Detroit Pistons coach Monty Williams called out his team for its lack of “fight” after another blowout loss, saying his players are not honoring “the organization and the jersey.”
Williams delivered a brief but passionate statement to reporters Monday night after Detroit’s 126-107 home loss to the Washington Wizards in a matchup of the NBA’s two worst teams.
It was the fourteenth consecutive loss for the Pistons (2-15), who now own the NBA’s worst record and have not won a game in a month. The lowly Wizards (3-14), who had not won since Nov. 8, shot 51% from the floor and had seven scorers in double figures against the Pistons, who have lost three of their past four games by a least 19.
“That wasn’t fight on the floor,” Williams said. “That wasn’t Pistons basketball by any stretch of the imagination. That’s what this is — we have to have people that honor the organization and the jersey by competing at a high level every night.
“I’m not talking about execution, just competing. That wasn’t it, and that’s on me.”
In a postgame media session that lasted only one minute, Williams opened by saying he was “very” disappointed with the loss and described the Pistons’ overall spirit in the game as “poor.”
Williams told reporters before the game that the Pistons held a players-only meeting Friday, saying that “accountability” was a key talking point and that he loves working with the young roster.
But Williams was much harsher in his tone after the loss.
“It’s just a level of growing up on this team, maturity, understanding what game-plan discipline is — all the stuff we talk about all the time,” he said. “It’s enough talking.”
Third-year forward Isaiah Livers said he agreed with Williams’ assessment.
“There are a lot of little things we can talk about, but we just didn’t play hard,” Livers said. “Every team has roles, and it feels like none of us are playing our roles to the best of our abilities.”
Star guard Cade Cunningham, who admitted last week that the Pistons are “bad” in a candid assessment of the team, told the Detroit Free Press that he and his teammates are making mistakes because they are “not physical enough or not aggressive enough.”
“We all wanna win really bad,” Cunningham told the Free Press. “Everybody’s doing it out of the spirit of that — wanting to win, wanting to do what’s best for the team.
“I think we need more aggressive mess ups. Where we’re struggling right now is slip ups where we’re not physical enough or not aggressive enough. That’s what we need to lean towards instead of trying not to press.”
The 14-game losing streak ties the second-longest in Pistons franchise history, and their schedule does not get easier in the short term. After Wednesday’s home game against the Lakers (10-8), the Pistons travel to New York the next day to face the Knicks (9-7) before returning home Saturday to host the Cavaliers (9-8).
If they cannot win one of those games, the Pistons will be in danger of approaching the longest skid in their history — a 21-game losing streak that bridged the 1979-80 and 1980-81 seasons.
“We play great stretches, and then we’ve had crazy bad stretches where we dig ourselves in too deep of a hole,” Cunningham told the Free Press. “That’s it right there — it’s just holding each other accountable and when we do feel it start to slip, having the mental stamina to stay together, stay connected.”

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By Jeff Zimmerman
Trainer Calvin Ford shared his excitement for the Spence-Crawford fight, the return of Gervonta “Tank” Davis and a potential super fight with “The Monster” Naoya Inoue.
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Calvin is a good trainer and a fun guy. When Gervonta was getting ready to fight Rolly Romero, he post a video mocking the way Rooly trains, man it’s so funny

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54-year-old Boxing Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr. (66-9, 47 KOs) returns to the ring for his first official fight in over five years when he faces pro-debuting former MMA world champion Anthony Pettis, 36, in a six-round cruiserweight clash on Saturday in a $49.99 pay-per-view event from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Roy Jones Jr: “It’s fun to still be able to do what I love doing. I’m looking forward to an awesome event come Saturday night. I challenged myself to make the 200-pound weight for this fight. You don’t want to be the guy who can’t set an example. I’ve always wanted to set a good example…if I show that at 54 years old, that I can dedicate myself to a training camp and get back down to weight, that’s going to say a lot for the fighters I train. They can’t give me any more excuses.
“With the skill level I bring to the table, I can go anywhere and do anything any time I get ready I feel good and I’m glad to be here…I’m too old to be playing around. I have to come and get it. When I come to get it, I’m the most entertaining thing you’ve ever seen in your life.”
