"This was our first 48-minute game of the season -- took long enough," said Tayshaun Prince, who again controlled the Pistons' attack from the point-forward position (18 points, 6 assists). "But our bigs were the players of the game. Because they were able to play Gasol and Bynum straight up, that allowed Arron Afflalo, myself and Allen (Iverson) to play their perimeter guys straight up. We didn't have to leave our guys to double down or help."

The result was the Pistons effectively bottled what had been the most potent offense in the league. Kobe Bryant got his 29 points, but he took 30 shots to get them and he scored 12 of those points in the final five minutes after the Pistons had built a 20-point lead.

Afflalo handled a lot of heavy lifting against Bryant. Richard Hamilton got into foul trouble early. Afflalo stepped in and contributed seven points, three rebounds and a block.

"We match up real well with that team," Brown said. "They have four seven-footers but they can only play two at a time. With me and 'Sheed, they realized they weren't going to bully us in the post. It was a fun night."

Iverson had another efficient game. He posted 25 points on just 12 shots and he got to the free throw line 12 times (making 11).

"Our defense couldn't stop their penetration," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Iverson broke our defense down, but we weren't very effective on the other end of the court either. They tuned into some of the mismatches we had and played better than we did tonight."

Iverson also had the highlight reel play of the day. He made a steal at the end of the first quarter and drove to the basket as time was expiring. He got to the free throw line when the clock was inside two seconds. He had the presence of mind to pull up and drain a running floater before the buzzer sounded.

"We've been able to get a couple of practices and our execution is getting better at both ends," Iverson said. "We've got a couple of games in now and we are starting to catch a little rhythm. We are only going to get better."

Prince grew up in Compton, Calif., and he always seems to have big games at Staples Center.

"Tay is defending, rebounding, he's scoring on post-ups and isolations and he's initiating the offense for us," coach Michael Curry said. "He really helps us keep a good tempo to the game. He helped keep us calm at times when we started to unravel."

It continues to be a struggle for Hamilton, however. He got into foul trouble and had more turnovers (five) than baskets (he made 3 of 10 shots). He made two bad turnovers in the final two minutes of the game and was pulled by Curry.

He gave Curry an earful before he sat down.

"It really was nothing," Curry said. "He was getting into it with the ref and we were getting rattled and I expect the veteran players to make sure everything is all right. I didn't want to get a technical foul. If I had a timeout I would have used it. I didn't so I subbed. I know a good way to get a ref's attention off somebody is to take him out of the game. That's all."

Bryant's moment

Bryant moved past both Larry Bird and Gary Payton and is now the 22nd leading scorer in NBA history with 21,817 points.

GO PISTONS

Monday, November 17, 2008
Suns 104, Pistons 86
Tired Pistons end trip with loss
O'Neal is ejected but Phoenix has the hot shooters and collects a rare victory over Detroit.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

PHOENIX -- The Pistons' minds and hearts might have been willing, but their legs were spent. And the Phoenix Suns were looking to exact some payback on a team that had beaten them badly in their building the previous three seasons.

The end result was a 104-86 romp for the Suns.

"We had two really good road trips," Pistons coach Michael Curry said. "We went 2-1 out East and 3-1 here in the West. What we said was, that's a really good trip. But a great trip would have been 3-0 and 4-0. That's what we're looking for. We've got a ways to go."

The loss wrapped up what was essentially an eight-game trip for the Pistons. There was a home game sandwiched between the trip east and the trip west.

"I don't have no excuses," said Allen Iverson, who endured a nine-point, 4-for-17 shooting night. "We just didn't get it done. I can't (blame the schedule). As a professional and going through this year after year, it's something you have to do. It's something you have to get through. It's part of being an NBA player. It's just not an excuse I will make."

The Suns shot 70 percent in the first half and cooled only slightly -- shooting 57 percent for the game. Amare Stoudemire celebrated his 26th birthday by scoring 29 points with 11 rebounds.

Defensively, they were a step ahead of the Pistons, as well. They blocked nine shots, made seven steals and forced 14 turnovers. The Pistons shot just 39.8 percent.

"It was just one of those nights," said Rasheed Wallace, who had 11 points and nine rebounds. "We couldn't get stops when we wanted to on D, and we couldn't make shots when we needed to on O. It's like that sometimes."

The Suns did most of their work without Shaquille O'Neal. He had scored 12 points and was having his way inside until he was ejected midway through the second quarter.

Rodney Stuckey drove the ball right at O'Neal. O'Neal met him in the air and the force of the collision threw Stuckey hard to the floor.

"The laws of physics state that a body in motion stays in motion," O'Neal said. "And if you have two objects meet in the air, the smaller object is going to fall much harder. I've never been the type of player to take anyone out. I was going for the ball. He fell and added a little bit to it at the end. The referees looked at how he fell, I think."

The referees, who called it a flagrant-2 technical and ejected O'Neal, disagreed. They validated the ruling by using instant replay.

"We got together and we felt -- first of all, a flagrant-2 has to have a wind-up and a follow-through and be not only unnecessary but we feel it's excessive," referee Ken Mauer said through a pool reporter. "We thought it followed all three of those. We felt he wound up, he hit him and then pulled him down. We felt after reviewing it that it was more than necessary. We felt it was excessive."

O'Neal was livid and chased after Mauer on the court. Coach Terry Porter, the former Pistons assistant, tried to restrain O'Neal, and O'Neal showered him with a verbal barrage as well before finally leaving the court.

O'Neal could be suspended for a game. That will be up to the league to decide.

"It's nothing I am going to worry about," O'Neal said. "If you understand physics like I do, anytime that you come in there out of control like that and run into a brick wall, you are going to get that effect."

Stuckey, who broke his fall with his hands, was able to shake out the cobwebs and stay in the game (12 points). But even without O'Neal, the Suns were never impeded.

Two positives for the Pistons: Kwame Brown played another strong game (10 points and a block) and Richard Hamilton showed some signs of life (19 points, 7-for-13 shooting).

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

So yeah, the Suns finally got off that losing streak. Its tight.

