Twelve games into his Detroit Pistons tenure, Josh Smith was left out of the starting lineup after 604 consecutive games started Friday, ostensibly for missing practice the day before, according to head coach Maurice Cheeks.
Smith was held scoreless for the first time since his rookie season, and the 96-89 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, and nature of the disciplinary action, called the fabric of this team into question.
Smith was long gone before the locker room was opened to the media, leaving head coach Maurice Cheeks to explain why the Pistons' biggest free-agent signee in years was omitted from the starting lineup.