The Boston Globe -

It's another chemistry lesson
Pistons show Celtics how it's done in comeback victory
By Shira Springer
Once again, the Celtics proved they could play with the Pistons. But not for an entire game.
A first half filled with promise, hustle, effective ball movement, and easy baskets for Boston gave way to a second half marked by frustration, a broken-down offense, and certain individuals trying to save the team by themselves. Good execution turned into good intentions run amok.

Pistons zeroed in for now
By Shira Springer

Oh, the burden of being the last undefeated team in the league. Just what is Detroit coach Flip Saunders to do with all that perfection? Well, luckily for Saunders, the 7-0 Pistons appear to be taking their early success in stride. While some fans may be eyeing the Bulls' all-time NBA best record of 72-10, the Pistons are trying to keep their early success in perspective.

The Detroit news -

Arroyo realizes he finally fits in
Guard gets a new lease on life under Saunders, and his creative play has been more steady.
By Joanne C. Gerstner

Sometimes, it's all about the little things.
Fitting in. Understanding your teammates. Getting a new coach.
Pistons guard Carlos Arroyo has been through all of that in the last year, and it's added up to positives.

Arroyo has gone from being cast off from the Jazz, to being under pressure from Larry Brown, to eliciting praise from his new coach, Flip Saunders.

Beyond the brawl
Year after: NBA fights to dress up its image
By Terry Foster

Indiana Pacers center Jermaine O'Neal doesn't care how harshly you judge him. He says he can take the heat. So if you view him as a morally challenged thug, he is fine with that.
O'Neal believes otherwise, but he cannot defend his actions last Nov. 19, when he and teammates brawled with Pistons fans at The Palace.

The Detroit Free Press -

Arroyo is thriving in new system
by Chris Silva

He's smiling now.

No one has had to tell Carlos Arroyo to flash those pearly whites. But more often this season than last, Arroyo has been seen with a smile on his face whenever he's on the court.

Larry Brown: the anti-Phil Jackson
by Mitch Lawrence

Stephon Marbury can rest easily, and so can all of his Knicks teammates. When it comes to being an aspiring author with a bent for telling all, Larry Brown is no Phil Jackson.
There will be no diary from Brown off his first season as Knicks coach. No opening of the locker-room doors to reveal his team's innermost secrets, as Jackson did off the Lakers' 2003-04 season with his infamous tome, "The Last Season."

Billups takes his turn leading Detroit
Guard's big third sparks rally to 7-0
by Krista Latham

Last time, it was Richard Hamilton who broke Boston's heart. This time, the dagger belonged to Chauncey Billups.
Less than two weeks ago, it was Hamilton's buzzer-beater that gave Detroit a one-point victory over the Celtics. Tuesday night, it was Billups' continued brilliance -- most of it coming in his 17-point third quarter -- that brought the team back from a double-digit hole and helped secure a 115-100 victory at the Palace.

The Oakland press -

Arroyo has brought spark off the bench
by Dana Gauruder

Carlos Arroyo wants another shot at running his own team. That will never happen in Detroit as long as Chauncey Billups remains in one piece.

Backing up one of the NBA's top point guards means that Arroyo has to maximize the minutes he plays. Arroyo's contribution during the Pistons' 115-100 victory over Boston on Tuesday night was a perfect illustration of how to achieve that.

Choice of Saunders is producing nice early returns
By Keith Langlois

They've yet to lose a game, never mind endure a three-game losing streak. No starter has suffered so much as a hangnail, let alone a sprained ankle or - horrors - a blown Achilles' tendon. And it's still too early for anyone to feel slighted about a lack of minutes in a seriously crowded rotation. Those disclaimers out of the way - wow. Flip Saunders has been nothing short of a home run for Joe Dumars.

Booth Newspapers -

Arroyo comes up big off the bench
by Danny Knobler

Billups has a string of three consecutive double-doubles. He's averaging nearly 10 assists a game (second in the NBA), and not even 1.5 turnovers a game. When the Pistons were down 13 points in the second half Tuesday night against Boston, it was Billups who rescued them by scoring 17 points in the third quarter.

