flip saunders

The Detroit Pistons say Flip Saunders won't be back next season after leading the team to three straight appearances in the Eastern Conference finals.

President of basketball operations Joe Dumars said Tuesday a change is necessary despite Saunders' successes. In his three seasons, the Pistons were 176-70 in the regular season and 30-21 in the postseason, but they lost in the conference finals each...

Flip Saunders doesn't sound like a coach worried about his future. The Boston Celtics won Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, pushing the Detroit Pistons to the brink of elimination and a possible shake up.

Saunders has already outlasted his predecessors, Larry Brown and Rick Carlisle, both of whom lasted just two years.

Pistons forward Antonio McDyess returned to Detroit on Saturday and had surgery to repair the broken nose he suffered in Game 3 of their playoff series with Philadelphia.

Pistons coach Flip Saunders said McDyess' availability for Sunday's Game 4 would depend on how he felt after surgery.

McDyess was injured Friday in the third quarter of Detroit's 95-75 loss to the 76ers.