How good are the Pistons?

If you havent noticed, the hottest team in the league isn’t the Celtics or even the Blazers anymore, its the Detroit Pistons.

They’ve won 10 in a row, are 15-2 against the Eastern Conference and 25-7 overall.

We’ve seen this before from the Pistons. Two years ago they were on pace to win almost 70 games in the regular season. But they fell to a Miami team that got hot in the playoffs.

So what kind of damage can the Pistons do this year?

My prediction as of 1/2/08:

The Detroit Pistons will win the NBA championship.

They are that good. The big difference between Pistons teams of the past 3 years and this one; the bench.

They are bringing legitimate young guys into the game. Jason Maxiell is a better than average replacement for Ben Wallace. Sure, he may not be the tenacious rebounder Ben was, but his presence on the offensive glass and his ability to put the ball in the bucket more than make up for it. Jarvis Hayes is like the present day Vinnie Johnson. He comes in and there’s no shot he doesnt like. The Pistons needed a guy who could come in and not be afraid to put up shots even if they werent going in. The mere threat of him taking the shot has put teams on alert.

But the most important piece to the puzzle is Rodney Stuckey. A combo guard from Eastern Washington who Flip Saunders can look to more than the 10 minutes a game to spell Chauncey.

He can *gasp* take the ball to the basket. A luxury the Pistons havent had it seems since Isiah Thomas.

So who can match the Pistons?

The Celtics? Gimme a break…..they have one of the most boneheaded coaches in the league with Doc Rivers. A guy who would probably match wits with Marty Mohrinweg. A guy who is literally going to run his starters into the ground in another two months.

So who does that leave? There is nobody in the East playing at a high level right now. And spare me Orlando Magic fans. I dont want to hear it. Im still waiting for your annual collapse.

So that leaves the Spurs, Suns, Lakers and Mavs.

I question your basketball IQ if you dont think the Pistons would smoke the soft Suns in 4 or 5 games. The Lakers still rely on Kobe a bit too much and Im not sold yet that Bynum can give them enough underneath to even get out of the Western Conference.

That leaves the Mavs and the Spurs. The Mavs will more than likely flake in the playoffs. Last year, Don Nelson absolutely dared Avery Johnson to get into a track meet with him and Avery obliged. It was one of the greatest coaching tactics and ownages(is that a word?) the NBA has ever seen.

So that leaves the Spurs, the defending NBA champ. Probably the best coach in the league and arguably one of the best players in the league.

The Spurs squeaked by the Pistons once before after Sheed’s huge gaffe in game 5. Pop made a great decision that series to put Bowen on Chauncey in crucial times and basically left Parker on an island with Rip. The Pistons never adjusted(FU Larry Brown)and blew a 9 point lead in Game 7.

For once though the Pistons can actually counter with shooters on the outside and a guy in Stuckey who can break down a defense if need be.

Assuming the Spurs stay healthy, it will be a rematch of the 2005 NBA Championship.

Detroit in 7.

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