{"id":342989,"date":"2011-03-27T21:40:14","date_gmt":"2011-03-27T21:40:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/03\/27\/change-the-only-constant-for-pistons-ap\/"},"modified":"2011-03-27T21:40:14","modified_gmt":"2011-03-27T21:40:14","slug":"change-the-only-constant-for-pistons-ap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/27\/change-the-only-constant-for-pistons-ap\/","title":{"rendered":"Change the only constant for Pistons (AP)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP)\u2014There are over 3,000 ways an NBA coach can pick
\nfive players from a 15-man roster.<\/p>\n

Detroit\u2019s John Kuester must feel as if he\u2019s tried almost all of them.<\/p>\n

The Pistons debuted their 21st different starting lineup Saturday night,
\nmixing and matching their way to a 100-88 win over the Indiana Pacers<\/a>. It\u2019s been
\na season of uncertainty for Detroit, from the drawn-out sale of the team to the
\nnightly guessing game over who will play and who won\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve given guys an opportunity to play well, and if they\u2019re playing well,
\nI\u2019m going to ride them,\u201d Kuester said. \u201cWe don\u2019t have LeBron James<\/a>(notes)<\/a>.<\/span> We don\u2019t
\nhave Dwight Howard<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> at center. We have a collection of good players that have to
\nplay at a high level, and on any given night, you look at all of our roster of
\nplayers, they\u2019re capable of giving it to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Detroit isn\u2019t all that unique with its 21 starting lineups. The Sacramento
\nKings<\/a> had started 26 different lineups through Saturday, and the Washington
\nWizards<\/a> had used 25, according to STATS, LLC. Those teams have struggled every
\nbit as much this season as the Pistons, who are 26-47 and on the verge of
\nelimination from the playoff chase.<\/p>\n

In Detroit, however, the drama doesn\u2019t stop with the pregame introductions.
\nNot only have the Pistons juggled their starting lineup, but every healthy
\nplayer except Ben Gordon<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> has received a DNP-Coach\u2019s Decision at least once this
\nseason, and the starting lineup sometimes bears no resemblance to the group on
\nthe court late in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n

There are 3,003 possible five-man combinations on a 15-player roster.
\nKuester\u2019s options have been limited slightly by season-long injuries to Jonas
\nJerebko<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> and Terrico White<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> but every other Piston has started at least one game.
\nThe lineup has changed because of injuries and occasional signs of discord\u2014as
\nwell as a roster full of seemingly interchangeable parts that has left the
\nembattled coach perpetually searching for a hot hand.<\/p>\n

On opening night, Rodney Stuckey<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> Richard Hamilton<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> Ben Wallace<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> Austin Daye<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span>
\nand Tayshaun Prince<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> took the court for Detroit, but that group has started only
\neight games together, with the Pistons going 2-6. The most common starting
\nlineup? The same squad from the opener, but with Jason Maxiell<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> at power forward
\ninstead of Daye. Detroit went 4-9 with that combination, which was abandoned in
\nDecember.<\/p>\n

Hamilton was a starter, then became a backup, then was benched entirely. He
\nis now starting again. Hamilton and Kuester had a falling out but now say
\nthey\u2019ve worked out their differences.<\/p>\n

Hamilton scored 23 points Saturday, a bright moment in an unusual season.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust being ready to play \u2026 staying in tune with the game,\u201d Hamilton
\nsaid. \u201cWhen the opportunity is there, just coming out and just playing. \u2026 I
\nknow what I bring to the table. I know what I\u2019m capable of doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lately, Hamilton has teamed up with Tracy McGrady<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> in the backcourt, but a
\nback problem sidelined McGrady against Indiana, forcing Stuckey back into the
\nstarting lineup. Injuries also have been an issue for veterans Prince and
\nWallace.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt affects the chemistry. It affects our performance on the court, because
\nyou never know who you\u2019re out there playing with,\u201d guard Will Bynum<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> said. \u201cYou
\njust have to be ready whenever your name\u2019s called.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bynum was ready on March 18, when he sat out the first three quarters before
\nplaying the entire fourth as Detroit rallied from an 11-point deficit to beat
\nthe New York Knicks<\/a>. Hamilton missed that game because of the death of his
\ngrandfather, and the Pistons started an unusually tall backcourt of the 6-foot-8
\nMcGrady and the 6-11 Daye. When that didn\u2019t work, Kuester benched four of his
\nstarters for the final quarter. The backups led the comeback.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust because you don\u2019t start doesn\u2019t mean you don\u2019t finish,\u201d Kuester
\nsaid.<\/p>\n

Of course, there was one night when the bench was a lot shorter. On Feb. 25,
\nseveral Pistons missed at least part of a team shootaround. Kuester brushed off
\ntalk of a possible mutiny, but he used only six players in that night\u2019s game at
\nPhiladelphia. It was the only start of the season so far for Bynum and DaJuan
\nSummers<\/a>(notes)<\/a>.<\/span> Bynum played the full 48 minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never seen some of the stuff that\u2019s going on,\u201d Bynum said. \u201cI\u2019m
\njust learning on the fly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, the Pistons will try to make the most of the last nine games of the
\nregular season. They played well enough to beat an Indiana team that\u2019s in the
\nthick of the playoff race, and they\u2019ll take on the Pacers again on Wednesday.
\nAfter that, Detroit faces Chicago and Boston, two teams fighting for the No. 1
\nseed in the Eastern Conference.<\/p>\n

With their postseason hopes dwindling, the Pistons might not have much to
\nplay for, but that won\u2019t stop Kuester from tinkering.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the things I\u2019ve done is given them all an opportunity to be in that
\ncrunch (time) situation,\u201d Kuester said. \u201cSometimes it\u2019s worked out, sometimes
\nit hasn\u2019t worked the way you want it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Follow this link:
\nChange the only constant for Pistons (AP)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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