When the season is over, the Pistons will reflect on how several close losses could have prevented playoff contention.

One was a close loss to the Hawks when they were missing Tayshaun Prince.

Not that blasting Wednesday night at Atlanta with Prince on the bench; go back to the six-point overtime home loss in January when Prince was out for personal reasons.

Coach Lawrence Frank reminded reporters of that game when it was suggested that fans thought sitting Prince and Ben Wallace in Wednesday’s 32-point loss to the Hawks was the Pistons’ way of throwing away a game to improve the team’s draft lottery position.

“No, no, they’re keeping score,” an indignant Frank said Thursday before a 91-80 loss to the Timberwolves at the Palace. “I don’t care who you are, when you step on the hardwood, man, when they’re keeping score, you want to win.”

via Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press