PORTLAND, Ore. -- As the Detroit Pistons' struggles continue, it's obvious they have suffered without Tayshaun Prince.

Not many would dare say the Pistons made a mistake in trading the longtime veteran to Memphis in a three-way deal that brought Jose Calderon and future financial flexibility.

But as the defense has become a sieve recently, Prince's communication and know-how have been missed.

"He reads situations probably quicker than maybe our guys do," assistant coach Brian Hill said Friday after the team's practice in Portland. "Not so much necessarily defense on the ball, but reading situations and knowing where he might have to pull in and help somebody else around the lane or reading a play as it's developing, which is something that comes with the experience that he had."

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PISTONS