October/November 2005 Pistons Articles

November 12th (cont.)

Booth newspapers -

Pistons play awful, but come away with 84-81 win in Portland
By A. Sherrod Blakely

This was not one of the Detroit Pistons better games.
But at the end of the long road trip, only one thing matters: getting a win.

That's about the only thing of value Detroit can take away from Friday night's 84-81 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, a game in which the Pistons spent most of their time playing from behind.

November 13th

The Detroit news -

Critics retreat after 6-0 start
Pistons are three away from tying team record, which was established during 1970-71 season.
By Chris McCosky

Rasheed Wallace was watching one of the talking heads on ESPN rave about the virtues of the Pistons, the NBA's only unbeaten team, and he shook his head.

"I told you them bandwagon-(expletive) cats were going to jump on board," he said.

Indeed, the Pistons are again making believers of the skeptics. Their six straight victories out of the gate are two short of the 8-0 start the 69-victory Bad Boys championship team had in 1988-89 and three short of the team-best 9-0 start in 1970-71.

The Oakland press -

Knicks are just what Brown wanted
by Dana Gauruder

If we learned anything about Larry Brown in his two seasons here, it's that prosperity makes him uncomfortable.

He had the perfect roster, the perfect locker room, the perfect team president and the perfect owner in Detroit, then spent much of last season devising an exit plan.

Booth Newspapers -

Pistons finishing games with a flurry
By A. Sherrod Blakely

You can sift through reams of statistical data to come up with tangible reasons why the Detroit Pistons are the lone undefeated team (6-0) in the NBA.

Their ability to finish games with a flurry, maybe more than anything else, is a reason they're off to one of the best starts in franchise history.

November 14th

The Detroit news -

Saunders: Bench players deserve game time
Coach vows to make better use of Darko and others to give starting five additional rest.
By Chris McCosky

Pistons coach Flip Saunders tends to stress a bit when circumstances in games prevent him from using his bench as much as he would like.

"The toughest thing for me is these guys all practice hard and give me everything I ask of them, and you want to reward them," he said. "And the way you reward them is by giving them an opportunity to play."

The Detroit Free Press -

Saunders looking to play Milicic, Delfino
by Chris Silva

How does coach Flip Saunders get his bench playing time, notably Darko Milicic and Carlos Delfino?
Besides Antonio McDyess' 21 minutes in Friday's 84-81 win over Portland, no reserve played more than eight minutes. And on the Pistons' recent three-game trip, Milicic played only against Sacramento, for six minutes.

But when you're 6-0 and the only undefeated team in the NBA, you tend to ride the hot hands. Against the Kings, it was Tayshaun Prince and his 25 points. In a tight game against Phoenix, it was Chauncey Billups' 27 points. And against the Trail Blazers, it was Billups again, with 21.
So don't panic.
Milicic will get more minutes. As will Delfino.

November 14th (cont.)

The Oakland press -

Bench has been sporadic for the Pistons
by Dana Gauruder

One by one, they lined up behind the midcourt stripe and fired away. The halfcourt shots fell short, slammed off the backboard or clanged off the back rim. The contest among Pistons players at the end of practice Sunday drew plenty of chuckles, especially when Dale Davis tossed up awkward, shot put-style attempts from behind his right ear.

Finally, rookie Jason Maxiell flipped one in the air that rustled through the net. Perhaps the Pistons have found their halfcourt shooting specialist.

Kings fined

NBA docks Kings $30,000 for video stunt

The Sacramento Kings were fined $30,000 by the NBA on Monday for showing derogatory images of Detroit on video screens prior to their home opener against the Pistons.

When the Pistons were introduced Nov. 8, the Arco Arena scoreboard flashed pictures of abandoned buildings, burned-out cars, piles of rubble and other negative images of Detroit. The Pistons won the game 102-88.

There was at least 25 major rags that picked up on the Kings video stunt... noone will know for sure the financial implications of the negative pub... The Det News and the Freep did the city a major disservice by running with the story instead of just letting the league handle it internally.... Ya think the Maloofs will reemburse the City $1,000,000 in lost revenues from lost tourism $'s (Superbowl, final four etc)?

From what Sam told us before, Sacramento has areas that make the Motor city look like a vacation resort.... that was total BS... the guy shoulda been fired for that stunt!