Dont fuck with Steve Nash lol

Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Pistons 96, Cavaliers 89
Pistons stop Cavaliers' win streak at eight
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- Just seven games into the Allen Iverson project, one thing is clear. Defense is going to determine the Pistons' success or failure against the elite teams in the East. Sounds elemental, for sure, but defense was always more or less a given around here; the offense would come and go.

Now, it looks like the Pistons are going to be able to score with anybody and the nightly question is going to be: Can they get enough stops?

It took them three-plus quarters Wednesday, but they finally got dirty on the defensive end and took the game away from the Cavaliers, 96-89, ending the Cavaliers' eight-game winning streak.

Iverson scored 23 points and Rasheed Wallace hit three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and scored 21 to go with his 14 rebounds.

Not coincidentally, the Pistons' defensive intensity and effectiveness picked up when Arron Afflalo replaced Richard Hamilton to hound LeBron James. Afflalo forced several key stops and chipped in five points.

The Pistons spent most of their practice time Tuesday on defending the pick-and-roll, a play the Cavaliers run better than most teams. The problem: Neither Richard Hamilton nor Allen Iverson participated in that practice.

And the Pistons continued to struggle against that play. They either left dangerous shooters wide open or gave up driving lanes to the basket.

In the fourth quarter Mo Williams was left alone at the top of the key and made back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Cavaliers up 74-72. Coach Michael Curry called timeout and blistered his team. Much of his address seemed to be directed at Wallace.

Coming out of the timeout, Iverson scored twice, the Pistons got two stops (both by Afflalo on James) and then Wallace made back-to-back 3-pointers. Iverson then capped off a 13-3 spurt with a three-point play.

With 6:15 left, the Pistons led 86-78.

By that time, the Pistons' defense had turned the Cavaliers in a jump-shooting team, which was the plan all along.

Aside from the odd bomb from Williams -- he finished with 25 points -- the Pistons kept control of the game.

James finished with 25 points on 8-for-21 shooting. With Afflalo on him, James made just one basket in the final 4:02.

Rodney Stuckey scored seven of his nine points in the fourth to help keep the Cavaliers at bay.

Even though the Cavaliers played Tuesday night in New Jersey while the Pistons rested, they were the more energetic team early.

They split double-teams off the dribble way too easily and beat the Pistons to the basket. They also beat them to rebounds and loose balls.

Here's how the first half ended: On consecutive possessions Pistons defenders stood and watched Mo Williams line up and make corner 3-pointers. Then, on the final possession of the half, they forced a missed shot, only to allow Williams, a 6-0 guard, to run down the lane unimpeded for a tip-in.

The Pistons were outrebounded 23-19 in the half. They made seven turnovers and had five shots blocked, and were outscored at the free-throw line 12-2. By the time they shot their first free throw -- with 3:42 left in the half -- the Cavaliers had already shot 15.

As coaches say over and over, the aggressive team gets the calls. The Cavaliers were the aggressive team and got the majority of the calls.

That the Pistons were only down by 11 at half was due only to the Cavaliers' poor shooting (42.5 percent).

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

Go Pistons

Monday, November 24, 2008
Timberwolves 106, Pistons 80
Curry's contingent hits rock-bottom
Coach says pregame routine for Sunday starts at 6 p.m. isn't working, as all have been losses.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- Remember this day, Sunday, Nov. 23. This is the day the Pistons hit bottom.

And if getting thoroughly pummeled by a perennial lottery team like the Timberwolves at home isn't rock bottom, then, well, you don't want to see what rock bottom really looks like.

The Timberwolves, a team that had won twice and was 0-5 on the road, came into The Palace and thumped the Pistons, 106-80.

"It's very frustrating," Richard Hamilton said after the Pistons lost for the third time in four games. "When you know where we want to get to and you see where we are right now, it hurts. The way we've been losing games, it's tough."

The Pistons have had three 6 p.m. Sunday starts and lost all three by an average of 18.7 points.

"That tells me we're not ready to play and whatever we're doing prior to these games isn't right," coach Michael Curry said. "As professionals, we've got to get ourselves ready to play whether it's an early game or a normal game. We have to be ready to play, and as the head coach of this team, I take full responsibility for that."

Curry has tried three approaches to these 6 p.m. starts. He's had a shoot-around at 9 a.m. and at 3:30 p.m. on game day and lost badly to the Celtics and Suns. This time, he had shoot-around after practice Saturday and let the team sleep in Sunday. Still no good.

"It's on us," Allen Iverson said. "I think a game is a game regardless of what time you play. You've got to prepare yourself to able to play."

This was by far the worst of the three. Energy was low. Heads were either hung or slowly shaking. Rasheed Wallace was rolling his eyes. Iverson was clapping his hands in frustration.

"I stunk up the gym tonight," Iverson said. "I couldn't do anything right."

He wasn't alone. Against a team that ranks 24th defensively, the Pistons shot 28 percent in the first half and 37 percent for the game. Iverson (3 for 11), Hamilton (2 for 11) and Rodney Stuckey (0 for 5) were a combined 5 for 27. Add Wallace's 3 for 10 and the top guns were a collective 8 for 37.

"We've had bad tough shooting nights, but you wouldn't have expected it tonight, not against a team that's won two games," Iverson said. "Besides Tay and Max, nobody could throw it in the ocean."

Tayshaun Prince had 20 points and Jason Maxiell 12.

"Offensively, obviously, we aren't in sync," Curry said. "But we can get better. But until we do get in sync, we can't be bad defensively. The problem I have is when we are missing shots it's affecting the way we play on defense. We can't have that."

The Pistons allowed the 22nd-ranked offense of the Timberwolves shoot 53 percent and pretty much do whatever they wanted. Point guard Randy Foye carved the Pistons up, scoring 23 points with 14 assists. Ryan Gomes had 20 points and Al Jefferson 19.

"This is the sort of thing that will put a smile on your face," Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman said. "That was as good a performance as we've had from start to finish."

There were no smiles on the Pistons' side.

"It wasn't a great night for us at both ends," Hamilton said. "We've got to figure it out. We have to go back to the basics and try to figure this out."

