We're talkin' about 3 straight losses, unknown Answers.

I was worried about our back-to-back games with Dallas and Houston when I first looked at this month's schedule.
And that was before I knew we'd be without Iverson, Rip, and Sheed.

We fought hard, but not hard enough. I will say that we did amazing without 3 of our best players. Afflalo was especially great, getting us 24 points - a career high.

I just wish we could have left Texas with something more than a sub-500 record.

"We had a chance to win in regulation, and fought back in the first overtime; really gutsy after being down. We just didn't have enough in the second overtime," said Michael Curry.

We had a chance to win the game in regulation when Stuckey passed the ball to Walter Herrmann. And, while his 3-point attempt looked good, it went in-and-out and sent us into OT tied at 82.

"I would have liked for Stuckey to take that shot," Curry said.

Stuckey did take the last shot of the first OT, made it, and we were tied once again. There were a few substitutions, Artest missed a jump shot, and we got the rebound. Double OT.

At 25 seconds left, Dice got a personal foul, Brooks made both fould shots and brought the Rockets up 104-99. Afflalo missed a 3, and Stuckey fouled Brooks. He went to the line again, and again made both. 106-99.

5 seconds let, Afflalo made a lovely layup shot. But it wasn't enough. We lost our 3rd game in a row.

After the game, Stuckey acknowledged that he should have kept the ball in regulation.
"I probably got a text from Joe, 'shoot the last shot. I should have shot it. But I saw Walt open. I should have took it, though."

This is our 3rd straight loss. Let's hope we see as much effort Friday against the Clippers [17-51], and this time come out with a win.

_______________________________________


He hasn’t been on the bench. He hasn't been traveling with the team.
He still comes to the practice facility for treatment.
And he still comes to games, but doesn’t sit on the bench.
He talks to coach Michael Curry daily.

Like everyone else, I was expecting Iverson to be back tomorrow. Actually, I expected him to back a week ago because this is the same guy who has played through injuries his entire career, and the same guy who said nearly 2 days after he left to get treatment that he'd be back as soon as possible and doesn't think he'll have to sit out the whole 2 weeks.

MC said before last night's game against the Rockets that Iverson guard visited with doctors at Georgetown that day and said he was still in pain and he will have more tests today and Friday before the Pistons know what's up.

AI has missed 11 games.

What worries me is that if Iverson is cleared Friday, he will still have to go through conditioning tests with Arnie Kander, and the longer it takes for him to get clearance to start practicing, the slower is will take to get him back to where he was before the injury.

"That ain't my call. That's over my pay grade." Was all Curry [who said it with a smile, mind you] said when asked if the Pistons would decide to rule out Iverson's return this season.

[Click image for larger]

I still don't think he's faking. What kind of sense does it make for Iverson, who is playing for his next contract, to fake an injury and leave teams that will want him next season with that impression of him?
I believe it is in Iverson’s best interests to come back completely healthy, and to be playing and helping his team win.

By the way, the Pistons have been getting the medical reports from AI's Georgetown doctors.
So, really, unless his doctors are covering up for him, which is bull, I think this has to be serious. Especially if Allen Iverson, who has never let injuries and doctor's orders keep him out of games his entire career, isn't playing.


Rip Hamilton missed his 2nd straight game Wednesday with his groin problems, and there's no timetable for his return, either.

And whats up with Sheed?

We're talkin' about Pistons @ Mavs, possible Iverson return.

Good St. Patricks day, bad game day.

The Mavs led the Pistons the whole game. For 3 quarters, they owned us.
Then almost lost it.

We showed comeback capabilities in the 4th when we pulled ourselves up from a 14 point lead by Dallas, but lost by a not-so-embarrassing 2 points. I was happy for that, at least.

With Rip, Sheed, and Iverson all out, we were down about 48 [combined] points per game.

Tayshaun scored 28 points and Will Bynum got a career high 19. Too bad we lost. We are back to .500 with 33-33, and currently the 7th seed.


If AI is cleared to play [he was expected to fly to Georgetown University yesterday to have his back re-examined], the earliest he could return is tonight, or more likely Friday when we play the Clippers. Still no word on Sheed's return.

