Creating the perfect Detroit Pistons player

Stomach: Chauncey Billups

Call it “stomach” or “guts” or “intestinal fortitude.” Whatever term for whatever body part you want to associate with being a clutch performer, Chauncey Billups had it in abundance.

It’s more than just the “Mr. Big Shot” nickname that was bestowed on Billups during his seven-plus seasons with the Pistons, the defining period of his career in which he grew from potential draft bust to potential Hall-of-Famer.

Billups was the floor general and go-to guy in crunch-time situations for Detroit teams that made six straight trips to the Eastern Conference Finals from 2003-08. Two of those teams advanced to the NBA Finals, and the 2004 version won it all. Billups was voted Finals MVP that year, averaging 21.0 points, 5.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 50 percent from the field in a surprisingly decisive series victory over the star-studded Lakers.

While no one will supplant Isiah Thomas as the starting point guard and team captain of the Detroit Pistons’ all-time lineup, I’m at least making sure Billups is on the court if that fantasy team needs a big bucket in the fourth quarter or overtime.