Pistons coach Van Gundy: Lions 'got screwed'

Stan Van Gundy was the first to bring up the Detroit Lions' controversial loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night.

"That's a tough call," he said after this morning's Detroit Pistons shootaround.

As Van Gundy settled into his customary spot to take questions from media members, he was asked his past reactions to when he had been on the wrong end of a missed call.

Van Gundy was quick to say as a coach, the focus is on improving the team, but he was reacting as a fan when it comes to the Lions.

"I know how coaches are," Van Gundy said. "I know that a guy like Jim Caldwell is just looking for ways to get his team better, and he's finding the thing they did wrong.

"I'm just telling ya, as a fan, we got screwed."

Trailing, 13-10, with moments left, Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson fumbled what could have been the winning touchdown inches before crossing the goal line. Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor forced the fumble, and the ball bounded toward the back of the end zone. Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright tapped the bouncing football out the back of the end zone, a penalty that should have allowed the Lions to retain possession at the 1-yard line.

The Lions remain winless, at 0-4.

"So I'm not coming at that one as a coach," Van Gundy said. "I'm coming at that one as a Detroit guy, a fan. You're 0-3, going into a tough place to play and you've got a chance to win a game. Man, tough.

"It was brutal."

Note: The MRI exam on Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson's Achilles tendon was fine, but he will miss tonight's exhibition opener at the Palace (7:30 p.m., WMGC-FM (105.1)).

Spencer Dinwiddie will get the start at point guard, joining Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Marcus Morris, Ersan Ilyasova and Andre Drummond in the starting lineup.

Steve Blake (concussion), Adonis Thomas (Achilles) and Aron Baynes (ankle) will not be available.

"Baynes went through walkthrough today, but until he can get through a practice, I'm not gonna throw him into a game," Van Gundy said.

Contact Vince Ellis at vellis@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @vincent_ellis56.