European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday March 25, 1990 the stars and stripes a Page 23 pistons Streak to their Aba title defense by David Aldridge the Washington Post Chicago a Bill Laimbeer looked at his interrogator with the condescending expression he usually sports during interviews. The question was he worried a about what a he asked. About whether his Detroit pistons might Tail off at some Point. A a that a a stupid  Isnit it possible that Detroit which has gone 25-2 since Jan. 23, which already has a playoff spot clinched which has the Best record. In the league at 5116, might at some Point go Flat might lose again a next question a Laimbeer said. A a we be got enough Guys on our team that we done to have Flat  he a right. The pistons really done to seem to have Flat Laimbeer games. What a strange about it is no one in the National basketball association acts surprised anymore. Detroit routinely gave a Good Chicago bulls team a 25-Point she lacking at Home. Well what can you do they re the Aba Champion pistons. A Detroit plays with a lot of Confidence against us a Michael Jordan said the other Day. A because they know that they May have certain stronger Points than we have and they know they can go to them at any time and win the  the pistons have guards Joe Dumars and Isiah Thomas Forward James Edwards and Laimbeer not to mention a Strong corps of reserves. All signs strongly Point to the pistons returning to the Aba finals in june. Detroit a recent run has been remarkable an eight week stretch in which they be stormed to the leagues Best record. Before thursday nights 115-110 loss in Houston they d won 12 straight one Short of the sting they ripped off before losing in Atlanta feb. 23. During the second run the pistons beat Chicago twice Phoenix san Antonio new York Utah Atlanta and Philadelphia. That a a Good chunk of the contenders list. Six More victories would have put the pistons in select company. Four teams the Rochester royals Philadelphia warriors new York kicks and Boston celtics won 18 straight and the Mil Aukee Bucks and old Washington Capi Oise won 20 in a Row. The All time record the lakers 33 straight from november 19 1 to january 1972. But the Streak Wasny to the thing. Its the a Detroit is taking Good teams apart at every venue. Tml0t�?Tyioaton> Here a the repeat Noil. The pistons Are ahead of their Pace season when they went 63-19 and , to via playoff games. It also u Angeles is on their heels the Best record in the league. Ifni pent in pistons have forgotten Nhoh a a ppm nent and figuratively played against themselves. Dim Nevi ests Sood to do that a said sometimes its not. With this b i Botki you just have to play Good a tall. But if you get caught up in that playing against a Tea you can get in trouble. We just concentrate on what we have to  lakers coach Pat Riley often uses the Book a the Art of War to explain the mindset of his team during the past decade. The pistons make no such analogies. They just shut Down opponents. A i read that Book when his son was a kid a said Chuck Daly the pistons coach who has pushed All the right buttons of late. Two major factors have been at play. Edwards who replaced John Salley at starting Power Forward Early in the season has been a Stabilizer in the front court allowing Laimbeer to Drift out to the foul line and higher to set picks or shoot jumpers. And Dennis Rodman became a starter when Mark Aguirre Hurt his Back in a Jan. 21 loss to the lakers. That a when the pistons started their run. Though the pistons already were leading the league in fewest Points allowed when the Streak began they be shaved almost a full Point off that average to an even 97 per game. Opponents Are shooting a league Low .443. The pistons have held teams under 100 Points this season a league High 37 times. And Detroit has won 30 games by 10 Points or More. A a it a not so much their quickness out front a Washington guard Darrell Walker said referring to Dumars and Thomas. A those Guys Are talented. They re going to score some Points. I done to care who a guarding them. But i think their defense is what a really the key to their basketball team. A when you get in the playoffs you be got to Stop people in a half court game and they can Stop you. Because they re big and they step Over and they re _ aggressive and they bump you when you go through the Lane. They bump you every Chance they can bump you. And Rodman i think that a what separates them from the rest of the teams in the  opponents say a a a god i have to go out there and work work work. I done to want to do that a a Rodman said. A a that san advantage for  # now Detroit has the luxury of choosing to go strictly for offence off the Bench Aguirre and Vinnie Johnson or a combination Aguirre and Salley. Or As they did in the fourth Quarter against Chicago on March 16, the pistons can still go for the full defensive look leaving Rodman Dumars and Edwards in with Salley. That group with Johnson blew out the bulls in Chicago stadium. Then there was the Rush to get on their charter Roun Dball one and get out of town. The pistons Are always in a hurry to get to the next game to get another one under their belts and get closer to the playoffs. No music in the locker room. Just their Trainer Mike Abdenour screaming a a let a go lets go a every eight seconds or so. A we done to worry about other people a Daly said. A we just do what we do. We have a lot of Guys who like to compete like to get out and play. That Sall it is is hard  Joe Dumars has helped Detroit to a 25-2 record since Jan. 23, clinching a playoff trip. Up