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(SportsNetwork.com) - Is it too late for the Detroit Pistons to throw a going away party for Josh Smith, who was surprisingly released by the team on Dec. 22. The Pistons were 5-23 at the time, but they have been one of the hottest teams in the league since they cut the 10-year veteran, winning nine of their next 10 games, including a seven-game winning streak following Smiths departure. Highlighting the run were road wins against the Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors, with the victories over the Spurs and Mavericks coming in back-to-back games. Since the Pistons made that somewhat shocking move of dumping Smith, theyve seen massive jumps in the games of Brandon Jennings, Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond. Heres a detailed look at how each of them fared while playing with Smith and since he was given his walking papers: BRANDON JENNINGS With Josh Smith / Without Josh Smith Games - 25 / 10 Minutes Per Game - 28.8 / 27.9 Points Per Game - 12.6 / 20.3 Field Goal Pct. - 36.8 / 46.9 3-PT FG Pct. - 32.7 / 42.1 Assists - 6.4 / 7.0 Turnovers - 2.3 / 1.7 Rebounds - 1.1 / 2.9 Steals - 0.96 / 1.4 GREG MONROE With Josh Smith / Without Josh Smith Games - 26 / 10 Minutes Per Game - 28.9 / 30.3 Points Per Game - 14.6 / 16.1 Field Goal Pct. - 48.1 / 50.4 Rebounds - 8.8 / 11.9 Assists - 1.6 / 2.3 Steals - 0.61 / 1.3 ANDRE DRUMMOND With Josh Smith / Without Josh Smith Games - 28 / 10 Minutes Per Game - 29.8 / 29.3 Points Per Game - 12.9 / 12.3 Field Goal Pct. - 48.2 / 54.5 Rebounds - 12.5 / 14.3 Steals / 0.92 / 1.6 During his tenure with the Pistons, Smith handled the ball a lot and often initiated the offense. As it turns out, that probably stunted the growth of Jennings as a point guard, as he now relishes the responsibility given to him by coach Stan Van Gundy to be the leader and to be held accountable. And the coach is obviously thrilled with the early results. Hes really been terrific here lately, Van Gundy said. He plays with great aggressiveness and great confidence, and sometimes youre (wincing) about some of his shots. Im not trying to put a leash on him, because hes playing great. Youve got to let those guys play. And hes playing as well as Ive seen him play since he came into the league. In a matter of three weeks, the Pistons have gone from a sure-fire lottery team to one that should be able to compete for a playoff spot with so many subpar teams in the Eastern Conference fighting for the lower seeds. And while the Pistons are on a roll, the two marquee teams in their division are struggling. LeBron James was back in the lineup on Tuesday night after missing eight games with back and knee injuries, but that didnt stop the Cavaliers from dropping their sixth straight game as they lost at the Phoenix Suns, 107-100. The Cavs were 1-7 during James absence and have lost nine of 10 overall to fall to 19-20. For those who dont check the standings on a daily basis, you might be shocked to find out that Cleveland is one game back of a Milwaukee Bucks team that won just 15 games last season and lost its standout rookie Jabari Parker for the season with a torn ACL on Dec. 15. With more than half the season still left, the clock hasnt run out on the Cavs righting the ship. But if we dont see a significant improvement over the next month, it would be hard to imagine theyll come close to living up to the preseason expectations. Keep in mind in James first season in Miami, the Heat stumbled to a 9-8 start, but quickly turned things around in a big way, and were 30-9 after their first 39 games. As for the division-leading Chicago Bulls, they dont have quite as many as concerns as the Cavs, but there have been some troubling signs lately. Over the past two weeks, Tom Thibodeaus team has suffered three embarrassing home losses. The Bulls dropped a 96-82 decision to the Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 30. The Utah Jazz won 97-77 on Jan. 7, and the Orlando Magic, minus Tobias Harris and Evan Fournier, went into Chicago on Monday and beat the Bulls, 121-114. You can make an excuse every night in this league if thats what you choose to do, whether its new players, the schedule, the start, whos out, whos in, an angry Thibodeau said after the loss to the Magic. Theres an excuse every night. You cant do that. We have to make good. Either youre in the circle or youre out of the circle. You want to be in? Lets go. You dont want to be in? Thats fine, too. Lets go. Thibodeau also should be concerned with the play of Derrick Rose, who hasnt come close to resembling the player he was prior to all his injuries. The Bulls point guard is averaging 17 points, 4.9 assists and 3.3 turnovers this season, and is shooting 40.2 percent from the floor and hitting 25.4 percent from 3-point range. Those numbers are a far cry from his MVP season in 2010-11, when he averaged 25 points, 7.7 assists and 3.4 turnovers, and shot 44.5 percent from the field and hit 33.2 percent of his 3s. Rose recently said the Bulls are good enough to win a championship this season, but I dont see that happening unless his play increases dramatically. Gary Zimmerman Jersey . Showing