Flip Saunders: No Chauncey Billups in Game 5 - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

Notes from a trip to the NBA Playoffs.

Speaking to media about an hour ago, Pistons coach Flip Saunders indicated that he didn't expect to have Chauncey Billups active for tonight's game. He left open the possibility that Billups might change his mind but said that Billups still didn't feel right following this morning's shootaround.

"It's up to the players [to decide] when they're right," said Saunders. "And when they're right, I don't want them to have any hesitation, because if they're not right and they have hesitation, they're not going to play very good, to be honest. So, he's got to feel comfortable as far as about it."

Saunders added that if Billups wanted to give it a go, he'd have the blessing of the training staff. "We don't think that he can hurt it anymore, but he just feels that there's still some soreness in there. I think that it's more than anything else."

With Billups in street clothes, Saunders said he'd go with the same roster he used in Game 4, which means that Juan Dixon and Lindsey Hunter will be active while little-used power forward Amir Johnson will be the odd man out. Rookie Rodney Stuckey will get the start. In speaking with Magic coach Stan Van Gundy and Rashard Lewis, whether the Pistons have Billups won't change a thing in Orlando's game plan.