November 15th

The Detroit news -

The Flip Factor
Saunders blends his style with Pistons' foundation
By Chris McCosky

Inevitability does not presume or beget justification.
Let's use that as a preamble.
Just because it's inevitable that praising the characteristics of a new administration will evoke some of the faults of the previous one doesn't make it right.

So when we talk about Flip Saunders' compassion, his creative and productive offensive system, his penchant for riding a hot hand until it cools or a play until it's stopped, his willingness to trust his reserve players, his insistence on putting the spotlight on his players and not himself, we aren't by association denigrating those characteristics in previous coach Larry Brown.

Spurs' shooting gets assist
Parker benefits from Engelland, who worked with Hill
By Chris McCosky

It looks like my old traveling buddy, Chip Engelland, is out to make it tougher for the Pistons to win their championship belts back from the Spurs.

Back in the day -- it was only seven years ago, but it seems like another lifetime -- Engelland was Grant Hill's shooting coach with the Pistons.

Pistons, Ben put on hold

Alley oop ... to Maurice Evans

Joanne C. Gerstner's Top 5: Disappointing teams

Slam Dunks

Next five games

The Detroit Free Press -

New offense no problem for Billups
by Chris Silva

Chauncey Billups and Flip Saunders don't have ESP, and they can't read each other's minds. But the point guard and coach did spend two seasons together in Minnesota.
So that might be one explanation of Billups' fast start this season and his role in the 6-0 record the Pistons have put together under Saunders' flex offense.

The Oakland press -

Numbers say Pistons are best - for now
by Dana Gauruder

They have the best offense in the NBA. They have the best defense in the NBA. So it shouldn't come as any surprise that the Pistons have the best record in the NBA.

In the past, the Pistons won a vast majority of their games by shutting down the opposition. They're still doing that under new coach Flip Saunders, giving up a leaguelow 87.7 points a game, but they're also pressuring teams with a potent attack.

Booth Newspapers -

Despite rough start, Knicks will be better under Brown, Billups says
By Danny Knobler

They're undefeated without him. He lost his first five games without them.

So it was more than a little interesting to hear what Detroit Pistons guard Chauncey Billups had to say about former coach Larry Brown, who finally won his first game with the New York Knicks on Sunday night.

"I knew that they would have a rough beginning,'' said Billups, whose Pistons will try to go to 7-0 when they host Boston tonight. "Anytime Larry Brown takes over a team, it's going to be rough early. I told (Knicks guard) Stephon (Marbury) that. It was rough for us early when he took over.''

The Boston Herald -

Celts set for ‘new’ Detroit
By Mark Murphy

Seventy-six games from now, the eight-tenths of a second that separated the Celtics from a Nov. 4 win over Detroit will continue to tease them.

On one hand, the Celtics botched the final play – a Richard Hamilton game-winning jumper – by not guarding the inbounds pass. On the other hand, no other team has played the Eastern Conference champions this well during the first two weeks of the season.

Charley Rosen on the Pistons

Very nice piece..http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/5086168

November 16th

The Detroit news -

Billups keeps thriving
Celtics' Pierce is impressed, saying Pistons guard has more freedom under Saunders.
By Chris McCosky

The Pistons made Paul Pierce look like a bit of a prophet Tuesday night, scoring 67 points in the second half of a 115-100 victory.
A day earlier, talking to the Boston Herald, Pierce made this observation:

"The way Flip Saunders has them playing, I think that they are all playing better. I think Larry Brown held them back. I've played with Chauncey Billups since high school, and he's playing the way now that I always knew he could play."

Sure, Pistons might change coaches, but winning is constant
By Rob Parker

The only thing more impressive than the Pistons' hot start is that this team has been able to succeed despite constant change.
Most teams would not be able to keep winning with three head coaches and systems in the last four seasons. But it hasn't seemed to faze the Pistons.

Billups carries Pistons to 7-0
Point guard scores 17 of 25 points in third quarter to trigger rally from 13-point deficit.
By Chris McCosky

Chauncey Billups thought about it for a second, and then, shook his head.

"Nah, that wasn't my best quarter, man," he said. "I've had better."
Perhaps. He had a 24-point quarter against the Mavericks, once, and two 18-point quarters last season. But his 17-point outburst in the third quarter Tuesday night was nothing short of sensational.

The Detroit Free Press -

With mom's help, Pistons' rookie is adjusting
by Chris Silva.

