LOS ANGELES -- The Detroit Pistons subscribe to the "one game at a time" mantra, which is why their goal is to focus on Wednesday's opponent, Portland.
But there are some matchups, no matter how far down the schedule, in which this strategy is put to the test. Friday's game against Denver and former Piston Chauncey Billups is one of those.
It will be the first time since the November trade that Detroit will face its former point guard and team captain.
Antonio McDyess, who was included in the trade with Denver but returned to Detroit after agreeing to a buyout, said he talked with Billups, a good friend, on New Year's Day.
"We didn't talk about (Friday's) game or playing in it," McDyess said. "But I know him. He's looking to have a good game against us."
Pistons forward Amir Johnson added: "It's probably going to be like when Ben (Wallace) left -- just say, 'What's up,' and then play the game and battle it out, try and beat him."
Allen Iverson, who came to Detroit via the Nov. 3 trade with the Nuggets, said, "It'll be different, but I've been in this league for a while. And I've seen Chauncey in a bunch of uniforms. So it'll just be another thing to me."
Not so for Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president of Basketball operations.
Detroit's unprecedented run of six consecutive trips to the Eastern Conference finals or NBA Finals began with the 2002-2003 season.
Dumars' first transaction leading to that season was signing Billups, a free-agent point guard who had played for five teams in five NBA seasons.
A journeyman up to that point, Billups went on to have six successful seasons as a Piston.
He become a three-time all-star (2006, '07 and '08) and NBA Finals MVP in leading Detroit to an NBA title in 2004. He was named to the NBA's all-NBA team twice ('06 and '07) and the NBA's all-defensive team twice ('05 and '06). He also was on the short list of players for a spot on this past summer's Team USA Olympic team but withdrew from consideration shortly before the final cuts for personal reasons.
"There will always be nothing but great emotions for me with Chauncey," Dumars said.
Emotions aside, Dumars went into this season looking to make at least one major change to his core group, which included Billups, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Rasheed Wallace.
Although all four were talked about at some point this summer, Billups seemed the most likely to be traded due to the emergence of Rodney Stuckey as a rookie last season.
"We all miss Chauncey," said Stuckey, who averaged 22.9 points and five assists in Detroit's past seven games -- all wins. "But it is what it is. We're going to try and come out and win the game."
