DEEETROIT BASKETBALL!

I’m not in love with the Cavaliers. They have no true point guard, even with the emergence of Daniel Gibson. Restricted free agents Varejo, and Pavlovic still aren’t signed, and they haven’t acquired any impact players through free agency or the draft. So, scratch Cleveland off my list as a favorite compete for the Eastern Conference. The Bulls are a solid team, however, they lack enough offensive fire power. New draft pick Joakeem Noah is a high energy guy, but he will struggle to score consistently in the NBA. I like the Bulls, but they have too many players in the mold of Ben Wallace, lots of hustle, but simply can’t put the ball in the basket. Signing Joe Smith wasn’t what the Bulls needed to cure their need for a big time scorer in the front court. Until that player is found, scratch Chicago off the list.

In my humble opinion, the only legitimate candidates ready to compete for Eastern Conference supremacy, are the Kevin Garnet led Celtics, and your Detroit Pistons. So, who’s better? Let’s break it down.

Front Court: This is a toughie. The Pistons are far deeper on the front line. Rasheed Wallace can still put up solid numbers when he decides not to verbally abuse the officials, or jack up too many 3s, or decide to hang WAY out on the perimeter, away from any opportunity to use his effective but scarcely used post up moves. Tayshawn Prince is a borderline all star who can not only score but defend using his 7 ft. wing span. Antonio McDyess’s production should increase after being thrust into the starting line up this year. He tends to start slow but should be in his usual groove when playoff time comes around. The Pistons can also counter with young, energetic, big men coming off the bench like Jason Maxiel and Amir Johnson. The Celtics are a lot thinner up front, but they do have Kevin Garnett which evens things up quickly. Rasheed Wallace is the x factor in all of this. Wallace tends to step up when facing the premier big men in the NBA. The way he has performed offensively and defensively against Garnett in the past, gives the Pistons a slight edge.

Back Court: Depth plays a big part here as well. The Pistons still possess one of the best back courts in Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton. The Celtics have Ray Allen who is still an accomplished shooter, and young Point Guard Rajon Rhondo, a stingy defender who needs to develop his offensive skills. The Pistons strengthened their depth at the guard positions by drafting Aaron Affalo, and Rodney Stuckey, who will probably be the first guard off the bench. Flip Murray, who struggled last season, but can certainly score, will also compete for minutes. If Stuckey turns out to be the slasher the Pistons need, and if Affalo can contribute as a back up to Richard Hamilton, then the Pistons should win the back court match up

Coaching: Neither Flip Saunders or Doc Rivers have been particularly successful in the playoffs. The edge should go to Saunders because of his postseason experience. Coaching is not the strength of either team. The Pistons win by default

Star Power: Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce, are a deadly combination for the Celtics. Garnett is by far the best player on either team. Pierce also gives the Celtics an advantage because of how he performs in the playoffs, averaging over 20 ppg, in each appearance. Although the current Piston core have won a NBA championship together, in recent years they haven’t shown the ability to deliver when it counts. This one goes to the Celtics.

Conclusion: The Pistons overall are a much deeper team then the Celtics are. However, the green and white possess more fire power from their top players, and have the best player in Garnett with a chip on his shoulder. Pierce and Allen like Garnett want to prove they can lift their team to the next level. The Pistons on the other hand, have battled complacency during the playoffs in recent years. If the Pistons can play with the edge that made them so good during their 2004 championship run, then they should be able to overcome the star power of the Celtics. Either way, the resurgence of the Pistons Celtics rivalry should be a joy for any NBA fan.