Any time something notable happens during an NBA game, a coach can count on text messages and voice mails flooding in from the fraternity of coaches. And there were plenty of notable things that happened during the 109-86 Pistons win at Orlando on Tuesday.

There was Jodie Meeks scoring 34 points on 16 shots and making 9 of 11 3-pointers. There was Andre Drummond grabbing 22 rebounds in 29 minutes. There was Joel Anthony, playing for the first time in about three weeks, blocking four shots in the fourth quarter to key a defensive effort that clinched a third straight win.

But none of those things comprised the dominant theme of the well wishes Stan Van Gundy awoke to Wednesday morning. Instead, it was the way his four starters who didn't play a second of the fourth quarter – and everybody else on the bench with them – celebrated every Anthony block or Meeks triple or any other play that contributed to the win.

"I had numerous texts from other coaches and basketball people," Van Gundy said after the last practice of 2015, after which the Pistons sent rookie Spencer Dinwiddie to Grand Rapids for his first taste of D-League play. "People were talking more about that more than they were about Jodie's scoring. It was very, very noticeable."

Even Van Gundy, who coaches every possession to the final whistle, couldn't help but notice the explosions off the bench, led by Brandon Jennings, who one game after scoring 25 points and hitting 5 of 9 3-pointers in a 23-point win at Cleveland played sparingly as D.J. Augustin put up an 11-point, 10-assist game.

"We made a point of it today, especially with a guy like Brandon coming off the unbelievable game in Cleveland and I played him like 18 minutes and he's on the bench excited. People talk about those things as intangibles; I think they're very tangible. An NBA season is arduous even when you're going well. When you're 8 and 23, it's triple that. So that kind of spirit and enthusiasm can carry you and keep you getting better. So I think it's far more than just an intangible. I think it's huge. It was good to see our guys happy, quite honestly. It's been a rough year and to see them having some fun and enjoying it, yeah, I think it was great."

"I'm always team first," Jennings said. "My night in Cleveland, I had a great night and then guys were cheering for me. Jodie Meeks stepped up and he had a big night, so it was important that we cheer him on, too. Dre had a big night and also D.J., he ran the team well."

Van Gundy said that since Josh Smith was waived on Dec. 22 and the Pistons had a three-day run of practices between games, Jennings has been much more vocal and active in practices. Smith, probably by virtue of his 11 years in the NBA and his status as the team's highest-paid player, was a forceful personality. Into that vacuum, many have stepped forward.

"There's been a lot more guys talking," Van Gundy said. "Caron's (Butler) been our leader pretty much all year and he's stayed in that role, but what I see now is more guys involved and talking.

"Brandon has noticeably gotten back to probably what's his natural personality. He's really having fun. He's talking a lot, joking with guys. I think he'd been suffering. He hadn't been playing real well, we hadn't been winning and he had gotten really quiet. I told him today before practice, I've really liked since we came back to practice after that Brooklyn game, I've been impressed with his attitude and the way he's approached things. He's been outstanding and given us a lift, obviously in the Cleveland game with his play on the court, but I know he's capable of that. Last night was actually more impressive to me, what he did and how he handled himself."

"Stan wants me to talk more," Jennings said. "The fact this is my sixth year, it's time for me to really just start talking and being that point guard and that leader. Also, I'm still trying to learn the game, so he's really teaching. He joked one day and said, 'I think after basketball, you might be a coach.' I said, no, I'm cool on that. But I'm just trying to learn from him, what he thinks of the game of basketball."

Jennings admitted the 3-19 start was devastating, especially when the team had virtual 100 percent participation at their practice facility for the month before training camp opened and optimism was palpable. Without Smith, he has the ball in his hands more, which also encourages ownership and makes it a little easier to get into the flow of a game. In any case, Jennings' body language is notably different over the three-game winning streak.

It's easy to say all teams have fun when things are going well, which is true enough. It also ignores the probability that what's happened over the past few weeks wouldn't have been possible if the Pistons had allowed the 3-19 start to break their spirit.

"That's what I said to them," Van Gundy said. "Their spirit, those three practices (before) Christmas, has had a large part to do with us getting better. The fact they came in with the right attitude and spirit and encouraging each other has allowed us to get better and then it pays off on the floor. I don't know which comes first. Everybody's happen when they're winning. But I think it's a credit to our guys that, where we are record wise, their work ethic, spirit and emotions are where they've been for the last 10, 11 days. I think it's been great."