Bench blues

It happened again. The Pistons were down by three after one quarter when the second unit -- Stuckey, Hamilton, Arron Afflalo , Maxiell and Amir Johnson -- missed seven of eight shots to start the second quarter. That sent the Timberwolves on an 11-2 run and a 12-point lead.

"Our energy level was low right from the beginning," Curry said. "But this was one of the few times that when we went to the bench, the energy picked up only a little."

Stuckey, whom Curry is counting on to lead the second unit, has now had five turnovers and nine field goals in his last five games.

Slam dunk

Stuckey had X-rays taken on his right wrist after the game. They were negative, and he will practice today.

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

Can't believe the T Wolves laid such a smackdown on the Pistons

Thursday, November 27, 2008
Pistons 110, Knicks 96
Plenty-prepared Pistons rout Knicks
After some focused practices, Detroit looks more fluid on offense; Hamilton scores 17.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- Practice did not, in this case, make perfect. But for the Pistons, a couple of days of practice did do them a world of good.

"Man, the last two days were like training camp," said Rodney Stuckey, who helped propel the Pistons to a 110-96 romp over the Knicks on Wednesday with his first career double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds). "But it was good for us. We went back to basics and really helped us a lot."

The offense was more fluid and efficient. They had a season-high 28 assists and 11 turnovers and shot 52 percent. Their fastbreak and secondary break were effective, as well. They had a season-high 26 fastbreak points and 23 second-chance points.

Eight players scored in double figures -- which hadn't happened since Jan. 19, 1990 against the Warriors.

"The last two days of practice really put a lot of stuff into perspective," said Richard Hamilton, who led the way with 17 points. "We went back to basics, helping guys know where they need to be on offense and defense."

Allen Iverson, who scored 16, said the difference was on the defensive end.

"Dramatic," he said of the effect of the two practice days. "We were a lot better defensively, holding them under 40-percent shooting (39). The effort has been there as far as what I do on the defensive end. The whole thing was just knowing where to be and knowing concepts of how we want to play defense."

Offense, solid. Defense, solid. Bench? It was off the charts.

Besides Stuckey, Amir Johnson posted 12 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. Arron Afflalo had 13 points and Jason Maxiell 10, and the two combined to make all 10 of their shots.

"We had been getting outscored by 51 in the second quarter (in the five losses)," Stuckey said. "I've got to step up and be a leader. That's when I come into the game. That's my job. I have to be more vocal and lead. The last two days we've really come together. We've been beating up on each other in practice. Now we have to take it to the games and beat up on other teams."

Of course, beating up on the Knicks isn't really all that much fun right now. The Knicks' roster is in transition. They had nine players to start the game. A perfectly healthy Stephon Marbury continues to be dry-docked by coach Mike D'Antoni.

They finished with eight after Wilson Chandler was ejected with 1:05 left in the third quarter. He punched the ball after a call went against the Knicks.

On top of that, the Knicks didn't use a single player taller than 6-foot-9. Their starting front line was David Lee (6-9), Al Harrington (6-9) and Quentin Richardson (6-6).

"Their roster isn't in turmoil, but it's changing," coach Michael Curry said. "But, hey, we're changing, too. That's part of it. They still have a good team."

Harrington led the Knicks with 25 points.

The Pistons were pleased with practices Monday and Tuesday. They were not, however, pleased to hear they had practice today, on Thanksgiving, at 10 a.m.

"We are in training-camp mode right now," Curry said. "If we do what we are supposed to do, we should be out of there in an hour."

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

Saturday, November 29, 2008
Pistons 107, Bucks 97
Iverson apologizes to Pistons
'It won't happen again,' guard says after he misses practice; he's fined, doesn't start but scores 17 in win.
Joanne C. Gerstner and Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- Pistons guard Allen Iverson promises he won't miss practice again without permission.

And everybody in the Pistons organization, from president Joe Dumars to coach Michael Curry, also expects Iverson to never repeat what happened Thanksgiving Day.

The law has been laid down: nobody skips practice without permission, not even NBA All-Stars.

Iverson blew off a mandatory practice Thursday morning, a frowned-upon move.

Curry punished Iverson with a fine and removed him from his usual starting spot against the Bucks. Rodney Stuckey, who started in place of Iverson, had 12 points and four steals to help lead the Pistons to a 107-97 win over the Bucks.

"I have no excuses," Iverson said about his actions. "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."

Dumars spoke with Iverson on Thursday evening about expectations.

"He let me know how things are run around here and let me know it wasn't something that can continue to happen," Iverson said. "He let me know it was unacceptable."

Iverson entered the game at 2:24 in the first quarter with the reserves. When he was announced as active, the sold-out Palace crowd gave him an equal smattering of boos and cheers.

Iverson had 17 points and seven assists in 28 minutes. This was only the sixth time in Iverson's 12-year NBA career that he has come off the bench. The last time was Dec. 22, 2006, with the Nuggets.

He struggled at first Friday, trying too hard to make something happen.

"I just wanted to do well, especially for my teammates, because obviously, I let them down by not being there," Iverson said. "I just wanted to make up for that with my play. My whole thing was just not losing the basketball game.

"That's what my concern mainly was: I was just hoping it would not be a distraction to my teammates and carry over to the game."

Curry said the Iverson-practice situation now is closed, and the Pistons have moved on. Save for the questions still coming Curry's way about Iverson.

"With him, anything he does is going to be big," Curry said, referencing how Iverson's absence quickly became a national story. "He's an icon in this game, so the things he does are going to be big, it's going to take a lot of coverage.

"When he goes good, that's going to get coverage as well. That's part of it."

So why did Iverson miss practice? The Pistons played the night before Thanksgiving, throttling the Knicks 110-96 at The Palace. After the game, Curry called for practice on the holiday, mostly to work on conditioning.

"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. Its just a mistake, something that shouldn't happen."

Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince said the players are satisfied with Iverson's explanation and apology.

"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."

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

Monday, December 1, 2008
Blazers 96, Pistons 85
Pistons' futile starters puzzle Curry
Coach brings on second unit after trailing 25-11 in first quarter, bench players lend a spark.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- Nobody is happy right now.