Roy Jones Jr. 199.1 vs. Anthony Pettis 198.5
Vitor Belfort 200.9 vs. Ronaldo Souza 199.9
Jose Aldo 148 vs. Jeremy Stephens 146.9
Luis Feliciano 143.5 vs. Clarence Booth 144.8
Devin Cushing 131.6 vs. Damian Marchiano 130
Pearl Gonzalez 125.7 vs. Gina Mazany 126.5
Cecil Cleckler 248.5 vs. Joshua Burns 275.4
Venue: Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Promoter: Jorge Masvidal’s Gamebred Boxing
TV: PPV
Very sad news, deplorable could be another word to describe it
Tragic
what if he looks good, the competition isn’t that demanding, and it’s only 6 rounds, its his job
The guy loves boxing and wants to box. I don’t see that as sad or deplorable. As long as he isn’t set to fight legit contenders, he can do what he wants. If he tries to go that route, than the commissions need to step in and shut it down.
Don’t do it, Roy!
Dude, it’s too late. That was the weigh in!
Nothing
Is
Real
Sadly
omyyy. hopefully this wont ruin his upcoming celebrity boxing plans
I watched an interview with Roy a couple of days ago and while listening to him talk about it, I didn’t really have much of a problem with it but after seeing him now about to go through with it… no. This is not a good idea.
I’ve never been a fan of Roy Jones. Never liked his style, his clowning in the ring, and especially the horrid rap music he used for his usual ring entrances. I was hoping we had seen the last of that ridiculous style if his. No interest in seeing him back. I’m sure he will be doing a lot of posing, fighting cautiously to protect that delicate noggin of his. One clubbing right-wing power shot on that noggin and he’s in trouble.
You might simply of said – I don’t like boxing.
your not a pure boxing fan roy jones was a great fighter his speed and power put him in a class a lone and he didn’t always play, he never was in no trouble with no punches until he made one big mistake and that was pride, he just won the heavyweight championship of the world and mind you he beat tarver once before but pride wanted him to put him in his place but instead of taking 8 to 10 months to get his body acclimated to 175 after he was all muscle at 200 he did it much sooner and his body wasn’t prepared to fight and though he won the first meeting with tarver he wasnt the same yet a strong doctor could of helped him then and kept him out the ring for atleast another year then he would of be ready and would of destroyed tarver and glenn johnson, but some some fighters are never the same after being knocked out, but you cant take nothing away of his achievements
You are exactly correct you need time for your body to get acclimated to the weight
I don’t think you know who RJJ is.
You must be and 54yr old still sitting on your lounge trying to work out how to throw a jab. Probably never exercised in your life. Just a true hater of one of the GOAT’s. RJJ 54 still going hard. You a 54yr old still trying to get off the lounge or you a 54yr old still playing with your Commodore 64 game console. I’ve said enough!!!!!! Boogey down like James brown.
Roy by decision
Its very, very sad to see him do this. These men are legends who say they love the sport of boxing in which they once excel. I give them that but when the time to walk away has come them you proudly go out and never look back like Marciano and Joe Calzhage for example. The knock outs from which you easily recovered in your youth can kill or paralyze you in age. Another thing stop being so freaking jealous of the youth. You had your turn, train them and let them do the fighting, and stay to hell out of their way.
Good comment! 100% true.
Everything true and reasonable what u say. He also doesnt look like in very good shape. There are more than enough mid 50s who are ripped as hell and look god like. Roy doesnt look too sharp and he doesnt look like he is training on a daily basis.
He needs to be careful Prayers…
Prayers? for what exactly?
Roy..great one..please DON’T! Stay home & enjoy the fruit of your labor champ.
He was able to pull out a ‘draw’ vs Tyson in the exhibition by doing nothing but taking punches. I guess he thinks if he can do that vs Tyson, this should be easy.
