Detroit Pistons
Pistons at the Break: Dee-Troit Basketball is back in full effect in the Eastern Conference, emerging from the All-Star break having won 11 of their last 14 and sitting atop the Eastern Conference. After stumbling out of the gate in November, the Pistons were able to right the ship and put together a few nice win streaks. Still, the front court production and toughness that once defined the Pistons were missing. Team leader, Chauncey Billups, went down for a couple of weeks and the team fit right in the middle of the mediocre Eastern Conference. Then Billups returned and the Pistons welcomed home the prodigal son of Michigan, Chris Webber. Webber has turned out to be a real nice fit. His veteran smarts and passing ability has brought another dimension to the Pistons front line. In what seemed like a blink of an eye, the Pistons became the team to beat in the East.
Players of Note: The Pistons back court of Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton make the team go. They lead the team in scoring and minutes, making up one of the most valuable guard tandems in the NBA…When assessing the Pistons success, don’t forget about Tayshaun Prince. He’s continued to bring his consistent, unheralded game night in night out. Prince’s length and smarts make him a match up problem on both ends of the floor…Disappointing play from Nazr Mohammed held the Pistons back and gave the team motivation to take a chance on Chris Webber. So, with the way C-Webb has been playing I guess you could say Mohammed’s disappointing play turned out to be quite valuable. Flip Murray has also played below his expected level. His less than stellar play was really apparent during the games Billups missed due to injury.
Looking ahead: The Pistons appear healthy and happy heading toward the stretch run of the season. Unless a team in the Central Division improves drastically, it is easy to see the Pistons winning the Central and landing the number one seed in the East. Only internal adversity could bring them down. Earlier in the year it appeared Rasheed Wallace and coach Flip Saunders were clashing, but they seem to have gotten past it. C-Webb hasn’t had much success dealing with adversity in the past either. Things look rosy now but it will be interesting to see what happens if the Pistons lose a few in a row and some grumbling begins among the players. Basically, the only team that can stop the Pistons in the East are the Pistons themselves.
Indiana Pacers
Pacers at the Break: The Pacers come out of the break with a fingertip grip on the fifth seed in the East and lots of hope to finish the season strong and solidify a better position. In what has been a tumultuous season thus far, the Pacers are both lucky and frustrated to be four games over .500. They’re lucky because with off court problems and inconsistent play, the team hasn’t been able to fire on all cylinders for more than a game or two at a time. They’re frustrated for the same reasons. A roster rattling trade in January with Golden State has brought in players that allow a better style of play, but the Pacers are still searching for consistent effort across the board to begin making some noise in the East.
Players of Note: Jermaine O’Neal has surpassed the high expectations set for him by the team and fans alike. His offensive numbers remain solid, but his defensive production has really raised his level of play. He is now the unquestioned team leader and he’s playing like it…Since trading heavy contributors, Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson, Danny Granger and Marquis Daniels have stepped up their game and helped their new teammates fill the scoring void. More surprising has been the contribution from Darrell Armstrong. Thought to be easing into retirement, DA has sparked several wins, coming off the bench to light a fire under his teammates…David Harrison has been a disappointment so far. His size and ability could be a huge asset coming off the bench, but he’s seen limited minutes. To be fair, injuries have kept him down but even when he’s available, solid minutes without foul trouble are hard to come by for Harrison.
Looking Ahead: The Pacers start up after the break in pretty good shape. Jermaine O’Neal has had a nagging knee but seems able to play through it, so assuming health is not an issue, the Pacers have a great opportunity to put together a solid stretch of play. Consistent effort is the key for this team, especially from Jamaal Tinsley, Mike Dunleavy and their back court subs. If they can bring a consistent level of production, the wins will take care of themselves. In this best case scenario, a number four seed is not out of the question.