There was an Afro sighting at a recent Pistons practice, but it didn't belong to you know who.
"His is definitely a little bit bigger than mine," center Ben Wallace said.
The new 'Fro belongs to rookie forward Amir Johnson, who took out his braids and picked and puffed a rather impressive hairstyle.

Pistons prove mettle out West
by Krista Latham

TIMELY, TASTY WIN: Rewind to last Friday for a moment.
The Pistons got their sixth straight win to stay undefeated, beating a young team in Portland that doesn't have much in the way of championship dreams right now. No biggie, right?

Not so. That win looms large because of the circumstances surrounding it.

HOW'D THEY DO THAT? Rip rides the curls
by Krista Latham

The Pistons need a basket. Shooting guard Richard Hamilton hovers on the right wing, then WHOOSH, he's off, racing with his body at nearly a 45-degree angle as he swings under the basket and then up the left wing, breezing by two big men setting screens. He creates space, he catches, he stops, he shoots, and his defender finally catches his breath as he watches the ball sink through the basket.

A year later, Palace brawl still too fresh
by Michael Rosenberg

Sometimes, I still wonder whether I could have saved the Indiana Pacers' season.

One year ago this week, Ron Artest was lying on the scorer's table at the Palace. I'm going to take a real flier here and guess that you've heard the rest of the story, so let's fast-forward to Artest charging into the stands.

You know the guy Artest went after? I was the guy next to that guy. On the video replay, you can clearly see me, the stunningly handsome guy who looks like he's soiling himself.

Pierce says Prince's D is overrated
by Krista Latham

Tayshaun Prince, overrated defender?
Yup, according to Boston Celtics small forward Paul Pierce.

Rookie report: How I spent my first road trip
by Krista Latham

The Pistons' rookies got their first taste of the harder side of NBA life last week with the team's first West Coast trip. They left Sunday and didn't return until Saturday, playing in Sacramento, Phoenix and Portland. That meant four flights, four hotels and lots and lots of hours to fill between practices and games. Here's how they handled it.

GETTING PERSONAL WITH: Carlos Arroyo
by Chris Silva
Reserve point guard Carlos Arroyo is usually the third guy off the bench after Antonio McDyess and Maurice Evans. He's averaging 4.5 points, 3.5 assists and 13.8 minutes per game.

NBA Ticker

Don't be fooled by Scottie Pippen's 70-win prediction for the Pistons. He's just trying to jinx it for his 72-win Chicago Bulls of '95-96.
It's basketball's version of talking to a pitcher during a no-hitter

Hot topics

Hot or not

Ask Al

The Oakland Press -

Pistons still perfect
Big second-half rally lifts NBA's only unbeaten team to 7th straight win
by Dana Gauruder

Just what does it take to beat the Detroit Pistons these days? A frustrated team wearing green would love to know.

The Boston Celtics celebrated an apparent victory over the Pistons earlier this month, only to see Richard Hamilton stun them with a buzzer-beating jumper. In the rematch Tuesday night, the Celtics had double-digit leads in both halves, got physical with the reputed toughest team in the NBA and shot 53 percent from the field.

Billups is now 'Mr. November'
by Dana Gauruder

His nickname is Mr. Big Shot, but it had might as well be Mr. June. So far, he's also been Mr. November. If not for the Pistons' Game 7 loss to San Antonio in last season's Finals, Chauncey Billups would hold the distinction of being a two-time Finals Most Valuable Player. No one has raised their game to a higher level the past two postseasons than Billups.

Booth newspapers -

67-point second half shows Pistons' ability to turn it on
By Danny Knobler

Flip Saunders has only one complaint.

His Detroit Pistons are 7-0, the best start Saunders has ever had in 11 seasons as an NBA coach. Tuesday night, the Pistons beat Boston, 115-100, despite trailing by 13 points in the second half.

"I hope they don't wait to turn on the switch as much," Saunders said.

Billups' third quarter dominance leads to Pistons' 115-100 victory
By Danny Knobler

This should have been the night they lost.
Instead it was another Detroit Pistons win, a 15-point win, a laugher at the end.
A game that makes you wonder when the Pistons will ever lose.

The Boston Herald -

Billups makes Delonte point
By Steve Bulpett
If you went by prevailing opinion, there wasn’t a single point guard on the floor at the beginning of last night’s 115-100 Pistons victory over the Celtics.

Not a “true point guard” anyway. As Celts starter Delonte West deals with that criticism, he has a supporter in Chauncey Billups, who was with five teams in his first five years because of that issue. That he became the NBA Finals MVP with Team No. 6 makes him rather an expert on the subject.

