Finally, some good news on the injury front.
Richard Hamilton, who has missed eight straight games, is expected to return to practice Monday and play against Charlotte on Tuesday night. Hamilton has been sidelined with a groin strain, a tricky injury that could be a season-long problem if it doesn't properly heal.
The next issue is whether Hamilton will return to the starting lineup. The Pistons have played much better with Amir Johnson at power forward and Rodney Stuckey at the point. As stated in an earlier blog, Hamilton would be doing the team a favor by becoming the sixth man the rest of the season.
By the way, the Pistons didn't get any favors from the schedule-makers this month. Most teams get a few home games after a West Coast trip. They play Charlotte at home Tuesday, then head out on Roundball Two for games against Indiana and Oklahoma City before returning for a home game Saturday against the very good New Orleans Hornets.
Then, they leave again for a game in Memphis before finally staying home for a week. That's a crazy stretch, no matter which teams they're playing.