Now that the dust has settled following yet another disappointing playoff exit, lets quickly examine what has transpired. Joe Dumars has fired yet another quality coach (this one was his call, where the dismissals of Rick Carlisle and Larry Brown came from owner Bill Davidson) and put his entire roster, minus Rodney Stuckey, on the trading block. Whether you think it was his fault or not, Flip Saunders had to go. He inherited a team with championship-level talent, yet couldn't get them out of the East in three tries. That's good enough to keep your job in most places, but not in the "D". Joe D wasted little time in promoting Michael Curry to head man after just ONE season on the bench. Not just on the Pistons bench, either, I mean one season of coaching PERIOD. Right choice?? Don't know. Bold move?? You bet. Curry has no head coaching experience, but that has been a trend in the coaching moves we've seen take place thus far. Miami made 37-year-old video coordinator Erik Spoelstra the youngest coach in the NBA, while the Bulls just hired Vinny Del Negro from the Suns front office. Neither of these guys has been a head coach at this level before. The difference?? Neither team is in Detroit's position either. The Pistons, after what expects to be a very busy summer of trades and speculation, fully expect to be competing for a championship again next season. As Dumars said, the window is "never closing" while he's in charge, which makes the hiring of Curry all the more perplexing. Sure, he earned the respect of the team after just one season on the bench. Sure, several players were calling him "Coach Curry" by the end of the season. Sure, his pregame mini "practices" with the bench players were very impressive to watch, but at the end of the day, handing over the keys to an unproven coach is a risky move. For Pistons fans, there are two reasons to think this will work. One, Dumars' track record when it comes to selecting coaches. Carlisle, Brown, Saunders--hasn't picked a bad one yet. Two, similar questions were raised when the Mavericks promoted Avery Johnson to head coach after just FIVE months as an assistant coach in the NBA. His record in 3-plus seasons??? 194-70. Johnson took his team to the Finals in his first full season at the helm, but followed that up with two first round flame-outs, and a rocky relationship with Mark Cuban. Dumars supposedly talked with Johnson about the Pistons vacancy before going with the man he felt was right all along. Curry and Dumars go back ten-plus years with the Pistons, and Dumars made it clear at the press conference that he was sure he had the right man for this team. While many of us are very skeptic, only time will tell if Dumars made the right call.

Now that the JV (NCAA) tournament is over, let the real games begin! Those of you who appreciate NBA basketball are in for a real treat this postseason, especially out West, where the action will be as heated as any time in recent memory. SO, without further ado, lets cut to the chase, and get to the predictions:

Eastern Conference

ROUND 1

Pistons Beat Philly in 5

Celtics Over Hawks in 4

Cavs Beat Wiz in 7 (Great series, by the way)

Magic Over Raptors in 6

SEMI-FINALS

Pistons Over Magic in 6

Celtics Over Cavs in 6

CONFERENCE FINALS

Here's where it gets tricky. I picked the Pistons earlier this season, but my gut tells me different. In a truly phenominal series (just like the good old days):

Celtics Over Pistons in 7

WESTERN CONFERENCE

ROUND 1

Lakers Beat Nuggets in 5

Jazz Over Rockets in 6

Spurs Over Suns in 7 (Fantastic Series too)

Mavs Over Hornets in 6

SEMI-FINALS

Lakers Beat Jazz in 7

Spurs Over Mavs in 6

CONFERENCE FINALS

Spurs Over Lakers in 7

NBA FINALS

CELTICS OVER SPURS in 7

There you have it. I know I'm gonna take some heat from you Pistons fans, but this is how I see it shaking down at this point. However, in the playoffs ANYTHING can happen, from injuries to upsets, so we shall see. Either way, enjoy the playoffs, it promises to be a great ride!!

What a great scene Tuesday night at the Palace, as the Pistons introduced their 30 all-time greatest players. No real surprises (including Ben Wallace getting booed), but it sure would have been nice to see the Worm back in the house! Maybe he could have shaved "Bad Boys" on the back of his head for old time's sake. The game itself was a snoozer, but seeing Zeke, Spider and the Big Dobber all in the house was pretty cool. Here's my All-Time Pistons team:

PG Isiah Thomas

SG Dave Bing

SF Grant Hill

PF Rasheed Wallace

c Bob Lanier

As for who would win, the Bad Boys or Chauncey and the boys, it would be a great game. Laimbeer and 'Sheed would both get tossed in the 3rd quarter, Isiah and Chauncey would be a great match-up, so too would be seeing Joe D chase around Rip all night. In the end, I'll take the Bad Boys on a Vinnie Johnson jumper with 2 seconds left. 89-87. (You just know it would be a low score, right?)

