Terry Foster / The Detroit News

Early in the first quarter Monday, Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince lay in the middle of the floor in pain after smashing his back into Jason Maxiell's knee. At that point the Pistons should have boarded Roundball One and began the trip back to Detroit.

Actually, you can't convince me they didn't. Their 119-93 loss to the Celtics at Boston Garden was one of the most embarrassing ever.

The Pistons showed no heart, no pride and no desire in allowing the Celtics to pound them into submission. You know things are bad when a half-court team like the Celtics ran the Pistons off the floor with crowd-pleasing fast breaks and dunks.

The Celtics have four of the oldest players in the league, so what they did to the Pistons was like Jed Clampett beating one of the Jonas Brothers in a track meet. ESPN announcers were begging for the Pistons to show life.

Sadly, they didn't.

The lasting memory of this game was Nate Robinson hanging from the rim during a dunk with less than a minute remaining. The Celtics were criticized for showboating.

I criticize the Pistons for allowing it to happen.

The network couldn't switch to the Lakers-Warriors game fast enough.

I didn't want to watch, but part of my job is to let you know how pathetic this team has become. The Pistons essentially played without Ben Wallace, Rodney Stuckey and Prince. What was left resembled a D-League team overdosed on sleeping pills.

The Celtics shot 62 percent from the floor, passed out 34 assists and placed seven players in double figures.

Will Bynum led the Pistons with 16.

If the Pistons play that way tonight, LeBron James might as well stay in Cleveland. The Cavaliers won't need him.