Seeing how the 'Iverson off the bench' thing goes could have to wait if Rip's groin injury forces him to take another trip to the bench, which means if Iverson is good to go, he could be starting his first game back.
[By the way, thank you, Rip, for re-aggravating the groin. A day after I put you on my fantasy roster ... BOO!]

Don't touch the remote. This season is exciting in a, uh ... crazy, way.

We're talkin' about TALKIN' [or not talking, as the case may be.]

It's been a while. Mostly because the past week has just been this huge cluster-fuck of things not going my way, so in turn I don't want to speak on an of it because it'll just piss me off too much. And then there's confusion and just not knowing. The main thing, though, is nothing is going my way.

Okay, enough. TIME TO TALK.

I woke up Sunday and watched the Pistons vs Grizzlies game. I watched as the Pistons came out with no energy. I watched a team that didn't resemble my Pistons at all.
Was it because it was a Sunday? Was it because the Pistons were playing with heavy hearts because of Davidson's death? Was is the absences of Rasheed Wallace and Allen Iverson? It couldn't have been because we played the Grizzlies. The suck-ass [now 17 and 48 after beating us] Grizzlies.

The Pistons have now fallen to the Number 7 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff seedings.
If the Playoffs were today, we'd be playing the Celtics. And if we played like we did yesterday, we'd have no chance.

A few hours after that game, I got a text.
"Allen Iverson wants out of detroit," it said.
Saturday I read an article. The headline was the same thing. "Allen Iverson Wants Out Of Detroit". Lou Williams [76ers] said he's "pretty sure Allen doesn't want to be in Detroit."
He also said he's like a big brother to him, and they're really good friends.

Side-note: If Lou Williams is such a good friend, why is he telling the world about AI's business?

And there's so much talk going on about "bye bye AI", and how he's done with the Pistons.

I'm trying hard to not believe any of this until I hear Allen himself, or an agent or something, say he doesn't want to be here.

I find it extremely hard to believe that that the same man who said he would like to stay on the Pistons even after this season is over, and the man who said his goal is to "help this team win a championship" and is going to do "whatever it takes" would give up so soon.
Hell, 2 days after his injury, he said he wants to get back as soon as possible.

So I'm assuming it's all just rumors. I'm used to that when it comes to AI.

Like, really. People think that he's a egotistical asshole. People think he's faking his injury because he's pissed at MC's decision to have him come off the bench.
He just wants to play. I know he does. He wants to play every minute. But he's stuck up for it, right? He's a ball hog for it, right?

Michael Curry: "He doesn't want that to become a story. So many people, I don't just mean locally, are taking that and twisting it, saying he's disappointed in coming off the bench. You can't be the type of player he is and want to come off the bench. You want to be in the starting lineup and have the ball in your hands so you can help the team win."

Remember when KG didn't go to that Boston game [I think it was like, a day after his injury] because Doc said that if he was there he would try to play? They said he has so much heart for that. When KG does it, he's a hero. When AI does it, he's egotistical, greedy, and stuck up. Hm?
When KG was losing in Minnesota, he was "missing talent." When AI was losing in Philly, he was a "team killer."
KG found Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, a veteran coach, and a tough team.
AI found Rip, Tayshaun, Sheed, and an old team with a confused 1st year coach.

The Pistons seem lazy. AI is to blame? He finds himself responsible for carrying yet another team, or that's how it seems. Remember that 8 game losing streak when everyone just gave up? You could see the lack of confidence on their faces. You could see the "I don't give a shit" shots. Iverson was the only one on the court that was trying.

AI haters call him "The Canswer". Cancer? That's just funny because it's so false. They're the ones who blame him for all the struggles. Come on! He's being blamed for being traded to a team with an AWFUL coach and a team of great players who have this great bond and chemistry that treat him like the new kid at school. 'You can't sit at the cool lunch table, loser.'

"No matter what I do everyone is always picking on me, and nothing I do is good enough."

"All eyes on you -- because everybody wants you to be perfect, but not themselves."

You can't ask for him to do more than what he's done. He's changed for this team. He's become a team player and has changed his game as much as necessary to mesh with the Pistons, and it isn't working.