The thing is, the Pistons still trailed when Billups left the game. It was backup Carlos Arroyo who made the fast-break basket that put them ahead, Arroyo who made the steal that set up the next two points to put them up by three, Arroyo who assisted on three more baskets and scored another himself.

The Houston Chronicle -

Rockets seek true identity
Team has two big answers, but lacks confidence
by Jonathan Feigen

The Rockets will face two teams that know who and what they are best, and best demon-strate the value of never straying far from themselves.
The San Antonio Spurs, whom the Rockets face tonight, and Detroit Pistons, who will be waiting for them in Houston on Friday, went seven games in the NBA Finals before the Spurs emerged. Between them, they have won the past two NBA championships and no matter what changes have come to their roster, almost never stray from what has made them the league's superpowers.

Houston has one b-a-a-a-d one coming up tonight and tomorrow. They face San Antonio tonight and the Pistons tomorrow.

DetroitPistons.com

Jason Maxiell’s Rookie Diary
Week 4: Road Trippin'

I know I haven’t caught up with you guys in a while, but so much has been happening all at once. On November 2nd we had our opening day, followed by two quick back-to-back games, and then before I knew it we were on a weeklong road trip. I learned real quickly that being on the road is a lot different than in college. Whether it is traveling on the bus or on the team plan, going to shootarounds, playing games – it’s all basketball all the time. And one thing is for sure: time keeps flying by. Yet, I still don’t actually have that feeling that I’m in the NBA. It will come though, I’m sure of it.

The Detroit news ~

Yao isn't himself against Ben Wallace
Quickness, strength of Pistons center are equalizers in matchup with 7-foot-6 player.
By Chris McCosky

It goes back to the World Championships in Indiana in the summer of 2002. One of the few highlights for the sixth-place U.S. men's team was the night Ben Wallace shut down 7-foot-6 Yao Ming of China.
Wallace, who is listed at 6-9 but is closer to 6-7, flummoxed Yao. Using quickness and strength, Wallace kept Yao off balance and away from the basket, enabling the U.S. team to ease past China, 84-65.

Saunders makes smooth transition; Brown, anyone?
By Rob Parker

Normally, you never want to replace a legend.
Just ask Rick Rizzs and Bob Rathbun. Or Dave Lewis.
You normally want to be the guy who replaced the guy who replaced the guy.

That way, you won't face the pressure and scrutiny that come from not being as great as the guy who preceded you.

Enter Pistons coach Flip Saunders.

The Detroit Free Press ~

Prince draws T-Mac card vs. Rockets
by Krista Latham

If Tayshaun Prince is an overrated defender, as Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce claimed this week, tonight could be a long one for the Pistons.

Prince will get a familiar assignment, that of stopping or slowing Houston Rockets small forward Tracy McGrady, a player Pistons coach Flip Saunders said belongs in the top-five talents in the NBA.

Booth Newspapers ~

Winning strategy not always as easy as it seems
By A. Sherrod Blakely

The concept of winning seems really simple, kind of like adding one plus one.
But when you combine youthful ambition and a few veterans with enlarged egos, well, an equation for success can take on a logarithm-like challenge.
Finding a winning formula has been surprisingly easy so far this season for the Detroit Pistons (7-0), the only undefeated team in the NBA.

If you haven't read it, be sure to check out the Jason Maxiell rookie diary mentioned above. It's a lot longer and more detailed than the usual stuff. Really worthwhile.

The Detroit news ~

Good guys equal the Bad Boys
Pistons open the season 8-0 for the first time since 1988-89.
By Chris Duncan / Associated Press

The Detroit Pistons are scoring more this season, but defense is still their calling card. It's also the reason they're still undefeated.

Richard Hamilton scored 19 points and the Pistons survived a dismal offensive performance Friday night, beating equally cold-shooting Houston 78-70.

The Palace brawl lives in infamy a year later
By Larry Lage / Associated Press

Millions of dollars were lost, reputations were tainted and the NBA was shaken on Nov. 19, 2004, when the Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and fans were involved in perhaps the worst brawl in U.S. sports history.
A year later, the ugly series of events and the aftermath are being rehashed and dissected.

Timeline of events surrounding the brawl at The Palace
Associated Press

A look at the Nov. 19, 2004, brawl involving the Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and fans in Auburn Hills, Mich., and its aftermath.