Celts fight, fall short: Unbeaten Pistons rally for KO
By Steve Bulpett

The Celtics had proved 11 days prior that they could lead the Pistons by a point with less than a second remaining. And they showed last night they could box the defending East champs all over their own ring for most of the evening.

But as onlooker Thomas Hearns knows well, sometimes a late knockout can salvage a bout when an opponent is ahead on the judges’ cards.

November 16th (cont.)

The Boston Globe -

It's another chemistry lesson
Pistons show Celtics how it's done in comeback victory
By Shira Springer
Once again, the Celtics proved they could play with the Pistons. But not for an entire game.
A first half filled with promise, hustle, effective ball movement, and easy baskets for Boston gave way to a second half marked by frustration, a broken-down offense, and certain individuals trying to save the team by themselves. Good execution turned into good intentions run amok.

Pistons zeroed in for now
By Shira Springer

Oh, the burden of being the last undefeated team in the league. Just what is Detroit coach Flip Saunders to do with all that perfection? Well, luckily for Saunders, the 7-0 Pistons appear to be taking their early success in stride. While some fans may be eyeing the Bulls' all-time NBA best record of 72-10, the Pistons are trying to keep their early success in perspective.

November 17th

The Detroit news -

Arroyo realizes he finally fits in
Guard gets a new lease on life under Saunders, and his creative play has been more steady.
By Joanne C. Gerstner

Sometimes, it's all about the little things.
Fitting in. Understanding your teammates. Getting a new coach.
Pistons guard Carlos Arroyo has been through all of that in the last year, and it's added up to positives.

Arroyo has gone from being cast off from the Jazz, to being under pressure from Larry Brown, to eliciting praise from his new coach, Flip Saunders.

Beyond the brawl
Year after: NBA fights to dress up its image
By Terry Foster

Indiana Pacers center Jermaine O'Neal doesn't care how harshly you judge him. He says he can take the heat. So if you view him as a morally challenged thug, he is fine with that.
O'Neal believes otherwise, but he cannot defend his actions last Nov. 19, when he and teammates brawled with Pistons fans at The Palace.

The Detroit Free Press -

Arroyo is thriving in new system
by Chris Silva

He's smiling now.

No one has had to tell Carlos Arroyo to flash those pearly whites. But more often this season than last, Arroyo has been seen with a smile on his face whenever he's on the court.

Larry Brown: the anti-Phil Jackson
by Mitch Lawrence

Stephon Marbury can rest easily, and so can all of his Knicks teammates. When it comes to being an aspiring author with a bent for telling all, Larry Brown is no Phil Jackson.
There will be no diary from Brown off his first season as Knicks coach. No opening of the locker-room doors to reveal his team's innermost secrets, as Jackson did off the Lakers' 2003-04 season with his infamous tome, "The Last Season."

Billups takes his turn leading Detroit
Guard's big third sparks rally to 7-0
by Krista Latham

Last time, it was Richard Hamilton who broke Boston's heart. This time, the dagger belonged to Chauncey Billups.
Less than two weeks ago, it was Hamilton's buzzer-beater that gave Detroit a one-point victory over the Celtics. Tuesday night, it was Billups' continued brilliance -- most of it coming in his 17-point third quarter -- that brought the team back from a double-digit hole and helped secure a 115-100 victory at the Palace.

The Oakland press -

Arroyo has brought spark off the bench
by Dana Gauruder

Carlos Arroyo wants another shot at running his own team. That will never happen in Detroit as long as Chauncey Billups remains in one piece.

Backing up one of the NBA's top point guards means that Arroyo has to maximize the minutes he plays. Arroyo's contribution during the Pistons' 115-100 victory over Boston on Tuesday night was a perfect illustration of how to achieve that.

Choice of Saunders is producing nice early returns
By Keith Langlois

They've yet to lose a game, never mind endure a three-game losing streak. No starter has suffered so much as a hangnail, let alone a sprained ankle or - horrors - a blown Achilles' tendon. And it's still too early for anyone to feel slighted about a lack of minutes in a seriously crowded rotation. Those disclaimers out of the way - wow. Flip Saunders has been nothing short of a home run for Joe Dumars.

