Detroit Pistons Coach Speaks on Team's Outlook Following Season Finale

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Like the rest of the 30 teams in the NBA, the Detroit Pistons wrapped up their regular season schedule Sunday. They were unable to end things on a high note, falling to the San Antonio Spurs by a final score of 123-95.
With this being the final game of the year for the Pistons, the majority of post-game media was centered around discussing the future. Head coach Monty Williams talked a lot about his and the team’s outlook moving forward.
When asked about what his message to the team was following their season finale, Williams said he expressed his appreciation in their efforts. He also applauded them for how they conducted themselves despite how things worked out for them this year.
"It’s always appreciation for the way they come in every day,” Williams said. “I’ve not been around too many groups that have jumped right in there and said, I’ll do it, every day with everything that they have, from a basketball standpoint, dealt with this year."
Typically, coaches and the front office hold exit interviews with players right after the season ends. However, Williams has a little bit of a different approach. He plans to speak with players but will wait a couple of weeks to allow emotions to settle.
"It’s hard for me to turn the page and have a lucid thought about the season without getting too emotional about how I feel now," Williams continued.
With the season officially over for the Pistons, they end the year with a record of 14-68. Despite how bleak things look at the moment, they still have a lot of positives to look forward to down the road. Along with having another top-five pick in the draft, they have a sizable amount of cap space to improve the cast of players around the team’s core.
Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia
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