The race for the top seed in the Eastern Conference is a close one, with the Boston Celtics holding a three-game edge on the Pistons. Not that the Pistons are aware of that -- they swear they pay it no attention.
"We don't look at that," coach Flip Saunders said. "Whether you have the one-seed, the two, it all kind of pans out. You have to win on the road. We haven't put a lot of emphasis that we have to catch Boston. Our main thing is let's take care of ourselves -- we'll have a good record and see where it falls in." The Pistons will play their final game of the season against the Celtics in Boston on Wednesday. So far, the visiting team has won each of the first two games.
This one could have a different flair, though.
After being waived this week from the Clippers, veteran Sam Cassell is expected to sign with the Celtics. Saunders, who coached him in Minnesota, said on a personal level he's happy for his former player to wind up in a better situation.
He also has an idea what kind of impact he'll make in Boston.
"He'll talk a lot, and he'll shoot a lot," Saunders said. "Anytime you can add a veteran guy, that's a positive. One thing about Sam, he's not afraid to take big shots. You're always happy for Sam. But I do know how to play against him, so I'll tell him that's the one thing I know going in."
PISTONS 103, CLIPPERS 73: Forward Rasheed Wallace hit his first seven shots, had four blocks and scored all of his 17 before halftime, and the Pistons rode that early effort to a win Saturday against the Clippers.
They did so without their captain, point guard Chauncey Billups, who had returned to Detroit Thursday for a personal matter.
But with rookie Rodney Stuckey getting his first NBA start, the Pistons opened up a 15-point lead in the second quarter and never looked back, unlike their previous game. In Utah on Wednesday, they squandered an 18-point lead and lost.
They washed the taste of the Utah game out of their mouths with Saturday's win, ending their week-long trip 3-1.
"Good way to end the trip," coach Flip Saunders said. "It made it a great trip. Bounced back after being somewhat disappointed in Utah."
Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince, a Compton native, scored 22 and became a point-forward with 10 assists. With Rodney Stuckey (nine points) battling foul trouble, guard Juan Dixon played his first extended minutes and scored 14, hitting his first six shots.
The team was also happy with Stuckey, who went 4-for-8 from the floor and had two assists.
"In the minutes he was in, Stuck did cool," Wallace said. "He ran the offense. I'm not worried about him taking or missing shots, just run the offense, that's the main thing for him to make sure everyone's in the right spot and get people involved. I think that's what he was doing."