Certainly not Pistons coach Michael Curry after his starting unit laid a big egg in a 96-85 home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.

Curry benched all five starters in the first quarter after they fell into a 25-11 hole. He benched Tayshaun Prince for the entire fourth quarter.

"I am not trying to send any messages," Curry said. "They (starters) weren't playing well so I took them out and put someone else in.

"The starters put us in a hole that we battled back from all night. This game is on our starters. We put them back in and we never got anything good going."

As for Prince, Curry said, tersely, "Tay didn't play well tonight."

That comment not only didn't sit well with Prince, it surprised him.

"Huh?" Prince said. "Wow. I thought I was pretty good, if you ask me."

Prince had 10 points, eight early in the third quarter to help keep the Pistons close. But, neither he nor anybody else in the starting unit could handle the well-balanced Blazers.

LaMarcus Aldridge (27 points) and Brandon Roy (19) picked the Pistons apart with pick-and-roll plays. The Blazers shot 52 percent and had 23 assists on 36 field goals.

"Part of it was that Portland did a good job of coming out of the gate aggressive," Prince said. "But it's up to (the coaches) to see what's going on. I guess they decided to sit me down. I don't know. I was playing well. I was upset when he took me out in the first quarter because I thought I was doing a good job getting guys into the flow of the game.

"I don't know what's going on. Hopefully they (coaches) could've said something after the game and let us know what's going on, but they didn't do that."

Prince was far from the worst starter. Allen Iverson (nine points, 2-of-9 shooting), Rasheed Wallace (11 points, one rebound) and Kwame Brown (two rebounds) seemed a step slow on pick-and-rolls all night.

Plus-minus statistics are sometimes deceiving, but not Sunday. Iverson was a minus-28 (meaning the Pistons were outscored by 28 points when he was on the court). Prince was a minus-23 and Wallace was minus-11.

"Usually when your energy level is low, you're not going to execute, you're not going to make shots and you're not going to get stops -- we did none of the above," Curry said. "As a coach, I shouldn't have to search to find where I'm going to find my energy. I coach the game. I can't coach energy."

The second unit -- Jason Maxiell, Amir Johnson, Walter Herrmann, Arron Afflalo and Rodney Stuckey -- provided the energy and kept the Pistons within striking distance until the final eight minutes.

"When the first unit isn't getting it done, (Curry) believes in us," said Stuckey, who had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists and was a plus-12 for the game. "He expects us to get the job done and we did that, but we still came up short."

Here is this game in a nutshell: The bench held the red-hot Blazers scoreless for more than five minutes and triggered a 15-0 run in the second quarter. But after the starters were reunited, the Blazers closed the half by scoring on eight straight possessions.

With Stuckey leading the way again, the Pistons actually took a 77-75 lead with 8:43 left.

With Iverson back in the game with Richard Hamilton, Herrmann, Afflalo and Johnson, the Blazers went on a game-clinching 18-3 run.

"It's frustrating," Iverson said. "It's kind of like training camp right now for us with me in the lineup. It's unfortunate, but that is the reality of what we are going through.

"This is something we have to figure out, it's something we will figure out and so because of that, it's something I am not all that worried about."

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

Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Pistons 89, Spurs 77
Irate Wallace fires up Pistons, spurs victory
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

SAN ANTONIO -- You wondered when it was going to click. Shoot, you wondered if it ever was going to click.

But after another ugly two-and-a-half quarters, the Pistons found that elusive elite-level gear and went on to steal an 89-77 win from the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center on Tuesday.

"It's just us knowing we have to play hard like that every night," Rasheed Wallace said. "Some nights we're out there (messing around) and some nights we bring it. We just got to keep it on a consistent level."

There was nothing consistent about Wallace's performance Tuesday, and the team rode his every down and up.

"A lot of times, it may seem like 'Sheed is not in control," coach Michael Curry said. "He's in control. He does things to lift himself up and lift the team up as well."

It started with a technical foul, as it often does. Wallace, who was playing about as poorly as he's played in recent memory, got riled up at rookie referee Curtis Blair, who called him for an offensive foul when it appeared Matt Bonner might have flopped.

Wallace got the tech and then got even angrier as the Spurs blew out to a 10-point lead.

"I thought we got so involved with the officiating that the guys weren't hearing our calls from the bench and we fired up three quick shots," Curry said. "We got them together and told them to calm down and play."

Before Curry came into the huddle, though, Wallace had made an impassioned and R-rated speech of his own.

"I knew what it was going to be out there and I didn't want our team to fall into that," Wallace said, referring to what he felt was one-sided officiating. "We knew what it was. Bottom line, we already knew how it was going to be, especially playing one of the league darlings. So we knew how it was.

"But we should have played hard like that right from the gate. If we did, we wouldn't have been in that deficit."

Wallace, who finished with 19 points, drained a 3-pointer after the timeout and scored five straight to get the Pistons back in it before the end of the third.

"I think guys like him who have been in the game so long have to do things to get themselves going," said Arron Afflalo, who was key in the Pistons' 28-14 fourth-quarter surge. "Maybe it's getting that tech, or maybe he's just that competitive. But he was a positive force tonight."

Afflalo and Rodney Stuckey (10 points, seven assists) set the tone at the defensive end in the fourth. Afflalo was on the court for a foul-plagued Richard Hamilton, and he locked up both Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.

"We got a lot of good offensive stops and when you do that, whether you are making shots or not, you give yourself a chance," said Afflalo, who had a block and two steals in the fourth. "And what happens is, the defense starts feeding your offense."

That's exactly what happened. Stuckey scored four. Allen Iverson, who finished with 19, had seven points and Tayshaun Prince (who finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds) pulled down five boards.

But all that was supplemental to Wallace. He knocked down three long, back-breaking 3-pointers and scored 11 in the fourth. He also limited Tim Duncan, who had 23 points and 13 rebounds on the night, to one fourth-quarter point.

"I can't take all the credit for it," Wallace said. "Kwame (Brown) did a good job on him and the guards did a good job ... keeping him uncomfortable."

The way Spurs coach Gregg Popovich saw it, the Pistons got physical and his team turned tail and ran.

