Billups, Rip vie for All-Star reserves

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The Pistons knew they'd land at least three players on the Eastern Conference All-Star team last year, a given considering their blistering record and dominance against the rest of the conference.

They wound up with four reserves and the coaching staff in Houston. And those players -- Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton and Ben Wallace -- played a key role in rallying the East to victory in the second half.

This year, the Pistons are not nearly as confident that they'll have representation, much less the game-changing presence they did last year. But they expect to get at least one player in.

Free Press