Pistons Links: Flattering the Spurs, schedule breakdowns and finally decent news for gingers

Pistons challenge: Keep winning streak alive by beating Spurs at home, where they're 28-0 -- Pistons.com

Bunch of numbers to raise your eyebrows at. Here's just a couple below:

Duncan has 1,373 career NBA starts, or 513 more than the Pistons starting five of Morris, Tobias Harris, Reggie Jackson, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Jackson combined. That's 6½ seasons of starts more than Stan Van Gundy's starting five.

Parker also has more NBA starts - by 189 games, or nearly 2½ seasons - than Detroit's collective total. The Spurs starting five of Duncan, Parker, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kawhi Leonard and Green has 3,706 career starts, or an average of 741. The least experienced Spurs starter, Leonard, has 73 more career starts than Detroit's leader in that category, Drummond.

Remaining Schedule Breakdown -- Hang Time Blog, NBA.com

The Pistons have a league-low four remaining games against bottom-10 defenses. Three of those games are part of their longest homestand of the season, nine games between March 16 and April 1.

NBA Mock Draft 2016: Detroit Pistons Get a Big -- Detroit Jock City

Apparently Cal big man Ivan Rabb is slated to go in the mid to late teens where Detroit will probably be selecting. At any rate, Chad Ford mentioned Ed Davis as a comparison for Rabb, whereas Detroit Jock City contributor Zac Snyder offers just a slightly more optimistic outlook by saying that currently Rabb has several comparable skill-sets as Andre Drummond did prior to Andre's jump to the league.

Beyond a perfect March -- how the Spurs changed -- San Antonio Express News

Will Perdue was traded for Dennis Rodman in October, 1995. Later during that season, in March, 1996, the Spurs went a perfect 16-0. I would put this article in the 'required reading' category.

What eventually followed was a coaching change that is still in place. If trading Rodman was Popovich's first dramatic move, replacing (Bob) Hill was the definitive one.

Perdue said he had to adjust to Popovich, and one night in particular stays with him. Then, he tried to guard Karl Malone and failed.

"I'm in the locker room afterward, and I've got ice on my knees and shoulders and just about everywhere else," Perdue said. "Malone was no fun. Pop walks over and puts his arm around me, and he said, ‘I appreciate the effort.'"

Perdue had heard such postgame reassurances from coaches before -- until Popovich followed with, "But you hurt us."

Perdue's first reaction: "I wanted to strangle him."

Perdue already knew he hadn't done his job. Besides, wasn't Malone a Hall of Fame player?

Perdue stewed until about an hour later, when Popovich acted as if the game had never happened. This is one quality Perdue learned to love about Popovich: He always separated the game from real life, and he cared about his players.

Viral Sensation Boban Marjanovic Aspires to Be Like Mentor Tim Duncan -- BR

So far this preseason and regular season, I have mentioned Spur's backup center Boban Marjanovic both times the Pistons played the Spurs. How about I make it a third time?

Written by Mike Monroe, former President of the Professional Basketball Writers Association, the article is worth a read to understand more about the endearing 7'3 Serbian center.

"I watch him (Duncan) and how he works as a basketball player and I think I want to try to be the same as him. Nobody can be him, but I want to be a bad copy. Or I hope good copy. Let's say I try to be good copy. This is really hard but I try to work, step by step."

Marjanovic already has matched Duncan in one important aspect of the Spurs Way. He is very often the last player to leave the practice court, always working on improving himself. He has even worked with assistant coach Becky Hammon -- €”one of the best point guards in WNBA history -- €”to improve his ball-handling.

"I give thanks every day because I have a lot of good people around me."

And there's a sweet new T-shirt on the market -- "Bobey". (Hat tip: Pounding The Rock)

ATTENTION GINGER HAIRED PISTONS FANS IN OR NEAR DALLAS:

The Dallas Mavericks are hosting a Redhead Night next Wednesday, March 9th against our Detroit Pistons:

The Mavericks are hosting its first Redhead Night on March 9 against the Detroit Pistons, inviting "All redheads, family, and friends to participate."

The only way to sign up is through the Mavs website at: http://www.mavs.com/tickets/redheadnight/

Fans can get the following:

-- A discounted ticket (about $1-5 off).

-- Free Commemorative Mavs Redhead Night T-Shirt

-- McDonald's Value Meal Voucher

-- Access to McDonald's Photo Booth with guest appearance by Ronald McDonald (another redhead).

There's not much incentive to this redhead night besides getting a small discount on ticket price. Hard working ginger folks (or strawberry blonde folks too, I guess) deserve any kind of extra discount they can get their extra pale hands on, but just a buck or two isn't much. Though I guess what it all comes down to is that McDonald's Value Meal Voucher. Excellent, an excuse for gingers to expand their waistlines with filthy, tasty food, resulting in fat(ter) soulless gingers slopping around Texas. Good for the ginger brand, yeah?

From one redheaded Pistons fan to other redheaded Pistons fans out there, especially those who happen to be in or near Dallas on March 9th and will attend this game, GINGER ON!

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Enjoy the ESPN telecast if you wish, Pistons fans!