"Change. Life changes. It's different. But believe me, I think in my heart - me being the focal point of an offense - gives us the best opportunity to win. And finishing up my career, that will be the team that I'm playing for. If not, then it will time for me to go. Because if I can't play my style of basketball, then there's no need to be playing because I can't help the team that I'm on if I can't play the way I play. Simple as that. Take it any way you want to take it. It's the truth.

Back in the day, I felt like if I had made a comment like that people would say that I'm just selfish and I wanted to score a bunch of points. But I feel like that's how I can help a team. Obviously, I'm not concerned about scoring a bunch of points. I've done all that. I'm talking about what I have to do to help a team win."

But yeah, the main thing here is all the talk about him being done, him being in Detroit is done, his season is done.
And nobody is saying the same thing. MC's Allen Iverson Injury story changes everyday. And Allen himself hasn't spoken in a while, and that's what fans need. I need to hear the truth from his mouth.

I don't like this one bit. And I felt like him coming off the bench was the worst. This is just terrible.
If he does come back ... WHEN he does come back [I'm not losing hope yet], I hope he still gets a good amount of minutes, because I feel like he will finally get to use his talent and play HIS game with that second unit.
It would truly suck not to make use of his talent in the playoffs. I don't think we can compete without him in the playoffs.

As for everything else, I'm still confident in my team and I'm still confident we can do this. I just hope AI is still in this picture.

Unlike me, the Pistons GO TO WORK. So lets do it, dawgs.

We're talkin' about practice?!

Allen Iverson returned to the team and attended practice Thursday [March 5th] after visiting doctors at Georgetown University in Washington. Coach Michael Curry said Iverson was targeting an early return.

We're talkin' about defending. Again.

As anyone who has been watching Pistons basketball this season, especially these games they've played with Iverson out with a back injury, the Pistons play better without Iverson. Is it because AI is out? Is it because they've finally realized that they need to get over the fact that Billups is gone and stop moping around and play like they used to? Is it because the 3 teams that they beat without AI all had missing key players [Jameer, KG, Carmelo]?

Okay - The Pistons lose 8 in a row without Iverson, and eeeeveryone is saying it's because he didn't play any of those games, and Rip was back in the starting lineup.
Did everyone forget about the 7 game winning streak where Rip was out and Iverson was still a starter?

Is it Iverson's fault for the Pistons struggles this season? I'll say it again: No.

AI is clearly having the worst season of his career in Detroit, which is what I didn't expect AT ALL when the trade happened. I thought it'd be the complete opposite. And, while I knew his stats would drop because he's playing with such a talented team, I didn't think our season would look like this. I didn't think that my fellow Pistons fans would turn their backs.

I really and truly believe that the Pistons have been misusing him ever since he became part of the team.
AI is not a good fit -- Not if they expect him play the same way they did with Chauncey.
The Nuggets changed their playing style, clearly, as soon as Billups arrived, and have been doing great [3rd seed in the West currently.]

People are saying he's faking his injury because he's bitter about Curry's decision to have him come off the bench.
You can put those rumors to rest.

He didn't speak with reporters directly, but issued a statement through the team that said he had "no problem with returning as a reserve." and said the same thing he said at that press conference when he was introduced as a Detroit Piston:
“My goal is to help this team win a championship, and I’ve said that from the first day I arrived here in Detroit. I’m going to do whatever it takes to help us achieve our goals as a team, regardless if I’m starting or coming off the bench.”

And as for faking his injury, If you know AI, you know that when he's injured, he's injured. He's always played through injuries, always played despite what doctors say.
He's said recently that he doesn’t think he’s going to have to be out the entire two weeks.

“He wants to get out there as soon as possible." Michael Curry said. "So, hopefully with the treatment and the rest, he’ll feel better and we can get him out there as soon as possible. We need him out there. We need him healthy, out there healthy playing so we can be the team we envision ourselves being.”

I don't know. I sometimes find my gut telling me that Joe Dumars is using him simply for cap space [If Joe lets both AI and Sheed go this summer, Detroit will be about $22 million under the cap] and not his talent. Not what he could bring to the table if they knew how to "use" him correctly.

