Chris Wilcox Focuses on Defense

Details

Published on Monday, 21 February 2011 17:44

Terry Foster / The Detroit News
- January 24, 2011

Auburn Hills — A New York Knicks fan stood in front of Macy's department store a
couple years ago in Manhattan, complaining about Chris Wilcox leaving the team for
the Pistons.

Pistons Center Chris Wilcox Focuses on Defense.

Terry Foster / The Detroit News

Auburn Hills — A New York Knicks fan stood in front of Macy's department store a
couple years ago in Manhattan, complaining about Chris Wilcox leaving the team for
the Pistons.

"The Knicks don't know a good player when they've got one," he said. "This kid can
play."

Wilcox sat in the Pistons dressing room, smiling at the story. He has not had much
opportunity to show what he can do in his two seasons with the Pistons until recently.
He's started the last seven games in place of injured Ben Wallace. During the Pistons'
75-74 win over Phoenix on Saturday, Wilcox started and Wallace came off the bench.

"Now I am being more defensive-minded," Wilcox said. "I know I can bring energy to
this game. When you get the opportunity you have to take advantage of the situations,
but sometimes it can be frustrating."

In the seven games leading into tonight's game at Orlando, Wilcox has given the
Pistons 24.9 minutes per game, 6.7 points and 5.6 rebounds.

Monitoring McGrady

Coach John Kuester still monitors the minutes of point guard Tracy McGrady . Some
nights when he feels good, McGrady will play a lot. He played just 24 minutes against
Phoenix because he was having a bad game.

"It is a delicate issue giving that guy enough time," Kuester said. "Tracy has been very
good in regards to being honest. He will say, 'I am ready to go.'

Sometimes I have to make the decision to take him out, period."

Pistons at Magic

Tip-off: 7 p.m. tonight, Amway Center, Orlando, Fla.

Records: Pistons 16-28; Magic 29-15

Outlook: The Magic were missing four key players but still beat the Pistons, 104-91, at
The Palace on Dec 30. This time the lineup will be different with Jason Richardson
(MSU) and Hedu Turkoglu starting. The key is stopping Dwight Howard , who starts

the inside-outside game with his bullish ways in the paint. Howard was out with the flu
the last time they met. He is averaging a career-best 22.1 points, . His career scoring
average for his seven NBA seasons is 17.8.

From The Detroit News:
http://detnews.com/article/20110124/SPORTS0102/101240345/Pistons-center-Chris-Wilcox-
focuses-on-defense#ixzz1Dh3qQ9Tb