Detroit Pistons Still Short of 70 Wins

It wasn't so long ago that winning 50 games was considered a major achievement for the Detroit Pistons, something to be celebrated in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Two trips to the NBA Finals, not to mention a championship, can do a lot to change perspective on what is expected and what should be appreciated. Fifty wins? Nowadays, that's just a nice benchmark to pass on the way to bigger things.

''Right now, it's not about winning 50 games, 60 games, whatever,'' center Ben Wallace said.

''Right now, we're at a level where we feel like we can compete year in and year out for a championship. So that's what we want to do, regardless of how many games we win or how many we lose, as long as we have a chance to compete for that trophy at the end of the season,'' Wallace added.

In coach Flip Saunders' mind, a little excitement over 50 wins would be OK.

''People don't understand,'' he said, ''To win 50 games should not be taken for granted,'' he adds.

The good news is that the players don't take it for granted, even if their eyes are focused on bigger prizes.

The Pistons' last losing season was 2000-01. Wallace was the only current Piston on that team that went 32-50. And while he said he tries not to remember what it was like, he can't really forget. And those memories still drive him.

''They say losing builds character,'' Wallace said. ''But for me, losing just sucked. I think everybody else in this locker room feels the same way. We don't want to have to deal with those emotions.''

''Losing brings out the worst types of emotions that you can really imagine that a person would have. You lose, you see all those emotions and go through all these different things. Food doesn't taste right, sounds aren't sounding right, trips to the gym feel longer. That's all a part of losing,'' Big Ben said.

The Detroit Pistons' bid for 70 wins still is a possibility. But with 12 losses already, they would have to go for an astounding 30-game winning streak and not lose again. Bodog has more NBA betting odds, check them out now.