Spurs Find Redemption in Auburn Hills

"We've been inconsistent all year, so it was nice to see us put together 48 good minutes. That's one of our best games all year, and it is the finest game Francisco has played for this team."
--Gregg Popovich

"It wasn't tough at all to get up for this one. We aren't playing well, and we really needed to put together a good game before the break."
--Tim Duncan

"This is going to make it a lot easier to enjoy the break. I would have rather gone 6-2 on the trip, but with the way we've been playing, and that we started 2-4, going 4-4 is pretty good."
--Manu Ginobili

Praise be, the Spurs beat the Pistons in Auburn Hills for the first time since Game 5 of the 2005 NBA Finals. And when I say "beat," I mean as in "beating." The Spurs led by as many as 20 points, and by nearly that much for the last two minutes of the second period and all of the third.

Just when I was beginning to lose my faith in the Spurs, and they were wrapping up their worst Rodeo Road Trip in memory, they go and whoop the best team in the East. (Not to mention the New Jersey Nets two nights earlier.) And Francisco Elson had his best night in a Spurs uniform, with a 12-18 stat line.

Last night may not count for much come May when the Spurs face the Rockets or the Lakers in the first round, but it was a hell of a way to head into the All-Star break. One can only hope that Melvin Ely will make a difference when he suits up next Tuesday against the Nuggets, and this team finally gets as tough as they're capable of being.

Speaking of Melvin Ely, three weeks ago we asked our readers, "Who Should Spurs Trade," and you called it, almost. Eric Williams was the second biggest vote getter after Beno Udrih, out of 110 votes cast, and was traded earlier this week to the Bobcats for Ely. So long, Eric, we hardly knew ya.

29 games left until the second season begins.