more spark after not taking enough challenging shots on goal in their 1-0 loss Friday night, the Bruins had 18 shots in the first period after managing just 25 in the entire opener. Luke Glendening cut Bostons lead to 2-1 at 13:20 of the second period before Milan Lucic scored late in the second and Zdeno Chara added a power-play goal early in the third. Phillip Lindsay Jersey . It looked like being another miserable day for Moyes when Ashley Westwood put Villa in front from a 13th-minute free kick. But Rooney headed United level seven minutes later, and the striker netted his 16th of the season for the struggling champions from the penalty spot before halftime. http://www.officialdenverbroncospro.com/...cos-jersey/.com) - P.K. Subbans power-play goal 4:08 into overtime sent the Montreal Canadiens into the All-Star break with a 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. Brian Dawkins Jersey . -- At the beginning of training camp, Andrew Bogut set a goal to play all 82 regular-season games and regain his place among the NBAs best centres. Custom Denver Broncos Jerseys . - Tom Brady and the Patriots routed the Bengals and quieted the doubters.CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Matt Ryan is as surprised as anyone that the Atlanta Falcons are tied for first in the NFC South with a 4-6 record.Hes certainly not complaining.Its been a different year, for sure, Ryan said. You play to be relevant in November and December. As quirky as this seasons been, were relevant.Ryan threw for 268 yards and a touchdown, Matt Bryant added four field goals and the Falcons held off a late rally by the Carolina Panthers to win 19-17 on Sunday.Bryants 44-yard field goal with 2:08 left put Atlanta ahead for good. Cam Newton threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes for Carolina, but Graham Gano missed a 46-yard field goal try with 1:27 remaining and had a 63-yarder blocked as time expired.The Falcons moved into a tie with New Orleans for the division lead after the Saints lost at home to Cincinnati 27-10.The way our season is going, were happy to have any win, Falcons defensive tackle Corey Peters said.Newton overcame two early interceptions and threw for 292 yards, but it wasnt enough for the Panthers, who have lost five straight and are 1-7-1 since starting the season 2-0. Itd be easy to say the Panthers are done, yet they still control their playoff destiny.Well, somebody is trying to give us a gift, Panthers cornerback Josh Norman said of the Saints loss. The craziest part about it all is were still in it.When asked if the Panthers still deserve to be in the playoff hunt, Norman replied, Does anybody in the NFC South deserve to be in it?The Panthers trailed 16-3 in the fourth quarter before a sluggish Newton started to heat up.Rookie Kelvin Benjamin made a juggling 22-yard touchdown catch in the left corner of the end zone to give the Panthers some life. Then another rookie receiver, Philly Brown, got behind cornerback Robert McClain and caught a 47-yard score as he fell back into the end zone to briefly give the Panthers a 17-16 lead.But Ryan moved the Falcons into field goal range, completing three passes for 29 yards to Harry Douglas to sset up Bryants clutch kick.dddddddddddd.I try to simplify things as much as I can, Bryant said.He often jokes that its like the golf movie Happy Gilmore: I try to go to a happy place.Everythings working out, he added, so Ill keep doing what Im doing.Newton still had something left, moving Carolina to the Atlanta 29. Gano then hooked the potential game-winner from 46 yards out wide left.The Panthers forced a punt and moved into Atlanta territory behind a pair of hook-and-ladder plays to set up a desperation try for Gano. But his kick was low and blocked by rookie RaShede Hagemen as time expired.I have to pull through and make the kick, Gano said. Thats what it comes down to. No excuses. Im not going to sit here and explain why I missed the kick. My job is to put it through the uprights.Roddy White, who had eight catches for 75 yards, caught a 4-yard TD pass from Ryan to give the Falcons a 16-3 lead.Things got heated after that.Devin Hester was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after knocking a Carolina player off the pile at the end of a play, igniting a lot of pushing and shoving. Two snaps later, Carolinas Thomas Davis stripped Hester and Luke Kuechly recovered, starting another brief altercation with Jacquizz Rodgers taking down Kuechly, although no flag was thrown.The day started off rough for Newton.After he was sacked nine times in Carolinas 45-21 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night, defensive Tyler Jackson raced in unblocked and delivered a helmet-to-helmet hit on the quarterback on Carolinas first play from scrimmage. Jackson was flagged for a 15-yard penalty, but Newton got up holding his chin.Newton didnt seem sharp until late in the game, but the two-time Pro Bowler said the hit didnt affect him.NOTES: Benjamin finished with 109 yards receiving for the Panthers. ... The Falcons are 4-0 in the division, beating Tampa Bay twice and Carolina and New Orleans once each.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '