Aaron Afflalo
Amir Johnson
Antonio Mcdyess
Chauncey Billups
Cheikh Samb
Jarvis Hayes
Jason Maxiell
Juwan Dixon
Lindsey Hunter
Rasheed Wallace
Richard (rip) Hamilton
Rodney Stuckey
Tayshaun Prince
Theo Ratliff
Walter Herrmann
2008 Season Recap:
At the start of the 2008 season, Rasheed Wallace became the Pistons' new center. Upon entering his third season as Pistons coach, Saunders became the longest-tenured Pistons coach since Chuck Daly's nine-year tenure (1983-92).
Detroit finished the season 59-23, with the second-best record in the league. The Boston Celtics held the first seed, and many speculated that Boston was their main competition in the Eastern Conference.
In the 2008 NBA Playoffs, Detroit started out poorly with a Game 1 loss to the seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers and found themselves in a 2-games-to-1 deficit. But the Pistons rallied to defeat the Sixers in six games.
Meanwhile in the 2008 NBA Playoffs, Detroit rolled out to a Game 1 romp of the Orlando Magic, and won a tight Game 2 amid mild controversy.
At the very end of the third quarter, Chauncey Billups hit a three point field goal that gave the Pistons a three point lead.
However, the clock had stopped shortly into the play. League rules currently prohibit officials from using both instant replay and a timing device to measure how much time has elapsed when a clock malfunctions, nor is a replay from the time of the malfunction onward allowed.
The officials estimated that the play took 4.6 seconds, and since there were 5.1 seconds remaining when it began, the field goal was counted.
The NBA later admitted that the play actually took 5.7 seconds and the basket should not have counted.
In addition to losing Game 3 badly, 111-86, the Pistons also lost all-star point guard and team leader Chauncey Billups to a hamstring injury. Despite his absence, the Pistons rallied from 15 down in the 3rd quarter to win Game 4 90-89 on a field goal by Tayshaun Prince with just 8.9 seconds to play, taking a 3-1 series lead.
Again with Billups sitting on the sideline, they then proceeded to win Game 5 in Detroit, winning the series 4 games to 1.
Detroit has advanced to the NBA Conference Finals for the sixth straight season.
They played the Boston Celtics in the NBA Conference Finals and lost game one 79-88 but rallied a strong performance in game 2 to win it 103-97 (marking Boston's first home court loss in the post-season).
However, they also let the Celtics win their first road playoff game 94-80 in Game 3. Game four saw the Pistons win 94-75, however they lost game 5 106-102 despite rallying a strong performance late in the game. In Game 6, the Pistons strolled into the fourth quarter leading 70-60, but a lack of focus, a poor game from Rasheed Wallace, and a rally destroying turnover by Tayshaun Prince ultimately lead to their demise, as the Pistons would end their season losing 89-81.
With that, the Celtics moved on to the NBA Finals, and they will face the Los Angeles Lakers for the 11th time. On June 3, 2008, the Pistons announced that head coach Flip Saunders will not return as head coach for the 2008-2009 regular season.
On June 10, 2008 the Pistons named first year assistant coach and former players union repesentative Michael Curry as their new head coach for the 2008-09 season.
Flip Saunders never used these benches during the series vs boston. he relied with stuckey, maxiell, hunter and the rest of the starters, he didnt used afflalo, samb, hayes, dixon herrmann, and johnson. which are willing to step up for the game of their lives.
Flip relied to his own strategy, with that he received another game 6 exit this time at home at the palace. which had made joe to walk away from the palace and fire him.
so assigning micheal curry to the lineup will be a huge help for the pistons. he knew the team briefly he played with it. and hopefully he can motivate these young guns of the pistons to step up and play for their best next nba season.
we are counting on it mike. keep it going. give these youngsters some motivation to play their best this coming nba season.
we want improvements.
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