"The most disturbing thing is that we were very soft," he said. "I think Detroit intimidated us. I think they ran us all over the court with their aggressiveness and physicality. It was really sad to watch in that respect. I thought we totally folded to their aggressive play."

Popovich altered his starting lineup, inserting Ginobili and Bonner, and the Spurs dominated the first two-plus quarters.

"We just matched their energy," Wallace said of the turnaround. "In the first half, they had the energy and were somewhat physical. In the second half, we did the same thing.

"And if we didn't, it would have been a rout."

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

Pistons blow a 15 point lead and lose to the 76ers last night

Saturday, December 6, 2008
76ers 96, Pistons 91
Pistons let game slip away
76ers overcome a 15-point deficit despite being without injured Brand.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- No excuse for this one.

Against a scuffling 76ers team that was without its leading scorer and rebounder -- Elton Brand (hamstring) -- the Pistons blew a 15-point lead late in the third quarter, then gave up a ridiculous 38 points in the fourth quarter and endured another humbling home loss, 96-91 on Friday night.

"It's hard to explain, I know," said Richard Hamilton, who led the Pistons with 19 points. "We've got to be better than that. We are better than that. We are a veteran team. To give up 38 points in the fourth quarter, we've got to do a better job."

The 76ers had scored 38 points in the entire first half. But the Pistons refused to stick a fork in them.

"The end of the third quarter started the freefall, but I thought throughout the game we were not as disciplined as we needed to be," coach Michael Curry said. "We had a lot of wasted possessions and we just didn't take care of the game the way we needed to. We just weren't locked in to what we were doing. It was a bad loss."

Credit the quickness and craftiness of 76ers guards Andre Miller (19 points) and Louis Williams (16) for taking it to the Pistons, combining for 21 points in the fourth quarter.

Also credit veteran Donyell Marshall. He scored eight back-breaking points in the fourth quarter, and hit a 3-pointer with 35 seconds left that put the 76ers up for good.

"The reason this loss hurt is because we did everything right until the fourth quarter," said Allen Iverson, who scored 17 points with seven assists against his former team. "We put ourselves in a good position to win. It shouldn't have come down to a couple of plays at end of the game. We had a 15-point lead and we should be able to sustain that."

Iverson had scored 10 points in the third to help stake the Pistons to a 67-52 lead with 2:25 left in the third quarter. But the fun ended there for the home team.

Former Piston Theo Ratliff triggered a 6-0 run with a couple of physical defensive plays against Tayshaun Prince and Amir Johnson. Then the 76ers opened the fourth on a 7-2 run and the game was on.

"They made that run and we couldn't make a stop," Hamilton said.

"It's just a tough feeling. Up by 15 at home and lose -- it's disappointing."

If the end of the third wasn't the turning point, then this was: The Pistons had a seven-point lead and the ball with seven minutes left in the game. Out of a timeout, they failed to execute whatever play was called and wound up with a desperate and errant 3-point heave by Rasheed Wallace.

The 76ers took off on a 10-2 run and led 82-81 with 2:56 left.

Hamilton scored four straight points and Prince made two free throws to put the Pistons back up by three with 1:25 left.

But after Andre Iguodala (14 points) made two free throws, Iverson's ill-advised pass was picked off by Williams who was fouled and made two free throws to put the 76ers back on top.

The Pistons last lead came on a basket by Rodney Stuckey, who had 16 points and six assists, with 42 seconds left. It was the last play the Pistons executed successfully.

After Marshall's 3-pointer, Stuckey missed a contested shot in the lane and Wallace (seven points, eight rebounds) had a point-blank put-back that he left short.

"I hope this isn't going to be our biggest win, but so far, yes, because we needed a win," 76ers coach Mo Cheeks said. "This was a huge, huge victory."

And another bad, bad home loss for the Pistons.

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

Monday, December 8, 2008
Knicks 104, Pistons 92
First half spells doom for Pistons
Deficit in opening two periods was as much as 29, and Curry will make changes among starters.
Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

NEW YORK -- This time it wasn't the ending, but the beginning where the Pistons lost another game.

A lackluster first half, in which the Pistons trailed by as many as 29, was the main reason they lost, 104-92, Sunday to the Knicks.

This isn't the first time this season the Pistons haven't started a game the way coach Michael Curry wanted.

The lack of intensity isn't acceptable. And Curry sounded afterward like something will be done about it.

"We didn't play with the level of effort, focus and intensity we need to start games with," Curry said. "I am going to do something with the (starting) lineup."

What that'll be, Curry doesn't know yet.

Curry will have Antonio McDyess back before the next game, Tuesday in Washington. But McDyess, Curry said, will return to his role off the bench.

Rodney Stuckey possibly entering the starting lineup at the expense of Kwame Brown (or Amir Johnson) is a possibility. Or maybe Arron Afflalo (17 points) or Walter Herrmann (four points, two rebounds, good defense in a spirited fourth quarter).

"I have guys coming off the bench, like Arron Afflalo and (Walter) Herrmann that have consistently played the way we need them to play," Curry said. "I have to find more minutes for those two guys."

Regardless of who comes in, and who'll sit, the players have to live with it, Tayshaun Prince said.

"When you lose like we've lost, you have to figure something out," said Prince, who led the Pistons with 23 points and 10 rebounds. "I know it's frustrating him (Curry) because it's frustrating to us. Whatever he's willing to try, everyone has to accept it."

Said Stuckey, who had six points and five assists: "We're just being very inconsistent right now as a team. One night we'll come out and play well and beat the great teams in the league, and the next night we'll lose to the mediocre teams. That's not really good. We're trying to get better as a team, and inconsistency won't get us where we need to be."
Bad start

New York scored the first 10 points, and the Pistons -- who missed their first seven field-goal tries -- didn't score until Rasheed Wallace's layup at 7:38.

The Knicks led, 29-12, after one quarter and extended the lead to 58-29 at 3:21 of the second quarter, before leading 65-43 at halftime.

A big reason for the surge was the Knicks' 3-point shooting (12-for-24.).

"We allowed them to get to the middle, and when they get to the middle, it's easier for them to drive and kick and get threes," Curry said.

