~ Detroit News ~
Pistons: Notebook
Saunders won't do All-Star campaign
He calls making any pitch for his players 'lip service' because coaches have an idea on picks.
By JoAnne C. Gerstner
Call The Palace a spin-free, no-politicking zone, at least in coach Flip Saunders' office.
The All-Star game is drawing near, and Saunders will soon have to choose which players he will vote for as reserves. The game is Feb. 19, in Houston, and fans will pick the starters via paper ballots at arenas and on-line voting.
As of Dec. 29, no Piston was the leading fan vote-getter at his position. Fan voting ends Jan. 22.
If the current trends hold, Pistons such as Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton and Ben Wallace likely will have to be picked by the coaches as reserves to be All-Stars.
~Detroit Free Press ~
Pistons attract hoopla aplenty
team's popularity soars as it wins big
By Krista Latham
Have the Pistons replaced the Red Wings as Detroit's most beloved team?
Has Hockeytown turned into Hoops City?
It's certainly possible.
The Pistons are off to their best start in franchise history -- 25-4. Only seven teams in NBA history have started better.
And that's not all. The Pistons franchise is winning in every other conceivable way.
More fans than ever want tickets. More viewers than ever watch games on television. More browsers than ever read the team's Web site. More shoppers than ever purchase team merchandise.
New bars have opened to feed the basketball frenzy, from the year-old Hoop City Grille in Southfield to the month-old 24 Seconds in Berkley.
Delfino flies solo, watches minutes rise
By Chris Silva
He stops whatever drill he's doing for a few seconds and peers over his shoulder to see what his teammates are up to. One day they're involved in a pickup game; the next, a game of horse.
Sometimes Carlos Delfino will join in. Other days, like Thursday, he'll resume his workout at an adjacent basket, where he's usually floating the perimeter, working on his jump shot, conducting drills by himself, quietly adding to his repertoire.
Delfino cherishes his time alone, yet he doesn't consider himself a loner.
"Every time I try to work alone, because when you work alone, you don't have any noise," Delfino said. "You can just focus on you. You focus on what you want."
What Delfino wants he has received: more playing time.
~ Booth Newspapers ~
Saunders knows all about Sonics' nightmare season
By A. Sherrod Blakely Last season, the Seattle Supersonics looked like a team on the rise, shocking many with their unexpected ascension to the Northwest Division title with a 52-30 regular-season record. Now, less than a year later, Seattle's team harmony has been replaced by a number of headaches throughout the organization, a scenario Pistons head coach Flip Saunders can relate to. "We went through a little bit of the same situation (in Minnesota)," Saunders said. After Saunders led the Timberwolves to the best record in the Western Conference (58-24) two years ago, the personal agendas of some Timberwolves players took precedence over playing to win last season. That led to a slow start by Minnesota, and Saunders was fired last February. A similar unraveling is taking shape in Seattle now. Catchin' up with ASB
The lastest forum musings from MLive.com's Pistons scribe, A. Sherrod Blakely:
On rumors surfacing that Ron Artest will be traded to Golden State for Troy Murphy... I like that deal for both teams, although I believe Golden State would make out better at first because their division is so weak this year and because of that, Artest could help them not only get into the playoffs, but possibly get to the second round if they get the right first round (Dallas) opponent. On ex-Michigan State star Mateen Cleaves' release from Seattle Wednesday... There was more to it than just saving a few bucks. I talked with Mateen a few minutes after he was waived. Money was definitely a factor. But so was the fact that they have a new coach, who wants to play a style that requires guys to shoot the ball well - which as we all know, is probably Mateen's biggest weakness. I think he'll latch on with someone else, but it probably won't be until sometime after the all-star break. ~ The Oakland Press ~
Sonics visit Pistons with Hill in charge
By Bill Roose
What's happened to the Seattle Supersonics?
Eight months removed from being crowned Northwest Division champions and taking San Antonio to a sixth game in a Western Conference semifi nal, the Sonics are swimming in mediocrity.
Not even to the season's halfway point, the Sonics have fired first-year coach Bob Weiss and replaced him with assistant Bob Hill, who brings his Sonics into the Palace tonight.
The Pistons are well aware that a change of leadership can often breathe new life into a battered team.
"There's always a bounce," coach Flip Saunders said, referring to any midseason coaching change. "You have a new coach; he comes in with a lot of enthusiasm. The players either get new plays, a new system, a new voice. It's like they hear a little bit more right away."
~ DetroitPistons.com ~
Detroit Pistons Reach Milestone of 100 Consecutive Sellouts
Several Expressions of “Thanks” Planned for Fans to Celebrate 100th Consecutive Sell-Out
The Detroit Pistons will sell-out their 100th consecutive game this Friday, January 6 when they host the Seattle Sonics for an 8:00 p.m. contest.
The streak, which began January 19, 2004 during the 2003-04 season, includes regular and post-season games at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Capacity for a basketball game is 22,076.
“This is quite a mark to hit, especially when you consider where we were just five years ago, AND we have the largest building in the NBA,” said Pistons CEO Tom Wilson. “The milestone is a great testament to the loyalty of our fans, and it is also a great testament to the hard work put in by the players and our organization. When you give fans a great experience, they will reward you.”
The Pistons record in the 99 games during the sell-out streak is 78-21 and includes two trips to the NBA Finals in 2004 and 2005.