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Pistons owner backs Van Gundy despite team's poor play

USA Today Sports

It's hard not to blame the Detroit Pistons' struggles this season on head coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy, who's now in his third year with the organization.

While not completely out of the playoff hunt in the Eastern Conference, Detroit finds itself 2.5 games back of the eighth-seeded Chicago Bulls with a 19-24 record after winning 44 games a year ago. Van Gundy would appear to be an easy scapegoat, but as owner Tom Gores sees things, any issues the Pistons have aren't a result of a lack of effort on SVG's part.

"We've got a bump in the road, and that's what success is about - you have to work through it. It's all about having rough times and your ability to work through," Gores said, according to The Associated Press. "I never worry about Stan, because he wants to win. He's the hardest worker I've ever seen in my life. I believe in him as a man and I believe in him as a strong person."

Detroit recently ended its three-game losing skid at the Staples Center with a 102-97 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. It was the team's first in the building in seven attempts dating back to 2008, with Van Gundy just happy to get a win for his owner in that neck of the woods.

"Every one of us in this organization knows we've got a great owner, and we know we haven't delivered a win here since he's owned the team,'" Van Gundy said. "That felt almost better than breaking the (three-game losing) streak."

As far as this year goes, Gores is confident Van Gundy can salvage the season.

"(Gores') thing was not to overreact to six weeks out of what has been a two-and-half-year process," he added. "It was good to sit down and talk through things and get his perspective on things."

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