But the lack of energy played into that sloppy Pistons defense.

"The one thing you can always do, every night, is play hard," said Allen Iverson, who had 17 points and seven assists.

"There's no excuse for that. We get a lot of money to come out here and perform. There's no reason you shouldn't come out here and give that effort."

McDyess update

McDyess could be at practice today in Washington if he officially signs with the Pistons. Or, he'll arrive Tuesday.

McDyess was traded to Denver along with Chauncey Billups , while the Pistons acquired Iverson.

But McDyess was bought out by the Nuggets, and he never played in Denver.

"I know I have a known commodity with Dice coming in, and I know what he's going to bring," Curry said.

Sunday swoons

The Sunday jinx continues for the Pistons. They're 0-5 on Sundays this season.

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

Curry better get his team functioning or this is a goner season. AI is a great player, he could get them the points they need to win, but that is not the function Curry has for him.

Monday, December 8, 2008
Stuckey moves into Pistons' starting lineup
Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

WASHINGTON -- Rodney Stuckey is moving into the Pistons' starting lineup.

After suggesting on Sunday that lineup changes were imminent, following a loss in New York, coach Michael Curry announced the move Monday after practice at the Verizon Center. The Pistons play the Wizards on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Stuckey and Allen Iverson will in the backcourt, with Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince at forward and Rasheed Wallace at center. Kwame Brown goes to the bench.

"I like the fact Stuckey is running the point and I get (Iverson) and Rip more into their natural positions being able to run the wings," Curry said. "They have someone to create the offense for them.

"Stuck also gives us a guy who can get the ball to where we want."

Stuckey said he knows Curry's expectations.

"They just want me to run the team, set the offense up and get everyone going early," Stuckey said. "Hopefully we can get off to a good start instead of always being behind."

The Pistons were expected to formally announce the signing of forward Antonio McDyess later Monday or Tuesday morning.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Wizards 107, Pistons 94
McDyess can't right Pistons' ship
Forward's return was lone bright spot in latest disappointing loss, the team's third straight.
Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

WASHINGTON -- Antonio McDyess returned to the Pistons on Tuesday, but he had a difficult time recognizing the team.

Right now, at least, this doesn't look the Pistons team of the last several seasons. The latest loss, 107-94 to the woeful Washington Wizards (4-15), was the Pistons' third consecutive loss -- and maybe the most disheartening.

"I've been disappointed just watching the games," said McDyess, who finished with nine points and six rebounds in 25 minutes. "Losing against teams they should beating. Tonight was no different."

This game was no different than many of the others of late for the Pistons, who led by as many as 17 points in the first half.

"Sometimes we stand around on offense, and not talking on defense, and that's not going to work out for the best," McDyess said.

In the past, it always was the Pistons (11-9) who imposed their will and forced opponents to crumble. These days, it appears as if the Pistons are the ones crumbling.

"I don't like the fact that when things aren't going well, we unravel and lose our cool and composure," coach Michael Curry said. "We can't be a team like that. We need to be mentally and physically tough, and at times we lack in both of those areas. We have to get better in those areas."

McDyess notices the same thing, as if the Pistons are expecting something negative to happen.

"That's not normally the way we play," McDyess said. "When we're up by 15, we normally put the team away. I don't know if it's a lack of confidence, or what, but it's not happening right now."

Wizards forward Caron Butler scored 33, including 11 in the third quarter when the Wizards stormed back. Former Piston Juan Dixon had 16 points and seven assists off the bench and Darius Songaila scored 15.

Richard Hamilton scored 29 and Rasheed Wallace had 19 points for the Pistons.

The Pistons led 29-14 after one quarter and maintained a 46-43 lead at halftime. But by then, the defensive intensity the Pistons displayed in the first quarter had become largely invisible.

Mostly behind Butler and Songaila, the Wizards took a 74-68 lead after three quarters.

"We stopped doing the things we did to get the lead," said Allen Iverson, who had 13 points.

McDyess was one of the few bright spots for the Pistons.

"'Dyess was great," Curry said. "One of the great things about him coming back, is he's one of the guys who is mentally tough and doesn't let anything bother him."

Right now, too many other Pistons are coming unraveled. "We have to get better as a group defensively," Curry said. "We've been good at times defensively.

"But we have to get better as a total group."

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

This losing is getting ridiculous



We need some wins here


GO PISTONS

Saturday, December 13, 2008
Pistons 90, Bobcats 86
Pistons avoid collapse, beat Bobcats
Mike Cranston / Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Allen Iverson scored 20 points, Rasheed Wallace hit a 3-pointer with 10.4 seconds left to avoid an embarrassing collapse, and the Detroit Pistons held off the new-look Charlotte Bobcats 90-86 on Saturday night.

Taking advantage of the ragged debut by Charlotte newcomers Boris Diaw and Raja Bell, the Pistons led by 29 points in the third quarter and by 24 with 9 minutes left.

The Pistons then nearly imploded, allowing a group of mostly Bobcats reserves to go on a 17-0 run to get within 85-84 on Raymond Felton's layup with 34 seconds left.

Wallace responded with a straightaway 3 -- the Pistons' first points in nearly 7 minutes -- and put a finger to his lips to quiet the crowd. Richard Hamilton then hit two free throws with 3.8 seconds left to ice it.

Hamilton added 18 points, while Rodney Stuckey had 13 points and 10 assists for the Pistons, who won their second straight game with their new, smaller lineup despite being outscored 30-12 in the fourth quarter.

Gerald Wallace had 22 points and nine rebounds in his return after missing three games following the death of his grandmother, but the Bobcats lost their sixth straight game.

Diaw managed seven points and nine rebounds on 3-of-10 shooting. Bell had four points and missed seven of nine shots in the duo's Charlotte debuts, three days after they were acquired from Phoenix for Bobcats top scorer Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley.

Diaw and Bell started despite having not gone through a full practice with their new teammates -- and it showed.

The Bobcats got off to a horrible start as Diaw and Bell struggled to be in the right spot to run plays and struggled with their shooting and timing. With Iverson starting at shooting guard, he hit three third-quarter 3-pointers and sat out the fourth quarter, even as Charlotte stormed back.

