Injury won't sideline banged-up Billups during East finals

Associated Press

Updated: May 25, 2008, 1:49 PM ET

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AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Chauncey Billups probably isn't going to be healthy during the Eastern Conference finals.

Chauncey Billups

Billups

Billups refuses, though, to let his sore right hamstring keep him off the court or be an excuse for him and the Detroit Pistons against the Boston Celtics.

"Hurt or not, I still have to play better and fight through it," Billups said Sunday.

The All-Star point guard was 1-for-6 for six points with four assists and two turnovers in the Celtics' 94-80 win Saturday night that gave them a 2-1 lead in the series.

Billups missed two-plus games in the second round against the Orlando Magic after straining his right hamstring and he aggravated the injury when Detroit won Game 2 at Boston.

Backup point guard Rodney Stuckey is averaging 13 points against the Celtics, trailing only Richard Hamilton in scoring for the Pistons, but Billups doesn't believe the team is better off playing the rookie instead of him.

"At this juncture of the season, you can't sit out," Billups said. "I'm one of the main leaders of the team. We've got a young guy, Stuckey, who is playing great and we've got to find ways to keep him playing well.

"But I know I have to play good for us to win."

The Pistons will host Game 4 on Monday night and coach Flip Saunders is hoping for the best when he puts Billups on the court.

"It's one of those things, you're playing him and trying to get him going because you know what he can do," Saunders said. "He wants to play, there's no question."

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
So is this media fluff, or is there an issue in billups playing to prove he's tough like Hill did when he tore up his injury worse?

For the record I vote play and I think he just flat out needs to take more shots. 6 is not enough. I also think the volcano was bad luck. So I may need to counter it some kind of superstitious way.

this is bordering on heroic

hell, maybe even "courageous"

*pukes blood*

Play better.

I also wish we had a pass-first backup PG that could concentrate on setting up the other 4 starters with good shots and knocking down the occasional open jumper, to keep everyone honest.

^ Maybe CBill could do that after Stuckey gets the starting role.

He has to play, will play tonight, will start, and will score at least 15. You can bet some serious alpacas on it.

He better get at least 15 as a starter. Stuckster gets that off the bench.

He better get at least 15 as a starter. Stuckster gets that off the bench.

True, I'm hoping for better. But if Chauncey contributes 15, Rip gets his average 22-30, and Stuckey adds 10 or more, we're looking at 55+ points from the backcourt. Add that to Sheed, Dice, and Maxiell's combined 30 or so points and we're sitting around 85. If Tay can keep Pierce honest (yes, a big if, I realize) and add 10 points, we're sitting pretty.

Basically, we need everyone else to contribute an average game and for Chauncey to play at least a little less than average. That should get the job done, IMO.

You know who I think is really important kind of behind the scenes is Dice. I mean we don't have that dominant center so when Stuck drives down there and gets caught, he can dish to Dice for a 12 footer. And it becoming increasingly important, imo for him to knock that shot down.

Rip and Dice do their dance too. Where Rip dishes to him.

If Dice plays like shit, I'm not sure we win these things.

If Dice plays like shit, I'm not sure we win these things.
Thank goodness Dice didn't play like shit last night! :)