I love Roy. I don’t care at all if they die in the ring. It’s what they want to do, it’s what they love to do. I’m fine with it. I hope he shows age ain’t nothin but a number. We’re all gonna get old but nobody wants to accept it. Let’em play, it’s their life and their decision. They know the risk, they’ve known it all their lives. It’s all good. Let’s go Roy!
You love Roy, but you don’t care if he gets beaten to death in a boxing ring.
Are you serious?
Not at all. It’s his choice.
And people shouldn’t always get to do whatever they want.
The guy is 54, has been knocked out a few times, is fighting against someone much younger who very well could do some real damage to him, and even if he wins he gains nothing.
Sometimes boxers need to be saved from themselves.
If Roy had retired after breaking John Ruiz he would have been recognized as one of the greatest fighters in history next to Sugar Ray Robinson, Henry Armstrong etc.
But he stuck around too long and made the mistake of going back down in weight after the Ruiz fight.
But seriously Roy let it go. Let the world remember how fast, dynamic, and powerful you were in your prime. You don’t need the money. Your body doesn’t need the risk. Let it go my man .
Beating, not breaking. Stupid autocorrect.
I agree but it’s not about the record or the history, he just loves boxing. It’s his connection to feeling alive. He’s up there with Robinson and Armstrong for anyone who knows beyond what’s just in print. He loves this, I don’t think I can stand in the way of that in the name of other peoples feelings about appropriateness.
Jesus Cristo! He looks like a flabby old man trying to flex! He looked pretty bad and flabby when he fought Tyson back in 20. He looks likes he’s aged 10 years since then. He needs to cut this out. It’s seriously been 20 years since he last really shined as a fighter. He went from great to mediocre overnight in about 2004. A few years back he fought a guy making his pro debut. All I have to say is -porque Roy?
I’ll give him this chance just to see what it means to be so afraid of death that it’s a woman or another mortal challenge to try and be 20 something again.
I’m a huge fan of Roy Jones, Jr. but I do not want to see him in the ring again. Please Roy, don’t do it.
this is very sad…….this fight should be stopped……..roy is way past his prime…….roy has nothing more to prove…i will not be watching an old man get the crap punched out of him…….
It socks to get old.
Woow…didn’t see that one coming. 100 years ago, Roy would have probably have been dead by now, as the average life expectancy was 56 for a man. I guess he feels since he’s alive and may go another 25 years, why not do what he was bred to do. Lexus Nexus your comments are sacrilegious; Roy was one of the best to ever have done it and in his prime his “style” was the most athletic and devastating style to ever be witnessed in a ring. He once hit Bryant Brannon with three left hooks in one second! He knocked out that Australian dude with a punch that came from having his hands behind his back! He shattered the rib cage of the naturally larger and cagey Virgil Hill with one punch! He entertained in every sense of the word. The NBA plays rap music as well as the NFL and MLB but you still watch it.
Roy has made a mockery of himself in recent years. He absolutely refuses to hang up the gloves. His last few fights ended in concussions. The boxing/MMA commissions should never approve a fight between Roy and anyone. (Another fighter, the mailman, the ice-cream truck man, a part time lawyer) or anyone else who agrees to fight him. It is going to take something tragic happening before he stops. His license should be revoked worldwide. Enjoy training, commentating, training upcoming talent, or just sitting in a hammock reminiscing about your former ring time, but he should never be allowed to enter a professional prize fight again.
You can train , get fit and may even be quick as you once were for a round or 2. But one thing you can’t improve as it diminishes is resistance to take a shot. Fingers crossed champ.
One of the best fighters ever. It’s a six round fight. The fact that he’s able to make weight like that at his age is a great accomplishment. Life expectancy is increasing every decade. I’m very confident that Jones will be fine in this fight. I understand people saying no because they’re worried about his quality of life and health. But don’t judge by saying Roy wasn’t a good fighter. He beat toney and Hopkins in their prime.
So Roy must really love boxing and all the attention in the ring, otherwise I can’t explain why he didn’t already retire after his devastating losses to Antonio Tarver, or Glen Johnson.
I was asking myself back then, is it really necessary to get knocked out by the likes of Danny Green, Lebedev or Maccarinelli?