Wednesday's trade was the first major move by the Bobcats since Larry Brown took over as coach in May. But Brown was left in a tough spot on Saturday.

The ex-Pistons coach had more experience coaching Detroit's roster than the team on his bench. He gambled in starting Diaw at power forward -- the struggling Sean May was on the inactive list -- and Bell at shooting guard to replace Richardson.

Diaw and Bell reported on Friday, but couldn't practice because Richardson and Dudley hadn't taken their physicals to make the trade official. They took home a DVD showing the team's plays and went through a crash course at Saturday's shootaround, but they looked lost.

Diaw ran into Felton on a botched pick-and-roll on Charlotte's second possession. Diaw picked up his second foul 4 minutes in. Bell was called for traveling twice in the first quarter, and his bad inbounds pass led to Iverson's layup and an 11-2 Detroit lead.

Charlotte shot 5-of-19 in the first quarter, which marked the third time it committed 10 turnovers in one period. Bell, who became the Bobcats' top defender, also struggled to contain Iverson.

The Pistons shot just 3-for-16 and committed six turnovers in the bizarre fourth quarter.

Notes

Despite Iverson's "We're talking about practice!" rant from their days together in Philadelphia, Brown remains a staunch defender of Iverson and his motivation to win a title. "For the first time I think he has a chance," Brown said. "Even though we went to the finals in Philly, we were so banged up when we got there, no matter how great he played we really didn't have a chance." ... F Juwan Howard, signed by Charlotte on Friday, and G Sean Singletary, acquired in the Phoenix trade, were on the inactive list.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Pistons: Notebook
Iverson draws fine for comments
Remarks costing him $25,000 were made to a spectator in victory Saturday at Charlotte.
Detroit News wires and staff

NEW YORK -- The NBA fined Pistons guard Allen Iverson $25,000 on Tuesday for making inappropriate comments toward a fan in a victory at Charlotte.

Iverson made the remarks to the fan with 6.2 seconds remaining in the third quarter during the 90-86 victory over the Bobcats on Saturday.

It's the second time Iverson has been disciplined since the Pistons acquired him in a trade with the Nuggets for Chauncey Billups on Nov. 3.

After skipping practice on Thanksgiving, Iverson was fined by the team and benched for the start of Detroit's next game.

It's progress

Last week's 107-94 loss to the Wizards might have sparked something for the Pistons.

Defensively, the Pistons just weren't playing at the level they had been.

For this team to improve, the defense had to get better.

Two games later -- both victories -- there are signs of improvement.

"Guys were playing on a string, helping each other out, and that's great for us," Richard Hamilton said.

"If guys aren't helping out, everybody see that and it's kind of like being selfish out there."

Some of the defensive improvement could be traced to the new starting lineup that has Rodney Stuckey at point guard, making the group smaller but quicker.

"With a smaller lineup, we have an opportunity to switch a lot more and able to do a lot more things on the pick and roll," Tayshaun Prince said.

"It has been improving, but we still have to do it over a 48-minute span, and we have. The important thing is we have to rebound better."

Good defense translates into the Pistons being able to get into transition and provide good offensive opportunities, coach Michael Curry said.

"What happens is you get multiple effort plays, and contest (shots), and help (plays) and everyone gets better individually," Curry said.

Meaningful visit

The Pistons visited Children's Hospital, and the experience touched Hamilton.

"It definitely was an important thing," Hamilton said.

"It was just fun to interact and put a smile on their face.

"You realize how blessed you are. You realize the common cold your child may have and you might be all scared and trying to figure out what's wrong, it's really nothing when you go in that hospital."

Ted Kulfan contributed.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Pistons 88, Wizards 74
Pistons eventually finish off Wizards
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- The Pistons let the woeful Wizards hang around way too long Wednesday.

Finally in the fourth quarter, the defense locked in, held the Wizards to three points over a five-minute span and the Pistons got their third straight win, 88-74, at The Palace.

Allen Iverson, 28 points, and Rodney Stuckey, 18 points and 11 assists, led the way. The duo triggered a winning 22-7 barrage. They either scored or assisted on all 22 points.

Antonio McDyess finished with 10 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Tayshaun Prince contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds.

The Wizards committed five of their 14 turnovers in the fourth.

But, again, what took the Pistons so long?

The Wizards have won four games all year. Their fourth win came eight days ago -- against the Pistons. They have a new coach (Ed Tapscott) and new point guard (Mike James) and most of the time they seem to be freelancing their way through games.

Yet, the Pistons steadfastly refused to put them away. They started the third quarter with a 10-point lead and saw that whittled to three by the end of the period.

The Wizards scored five unanswered points in the final 30 seconds -- a three-point play by James and a full-court drive and layup by Nick Young.

The only surprise of the first half was that the Pistons' lead was only 10 points. They shot 49 percent, limited the Wizards to 34 percent.

They also forced eight turnovers and held the Wizards to 13 second-quarter points.

Iverson took charge of the offense, driving through the soft Wizards defense and scoring 15. He hit 7-of-8 free throws.

McDyess came off the bench and posted six points and six rebounds in the half.

Yet, the Wizards managed to stay within striking distance. They did so with Antawn Jamison, playing with a sore left wrist, scoring seven points and two ex-Pistons (James and Juan Dixon) combining for 11 points.

It was nine Pistons turnovers, though, that kept the Wizards in contention. They turned those turnovers into 12 points.

James finished with 16 points. Caron Butler, who had 33 points against the Pistons in Washington, had just five.

NOTE: Wallace is now tied for the league lead in technical fouls. He picked up his ninth with 3:17 left in the third quarter, tying the Celtics' Kendrick Perkins. Players get a one-game suspension after the 15th technical.

Pistons lose to Jazz 114-120 in double over time.
Iverson scores 38 points!

UTAH 120, DETROIT 114 (2OT)
Pistons lose in double OT

FREE PRESS STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES • December 19, 2008

Deron Williams scored 29 and former Piston Mehmet Okur scored 26 as the Jazz defeated the Pistons, 120-114, in double overtime tonight at the Palace.

