Chris Webber Is Still Sick

The Pistons are ailing right now, and I'm not talking about their four losses in their last seven games. Rip Hamilton and Chris Webber have missed their last couple of games with illness. Rip stayed home for the team's one-game road-trip to Chicago last night, but Webber flew out with the team intending to play. Unfortunately, his symptoms didn't improve, and the team sent him back home before the morning shootaround.

When I first heard the news, I was curious how that actually went down -- it seemed excessive for him to head back in the team's private jet, but the last thing someone who is battling the flu wants to do is hang out at the airport and then crawl into a aluminum tube with a bunch of fellow sick travelers, especially if you're 6-10 and will have your chin resting on your knees the whole time. Turns out, he didn't do either of those. From the Detroit Free Press:

They thought about finding a commercial plane ticket, but the process of buying one, getting him to the airport, waiting for the flight, flying and then getting a car to take him to the doctor seemed like it would take just as long as a car trip.

So the Pistons procured a limo, giving Webber lots of room to stretch out and sleep on the way home.

Well, of course, a limo. That's a funny tidbit, but what's far less humorous is why he's still sick -- he's been ill going on two weeks now. He's been tested for pneumonia at least once, though team trainer Arnie Kander, a superstar in his field, thinks Webber may have battled two separate illnesses, with the second one moving in after the first one ravaged C-Webb's immune system.

The Pistons expect to get Hamilton back for tonight's game against the Nets, and possibly Webber, too, but I wouldn't be surprised if the team plays it safe to make sure at the very least they'll be ready to play Sunday against the Miami Heat.