Chauncey’s Return with Denver Marks the True end of an Era in Pistons Basketball

Tonight the Pistons host the Denver Nuggets, and this is the best time to evaluate the November 3rd trade of Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson… except

Tonight the Pistons host the Denver Nuggets, and this is the best time to evaluate the November 3rd trade of Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson… except Iverson won’t be there, he’s sitting this game out (like the last 2) with what’s being called a bad back.

 

Many Pistons fans would argue that Iverson hasn’t been there all year as the Pistons have struggled since Iverson was added to the lineup. In fact the team’s struggles have been so bad that Iverson was demoted from the starting lineup Monday and Rip Hamilton was reinserted.Â

 

Coach Curry isn’t the only one noticing the lack of production since the trade, Pistons fans have noticed too. The fans still remember when Chauncey was the finals MVP in 2004. Pistons forward, Tayshaun Prince said of Billups’ return to the palace "It's going to be amazing, I can tell you one thing: It's going to be a packed house. I'm pretty sure the ovation he's going to get is one we haven't seen in a while. People know how we've been playing since he's been gone and the importance that he meant to our ball club."

 

The Nuggets will come into the Palace with the 3rd best record in the Western Conference behind only the Lakers and the Spurs. More importantly they will come to Auburn Hills with a new approach and workmanship; the approach and workmanship that Chauncey had as a Piston.Nuggets Head Coach, George Karl said of Billups’ effect on his team "The locker room is more serious, the preparation is more serious. When we lose, there's an attitude to figure out why. That's just who he is. ... Chauncey's not a man of a lot of words. The leaders who try to talk their way and not show the way with their actions and attitude will fail."

 

Well, that’s great for Denver, so what did the Pistons get? Allen Iverson… Allen Iverson, we got Allen Iverson. With Iverson starting over Hamilton the Pistons were 4-12. 4-12! Pistons fans, when was the last time you can remember you’re team going 4-12? I’m pretty sure ugly maroon jerseys were involved.

 

The good news is that the Bad Boys, or at least a sad resemblance of what they used to be the Bad Boys, come in on a 2 game winning streak. The bad news is that even though that streak includes a win over the reigning World Champion Boston Celtics, those are also two wins that the Pistons got without the newly acquired Iverson. That really leaves Piston fans asking, what did we get in this deal?

 

Here’s what you got Pistons faithful and Palace Posse: you traded in your championship contender for another Allen-Iverson-team; a group of guys standing around and losing as Iverson dribbles away their season. Tonight, you’ll get to see first hand what was your loss, and the Nuggets’ gain: a winning season, and a great leader in Chauncey Billups.