The Detroit Free Press ~

Pistons clank to 8-0, stall Rockets
by Chris Silva

Clank! Thud! Doink!

That was the sound of the Pistons' offense. That sure-thing offense you've come to know in this early season was erratic for 3 1/2 quarters in Houston.
The Pistons' offense was so off Friday night that, on several occasions, they couldn't even successfully convert a slam dunk. Air balls, bricks and nicks -- the Pistons did it all.

No worries. That's why they have always preached defense. It saved the Pistons and their perfect season this time.

Saunders not shocked by K.G.'s beefs
by Chris Silva

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett's statements in an interview shown by TNT on Thursday night about the organization's dysfunction, contract disputes and firing of Flip Saunders wasn't shocking to Saunders.

"The things that K.G. said, he's called me numerous times and talked about it, so it really didn't surprise me," Saunders said after the Pistons' shootaround at the Toyota Center.

Razz your rivals -- within limits
by Drew Sharp

An anniversary usually is linked to a celebration. But there's nothing joyous about commemorating what occurred a year ago tonight at the Palace. The brawl between some of the Indiana Pacers and Pistons fans was an aberration, an example of how ugly the animosity between rival players and fans can become.

What should be nothing more than a little playful dissing suddenly blows up.

The Oakland Press ~

Pistons shut down McGrady, Rockets
By Dana Gauruder

The old Pistons returned Friday night. The bottom line remained the same.

Those high-flying, high-scoring Pistons under Flip Saunders took the night off, but the tough, unyielding defense reappeared in a 78-70 win over Houston. The undefeated Pistons can match their franchise record of nine season-opening victories with a win over Dallas tonight. The 1970-71 Pistons started off 9-0. The current group matched the 8-0 start of the 1988-89 championship club.

Booth Newspapers ~

Detroit 78, Houston 70
By A. Sherrod Blakely

So much of the talk about this Detroit Pistons team has been out their new and improved offense.

But on a night when few of those shots fell, the Pistons found themselves being carried by their defense which would prove to be the difference in Detroit's 78-70 win over the Houston Rockets. Detroit has now won eight in a row, the second-best start in franchise history.

The Houston Chronicle ~

Pistons show they can still play tenacious defense
Big Ben shines with 16 rebounds, 4 blocked shots
By MOISEKAPENDA BOWER

Flip Saunders supposedly had emancipated the Detroit Pistons, transforming them from a bump-and-grind outfit to a collection of dangerous scorers in only seven games.

The Pistons who ranked third in the NBA in scoring and first in field-goal percentage made only token appearances Friday night at Toyota Center. The Pistons who clawed their way to an NBA title two seasons ago handled business instead against the Rockets. As the last remaining undefeated team in the NBA, Detroit is comfortable either way.

Elite out of reach
Pistons show upper-echelon teams beyond Rockets' grasp
By JONATHAN FEIGEN

The Rockets could shoot as horribly as ever and still be in the game. Tracy McGrady could hobble through three quarters and then shut it down entirely, and the Rockets were still right there with the Pistons.

They could turn the ball over, have Yao Ming foul out, ask David Wesley to moonlight as a point guard, and they still had every reason to believe they could be the first team to beat the Detroit Pistons this season.
Then the game turned to its last five minutes, and it turned out, the Rockets never had a chance.

ESPN.com ~

Don't dig Detroit? That's OK, we like it like that
Todd Boyd

I am here at the one-year anniversary to say that once again my city, Detroit, got another undeserved dis from all those who said that if something like this was going to happen, it would only happen in Detroit.
This is the thinking behind that wack video montage during the player introductions at that recent Pistons-Kings game in Sacramento. Burning cars and abandoned buildings had come to define the city of my birth long before any of these recent events, though.

This image of Detroit as a vast urban wasteland goes back to 1967, when disgruntled black residents on 12th and Claremont decided to take fate in their own hands and resist the police brutality that had become all too common in their lives. This act of defiance following the raid of an after-hours joint, known as a "blind pig" in Detroit, ignited one of the worst riots in American history.

I loved that Boyd piece. That is required reading if there ever was some.