The most important piece to the Pistons championship hopes might just be coming off the bench wearing number "3". That's right---Rodney Stuckey. Watching him first hand in Toronto the other night, when he missed 8 of his first 9 shots, then responded with 14 of his 16 points in the 4th quarter, you get the sense that he is growing more and more comfortable in the NBA game. That's great news for a Pistons team, that desperately needs a player like Stuckey who can create his own shot in the playoffs. Lets face it, this Pistons team doesn't have a lot of "self-creators", so Stuckey could be the wild card in the equation. As Flip told me, the thing that impresses him most about the rookie is that is confidence NEVER wavers. He may have a bad quarter or bad game, but it has no bearing on the next one. That's why, especially at this juncture of the NBA season, he is a "rookie" no more, and will be counted upon to produce in the postseason.

Also, a quick heads up. The NBA has die hard fans, no doubt, but few have reached the level of Andrew Cieszynski. You see, he is in the midst of a coast-to-coast NBA Arena tour where he will visit all 30 teams home gyms this season. The Palace of Auburn Hills will be his 27th stop on the tour this Saturday night when the LeBron's come to town. You can see a recap of his adventures at: NBAdrew.blogspot.com. Great stuff, Andrew!!

Only 18 games remain in the regular season,which in this case, leaves plenty of time for Flip Saunders and the Pistons to tinker with their line-ups before the playoffs get underway. Assistant Coach Michael Curry told me the top 7 or 8 guys are pretty much set, but there is plenty of wiggle room after that. Basically, the coaches are looking at different line-ups for different situations (small ball, pick-in-roll defense) that put the Pistons in the best position to succeed. Case in point, in last night's dreadful 83-82 loss to the Sixers, Saunders had played all 12 players on his active roster before the first half was in the books. (when's the last time a Pistons coach did that!!!??!?!) He's clearly trying to get a feel for what he has, while blending Theo Ratliff, Juan Dixon, and eventually, Lindsey Hunter into the mix.

My biggest concern heading into the postseason, is the lack of a "consistent" scorer off the bench. Who can you point to right now that can give you 8 to 10 points every night??? The answer? No one. That's why I think they should put Theo in the starting line-up at center, move Rasheed back to his natural power-forward position, and bring Dyess in off the bench. His recent shooting slump is further proof that perhaps all the minutes he's playing (already more than ALL of last season) are starting to take a toll. Move him back to the bench to provide some added scoring punch, thus making the Pistons that much more dangerous come playoff time.

So the Pistons were coming off an 8 day West Coast Swing, came home for one game, got into Boston at 4 AM, then proceeded to lose to the Celtics by 12. Boston? Well, they are smack dab in the middle of a 5-game homestand, and hadn't played since Sunday. Excuse? No way. But it does go to show that both teams weren't exactly on equal footing heading into Wednesday night's showdown. Make no mistake, KG and the Celtics looked every bit as formidable as the team with the NBA's best record should. They made life very difficult for the Pistons on both ends of the floor, and derserved to win the game. The Pistons, as evident by their poor start and poor finish to the game, clearly weren't at their best, and while the team would never admit it, all of that travel clearly had them behind the 8-ball before the game even started.

What do we take from this game?? Nothing. After the game, the Celtics made it clear it was a "statement" win for them. All you needed to see was the Celtics bench exploding after every bucket, and Paul Pierce pounding his chest after every timeout. Clearly, it was a much bigger game for them. They still feel the need to prove they can beat the Pistons, whether its simply for psychological reasons or personal pride. The Pistons, meanwhile, shrugged it off as a loss in March, while admitting a rematch in the postseason would be a "great series". It's just another example of where these two teams are at right now. The Pistons have been to the mountain top, and more importantly, know what it takes to get there. The Celtics are still growing, and getting better as the season goes on, yet still don't have the same playoff experience of their arch-rivals. Boston's bench is getting better, and the additions of Cassell and Brown will definitely help. The Pistons bench, meanwhile, showed some of its youth last night, contributing only 5 points. Flip Saunders made several interesting moves (i.e. keeping Amir on KG, even though he was getting killed), almost as if he was "experimenting" to see how some of his younger guys react in a pressure-filled sitution like last night. Those players will take it as a learning experience and move on.

