AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — The normal 82-game NBA schedule is challenging enough, but this season's compressed 66-game schedule forced by the lockout is even worse.
Every team is playing a lot of games, often on consecutive nights, with few opportunities for practices and no chance to catch a breather.
This is hell week for the Detroit Pistons, who play five games in six nights.
They start Monday in Milwaukee. On Tuesday, they're at New York. On Wednesday, they're at New Jersey.
The Pistons then return to The Palace on Friday vs. the Bucks and Saturday vs. the Hornets.
"You just focus on one game at a time," coach Lawrence Frank said. "It's a mental toughness test, a lot of games, short amount of time. The NBA is a no-sympathy league. You line 'em up, and you better come out and give your best effort and compete. That's what we fully expect."
It comes on the heels of a mentally difficult stretch that saw the Pistons lose two games they should have won (Wednesday vs. the Heat, Friday vs. the Hawks) and one game in which they were blown out (Saturday at Philadelphia).
Veteran Ben Wallace, who always does a good job of staying in shape, echoed what Frank said.
"I'm gonna take it one game at a time, like I've been doing all season," Wallace said. "But I've been doing a great job trying to take care of my body and being ready whenever my number's called.
"That's what I'm going to do on this road trip. Whenever my number's called, I'm gonna be ready. I think I'm physically and mentally prepared for everything."
The very slim Austin Daye said he would continue to practice.
"Just staying in the practice facility and trying to maintain your stamina," Daye said. "Everything about it, the whole situation is different from 82 games. It's 66 in a short period of time.
"Just gotta be in good shape, and, hopefully, your body can withstand all the beating."
Rookies such as Brandon Knight are particularly affected by the compressed schedule because they didn't get to play summer league basketball in Las Vegas, and they're barely practicing while trying to adjust to the professional game.
They have to rely on others to guide them through these relentless stretches.
"Resting and just trying to make sure you're working with the training staff, doing whatever they tell you to do," Knight said. "If they tell you to get off your feet, get off your feet because they've been in this league 20 to 30 years and as a rookie.
"You've just got to listen to people who have done it before you."
Perhaps the only good thing for the Pistons — at 4-17 the second-worst team in the league to the Charlotte Bobcats (3-18) — is that there's little time to linger on the losses
"The other night, Brandon Knight was beating himself up about the loss (missing two late free throws vs. Miami)," Wallace said. "I try to tell guys, once that horn goes off, you can drop your head or whatever, say whatever you want to say, but after you leave this locker room, it's over. Let's move on to the next game.
"That's the one thing that's always been great about this league. It doesn't allow you to sleep on a win or loss for too long. You gotta move on to the next game because they're coming back to back to back."
