Dumars realized that this team can no longer get it done. Billups WAS the soul and heart of this team. He's not hungry anymore, and the Pistons can win 50-55 games just going through the motions, but they can't compete in the revamped East with fire and passion.

You might have to look at this as a salary dump rather than a trade to get "better." If Iverson doesn't pan out they throw him in the water and officially declare 2009-10 the Rodney Stuckey era.

You know what, you can still blame all this, everything, on Darko.

I thought thats what they fired Flip for? To re-spark the team. It seemed way too early to blow up this team yet.

last year would've been too early, I think this is right on schedule. Ben Wallace, their key cog in that title run, is long gone. Chauncy has taken a step back. The team wasn't going anywhere, even thought they added the legendary basketball god Kwame Brown to the lineup.

They still have a chance this year with AI. The thinking is that DET lost to the Celtics and the CAVS because they lacked that one superstar player, the guy who can take over the game. I know Iverson can still take over a game with his scoring.
AI isn't a upgrade/downgrade at the pg position, he's a change of approach.

I don't see where this "Celts and Lakers are head and shoulders above everyone else in the league" logic.

Celts were taken to 7 games by blah blah blah.

But the Lakers! I DON'T GET IT. Kobe is Kobe. But Bynum is quickly becoming the most overrated C in the L. He had one. good. month. Then he got hurt. Pau? psshh! Tissue paper. Odom, meh.

Some people talk about these Lakers like they're the 97 Bulls, or heck even the 97 Jazz. They're maybe the 97 Sonics.

Meanwhile:
Hey how bout them 97 Spurs? =p

Hmm, right now they are head and shoulders above everyone else (and you know I'm Laker hater no. 1)

The Celtics were taken to 7 games in the East, but they destroyed their opponents when they needed to. And they are the world champions...

The Lakers, and I hate to admit this, is the best team in the west. Don't look at the numbers Bynum is producing, look instead at the numbers being produced by the big men they are playing against. Opposing big men are being held routinely to single digits in points and rebounds.

It's really hard to make a case for any other team right now.

My prediction is still Rockets vs Celtics in the finals cause Kobe has developed a habit of choking in the playoffs

The Rox will find a way to fall apart again. Spurs will be the second 8 seed to ever make the finals! ...It's hard for me to really point at another tea than the Lakers though since I haven't gotten the chance to watch any games this season yet. Hornets/Jazz are doing well, but I have no idea how well.

I like the Cavs in the east.

It is Mathematically Impossible for the Rockets to fail again. Ron Artest makes them a tough match-up for all Western teams.

I like the Cavs, I think they'll give BOS a hard time, but I can't see Pierce or Garnett letting them through in the playoffs.

Sigh, I'm really pulling for the Spurs, but with Parker out a month and Ginobilli out till December...in the West?
This bodes well for my Fantasy teams though, I have Duncan on two of my teams with Roger Mason as a back up guard. Wouldn't be surprised if Duncan started averaging 40 and 15.

T-mac and Yao have been shaky in their tenure together. Adding Artest isn't a certain anything. He could either play like a gangzta or be imprisoned for gang activity. Anywhere in between there.

Artest has had a bad rep, but really, what has he done to affect his production on the court? Josh Howard has done things that are way more idiotic in nature, and nobody is a bigger hothead than Rasheed.

Artest can score, shoot, and defend 4-5 positions. No only does he take pressure off T-Mac, he can replace him for the obligatory 30 game hiatus that T-mac usually takes.

If anyone can slow down the elite guards and forwards of the West, it's Artest. And things look even worse for opponents once Battier comes back. We might see 15 point halves...

I like Artest. I own an Artest jersey even (from Indy.) But when the smoke clears I don't see the Rockets being anymore imposing than they were 2-3 years ago.