If these two teams played in the postseason right now, I'd take the Celtics in 7. Both teams will be much-improved come playoff time. The key will be who gets the Cavs in Round 2, which promises to be a grueling series for either the Pistons or Celtics with no guarantee that either one will win it. The Pistons have disappointed themselves and their fans two postseasons in a row. Without question, they believe they have some unfinished business, and I fully expect that to be the driving factor once the playoffs arrive. That's why, assuming both teams are healthy when they meet in the Conference Finals, I'll take the Pistons in 6.

The good news for you Pistons and NBA fans, I've been instructed to start updating my blog 2 to 3 times per week. The bad news: I'll be the one doing it. Just kidding. Going off topic a bit this time and discussing Will Ferrell's new movie "Semi-Pro". Had a chance to see it earlier this month at a media screening (nice perk, eh??) and really liked it. Went in with low expecations and came away pleasantly surprised. It is no "Anchorman", but seeing Ferrell as Jackie Moon, owner/player for the fabricated Flint Tropics, is pretty darn funny. I had a rare opportunity to sit down and interview Ferrell three weeks ago (another nice perk!) up in East Lansing when he was in town for his comedy tour. Not only is one of the top 3 celebrities I've ever interviewed (Jessica Alba and Alyssa Milano 1 and 2...c'mon now!), he was surprisingly very down to earth, showing a humility that makes me appreciate him as an actor even more. One thing I asked him was "now that we've already seen you as a soccer player, race car driver, figure skater, and now basketball player...what are you going to do next?". His response: "I'm going to be in an action/adventure billiards movie."

With the All-Star break now officially upon us, what better time to reflect on what has been a pretty impressive 52 games for the Pistons. The starting five continues to be one of the top two or three in all of basketball, while the bench's contributions in the last two weeks have really cemented this team as a legitimate title contender. Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo continue to play big roles in quality minutes, thus giving some much needed, and valuable rest to Billups and Hamilton. The frontcourt of Maxiell and Johnson is just as impressive, if not more intriguing. Johnson played more than 31 minutes in that win over the Pacers before the break, registering 9 boards and 7 BLOCKS during that time. As 'Sheed says, he won't get any offensive plays called for him any time soon, but he's making up for it with his hustle, nose for the ball, and knack for being in the perfect position for a Stuckey alley-oop.

All of this sets up very nicely for the Pistons and the final 30 games in the regular season. But, with the deadline approaching on Feb. 21, the Pistons should explore the idea of making a trade. They have the expiring contracts of Flip Murray, Primos Brezic, and Walter Hermann, plus the added cap space from dumping Nazr Mohammed, so they could take on a $6 million deal, with two or three years left on it, if the player makes since. I'm still not sold on Jarvis Hayes being a solid scorer off the bench, which as we know, is something the PIstons will clearly need come playoff time. Too often, when Hayes' shot isn't falling, he continues to jack up ill-advised shots, all the while being an easy target on defense. (He's not a bad defender--just not one of the best on a good defensive team). Joe Dumars has gone on record saying he wouldn't mind adding another big man, but those are always hard to come by. I would take another wing player (Stackhouse if Nets buy him out??? hhmmmm) who could provide more scoring punch off the bench, which could propel this team to its ultimate desitnation--The Finals.

