<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">AUBURN HILLS -- The Pistons' playoff rotation isn't set in stone, but with five games left in the regular season, it is starting to take shape. From the looks of things, Maurice Evans and Carlos Delfino might not be in it. Pistons coach Flip Saunders said after Sunday's 98-73 victory over the Pacers that he is becoming more comfortable rotating Lindsey Hunter and Tony Delk into the three perimeter spots. "Yeah, I like Tony's aggressiveness on offense and I like the fact that he can help bring the ball up the court and set our offense if they pressure the point guard," he said. "With him and Lindsey out there, we get real active on the defensive end and force a lot of turnovers." Hunter and Delk combined for 25 points, seven rebounds and three steals Sunday. They were effective playing along with small forward Tayshaun Prince. Prince, in fact, has averaged 19.3 points over the last six games, a surge he credits in part to playing with Hunter and Delk for longer stretches. "It helps that Lindsey and I have been in the league a while and we're veteran players," Delk said. "When we are in this position, we're just trying not make mistakes, execute the plays and really focus on the defensive end. We are just trying to maintain things out there." Hunter and Delk have a combined 136 playoff games under their belts. Delfino and Evans have three. The knock against Delk and Hunter, though, is that neither is a true point guard and teams could effectively pressure them and disrupt the offense. But Saunders has countered that by playing them with either Prince or Richard Hamilton, who can handle the ball and alleviate some of the pressure. "We fit well together," Hunter said. "The more we play together, the more we are able to read each other and know what we have to do. It's just makes us better." Saunders has said he would prefer to use an eight-man rotation in the playoffs. Thus, at this point, the three primary reserves would be Antonio McDyess, Delk and Hunter. That's not to say Evans and Delfino won't play. Certainly there will be situations -- foul trouble, match-up issues, etc. -- where they will be pressed into duty. The same is true for Dale Davis, who is expected to play a significant role should the Pistons face Cleveland, Miami or San Antonio. Evans and Delfino, whose production has waned sharply since Delk was acquired, have five games left to prove to Saunders they deserve a larger role.</div> Source
