The embattled Warriors came shuffling into Monday night's game down in the dumps like a pair of sunglasses in a pit toilet.

They had a cancerous six-game losing streak.

They were winless thus far on an abysmal road trip.

They were nine games under .500, going up against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons, on the road.

They carried the second-worst road record in the entire Association, a pitiful 6-25.

They had won only once all season in the second game of back-to-backs.

They had never, ever won in the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Oh yes Warriors fans, them playoffs is still out there, lurking just out of grasp. But they're there, and this year, the Warriors are still in the game. Playoffs graphic from the JBL Superleague, whatever the hell that is.

And the previous night they had lost an emotional crusher to the Washington Wizards on a questionable call by the refs and a questionable response by coach Don Nelson.

Did we mention the league's second-worst road record?

So on paper, the preliminary data was pretty convincing: the Warriors should have laid down and died like suffering dogs (sorry PETA, it's just a metaphor) Monday night in Detroit against the East-leading Pistons. Paper, schmaper -- that's why the play the games.

In fact, the Warriors absolutely dominated Monday night, that's right, dom-i-nated the Pistons in all facets of the game and manhandled the former Ft. Wayners for the second time this season, 111-93. Go figure.

Instead of a winless road trip and a seven-game losing streak, the Warriors return home tonight with a feel-good blowout win over Detroit and a surge of momentum -- yup, a surge of momentum coming off a 1-4 road trip.

Go figure:

They swept the season series with Detroit, the first time since the 1993-1994 season.

They notched their first win ever in the Palace of Auburn Hills.