2007-2008 NBA Season Preview: Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons of 2006-2007 were destined for another NBA championship. They were reeling from the previous season's collapse in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals to the eventual-championship Miami Heat. They were going to pace themselves for the post season. They were going to properly utilize their skills in a punchy offense that they had yet to adapt from Flip Saunders' first season. The Pistons were going to win another one for the ages.

And then they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers-in the Eastern Conference Finals. Again.

And so here goes the ignition and it sounding pretty good. Pretty quiet, but pretty good. Detroit now has to compete with the likes of new-look Boston Celtics Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. The Milwaukee Bucks are now healthy, deep with forwards, guards, and a bit of new-found Chinese sensibility. The Toronto Raptors have even begun to look even more formidable.

Enter the new fuel in a lacking tank.

The 2007 NBA Draft yielded two top-grade talents in the first round for Detroit, with combo guard Rodney Stuckey from Eastern Washington, and shooting guard Arron Afflalo from the University of California in Los Angeles. In Stuckey, the Pistons have what some have perceived to be the second coming of Dwyane Wade and someone versatile enough to play with virtually any guard on the Detroit roster-not unlike starting point guard Chauncey Billups. With Afflalo, Detroit has given itself a young wing player with the ability to shoot, pass and defend with confidence.

The emergence of Detroit's slightly older youngsters is also promising. 2005 Pistons draftee Amir Johnson has the ability to become a future All-Star with the ability to play the 3, 4, and 5 positions in the offense, which mimics (and compliments) the skill set of fellow forward/center Rasheed Wallace. The official beast in the post in Jason Maxiell provides much-needed aggressiveness in a devastatingly awesome package.

But don't discount the starters for Detroit.

With seasoned veterans in Chauncey Billups, Wallace, and Richard Hamilton, Detroit can still lead effectively and with experience under their belts, the NBA title is still within reach-no need for parts replacement here. Starting small forward Tayshaun Prince can make all the difference for the Pistons, though, as his offense has the greatest chance of blossoming even further, as it has for the past five seasons. His length still disrupts opposing players, his left hand still throws opponents off in a right-handed league, and his willingness to sacrifice his ability to take over as the main hombre still keeps the Pistons dangerous, as he is potentially the fifth option of the five starters. Antonio McDyess can possibly build on what Chris Webber did in the post during 2006-07, but he must keep shooting the mid-range jump shot, stay aggressive in the paint, and remain heady when it comes to making smart plays.

It appears that Detroit just needed a good inspection and maybe a nice little tune-up. Barring any unforeseen breakdowns or faulty-parts connections, the Pistons should cruise all the way to Titletown. But don't breathe in too much smoke from the exhaust; it can be toxic.