Booth Newspapers -

Arroyo comes up big off the bench
by Danny Knobler

Billups has a string of three consecutive double-doubles. He's averaging nearly 10 assists a game (second in the NBA), and not even 1.5 turnovers a game. When the Pistons were down 13 points in the second half Tuesday night against Boston, it was Billups who rescued them by scoring 17 points in the third quarter.

The thing is, the Pistons still trailed when Billups left the game. It was backup Carlos Arroyo who made the fast-break basket that put them ahead, Arroyo who made the steal that set up the next two points to put them up by three, Arroyo who assisted on three more baskets and scored another himself.

The Houston Chronicle -

Rockets seek true identity
Team has two big answers, but lacks confidence
by Jonathan Feigen

The Rockets will face two teams that know who and what they are best, and best demon-strate the value of never straying far from themselves.
The San Antonio Spurs, whom the Rockets face tonight, and Detroit Pistons, who will be waiting for them in Houston on Friday, went seven games in the NBA Finals before the Spurs emerged. Between them, they have won the past two NBA championships and no matter what changes have come to their roster, almost never stray from what has made them the league's superpowers.

You talk about back-to-backs

Houston has one b-a-a-a-d one coming up tonight and tomorrow. They face San Antonio tonight and the Pistons tomorrow.

Rookie talk

DetroitPistons.com

Jason Maxiell’s Rookie Diary
Week 4: Road Trippin'

I know I haven’t caught up with you guys in a while, but so much has been happening all at once. On November 2nd we had our opening day, followed by two quick back-to-back games, and then before I knew it we were on a weeklong road trip. I learned real quickly that being on the road is a lot different than in college. Whether it is traveling on the bus or on the team plan, going to shootarounds, playing games – it’s all basketball all the time. And one thing is for sure: time keeps flying by. Yet, I still don’t actually have that feeling that I’m in the NBA. It will come though, I’m sure of it.

November 18th

The Detroit news ~

Yao isn't himself against Ben Wallace
Quickness, strength of Pistons center are equalizers in matchup with 7-foot-6 player.
By Chris McCosky

It goes back to the World Championships in Indiana in the summer of 2002. One of the few highlights for the sixth-place U.S. men's team was the night Ben Wallace shut down 7-foot-6 Yao Ming of China.
Wallace, who is listed at 6-9 but is closer to 6-7, flummoxed Yao. Using quickness and strength, Wallace kept Yao off balance and away from the basket, enabling the U.S. team to ease past China, 84-65.

Saunders makes smooth transition; Brown, anyone?
By Rob Parker

Normally, you never want to replace a legend.
Just ask Rick Rizzs and Bob Rathbun. Or Dave Lewis.
You normally want to be the guy who replaced the guy who replaced the guy.

That way, you won't face the pressure and scrutiny that come from not being as great as the guy who preceded you.

Enter Pistons coach Flip Saunders.

The Detroit Free Press ~

Prince draws T-Mac card vs. Rockets
by Krista Latham

If Tayshaun Prince is an overrated defender, as Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce claimed this week, tonight could be a long one for the Pistons.

Prince will get a familiar assignment, that of stopping or slowing Houston Rockets small forward Tracy McGrady, a player Pistons coach Flip Saunders said belongs in the top-five talents in the NBA.

Booth Newspapers ~

Winning strategy not always as easy as it seems
By A. Sherrod Blakely

The concept of winning seems really simple, kind of like adding one plus one.
But when you combine youthful ambition and a few veterans with enlarged egos, well, an equation for success can take on a logarithm-like challenge.
Finding a winning formula has been surprisingly easy so far this season for the Detroit Pistons (7-0), the only undefeated team in the NBA.

If you haven't read it, be sure to check out the Jason Maxiell rookie diary mentioned above. It's a lot longer and more detailed than the usual stuff. Really worthwhile.

November 19th

The Detroit news ~

Good guys equal the Bad Boys
Pistons open the season 8-0 for the first time since 1988-89.
By Chris Duncan / Associated Press

The Detroit Pistons are scoring more this season, but defense is still their calling card. It's also the reason they're still undefeated.

Richard Hamilton scored 19 points and the Pistons survived a dismal offensive performance Friday night, beating equally cold-shooting Houston 78-70.

The Palace brawl lives in infamy a year later
By Larry Lage / Associated Press

Millions of dollars were lost, reputations were tainted and the NBA was shaken on Nov. 19, 2004, when the Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and fans were involved in perhaps the worst brawl in U.S. sports history.
A year later, the ugly series of events and the aftermath are being rehashed and dissected.

