I've been busy so a few of these are old, but in case you missed them ...
- The last few summers, the word everyone has liked to use when talking about the Pistons has been "complacency." What's the new buzz word? "Accountable." Lindsey Hunter is using it, Chauncey Billups is using it, and, of course, Michael Curry is using it:
[Michael Curry]: We can be two different teams at times. You look at Boston, they were first in the league defensively. We were second. The difference is, when you played Boston, they were going to be the best defensive team every night. They played you the same way. With us, we would be up and down. The question is, how can we make sure we are the same team, every night?
SN: But how do you do that?
MC: We'll see. We'll be holding people accountable when they need to be.
I'm sure you noticed this already (DBB readers hopped on this wagon back in May!), but now that I pointed it out, try to see how many Pistons interviews you see that don't have this word. There aren't many.
- We're doing a "biggest busts of the 00's" series at FanHouse, and today I shined the light on Rodney White, whom the Pistons chose over Joe Johnson, Richard Jefferson, Zach Randolph, Gerald Wallace, Tony Parker and Gilbert Arenas, not to mention any other number of warm bodies who could have actually, you know, contributed.
- Speaking of FanHouse, my colleagues have been killing it with their Olympic hoops coverage, especially if you're looking for more than just Team USA news.
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Scott Perry confirms Amir Johnson's spot in the rotation:
"I think he’s somebody we look at to be in our rotation playing each night," Perry said. "What number (in the big man pecking order) that is, that will be determined once we come to camp and start playing games. But right now, he’s a guy who’ll be in the rotation each night. We’re going to play four big guys a night, at least, so he has a good opportunity to step in and one thing we know he’s going to provide is energy and athleticism every night.
This was already expected, but it's still nice to hear.
- Really, Allan Houston? Another comeback?
- Tayshaun Prince is in Beijing and carefree. From Michael Rosenberg in the Free Press:
Prince said he has not been in Detroit since the day Flip Saunders was fired. He felt no need to call Joe Dumars and ask what is happening.
[...] "To be honest with you, I haven't been looking at what's going on," he said. "Everything eventually is going to take care of itself. A lot of guys worry about trade rumors. I'm the type of guy, I know that wherever I end up, I know I can help the team."
Prince only played seven minutes in Sunday's game against China, but not a lot of people can say they played in front of a billion people.
- Play amateur GM, win a Need4Sheed t-shirt.
- Jason Maxiell faces Jeff Foster in Hoops Addict's Floor Burn Tournament. Go vote.