Just remain a commentator, Roy.
Absolutely ridiculous
I bet you none of yawl that’s talking about R.J. Could come close to doing what he does, haters!
Heard that. Roy gonna play with this tomato can
54 FFS!
The funny thing is he will beat Pettis. Pettis use to be great at mma boxing at 155. I watched his whole career. Roy will beat him
I agree Roy will get him and Pettis will get some good shots in but that’s it. Roy will play with him
Child support draining jones account!
I thought they pasted Roy’s head on my 60 year old body.
I wonder if this is a case of no money? I had seen RJJ working as a commentator, I think it was for HBO, I know that HBO boxing shows are no longer, not sure if RJJ is still doing any commentating. There is nothing that this show contributes to boxing….
Roy’s dreaming, tonight he realises its nightmare… You can’t beat father time, he’s already proven that several times.
So pathetic of Jones. My absolute worst boxing memories are of an over-the-hill Jones getting ko’d by fighters he would have toyed with previously.
Exhibition only right? Hopefully KOs aren’t allowed and no shots to the head…..for Roy’s sake…I hope.
Oh dear.
Yea Roy can still be the man God will have the say
I cannot believe he is still fighting. Props to his love of the sport, I just hope he doesn’t get hurt.
Anyone who thinks this is okay isn’t much of a boxing fan. You were probably saying the same thing when Mathew Saad Muhammad and Frankie Randall were has-beens and still getting punched in the head. They both died way before their time primarily from damage inflicted late in their boxing careers.
ROY JONES setting a good example??????
How many STEROID tests did he fail? And all were covered up. Should be jailed for animal cruelty… Cock (birds!!!!!) fighting.
Stop nothing wrong with bird or dog fighting
What I think is people are missing the main point here. Weather or not you think this is a good idea or not is…..They want $50 to watch this?
Someone is Punch Drunk!
He looks absolutely horrible, and when one thinks of the amount of brutal kos he suffered in his career, he should never be allowed in the ring again, even sparring, He has always been an arrogant guy, this may cost him his life.
Putin Is 70 plus yrs old
Trump is 70 plus and are still going hard. Nobody telling them to retire. RJJ still has another 20yrs in him. Go hard Roy.
49.95 PPV! I remember that the Mike Tyson fights cost this much when he started doing PPV. I think it’s still too much to pay these days.
This shouldn’t be allowed.
You people are dumb as hell with your comments. Have you seen the odds? Roy’s like a minus 500!! Vs a 36 year old former mma guy who never boxed in his life!! I’d say Roy got this even at his age lol he isn’t fighting Terrance Crawford or Errol Spence you people sound stupid. Let him have his fun making loot with his name fighting a guy who never boxed!!
Man, man, man. Although I’m staunchly against PEDs in boxing, after 50 I will look the other way, if just for cosmetics only. Just enough to tone yourself up.
Roy’s time is over. Boxing is not a sport for old men. He is getting in there with someone almost 20 years younger. He is going to get smashed.
This should NOT be allowed
I hope it will not end up like poor Evander Holyfield last year against the MMA guy. It brought out all the MMA fans making fun of boxing afterwards.
yee..
I hear Larry Holmes mumbling somewhere..
Punch drunk a dwelling on past glories, Roy you’ll be remembered for the wrong reasons
Very sad news. Why RJJ? You were a legend now you are just a PPV payday for someone else…worst part is any of these fights can leave him hurt for life…
come on Roy…..You look like an old man. Ya’ll musta forgot getting knock out of the ring some years back. And that was no draw that you were gifted against Tyson lol.
We love you Roy and understand your competive nature but nobody wants to see you get viciously knocked out. Please be ready
Why?
Quit while you still have your good looks
How can Jones fight, when it was reported he had brain damage, like 7-8 years ago? Jones lost, we love you, now go away
Hes gotta do it if not it’ll eat at him. Keep’em up Roy
Money, money, money must be funny in a rich man’s world !
Jones is still gonna show why boxing is the ultimate sport. Gonna knock that tomato can out
Time to stop give it up

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