rasheed's the best...

Pistons Wants Multiple All-Star Appearance,Sheed wants Out
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- The Detroit Pistons have had only one All-Star the past three seasons despite being one of the NBA's best teams.

That may soon change.

With the top record in the league, the Pistons might have multiple All-Stars next month for the first time in six years.

Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Detroit's entire starting five should be on the Eastern Conference team Feb. 19 in Houston.

"They have stars," Rivers said Monday before losing to the Pistons 94-84. "Who is the one guy? Is it Ben Wallace? Is it Chauncey [Billups]? Is it Rip [Hamilton]? You can make a case that Tayshaun [Prince] is the MVP of their team."

"I think all of them should be on the All-Star team," he added. "That's how I'm voting. I'm not joking. I'm voting for all five of those guys."

Fans vote for the All-Star starters, and the Pistons are not expected to crack the starting lineup with one player when the polls close Sunday. Head coaches will select the reserves. They're prohibited from voting for their players, and their choices will be announced Feb. 9.

If Detroit (30-5) maintains the best record in conference, Flip Saunders will coach the East.

Ben Wallace hopes to be an All-Star for a fourth straight year, and would like some company.

"We have guys that deserve to go as much or more than me, so at least two of us should be All-Stars," he said. "All-Stars are elite players, and obviously, we're an elite team."

Detroit hasn't had two All-Stars since 2000, when Grant Hill and Jerry Stackhouse were selected. It hasn't had three since 1992 -- Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars and Dennis Rodman.

The Pistons, who have advanced to the conference finals three straight years, won the 2004 NBA title and fell just short of repeating last year.

Unlike most top teams, they have extraordinary balance. That helps them win but cuts down on individual recognition. Billups and Hamilton are among the best players in the league without an All-Star appearance. This could be their year.

Billups is averaging career highs with 19 points and 8.6 assists. Hamilton is averaging a career-high 21.5 points and is having his best shooting year, 50 percent overall and 45.8 on 3-point shots.

"Nobody cares who gets the glory," Billups said. "We just care about winning and playing for each other, not anyone else."

Billups will be disappointed if only one Piston is an All-Star.

"I don't put any energy into it, but people do need to appreciate what we've got here," he said. "But that's not what we're focused on. We want to keep that five number [of losses] at five as long as we can."

Rasheed Wallace hopes coaches don't cast All-Star votes for him.

"Vote for them four, don't vote for me," he said. "I don't want no All-Star votes for two reasons. One, that's not my goal -- I would rather win a championship. Plus, I want to be down on the beach having a couple cocktails with my wife at All-Star break."

....... I didn't know what a funny guy you are Rasheed..........


i think rasheed deserves it as well as the other four...

Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Detroit's entire starting five should be on the Eastern Conference team Feb. 19 in Houston.

"They have stars," Rivers said Monday before losing to the Pistons 94-84. "Who is the one guy? Is it Ben Wallace? Is it Chauncey [Billups]? Is it Rip [Hamilton]? You can make a case that Tayshaun [Prince] is the MVP of their team."

"I think all of them should be on the All-Star team," he added. "That's how I'm voting. I'm not joking. I'm voting for all five of those guys."

That's ridiculous. I mean, I can see where he's coming from but what he's suggesting is completely ignoring the whole concept of the All-Star game: taking the best players from the league and giving them a chance to team up for a spectacular game of basketball and bragging rights. I think Doc Rivers is confusing the idea of the Pistons' starters having equal importance with them being the best at their position and the players the fans want to see, the latter concept being more appropriate for the All-Star game.

If he meant it in passing as a compliment, fair enough. But if he's serious...well, I can't agree with that line of thinking.

I'm not gonna disagree with Rivers voting! Having said that, I think Ben Wallace, RIP & Billups should be on the team.

I'm pretty sure these guys will get a vote from LB and perhaps former coach Rick Carlisle. Bernie Bickerstaff also has a high opinion of the team and so does Brian Hill. Go team

PISTONS

Saw that one coming.

What, is this a homer thread? Adonal Foyle for DPOY!!!

I would like to see a Pistons vs the rest of the leagues best players game...

There's also a consistency factor. The reason why Kidd & AI have been perennial ASG locks is because they always play at a high level throughout many situations and teammates & coaches.

Just having 1 exceptional year doesn't lock someone in as an All-Star imho. If the Pistons keep winning at this pace for the next year or two, they'll have their multiple All-Stars.

Chauncey, Ben, and possibly Rasheed.

Rip is good, but their's too many good guards, and Tayshaun is nice and all, but he's still just a complimentary player, even in the balance lineup.

lol probably chauncey and ben... sheed will lose some votes because of his t's and the most loaded position in the league is sg and pf

Well PF is not loaded in the East, so it doesn't matter if it's the most loaded position in the league, most of those good PF's are in the West [KG, Duncan, Brand, Dirk, Gasol, Marion (F), Okur (C/F), Randolph, Boozer (when healthy)]. The East has JO [Starter], Bosh, Webber, Jamison, Rasheed, Howard, not nearly on the same level.

maybe sheed can go in as a sf....

Paul Pierce deserves it more than Rasheed Wallace.

Looks like Sheed might start. I think he's 3rd in East in votes @F, which means that he slides into JO's spot.

Replacements don't go on votes. The replacements are nominated by the league and then the coach decides whom to start; one of the reserves already named or one of the replacements.

oops i forgot about that, i thought it was only after he was named to the team.

Lol, looks like rasheed will be an All-Star with JO out for 2 months