Auburn Hills -- There are a lot of things wrong with the Pistons right now, but some things are a little more serious than others.
Getting blown out 109-86 by the Boston Celtics, a team that was in the NBA Finals this past season, is merely a symptom of an underlying malaise.
The Pistons are 0-4 and could very easily be 0-5 by the end of the night Wednesday after they face a 4-0 Atlanta team on their home court.
They're going through another spate of injuries and the head coach and players don't all seem to be gathered on the same page at the moment.
"It just seems like last year is starting all over again with the injuries and stuff like that," Rodney Stuckey said. "It's frustrating right now.
"The main thing is the guys we have, we've just got to try to stay positive and try to work together. I know it's tough. It's tough right now because of all the guys we have out. But still, the young guys have to be ready to play now."
What might be the saddest thing of all is that the way the Celtics played Tuesday, never trailing and collecting 33 assists on 42 baskets, is a lot like how the Pistons used to play.
Those Pistons won the 2004 NBA title, made it to the NBA Finals in 2004-05 and then made it to the Eastern Conference Finals three consecutive years after that before bowing out in the first round of the 2008-09 playoffs.
"Yeah, they were flying around," Ben Wallace said of the Celtics. "They were in the passing lanes, they were talking to each other, they were helping each other, rotating. Yeah, that's how we used to play. That's how we want to play now."
Unfortunately, that's not how the Pistons are playing. They had a chance to win the first three games but found ways to lose all three.
Then Tuesday, in front of several Detroit Lions -- including Ndamukong Suh, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Dominic Raiola, Louis Delmas and Jahvid Best -- the Pistons were witnesses to the greatness of Rajon Rondo, who got his team running and scoring easy baskets, Kevin Garnett, who had 10 first-quarter points and finished with a game-high 22, and the rest of the Celtics. Rondo finished with 17 assists and zero turnovers.
"We gave up too many layups, too many shots at the basket, too many open shots, too many backdoor cuts," Wallace said. "We just didn't compete the way we usually come out and compete. I know the guys we got in here and I know we can give a better effort than that. That's unacceptable the way we played tonight."
After the game, coach John Kuester seemed to call out his team.
"We have to collectively, some way or somehow, find another voice besides my own that is going to lead us and also have that passion," Kuester said. "It can't just be when things are going good, it has to be when things are going rough. It can't be just one person, it's got to be a group."
Tayshaun Prince, who is having to play some point-forward in the absence of an injured Will Bynum, agreed with his coach to a point.
"It goes both ways," Prince said. "If he wants to say we've got to be more vocal, he's got to do some things better, too. We're 0-4 but it ain't just the team; it's everybody. So everybody has to do something better.
Prince may be generally a reserved person, but his frustration is already showing. A fan started heckling him about the fact that he had just one rebound in 32 minutes. Instead of ignoring him, Prince invited the fan to come down for a more personal chat.
"It's not frustrating but if you don't have nothing nice to say, then don't say it at all," Prince said. "If you've got something positive to say, go ahead. But when things ain't going right, you know, a lot of people have stuff to say.
"I've said this time and time again, true Pistons fans will stay positive about the situation and we'll get through it. If you've got something negative to say, don't say it at all. When a fan starts to talk about me or one of my teammates, I will let him know, I will respond.
"Obviously, I'm a quiet person, but you say something I don't like, I will get on you. It was just one of those scenarios."
The scenarios don't look too rosy for the Pistons right now. The ownership situation is still not settled and the team is dealing with injuries (Tracy McGrady played just eight minutes in the first half after bumping his surgically repaired knee and his status is up in the air) and early unrest.
If the veterans and younger players can come together with the coaches, maybe get that us-against-the-world mentality, perhaps they can make something of the season. Most likely not the playoffs, but something positive to build on for the future.
"This game's played with passion," Kuester said. "You're in this game to win. Four games in and I'm (ticked). I'm not happy. We want to win. I don't care who we put on that floor.
"if we have Austin Daye playing the point, I expect him to be the best point guard he can possibly be. Tayshaun, same thing.
"We will figure out a way to win. That's the most important thing. We have 15 guys in that room. They shouldn't be happy. There's nothing to be happy about."
Nov. 2, 2010