Happy New Year! So, it's been a good two months (yikes!!) since my last post, so I figured it was about time to dust off the keyboard and get back to it. The college bowl season is almost over (thank God), as it left us with very little excitement, and more questions than answers, as usual. So, as another calendar year gets underway, we find something that we haven't seen in some time: two heavyweight foes battling it out in the EASTERN Conference. You'd have to go back to the days when Jordan ruled the court to find the last time all the NBA chatter has been about the East. Boston, with the addition of the Big 3, is making a run at MJ's 72 win Bulls team. The Pistons, meanwhile, seem to be flying under the radar, while playing their best TEAM ball since the championship team. Sure, Flip Saunders and company flirted with 70 wins two seasons ago, but it resulted in a tired starting 5, and an underdeveloped bench. This season has been just the opposite. The starters are averaging more than two less minutes per game, while the bench has not only maintained an advantage when coming into games, they've actually increased the lead numerous times. The growth of Jason Maxiell, now in his 3rd year, has been tremendous. He's grown into a solid 6th man before our very eyes. The energy and tenacity he brings on a nightly basis is something to behold. Jarvis Hayes has proven his 4 average years with the Wizards might have been a fluke, as he has found his shooting touch, providing a "micro-wave" like scorer off the bench. Not to be forgotten, rookies Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo have also been solid, if not spectacular, at certain points this season. The Pistons are one of the few NBA teams that are actually 12 deep, and still have Flip Murray and Lindsey Hunter in street clothes on most nights. The Celtics, meanwhile, have the best defense in the NBA right now, not to mention the largest average margin of victory. Rajon Rando continues to develop, although his biggest progression will have to come on the defensive end if the Celtics hope to stop the Pistons in a 7-game series. Either way, Boston is the real deal, making it feel like 1987 all over again, as the Pistons and Celtics are once again battling it out for Eastern Conference Supremecy. While it doesn't mean much in January, it at least makes things interesting once again in the much-maligned East, and should have us NBA fans salivating come playoff time.

For a Spartan like myself, it was a scene that's become annoyingly too familiar. MSU appears to have a win in hand, only to #### defeat from the jaws of victory. Michigan's 4th quarter rally was equally impressive (for Maize and Blue Nation) as it was disheartening (for Spartan Nation). Give credit where credit is due. Michigan made the plays to win the game. Michigan State didn't, and as a result, couldn't close out yet another win against their in-state rivals. The Spartans very well could have won three of the last four in the battle for Paul Bunyon. Instead, they find themselves winless in the rivalry over the last, gulp, six seasons! What transpired afterwards, from the "moment of silence" to Hart's "little brother" comments will only spur on more hatred between these two schools for years to come. The only way to shut-up "big brother" is to beat him. Give D'Antonio time to get some talent in East Lansing, and maybe, just maybe, things will start to turn around for the boys in Green. All five losses this season have been by seven points or less, including two overtime heartbreakers. All Michigan State fans ask for is some consistency week-in and week-out, and finding a way to win the games you're supposed to win. If Sparty did that every year, they'd be 8-4 at the very least. Two more games remain for them to get back to a bowl for the first time since '03. Here's betting they find a way to do it.

Prediction time:

Michigan 27 Wisconsin 19

Purdue 31 MSU 27

Lions 23 Cardinals 17

Michigan should beat a very average Wisconsin team, setting the stage for the showdown next week in Ann Arbor. The Spartans haven't won at Purdue since '93, and while they won't get blown out like many expect after yet another emotional defeat, they'll come up just short. And how 'bout those Lions?!??! I could dedicate an entire blog to the job Rod Marinelli and company have done, but beware of the trap game this weekend in the desert. A win and all of sudden they're 7-2 with the Giants coming to town for a huge NFC battle next Sunday. Wouldn't that be something?

As the cold weather approaches, we are reminded of two things. One, how much we miss summertime and two, this really is the best time of the year for sports fans. March and April are a close second, with March Madness, and the NBA and NHL playoffs set to get underway, coupled with the start of baseball season. But October is the time for ALL sports, and with the World Series set to begin, we remember why we love this time of the year so much. College Football is in full swing (although this is usually the time of year my beloved Spartans fall in the tank...hopefully not this time!), the Lions still have hope, the Wings are showing why they are still Stanley Cup contenders, while the Pistons have a little more uncertainty this season, with an aging core, yet a promising group of youngsters to mix in. It's a full slate indeed, with a big game on TV seemingly every day of the week. So, grab the remote and enjoy.

Prediction Time:

Red Sox over Rockies in 6 games

MSU 27 Iowa 17 (First win in Iowa City since '89!)

Michigan 41 Minnesota 13

Bears 31 Lions 20 (The more things change....)