Hamilton Back In Good Graces, Good Form
Shooting guard Richard Hamilton has staged one of the strangest comeback stories of the NBA season.
Hamilton was exiled by his coach and skewered by the media during the middle of the season. Given a second chance in March, Hamilton has managed to repair at least some of the damage to his reputation.
In 12 games since he reached a truce with coach John Kuester, Hamilton has averaged a team-best 16.7 points. He has reached the 20-point mark five times during the span and recorded five-plus assists four times. He has also pleased Kuester with his defensive effort, including four steals against Indiana on Wednesday.
"You've got to give Rip a lot of credit," said Kuester, whose team plays Central Division leader Chicago on Friday. "He's really done a wonderful job. (Many people) gauge a lot of Rip's game by what he's doing offensively. I'm more impressed with his body language defensively. He's engaged in what we're trying to get done, and that's why we're both on the same page, because we communicate with each other."
There was little to no communication between them after Kuester, who was infuriated when Hamilton cursed him out during a practice, benched Hamilton from mid-January through February. Hamilton was also considered the mastermind in the infamous shoot-around boycott in Philadelphia shortly after the All-Star break. But tensions finally cooled down when they met after Hamilton declined a deal and a contract buyout by Cleveland at the trade deadline.
Hamilton isn't playing at an All-Star level, as he did during his prime, but the 33-year-old guard has re-established himself as a starter. After coming off the bench the first five games of the month, Hamilton has taken away virtually of Ben Gordon's minutes with his consistent play.
He had 19 points, five rebounds and five assists against the Pacers, though he also made six turnovers. He has endeared himself so much to Kuester that he's back to playing 35 minutes a game. That's 35 minutes more than anyone expected to see again from Hamilton in a Pistons uniform during his lengthy banishment.
PACERS 111, PISTONS 101: The Pistons got outscored 67-43 during the second and third quarters while getting pushed to the brink of playoff elimination Wednesday. Avenging a road loss to Detroit on Sunday, Indiana turned 18 Pistons turnovers into 22 points. Detroit's magic number for missing the playoffs for the second straight season was reduced to one.
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