DETROIT PISTONS BASKETBALL

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AP File PhotoDetroit Pistons guard Allen Iverson loses control of the ball as he falls to the floor against the Boston Celtics during the first half.

BOSTON -- The Detroit Pistons have a pretty good handle on how to deal with Boston's Big Three of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.

It's the rest of the Celtics who seem to give them fits.

For the second time in as many matchups this season, it was Boston's bench that paved the way for its success.

BOSTON -- It was not too long ago that the Detroit Pistons played a brand of defense that stood out for its physical nature.

Those days are gone.

Proof of this was on full display for a nationally televised audience Thursday as the Boston Celtics manhandled Detroit 98-80.

AP PhotoDetroit's Allen Iverson goes to the basket for two of his team-high 23 points Wednesday.

AUBURN HILLS -- Ex-Piston Ben Wallace made note of how his former team looks a lot different since they traded two of his former teammates -- Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to Denver -- for Allen Iverson earlier this month.

"Their style of play has definitely changed," said Wallace, who now starts for the Cleveland Cavaliers. "They're forced to play a different style of basketball."

He's right.

AP PhotoDetroit's Arron Afflalo shoots over Cleveland's Delonte West on Wednesday.

AUBURN HILLS -- Just a few weeks ago, Arron Afflalo's usually stout defense was anything but that in the eyes of Detroit Pistons coach Michael Curry, who called the second-year guard out for low grades defensively in Detroit's first couple of games.

The goal was to not only raise Afflalo's awareness, but for him to also elevate his game.

Since then, Afflalo has responded with solid play, which included a slew of big plays in Detroit's 96-89 win over Cleveland on Wednesday.

AP PhotoCleveland's offense still runs through LeBron James, but other Cavaliers are pitching in more so far this season.

AUBURN HILLS -- For years, the Cleveland Cavaliers' playbook seemed to consist of one play: get the ball to LeBron James.

Although he remains the key to their offense, now he has some help offensively, which has the Cavs among the league's top scoring teams this season.

After finishing 24th (out of 30 NBA teams) in scoring a year ago, Cleveland has spent most of this season among the league's highest-scoring teams.

AP PhotoDetroit Pistons' Kwame Brown (38) dunks over Phoenix Suns' Shaquille O'Neal (32) in the first quarter of Sunday's game in Phoenix.

During the last game of the Pistons' West Coast road trip in Phoenix, Kwame Brown made his third straight start against the Suns. In the second quarter, he watched his teammate, Rodney Stuckey, drive to the basket and take a hard foul against Shaquille O'Neal. O'Neal was ejected for the foul, but fans have criticized the Pistons for not retaliating against Shaq. Brown tells WDFN that, first of all, no one wants to "go after Shaq," but in his opinion, the foul wasn't worth fighting over.

"This league is so sensitive about guys getting fouled, because they don't want their so-called superstars to get hurt," says Brown. "If you look at how the game was played back in the day, when you look at the tough guys, Charles Oakley, [Bill] Laimbeer, how they would foul guys...Michael [Jordan], when he came to the basket, that was just a regular hard foul."

AUBURN HILLS -- The Detroit Pistons were down to just 11 players during the contact portion of Tuesday's practice.

Pistons coach Michael Curry said Richard Hamilton had an excused absence to take care of a family-related matter. And while Allen Iverson was at practice, he didn't participate in contact drills.

AP PhotoAllen Iverson is averaging 21.8 points per game over the Pistons' last four games.

PHOENIX -- When a major change is made, rarely is there a flawless transition.

The Detroit Pistons know this all too well. Ever since Allen Iverson arrived in Detroit, the team has had to work through the ups and downs of the trade, as well as incorporate a new face into its lineup.

"It's a work in progress," said Joe Dumars, Detroit's president of basketball operations. "Ten days, two weeks, it's really not enough time to make a full evaluation. But we do like the direction we're headed."

AP PhotoDetroit's Richard Hamilton drives against Phoenix's Raja Bell on Sunday night. Hamilton led the Pistons with 19 points.

PHOENIX -- It was the last game on a long West Coast trip, the kind of game most teams struggle to stay competitive in, let alone win.

The Detroit Pistons fell short on both fronts Sunday, as an undermanned Phoenix squad became even more short-handed in the second quarter but still had more than enough fire power to blow out Detroit, 104-86.

The loss prevented the Pistons (7-3) from returning home with a four-game sweep, which would have been the second time in three seasons that they won every game during a West Coast trip.

AP PhotoSuns coach Terry Porter, right, argues with referee Ken Mauer, left, after Shaquille O'Neal was ejected for flagrant foul against Detroit's Rodney Stuckey.

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns already have had a pair of starters suspended this season for on-the-court conduct. Could Shaquille O'Neal be next?

O'Neal was ejected with 5:19 remaining in the second quarter of Phoenix's 106-84 win against Detroit on Sunday after being called for a flagrant 2 foul (an automatic ejection) when he collided with Detroit's Rodney Stuckey, who was driving to the basket.

Stuckey narrowly avoided landing on his face by using his arms to brace his fall. Stuckey said afterward that his wrists were sore, but other than that he was feeling OK.