<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Shooting guard Richard Hamilton returned to the Pistons' starting lineup Wednesday night against the Hornets, and he hoped to bring a dose of early energy with him. His team has needed it. The Pistons routinely have been outplayed in opening quarters this season, and no start was worse than the 32-16 first quarter against Golden State on Saturday, when Hamilton watched from the bench with a hyper-extended right elbow. "I'm always ready to go from the tip," Hamilton said before Wednesday's game. "Every since I got in the league, I try to start off games with a lot of energy ... I always find a way to get loose." On Wednesday, he finished with 23 points and shot 50% from the field. And in the first quarter, he scored eight points. Small forward Tayshaun Prince was active early, too, scoring 10 points, including two baskets on putbacks. But the Pistons lost the quarter, 27-24. "I thought early on we were aggressive," said Prince, who scored 16 points Wednesday as the Pistons lost, 100-99, to the Hornets. "But we had a tough second quarter."</div> Source
