AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - As expected, Joel Anthony said the phone call he received Monday from Detroit Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy was "a little awkward, a little weird."
At the time, Anthony thought he was heading to the 76ers as part of a three-team trade with the Pistons and Houston Rockets. But Van Gundy called to inform him the trade was rescinded after Donatas Motiejunas, who was going to Detroit from Houston, failed to pass a physical because of a bad back.
So Anthony was back here Wednesday night facing the team he expected to be traded to at the Palace of Auburn Hills.