UPDATE: MLive's Chris Iott reports that Rodney Stuckey did not refuse to enter the game on Wednesday and that Stuckey's status for Friday's game is up in the air.
The Pistons are off to their worst start in 30 years, losing the first five games of this season. Back in 1980, the Pistons started 0-7 and finished the season with a 21-61 record. With the way things have gone so far this season, losing 61 games doesn't seem all that unlikely. Not only is the team playing some awful basketball, not being able to close out games, but in general it seems like the Pistons are melting down.
Coach John Kuester has seemingly lost control of his team only five games into the season. Following the loss to the Celtics on Tuesday, he said that he can't be the only voice out there and that he needs players to step up as leaders. Upon hearing these comments, Tayshaun Prince made this a finger-pointing contest, dishing out some blame in the direction of his head coach.
"... He's right, but at the same time it goes both ways," Prince said. "We can sit here and continue to get on each other and be vocal, but like I said, the right thing has got to come from him as well as us.
"It goes both ways. He says we got to be more vocal, he has to do some things better, too. Obviously, we're 0-4 so it ain't just the team."
As if that wasn't bad enough, Rodney Stuckey ignored Kuester during Wednesday's game against the Hawks. Kuester was trying to sub Stuckey in and Stuckey wouldn't even move his head. As a result, Kuester kept him on the bench the rest of the game, indicating that the two are nowhere near being on the same page.
I know it's only Nov. 5 and the season is still young, but what a pathetic joke this team has turned into. Kuester has no control over his team and the players don't seem to care one bit about him. What's even worse is that they can't close out a game to save their lives, which is why they are 0-5 right now.
I will admit right now I'm not a huge NBA fan, but the Pistons have already made me lose any interest I had in them to begin with. It's one thing to be losing, but to do it with the finger pointing and the blame game is, well, something reminiscent of the Lions during the Matt Millen era. Call me when Mike Ilitch buys the team and cleans house, because right now the Pistons are a sinking ship.