Billups: 'I'm very encouraged'

Chauncey Billups went through his most extensive test of his hamstring since straining it six days ago at the Pistons’ Tuesday morning shootaround – and came out of it sounding truly encouraged about his prospects for returning for the first time.

“It’s feeling a lot better,” Billups said after playing a modified one-on-one game with strength coach Arnie Kander and running corner to corner to shoot 3-pointers while Kander fed him passes. “Just wait and see, but it feels better. I’m encouraged, that’s for sure. I feel a lot better than yesterday. Pushing off to my left is kind of hard, plus I’m out there by myself so there’s nobody really kind of pushing me and playing defense. But it feels good. I’m very encouraged.”

Billups remains a game-time decision, Flip Saunders said, with Billups saying the decision would be “70 percent Arnie, 30 percent me.”

In the six hours or so between the end of his morning workout session with Kander and the time when a decision must be made to hand in the active roster, Billups said he will be taking more treatment at the team’s practice facility, get another workout test in and then arrive earlier than usual at The Palace for one last test.

Billups said he hasn’t yet tested his injured right hamstring at full speed.

“That’s the first time I did any kind of sprint work, that corner-to-corner action, and that’s a lot different than going full-court time and time again. I haven’t been able to do that, get to top speed and sprint. That’s one thing that does concern me.”

Saunders said if Billups is cleared to play, he’ll start and play a normal role, though Billups said he’s “not close to 100 percent.”

“But I don’t have to be 100 percent to come back,” he said. “I just want to feel like where I can be productive.”

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