Professional Game Coverage: Detroit 100, New Jersey 93

Detroit News

“Pistons stop Nets to clinch playoff spot,” by Joanne C. Gerstner

"The Pistons clinched a playoff spot with a 100-93 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Friday night at The Palace.The Pistons are tied for seventh place in the Eastern Conference with the Chicago Bulls, with three regular-season games remaining.“We’ve been through some struggles, rough times this year, but if we can learn and take things from that, hopefully it will help us in the playoffs,” said Michael Curry, in his first postseason as a head coach. “We were always confident that we’d be a team that was in the playoffs. We’re a different seed this year, and we’ve got to start off on the road."

“Michael Curry plans prodigious playoff lineup,” by Joanne C. Gerstner

"“If everything is secure (with the playoff seed), maybe we won’t play Dyess in Miami on Wednesday,” Curry said. “The practice (Tuesday) will be aimed more toward the playoffs than just that Miami game.”The Pistons, who are the eighth seed in the East, could move up as high as fifth depending on how the rest of the conference shakes out."

Detroit Free Press

“Pistons clinch playoff spot with win,” by Carlos Monarrez

"Backup point guard Will Bynum continued to play inspired basketball by scoring a team-high 20 points in 27 minutes for the Pistons (39-40) and led a charge from the bench, which contributed 46 points and had several players on the floor late into the game.“It’s supposed to give us confidence,” Bynum said of coach Michael Curry’s decision to let the reserves play late into the game. “It’s good for us to know that Coach got our back, whether we’re playing good or we’re playing bad and he’s still going to come to us. That just shows his confidence in us.”"

“Michael Curry will stay with current Pistons’ rotation,” by Carlos Monarrez

"The Pistons clinched a spot in the playoffs with a 100-93 win Friday night over New Jersey at the Palace, and coach Michael Curry said he still expects to keep the same nine- or 10-man rotation in the postseason.That would mean Jason Maxiell, center Kwame Brown and point guard Will Bynum coming off the bench."

The Grand Rapids Press

“Will Bynum helps Pistons clinch playoff berth,” by Greg Johnson

"It didn’t hurt the Pistons’ chances when Devin Harris, who averaged over 25 points and almost seven assists in the three previous games against the Pistons this season, left in the second half with a sore left shoulder. He was 0-for-4 from the field in the first half and scored just one point with one assist."

“Pistons’ Michael Curry to lean on bench in playoffs,” by Greg Johnson

"Curry noted Friday the ramifications of giving up Chauncey Billups, and Antonio McDyess for a month, for Allen Iverson in a November trade.“Missing McDyess — he is like a glue to this team — was tough,” he said. “Any transition we went through would have been a lot better if we had McDyess that entire time. We struggled to blend everything else together.”"

The Star-Ledger

“Devin Harris a favorite for NBA’s Most Improved Award as New Jersey Nets drop 100-93 loss to Detroit Pistons,” by Dave D’Alessandro

"Coach Lawrence Frank flipped his active list Friday night and let Mo Ager, a Detroit native, suit up. Sean Williams was inactive, but he’ll suit up Saturday night against Orlando at Izod Center, if only because the Nets will “need 18 fouls against Dwight Howard” Frank explained."

“NJ Nets: Brook the Rook’s Temper,” by Dave D’Alessandro

"If Brook Lopez ever turns into the gigantic holy terror that some people expect him to be, the Nets are going to send a token of gratitude to Kwame Brown. The Nets’ big kid was snorting with rage throughout much of the second half comeback Friday night – they came from 20 down before dropping a 100-93 decision to the Pistons – and it was mostly related to Kwame treating him like he was. . . .well, a rookie.“I think he kind of amazingly scored a layup, and then decided he wanted to talk to me and then he tried to guard me,” Lopez said, still steaming about 20 minutes after the buzzer. “Apparently he can’t do that, so what are you going to do? If there was a little more time left, I would have hoped we would have kept going inside, because I would have loved to take it to him more.”"