Dana Gardner of the Oakland Press reports on Pistons G Chauncey Billups’ appearance yesterday on WXYT AM, in which the former Colorado standout stood up for his oft-ridiculed teammate, Darko Milicic.

“Larry beat him up too much,” Billups said. “He tore the kid’s confidence apart too much, and it was tough for him to recover. … With (new coach) Flip (Saunders) there, maybe it’s different. (Brown) beat him up too much, man, to where he could never recover.”


(Darko patiently listens to Larry explain that Ikea is no place for a wealthy young man to furnish his apartment)

“He beat that kid up way too much,” Billups said. “The kid has unbelievable talent. There’s nothing he can’t do out there on the court. … In the playoffs, we’re smiling and laughing and having fun out there. I’ve never seen Darko smile one day ever in practice or playing, and that’s a problem.”