http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... SPORTS0102You shouldn't believe in the Pistons. Not for a second, an iota or one scintilla. At least, not now. The Pistons have to prove that this season won't end the way the past three have -- in disappointment. Yet, when the Pistons held their media day Monday, there still were the usual suspects. Sure, there were a few new players, including center Kwame Brown, guard Will Bynum and forward Walter Sharpe. But none of those players will have anything to do with whether the Pistons make it to the Finals. If the Pistons are able to finally get over the hump after falling two games short in each of the last three Eastern Conference finals, it will be because of what Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Rasheed Wallace do.
Must prove themselves:The onus is on them to make believers of fans. "What we have to do for the fans is we have to almost earn their trust back," new coach Michael Curry said. The Pistons, who start practicing today, understand why some will be skeptical. "I don't know if people should believe," Chauncey Billups said. "You never know. You can't really judge things until it's over. We have the same team, a different coach. That's a big piece of the puzzle." Indeed. Curry is the unknown. His impact could be huge. Then again, it might not matter at all. "A lot of the responsibility falls on my shoulders," Curry said. There's more change than just Curry, however. In the Pistons' practice facility, there used to be a big mural of the 2004 championship. It's gone. The message is simple: Too many players were living off that magical season. It's been four seasons since the Pistons tasted champagne. The team that was told it couldn't and did has become a team that has been there, done that. Simply put, other teams -- Miami, Cleveland and Boston -- wanted what the Pistons had experienced more.
More expected of backups:If you're looking for something different with the 2008-09 Pistons, there are two things. Last year, young players were developed. They got to play. This year, the Pistons expect them to not only play, but finish games. If a younger player is playing well in the fourth quarter, Curry is not automatically going to put the starter back in for the final minutes. You saw guard Rodney Stuckey prove during the playoffs last season that he can play big when it matters most. Then there's Brown. Most don't expect anything from the former No. 1 overall pick, but Brown, 26, is the first backup big man the Pistons have had in recent years who actually could unseat the guys in front of him. That was never the case with Elden Campbell and Dale Davis. Still, it's hard not to look at this team and think we'll get more of the same, which is pretty good for most franchises in the NBA -- a 50-win season, a division title and a long playoff run. But fans have seen that movie and want something with a happy ending for a change.Team president Joe Dumars thinks fans can still believe in his team, "Because we have a proven track record that we're going to show up and compete at the championship level." We'll see.
