Mehmet

Okur

Okur is officially listed as questionable.

Elden Campbell (groin), Zeljko Rebraca (heart) and Bobby Sura (back) also didn’t play, leaving the Pistons a little short. Ben Wallace actually led the team in scoring and shot attempts. Okur is day-to-day.

One of Detroit’s goals is to establish an inside presence early, something veteran Elden Campbell may be better at creating. Okur is a more versatile player with an outside shot who might create more opportunities playing against second-teamers.

Wallace might not be their next season anyhow. The Pistons are expected to make every effort to keep Okur.

Tremaine Fowlkes most likely will go on the injured list to make room. Okur and Richard Hamilton could both be back for that game, but will have to discover their roles on a Pistons team that is playing better since they were hurt.

Okur practiced Tuesday, showing no ill effects from a weeklong layoff caused by back spasms. His status for tonight’s game will be determined later today.

Coach Larry Brown believes Okur is playing out of position at center. Brown continues to start him, but thinks Okur might be better suited to back up Ben Wallace at power forward while Elden Campbell and Zeljko Rebraca handle the center spot. If that happens, Okur’s value will nearly disappear.

Zeljko Rebraca might have played his way into the rotation, getting seven points in 15 minutes in his last game. ''He’s going to be all right,’' Brown said. Okur, on the other hand, could be out, at least for a while. He was miserable Thursday, missing 7 of 8 shots and getting two rebounds in 11 minutes while also appearing to openly defy Brown. We don’t expect such a change to be much more than temporary. It’s still likely Okur will move ahead of Elden Campbell to first-string by the end of the season.

Okur said his back has been sore the past five games. He didn’t play Friday, when Elden Campbell started at center and Zeljko Rebraca backed him up. “I feel better every day,” Okur said. “All over my back, I feel sore. Right now I can’t move 100 percent, but it feels better.”

Feel free to use him when you set your lineup for next week.