John Kuester: Don’t read into Ben Wallace’s fourth-quarters absences

After Ben Wallace sat out for the last four fourth quarters, I reached out to the team for more info.

Questions:

As far Wallace, he hasn’t played the last four fourth quarters. Was that due to the flow of the games? Were there matchup issues? Is the opponent intentionally fouling him a concern? Is it difficult for him to get loose after he sits? Going forward, can we expect to see Wallace sit in the fourth quarter more often than not?

Answers:

"There is no specific reason why Ben hasn’t played in the fourth quarter other than flow of the game,” Pistons coach John Kuester said through a team spokesperson. “…We’re monitoring his minutes to keep him fresh throughout the course of a long season.

"The fact that Ben draws intentional fouls is not a concern to me because I have tremendous confidence in Ben and his ability to perform on the floor.

"Ben is a pro and keeps himself ready throughout the game. We will monitor his minutes throughout the year to keep him fresh, but he’s always a big part of our success."