Portland star Brandon Roy did not make the trip to
Detroit Thursday because of a family emergency in
Seattle. It's unlikely that Roy will rejoin the team
in time to play the Pistons, which is a big break for
the home team.
The Pistons have been quite lucky in terms of catching
depleted opponents lately. They've faced Orlando with
Jameer Nelson, Indiana without Jamaal Tinsley or
Jermaine O'Neal, the Lakers without Andrew Bynum and
before the Pau Gasol trade, Dallas without Jerry
Stackhouse and Jason Terry and Miami without Udonis
Haslem and, of course, Shaquille O'Neal.
Meanwhile, the Pistons have had only one major injury
- Rodney Stuckey's hand fracture that sidelined him
the first two months. One of the underrated aspects of
the Pistons' success has been their remarkable health
over the last six or seven years.