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Seeking new voice in coach, Pistons fire Saunders!

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shorttexas1

shorttexas1

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This is crazy... How do you get fired for beinhg in the conference finals every year.  The got beat by the better teams!!!  I don't undrestand that when some teams pray for the finals, ie Rockets, Denver, Pheonix, Washington....  I think his tenure there has been very good!

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Guest DickVitale

Guest DickVitale

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The Pistons were one player away this year and last....BEN WALLACE....BAD move and Flip Saunders paid the price....

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KFDM COOP

KFDM COOP

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Source: Curry to succeed Saunders as Pistons seek new voice

Saunders signed a four-year contract worth up to $26 million three years ago. His deal came less than a day after Detroit finalized terms of Larry Brown's $7 million severance package after he helped the Pistons win a title and almost repeat in his two seasons.

Pistons assistant Michael Curry will be named Saunders' successor, a source close to the Pistons told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. Curry is a former Pistons player and official in the players' union.

Other candidates mentioned include fired Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson and Terry Porter, another assistant last season in Detroit and a former Milwaukee Bucks coach.

"I'm going to talk to a few people this week," Dumars said. "As we normally do, we'll act quickly. This will not be a long, drawn-out process."

The Pistons averaged nearly 59 victories in three regular seasons under Saunders, who trailed only Dallas' Johnson by two wins and San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich by a victory during the span.

Saunders was 30-21 in the playoffs for the Pistons, losing in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals each year. He has coached 24 conference finals games, the most by an NBA coach since 1971 without reaching the NBA Finals, according to STATS.

No Title in Motown

Under Saunders, Detroit became the second team in league history to lose in the round before the NBA Finals three years in a row, joining the Celtics from 1953 to '55, according to STATS.

Saunders extended Detroit's Eastern Conference finals appearance streak to six years, making the Pistons the first franchise to accomplish that feat since the Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s, after Rick Carlisle started it in his two seasons as coach.

Three starters -- Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince -- played for all three coaches, Rasheed Wallace was acquired in 2004 and Antonio McDyess signed in 2005.

"There are 25, 26 teams that would love to be where we are, but good has not been good enough," Dumars said. "I appreciate everything that Rick Carlisle, Larry Brown and Flip Saunders have done, but I also know they were handed some great teams.

"It's not like they had to take bad teams and make them good. The next coach is going to inherit a good team."

Dumars decided a year ago to bring back his key players as well as Saunders, while infusing energy with rookies and young reserves.

But after watching the Pistons blow a 10-point lead with 10-plus minutes left in Game 6 of the conference finals against the Boston Celtics, Dumars said he had seen enough from this group.

"We didn't get it done," Dumars said. "As I walked out of the Palace, I had a real sense of calm."

Dumars was at ease because he knew exactly what he wanted to do.

First, fire Saunders. Then, trade at least one of his starters in a move or two he doesn't expect to happen before the NBA draft on June 26.

Wallace seems to be the player most likely to be dealt because of his one-year contract, inconsistent play and powerful personality that lifts his teammates or drags them down depending on his mood.

"I view him the same way that I do all the other guys," Dumars insisted. "Make no mistake, everybody is in play right now."

Before coming to Detroit, Saunders was 411-326 with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

He led Minnesota to eight straight postseason appearances, including seven first-round exits and an appearance in the 2004 conference finals. After winning a franchise-record 58 games, he was fired with a 25-26 mark during the 2004-05 season.

Celtics guard Sam Cassell expects Saunders, one of his former coaches, to be back in the league.

"He'll get a job real soon -- maybe even today or tomorrow," Cassell said.

Boston coach Doc Rivers said he was surprised by the firing even though he heard speculation that the move was coming.

"I don't understand it," Rivers said. "It makes coaching not fun."

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