Timeline of events surrounding the brawl at The Palace
Associated Press

A look at the Nov. 19, 2004, brawl involving the Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and fans in Auburn Hills, Mich., and its aftermath.

The Detroit Free Press ~

Pistons clank to 8-0, stall Rockets
by Chris Silva

Clank! Thud! Doink!

That was the sound of the Pistons' offense. That sure-thing offense you've come to know in this early season was erratic for 3 1/2 quarters in Houston.
The Pistons' offense was so off Friday night that, on several occasions, they couldn't even successfully convert a slam dunk. Air balls, bricks and nicks -- the Pistons did it all.

No worries. That's why they have always preached defense. It saved the Pistons and their perfect season this time.

Saunders not shocked by K.G.'s beefs
by Chris Silva

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett's statements in an interview shown by TNT on Thursday night about the organization's dysfunction, contract disputes and firing of Flip Saunders wasn't shocking to Saunders.

"The things that K.G. said, he's called me numerous times and talked about it, so it really didn't surprise me," Saunders said after the Pistons' shootaround at the Toyota Center.

Razz your rivals -- within limits
by Drew Sharp

An anniversary usually is linked to a celebration. But there's nothing joyous about commemorating what occurred a year ago tonight at the Palace. The brawl between some of the Indiana Pacers and Pistons fans was an aberration, an example of how ugly the animosity between rival players and fans can become.

What should be nothing more than a little playful dissing suddenly blows up.

November 19th (cont.)

The Oakland Press ~

Pistons shut down McGrady, Rockets
By Dana Gauruder

The old Pistons returned Friday night. The bottom line remained the same.

Those high-flying, high-scoring Pistons under Flip Saunders took the night off, but the tough, unyielding defense reappeared in a 78-70 win over Houston. The undefeated Pistons can match their franchise record of nine season-opening victories with a win over Dallas tonight. The 1970-71 Pistons started off 9-0. The current group matched the 8-0 start of the 1988-89 championship club.

Booth Newspapers ~

Detroit 78, Houston 70
By A. Sherrod Blakely

So much of the talk about this Detroit Pistons team has been out their new and improved offense.

But on a night when few of those shots fell, the Pistons found themselves being carried by their defense which would prove to be the difference in Detroit's 78-70 win over the Houston Rockets. Detroit has now won eight in a row, the second-best start in franchise history.

The Houston Chronicle ~

Pistons show they can still play tenacious defense
Big Ben shines with 16 rebounds, 4 blocked shots
By MOISEKAPENDA BOWER

Flip Saunders supposedly had emancipated the Detroit Pistons, transforming them from a bump-and-grind outfit to a collection of dangerous scorers in only seven games.

The Pistons who ranked third in the NBA in scoring and first in field-goal percentage made only token appearances Friday night at Toyota Center. The Pistons who clawed their way to an NBA title two seasons ago handled business instead against the Rockets. As the last remaining undefeated team in the NBA, Detroit is comfortable either way.

Elite out of reach
Pistons show upper-echelon teams beyond Rockets' grasp
By JONATHAN FEIGEN

The Rockets could shoot as horribly as ever and still be in the game. Tracy McGrady could hobble through three quarters and then shut it down entirely, and the Rockets were still right there with the Pistons.

They could turn the ball over, have Yao Ming foul out, ask David Wesley to moonlight as a point guard, and they still had every reason to believe they could be the first team to beat the Detroit Pistons this season.
Then the game turned to its last five minutes, and it turned out, the Rockets never had a chance.

ESPN article

ESPN.com ~

Don't dig Detroit? That's OK, we like it like that
Todd Boyd

I am here at the one-year anniversary to say that once again my city, Detroit, got another undeserved dis from all those who said that if something like this was going to happen, it would only happen in Detroit.
This is the thinking behind that wack video montage during the player introductions at that recent Pistons-Kings game in Sacramento. Burning cars and abandoned buildings had come to define the city of my birth long before any of these recent events, though.

This image of Detroit as a vast urban wasteland goes back to 1967, when disgruntled black residents on 12th and Claremont decided to take fate in their own hands and resist the police brutality that had become all too common in their lives. This act of defiance following the raid of an after-hours joint, known as a "blind pig" in Detroit, ignited one of the worst riots in American history.

Boyd piece

I loved that Boyd piece. That is required reading if there ever was some.