The Detroit Pistons rested starters Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, and Rasheed Wallace against Minnesota since the team is all but assured of being the second seed in the Eastern conference, the Associated Press is reporting.

All three were deactivated before the game.

"When Joe first told me, I thought it was an April Fool's joke, too," Saunders said with a chuckle before the game.

"With Sheed, Chauncey, and Rip, all three of those guys played through the All-Star Game and haven't had any rest," Saunders said. "Our schedule's been all over the place. There's been more back-to-backs than anybody as far as in the league.

"We're in a situation that it's a good time for them to get a rest. How much they rest down the stretch, we'll have to wait and see. Having two days off, playing, and then having another two days off, it was the perfect time."