AUBURN HILLS, MICH. ? Paul Silas is fond of saying that no season or player-coach relationship will be a bed of roses.

Well, there were plenty of thorns Thursday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills, and the Cavaliers came away physically and emotionally bloodied.

The Cavaliers appeared to be sailing along midway through the second quarter, controlling the Pistons at both ends.

But then a sudden altercation on the team bench between Silas and veteran guard Eric Snow shook the team’s composure and likely cost them an extremely winnable road game against the team nipping at their heels for the Central Division lead.

Overcoming a 10-point halftime deficit, the Pistons were victorious, 81-69, in a game ugly in virtually every aspect.

With eight minutes to play in the first half, the Pistons applied a press that rattled the Cavaliers’ offense. In trouble and still in the backcourt with the ball, Snow called a timeout. After the discussion in the huddle, the inbounds play wasn’t properly executed, and the Cavaliers turned it over.

Even though Snow had been in the game less than a minute, an angry Silas sent Jeff McInnis to the scorer’s table to replace Snow.

Upset at being taken out, Snow asked why he was being taken out and then said something as he was walking away from Silas, who reacted instantly and with a hot temper.

Silas marched toward the end of the bench and stood over Snow, yelling down at him. He then commanded him to leave the bench and go to the locker room. Robert Traylor and Scott Williams broke up the exchange, and Williams then escorted Snow off the floor.

Snow returned to the court in the second half, but did not play again.

“I’m not going to discuss that. That’s internal,” Silas said when questioned about the altercation after the game. “I’m not going to talk about it. I don’t want to hear his name.”