Allen Iverson scored 38 points in 54 minutes for the Pistons, who lost Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, Rodney Stuckey and Antonio McDyess in the overtimes due to fouls.

Wallace’s three-pointer pulled Detroit within 96-94 with 1:20 to play, and Rodney Stuckey picked off the inbounds pass and laid it in to tie the game moments later.

Williams hit a jumper with 2.3 seconds remaining in regulation to give the Jazz a 96-94 lead, but Hamilton answered with an 18-footer to send the game into overtime.

Hamilton scored 30, Tayshaun Prince added 17 and Wallace had 12 and eight rebounds for the Detroit.

The Pistons lost to the Jazz for the seventh time in a row.

The game was tied at 104 when Tayshaun Prince’s running hook beat the shot clock with 36 seconds left in the extra session. Williams retied the game and Stuckey missed a potential winning three-pointer to send the game to a second overtime.

Wallace had fouled out late in the first overtime, and both Hamilton and Stuckey did the same in the first 90 seconds of the second. That forced Detroit to use a makeshift lineup that included Walter Herrmann, who hadn’t played in the first five periods.

The Pistons still were within 113-112 with a minute to play when Kyle Korver hit a three-pointer to make it a four-point game. Iverson answered with a layup, but Andrei Kirilenko hit two free throws and Herrmann’s 3-pointer rimmed out.

Iverson wound up playing 54 minutes, tying LaMarcus Aldridge for the most in an NBA game this season.

Detroit led 80-73 early in the fourth quarter, but Utah got back into the game with a 15-2 run that included eight points from Okur.

At least Herrmann got to play

Sunday, December 21, 2008
Pistons 78, Hawks 85
Pistons' rally falls short vs. Hawks
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

ATLANTA -- Crazy game.

As soon as the Pistons finally figured out a way to stop the Hawks Sunday, their offense dried up.

And, like the Lions, the Pistons remain perfect Sunday -- perfectly winless, 0-6.

Mike Bibby (27 points) and Joe Johnson (19) hit clutch baskets down the stretch and the Hawks staved off the Pistons, 85-78 at Philips Arena.

The Pistons, who had won four straight over the Hawks, had fought out of an 18-point hole but got no closer than four. They hit a cold patch in the middle of the fourth (two baskets in nine possessions) that proved fatal.

Both Rodney Stuckey and Rasheed Wallace scored 20 points to lead the Pistons (14-11).

Richard Hamilton had 16 points and defended Johnson about as well anyone could. But with the Pistons down six, he lost the ball after he appeared to get whacked in the face.

No foul was called and Hamilton, who stayed on the ground while the Hawks completed their offensive possession, wound up getting a technical foul and ejected with 1:14 left.

Mike Bibby hit five three-pointers to key a 30-16 second quarter burst and the Hawks led by 18 with 9:42 left in the third quarter.

The Pistons at that point looked dead in the water, no match for the younger, bigger and seemingly stronger Hawks.

Stuckey, though, wasn't going to let the Pistons die without a fight. He scored 12 points and made two steals to help get the Pistons to within six points by the end of the quarter.

The Pistons somehow got the Hawks, who had been scoring at will, to miss some shots. They were 6 for 13 and managed just 17 points.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Pistons 104, Bulls 98
Stuckey gets 40, sticks it to Bulls
Overlooked sophomore outplays Chicago's high-profile rookie Rose, leads Detroit to win.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- Rodney Stuckey didn't come into the league with the same iconic pedigree that Bulls heralded rookie Derrick Rose had.

Rose, the No. 1 overall pick last year out of Memphis, has all but been given the rookie of the year award this season. Stuckey, the No. 15 pick out of Eastern Washington in 2007, didn't even make the rookie All-Star game last year and just recently cracked the Pistons starting lineup.

But on Tuesday at The Palace, Stuckey showed that pedigree doesn't win basketball games.

With Allen Iverson out the second half because of a groin injury, Stuckey scored a career-high 40 points, carrying the Pistons to a much-needed, 104-98 victory over the Bulls.

"I was telling him, 'We're going to go to you, man, you've got the hot hand,' " Richard Hamilton said. "I told him I was just going to get out of his way, but I said, 'You better make those free throws or MC is going to be on my tail.' "

"MC" -- coach Michael Curry -- didn't even have to raise his voice.

"I told you all that he's a pretty good player," Curry said of Stuckey. "He works hard on his game every day. Usually he's the last player to leave the (practice) court."

Stuckey overpowered every defender (they used at least four) the Bulls put on him. In a career-high 42 minutes, Stuckey made 15 of 24 shots.

Down the stretch, as the Bulls steadfastly refused to go away, Stuckey forced two turnovers then shot the dagger, a long 2-pointer from the top of the key that gave the Pistons a 99-88 lead with 2:07 left.

He capped it with five free throws in the final minute.

"I was just playing my game," Stuckey said. "Just being aggressive."

Rose struggled. He was in foul trouble early, eventually fouling out with 30 seconds left. He finished with 10 points in 21 minutes.

"I always felt, even last year, that when Stuckey is able to start he can dictate how he wanted to play the game," Curry said.

In the seven games he's started, Stuckey is averaging 18.4 points, 7.4 assists and is shooting 61.7 percent.

"I knew he was capable of 40, just how aggressive he is and how he attacks the basket," said Hamilton, who had 14 points. "He didn't take any forced shots, that's the great thing about it. He did it all in the rhythm of the offense."

The Pistons once again lost most of a 19-point lead -- this time with two minutes left in the first half. The Bulls pulled within one after a 12-0 run to start the third. In that run, the Pistons missed nine straight shots and Rasheed Wallace picked up his 11th technical foul.

And Iverson left the game. Sometime late in the first half he strained his left groin. He tried to play in the third but couldn't get it loose. He's listed as day to day. He finished with eight assists but missed all seven of his field goal attempts in 24 minutes.

It was the second time in his career he didn't make at least one field goal.

Stuckey made sure it didn't kill them this time. He made a 3-pointer to stop the bleeding, then scored seven points in an order-restoring 10-0 run.

It was his night.

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