... And then I think back to the summer of 2000 when the Pistons made a move to get Iverson in a crazy 14-player deal.
But at the time, Iverson was in his prime back then, and months away from becoming the NBA MVP.

I try not to think about what goes on behind closed doors, but I do have an immense love for the Detroit Pistons and Allen Iverson, and I do have a mind - and it wanders.

1 part of me is still happy that I have my favorite player on my home - and favorite - team. And then there's a second part of me that just wishes this trade never happened.

I find myself defending AI and the pistons numerous amounts of times every day. I know hater's are gunna hate [3LW, anybody?!], and that means I'm going to continue to talk, but I take it personally and get really upset, as crazy as that may sound.

I still believe, just like The Answer himself, that he does have his best chance at getting a ring on this team, and hell yes he deserves it more that LeBron, more than Kobe, and more than the Big 3.

And whether or not I question what is going on, I am, as you all know, rooting for my team, as I always have and have been since the start of this season. And I am rooting for AI, as I have since I started watching him back in the Sixers days and quickly fell in love with him and his game, and he became my favorite player ever since.


Until the next game [because you know I will have something to say!], I'll leave you with a thought:

When his contract is up and he is a free agent and goes to another team, which the way things are looking, he will ... there is yet another part of me that would love to see him back in Philly where the glorious days of The Answer all started: 1st round draft pick, Rookie of the Year, All-Star Rookie Game MVP, League MVP, 2x All-Star MVP, Olympian, leading scorer in the league for 4 years ['99, '01, '02, '05], a billion goosebumps every time he played, and so, so much more.

We're talkin' about 2 weeks without The Answer.

It was announced yesterday that Allen Iverson will miss the next 2 weeks due to a sore back, and if everything is good by then, his return will be at home against the Los Angeles Clippers on March 20th.

He has missed the past 3 games, and after his MRI came back negative, wanted a second opinion from Georgetown University doctors, who suggested he stay out of the game for 2 weeks.

The Pistons are considered one of the best franchises when it comes to the player's health, so it's pretty rare for them to seek 2nd opinions, but MC has said it's up to the individual.

He will be reevaluated after those 2 weeks.

I'm hoping for the best. I already miss him.

Go Pistons!

We're talkin' about 3 straight wins, Mr. Big Shot's return.

With Allen Iverson out for the 3rd game [back injury] and the Nuggets Carmelo Anthony out [suspended], The Pistons beat the Nuggets Tuesday night - 100 to 95 - for their 3rd straight win in a row and Chauncey's 1st game back at the Palace since being traded back in November.

His entrance was beautiful. Pistons fans were definitely ON THEIR FEET for Chauncey “Buh-Buh-Buh Billups.”
All the Billups love from Pistons fans last night - also beautiful.

"I may forget the game and what happened, but the ovation and warm welcome the fans gave me, I'll never forget." He said.

I was one of those fans that was rooting for my team to win, but also cheering on Chauncey. But don't get it twisted - He was the only Nugget I cheered for because I got caught up in the moment ... he was still a Piston to me last night.

And I'm not one of those "Iverson sucks, this trade was dumb, bring back Chauncey, you'll never be Billups" people, as you all know. And I'm certainly not one of those people crying about him being gone.

Lately it's been crying about Iverson being gone. And even though with Iverson out the Pistons have turned their 8 game losing streak into a 3 game winning streak, I'm waiting to see how Curry's latest change - A.I. off the bench - works out.

With the Pistons playing the way they have been, I'm excited to see if, finally, A.I. wlil be The Answer that Joe D said we were getting back in November.

I'm not giving up on A.I. the Piston yet, because I'm one of the very, very few Pistons fans that still thinks this trade will pay off this season.

Note: The Pistons are 23-28 with Iverson and 7-1 without him.

"I really feel bad for Allen, because it's really not his fault," Chauncey Billups said about Allen Iverson.
"He's played one way his entire career, and that one way is not the style of play that this team needed. He's still a great player and can still probably score 30 on most nights in a different situation. But that's not what this team needed. You can't get an apple and expect him to be an orange."


Our next game is Friday where we will stay in Detroit and play the 21-39 Golden State Warriors. The last time we played them was back in November. we beat them 107-102.