But there's something different when Iverson talks to reporters after home games at the Palace of Auburn Hills. On the wall to his right are pictures of players, including one of point guard Chauncey Billups that nobody apparently has considered taking down.

On Nov. 3, Iverson was traded from the Nuggets for Billups, center Cheikh Samb - since dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers - and forward Antonio McDyess, who had his contract bought out Nov. 10 and returned a month later to the Pistons.

Iverson's job with Detroit isn't easy. He is trying to replace Billups, the 2004 Finals Most Valuable Player when the Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers. Billups reached the Eastern Conference final during each of his six full seasons with Detroit.

"All I can do is be me," Iverson said. "I can't be anybody else. . . . What's done is already done. If people haven't accepted it yet, then they probably never will."

Pistons fans have been in a wait-and-see mode. That's the word from John Mason, one of the NBA's most recognizable public-address announcers because of his call of "Deeeeee-troit Basketball!" and his now-retired "Chauncey Bbbbbbbillups."

"Every night that I come through the tunnel, some fan will go 'Bbbbbbbillups,' so they still miss him," Mason said. "But they know what it is. . . . (The fans) still think (Iverson is) going to do something great. . . . But they also talk about, 'Well, it's a stopgap so they can get ready for the money thing (salary-cap room as soon as next summer).' "

First meeting Friday

More fans lately are moving over to the Iverson camp. The Pistons (21-12) had a seven-game winning streak snapped Wednesday. Iverson had won two games during the streak with last-second shots.

Friday's game at the Pepsi Center figures to play a role in the court of public opinion. That's when Iverson makes his Denver return and Billups faces his former team for the first time.

"I'm definitely looking forward to it," said Iverson, 33, acquired by Denver in December 2006 after 10-plus seasons with Philadelphia. "I ended up falling in love with the fans out there. I became known, and in the community was a part of things. I still have a house there (which is for sale). It's somewhere I will continue to visit."

Meanwhile, Billups, a Denver native, is glad to play his first game against Detroit at home. He considers it a warm-up for Denver's March 3 game at the Palace, when Mason figures fans will blow off the roof during Billups' introduction.

"The only thing I really miss is my guys, my brothers that were on the team," Billups said. "They have great fans, the city was good to me. I miss all that. But I'm having a good time at home. . . . Being able to play those guys at my house first will probably make (March 3) easier."

It's the same old Billups who will be on display Friday. He has been providing veteran leadership for the Nuggets (25-12), who are 24-9 since his arrival, and his scoring (18.3 average with Denver) and assists numbers (6.9) are on par with those from his Pistons days.

But it will be a different Iverson who shows up. In Denver, Iverson averaged 25.6 points, close to his career mark of 27.7 when he left.

Iverson, though, is averaging only 18.1 with Detroit. Teammate Tayshaun Prince said Iverson is in a "place he's never been" because the Pistons do "things a lot different than other teams in letting whoever has the hot hand dictate the play."

Good situation

But Iverson isn't complaining, especially in light of Detroit's recent winning ways.

"I can't ask for a better situation," Iverson said. "I'm fitting in. . . . It's not tough for me, but it's different. It's the lowest I've ever averaged in my career, but all those years and scoring all those points, I never won a championship.

"Scoring less, I feel like it's just something that God is putting me through to make me be a better person and a better player. I think the opportunity is just a great ending to a story."

For the Pistons, it's a rewriting of their story. Change really began when center Ben Wallace left as a free agent in summer 2006.

Then came Detroit dispatching perhaps the team's most popular player in Billups. That paved the way for second-year player Rodney Stuckey, who wears the No. 3 that resulted in Iverson changing to No. 1, to take over at point guard.

"You kind of miss (Billups' leadership)," said Pistons coach Michael Curry, who figured his team might get off to a slow start after the trade because of the meshing of an offensive-oriented player into Detroit's balanced attack. "At the same time, you look at it and say, 'Well, how much longer were we going to be able to sit Rodney Stuckey?'

"Going forward and looking at that core group, as great at it has been, maybe that core group has seen its best days. If it had, it's always better to make (the trade) a little early before too late."

Billups, 32, dismisses such talk.

