http://www.freep.com/sports/pistons/pcorn11_20030211.htm With the All-Star break over, there will be no rest for the Pistons. They play five games in seven days, including three on the road. And that's just the start of a 20-day stretch in which they play 13 games -- 10 on the road. After tonight's game at Chicago, the Pistons play Thursday at home against Orlando, then Friday at Milwaukee and Sunday at Cleveland. Three of the four teams have losing records, but with the Pistons' margin for error so small in the race for the Eastern Conference's best record, they can't afford to take any of them lightly. The Pistons, 14-10 on the road, prepared for what shapes up to be a rugged month with a Monday evening practice at DePaul University in Chicago. "I think it's important for us to keep our momentum going," coach Rick Carlisle said. "If we keep playing our game and our style and get Danny Manning tied into what we're doing and get other guys ready to play. . . . If we can do that, I think we'll win our share." Manning, acquired last Wednesday before a game against the Los Angeles Clippers, will be expected to help in practice until his role is determined in the frontcourt. "We need to make sure he's comfortable in our play-calling, especially on defense and our different coverages," Carlisle said. "With Danny, we can move Corliss Williamson back to small forward in practice, and that makes our team whole again. "Danny might have to play some key minutes for us; that's why it was important to get him. By having a new player on board, we have to make sure he's tied into what we're doing at both ends of the floor." Carlisle also was eager to get Ben Wallace back on the floor. Wallace has been away from the team since Feb. 1, when he learned his mother died in White Hall, Ala. The team got a scare in the third quarter of Sunday's All-Star Game when Wallace tweaked his right ankle in a fall, but he returned in the fourth quarter. "We've been without one of our best players for a week in Ben Wallace, and we've had guys fill in and fill in well," Carlisle said. "Mehmet Okur goes back to the bench, but he has shown us that he's ready to contribute. I also think Tayshaun Prince is ready to help us. I think Tayshaun is a guy who can play the two (shooting guard), three (small forward) and the four spot (power forward), depending on the situation. He's going to be an important guy for us as far as depth."
I think this is going to be the Pistons month. They were playing great basketball last week and I think it will continue. Maybe they can get up to the nuuber one seed in the east by the time this month is over.
