Auburn Hills, May 08: Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups might miss Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Thursday because of a sprained left ankle.
The Pistons will not know about his availability until Thursday, when Detroit and Philadelphia meet that night, the team said Wednesday. Billups, averaging 33.7 points the last three games, was injured in Detroit's 98-87 win Tuesday night in Game 1.
"I worked on him last night for 4½ hours,'' Pistons strength and conditioning coach Arnie Kander said. "He left on crutches. He came in this morning without crutches, To me, that's an improvement.''
After Billups made a jumper to give Detroit a seven-point lead early in the fourth quarter, he landed on the foot of Eric Snow and fell. He left the game after scoring 24 points.

"He's walking a little like Fred Sanford with a limp,'' Kander said, referring to the character played by Redd Foxx on the 1970s television series "Sanford and Son.''



If Billups can't play, Detroit coach Rick Carlisle said Chucky Atkins will start in his place. Atkins started 62 games last year before Billups was signed as a free agent and took his spot in the starting lineup.



"He's a proven starter in this league,'' Carlisle said. "He played great for us last year and we're fortunate to have a guy like him ready to step in.''


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