New head coach Michael Curry has heard all the hard questions about his team and he agrees with the doubters.
Curry does not get defensive about the perception that the Pistons' window of opportunity to win another title with this core group has already closed. Nor does he bristle at the notion that his team has to prove that it's hungry. Instead, he embraces those criticisms and serves it up to his players as a challenge.
"We've sort of earned that," he said. "We've earned the right for people to question if we're going to be a team that can really make a run. We've earned the right for people to ask 'Has this team made their last run?'
"We've earned the right for people to ask if we're going to be able to get it done with the few changes that have been made. We've sort of earned that by not doing the things we need to do to reassure people of those things. We have to reassure ourselves, first and foremost, and with that everyone that's watching us can form their opinion on the type of team we are. The reality is, it's going to be done out there on the court."
"We're starting, as I look at it, from scratch," Curry said. "We have to earn our stripes, so to speak. If we're going to be an elite team, we're going to have to prepare and play every game and every day as if that's what our No. 1 desire is to do."
Pistons fans have been frustrated in recent years by a lack of fire from their players, particularly in some of the biggest moments of the season. Boston clearly wanted the championship more the Pistons during the conference finals and played much more consistently. Everything that happens during the season will be designed to change that mindset.
"What happens is if you get caught into (the idea) that your identity is already set, that's how complacency sets in," Curry said. "According to these guys, we have to establish our identity as being a team that's going to come at you and be the aggressors."
After a successful, if uneven, debut against the Pacers, the Pistons can continue to establish that identity when they play Washington at home on Saturday night.
PISTONS 100, PACERS 94: The Pistons used offensive balance, getting at least five points from 10 players, while winning their opener and Michael Curry's head coaching debut on Wednesday night. The Pistons' defense stymied the Pacers' fast break and three-point shooters. The Pacers had just three fast-break points and made four three-pointers, two fewer than the Pistons, while committing 22 turnovers. Forward Tayshaun Prince had a team-best 19 points. The Pacers played without their second-leading scorer, guard Mike Dunleavy, who is recovering from a right knee injury.
