A recap of the Mavs game will appear shortly, but this is important enough to pass on now: Chauncey Billups is hurt. From the Free Press:
Late in the fourth quarter Thursday, Chauncey Billups limped off the floor holding his right hamstring. He returned after a time-out but was impeded by the pain the rest of the game.
Afterward, he sat in his chair in the locker room, his hands on his head, a giant roll of gauze around the muscle.
He didn't look happy about the prospect of injury at this point in the season.
"I couldn't move," he said of the final moments when he stayed in the game, a 92-82 win. "I just couldn't move. Shot clock was running down, and I couldn't get by."
Chauncey hasn't been ruled out for tonight's game, but that sure doesn't sound like someone who's ready to play the second half of a back-to-back. Like it or not (I don't), get ready to see a whole lot of Flip Murray running the point. Lindsey Hunter didn't even make the trip because of his Achilles injury and the only other point guard on the roster is Will Blalock, who's yet to actually play in a regular season game.
You ready for the salt in the wound? The Pistons face Carlos Arroyo and the Magic tonight. Ugh. Here's to hoping that Chauncey isn't out very long. Our point guard depth hasn't improved one iota since trading Arroyo 10 months ago (sorry, Flip), at which time Joe Dumars said:
"The ultimate question becomes, what if something happens to Chauncey (Billups )?" Dumars said. "Well, who are we going to get if something does happen to Chauncey that's going to lead us to a championship anyways? Don't kill yourself with that. You're up a creek without a paddle there anyways. You know what I mean?
Get well soon, Chauncey. In the meantime, it's time to swim.
Billups hampered by sore hamstring [Detroit Free Press]