Pistons coach John Kuester and forward Charlie Villanueva had a long discussion on Wednesday after he expressed frustration over playing just 12 minutes on Tuesday.

Detroit lost to New York at home on Tuesday night.

"I've been struggling the past couple of games," Villanueva said. "We talked about it and I made some defensive, you know, I missed assignments. And he took me out because of that. I understand it, but you move on. You move on and worry about the next game."

Villanueva has been dealing with plantar fasciitis in his right foot lately.

"I feel good about the situation," he said. "We just going through some rough times right now. It's tough because everybody wants to win. Nobody wants to feel like this. We gonna get it right, though. We definitely going to get it right."

Darko Milicic insists that the Pistons lied to him after taking him with the second pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.

"Yes, they did," Milicic said. "They lie to everybody. It's the NBA. The NBA, all around the league, same (garbage). 'Your chance is going to come.' All that kind of (garbage). (Forget) that.

"I've got enough of that kind of stuff, so I decided I'm going to Europe."

Milicic announced earlier this season that he plans to return to Europe next summer.

He has appeared in just eight games for the Knicks this season.

"I've got to be real," he said. "There is no team in the league that is going to give me the chance that I'm looking for. My only chance is back in Europe. I'm going to do that. I want to be happy. I want to play."

Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva isn't sure why he played just 12 minutes against the Knicks on Tuesday night.

"I don't know what it is," Villanueva said. "I don't know. I'm not going to suit up so they can monitor my minutes. I'm suiting up because I feel like I can play.

"So that's a question you'll have to ask him," he added, referring to Detroit head coach John Kuester.

Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince has missed the team's last 26 games with a small ruptured disk in his lower back.

However, he was a full participant in practice on Saturday and could be in the starting lineup on Sunday against the Raptors.

"It's sore as usual, bumps and bruises trying to get back in the first practice," said Prince. "But it felt good.

"Sometimes you think it's a lot of pain, but it's more soreness after I started working out."

The Pistons are hoping to get Richard Hamilton, who has missed five games with a pulled right hamstring, back as well.

Pistons coach John Kuester has clarified some negative comments made about guard Rodney Stuckey on Friday night.

Kuester wasn't impressed after Stuckey scored 31 points in Detroit's loss to Oklahoma City on Friday.

"He has done so many wonderful things for our team this year," the coach said. "He has at times played at an All-Star level."

Stuckey scored 16 points in a loss to the Lakers on Sunday.

"He has had to handle a lot on his plate with things having not gone this season the way we had hoped in certain situations, but Rodney Stuckey has done a wonderful job," Kuester added. "And don't lose sight of how important he is to this team."

Kuester was upset with the entire team's lack of ball-sharing against the Thunder.

The Pistons will be without guard Richard Hamilton and forward Tayshaun Prince on Sunday against the Lakers.

In addition, Ben Gordon is questionable with an ankle injury.

"I'm just working with Arnie (Kander) every day and going off what he suggests," Gordon said, referring to the Pistons strength and conditioning coach. "Hopefully I'll be ready by tomorrow. It's feeling stronger each day, but just taking it day by day right now."

Hamilton is still battling a hamstring issue, while Prince continues to be hampered by a bad back.

When Pistons guard Will Bynum returns to the lineup from a sprained ankle, he'll be wearing new shoes.

Bynum is following advice from the team's strength and conditioning coach, Arnie Kander, who referred to current basketball shoes are glorified "moccasins."

Kander said most basketball shoes lack the support necessary for quick cuts on the court.

"Shoes have changed a significant amount," Kander explained. "They've cut all the support out of shoes. For guys like Will, they recommend a speed-based shoe -- almost like a track shoe, but it's not a basketball shoe.

"So he would have the speed, but no stability. He's fast enough. We need more stability in the shoe."

Bynum missed his fourth consecutive game on Tuesday night.

Tracy McGrady sank a 3-pointer in his first game since Feb. 9, Luis Scola and Aaron Brooks scored 23 points apiece and the Rockets snapped the Pistons? five-game winning streak with a 107-96 win on Tuesday night, as reported by the Associated Press.

Pistons guard Richard Hamilton is impressed with how coach John Kuester has handled all of the team's injuries.

Detroit is 11-12 and riding a five-game winning streak despite lengthy injuries to Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Ben Gordon.

"He really showed he can coach with the guys out on the floor," Hamilton said Monday. "That says a whole lot, and you give a whole lot of credit to Q. Seeing the guys he had out there, they still played hard and got some wins."

Kuester credits the players and the team's president of basketball operations, Joe Dumars.

"There's no question in my mind that the reason we've had some success is the players," Kuester said. "The players have done a great job of buying into what we're trying to get accomplished. Our staff has done a great job. Joe has assembled a group of people that continually get better."

The Detroit Pistons? Rodney Stuckey and the Utah Jazz?s Deron Williams today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Dec. 7, through Sunday, Dec. 13.

Stuckey led the Pistons to a 3-0 week, averaging 27.0 points on .529 shooting from the field, 6.0 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals.

Williams averaged 21.8 points, 11.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds, leading the Jazz to a 3-1 week.