"We had some great days, and I still think we had some great ones left," he said. "Plus, they probably got to say that to validate that trade of letting me go, so I don't really buy into all that."

Getting the point

Denver's motivation to deal was simple. The Nuggets, who had used stopgap players at the position since Andre Miller was included in the Iverson trade, sought a true point guard and didn't want to end up losing Iverson, making $20.84 million in the final year of his contract, for nothing.

"As (Nuggets executive) Mark Warkentien and I made this deal, we both agreed that it would eventually be a win-win for both teams, and it has been," Pistons executive Joe Dumars said.

Nuggets coach George Karl doesn't disagree.

"I'm happy for (Iverson), and I think (the Pistons are) playing well," Karl said. "It seems like they got straightened out. Early, when you saw them play, he kind of had that sullen face, but now I see the smile back and the bounce back. When we made the trade, my hope was it would be a win-win for both teams, and I think it looks like it's moving in that direction."

Karl often talks about Billups being the point guard the Nuggets long had needed, and balancing the offense. But Iverson, who started at shooting guard alongside point guard Anthony Carter, has taken no offense.

"I wasn't (Denver's) point guard. . . . I was the two-guard," Iverson said. "If anything, that's a knock on Anthony. Chauncey at point guard is the best they come. So I'm not surprised he's doing a great job."

While Billups has three seasons left on his contract, Iverson said it's "too early" to say whether he wants to re-sign in the summer with the Pistons. There have been some rough patches with his new team. Iverson's defense has received some criticism from Curry.

Shortly after Iverson's arrival, he skipped a Thanksgiving practice, drawing a fine and not starting a game. But Curry said there has been "no carry-over from that" and Iverson overall has "been great."

"I had a personal situation," Iverson said. "I'm human. I'm not going to be perfect."

No plans to talk

With the Nuggets, Iverson often was lauded by Karl for his professionalism. Karl, who said he has reached out to Iverson's camp, without success, since the trade to try to speak with him, is hoping to talk with Iverson in Denver "behind closed doors."

Iverson, though, is making no special plans to seek out Karl or Warkentien. But he bears no animosity toward the trade.

"I don't want to talk to them about anything," Iverson said. "I wouldn't say that, if I see them, I wouldn't speak to them. But I'm not talking to them about (being traded) because I already understand . . . it's a business (and) it wasn't personal.

"It was just something they felt had to be done. I don't feel bad about it at all. If they was to send me overseas or something like that, then I might have a problem with it. But they sent me to a great situation, and I just thank them for that."

INFOBOX 1

Best moment his first

Allen Iverson didn't have to think long when asked his top moment in Denver.

It was his first.

The Nuggets acquired Iverson on Dec. 19, 2006, from Philadelphia. In his first game, Dec. 22 against Sacramento, he came off the bench, getting a huge ovation from the Pepsi Center fans when he got up to walk to the scorer's table.

"The first time I checked into a game, that was my best memory," Iverson said. "The way they embraced me. The way they treated me."

Iverson, traded to Detroit on Nov. 3, is excited about his return Friday to the Pepsi Center.

"I want to see my teammates, those guys I played with, the guys on the staff, the people who worked there in the building," he said. "I was there for a while and I grew a good relationship with those people. It's strange when you're just around somebody so much. Then, all of a sudden, all of that changes."

INFOBOX 2

Role changes

It was just last season Nuggets teammates Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony ranked third and fourth in the NBA in scoring.

Where are they now?

Keep looking down.

Anthony is 14th and Iverson 30th.

Anthony is averaging 21.1 points and Iverson, traded Nov. 3 to Detroit, is at 18.1.

Anthony and Iverson talk regularly. One subject is how both are scoring less for the good of their teams.

"I kind of look at it similar to my situation," said Anthony, who cited one difference being Iverson's move from an up-tempo style to Detroit's halfcourt game.

"He doesn't need to score 25 (and) they don't need him to score 25 or 30. He's going to get that on some nights, but going into the game, he doesn't have to say, 'Damn, I've got to score 25 or 35 to win.' "

Anthony, out because of a broken hand, won't play Friday when Iverson makes his Pepsi Center return. But he's looking forward to seeing his friend and former scoring partner.

"We talk all the time," Anthony said. "We laugh and joke all the time. He's still the same (Iverson)."