Drew Gooden exploded in 39 minutes vs. the Mavericks on Tuesday, posting 26 points and 20 rebounds (both season-highs), with two assists, two steals and one block.Gooden was a man possessed against his former teammates, connecting on 8-of-21 FGs and a perfect 10-of-10 FTs. He had just one double-double in the previous six games

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Charlotte: Stephen Jackson revealed on Tuesday that he has been bothered by a bruised ligament in his left hand for nearly a month. Jackson said the top knuckle on his left index finger has been bothering him and he has “excruciating pain” every time he slaps down on the ball, which is affecting his offense. This helps explain his sub-39% shooting in March.

Dallas: Erick Dampier started Tuesday’s game but finished with just three points, six rebounds and two blocks in 18 minutes. The veteran center shot 1-of-5 and was outplayed by Brendan Haywood most of the night.

Dallas: Dirk Nowitzki was ejected from Tuesday’s game after scoring 18 points in 19 minutes. Dirk was playing well before getting the boot, just the third ejection of his NBA career. He made 8-of-11 FGs with two rebounds and one steal, and at least he’ll be be rested for Thursday’s game vs. Portland Trail Blazers.

Detroit: Tayshaun Prince played a team-high 40 minutes on Tuesday, finishing with 14 points (6-of-12 FGs), one 3-pointer, nine rebounds and six assists. Amazingly, Prince’s 14 points were also a team-high. Will Bynum was the only other starter to crack double-digits (scoring 11 points in 17 minutes), as the Pistons’ first unit was thoroughly demolished by the Pacers.

Indiana: Danny Granger scored 32 points to help the Pacers snap a nine-game road losing streak with a win over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday. The Pacers’ MVP made 8-of-20 FGs, 5-of-11 threes, and 11-of-14 FTs, with six rebounds, four assists and one steal. His season has been marred by injuries and stretches of lackluster play, but he looks determined to finish on a high note.

New York: Danilo Gallinari was hot again on Tuesday, finishing a win over the Denver Nuggets with 28 points, five rebounds and one steal, making 7-of-19 FGs, 5-of-13 threes, and 9-of-10 FTs.

LeBron James hit 16-of-27 shots and three 3-pointers on his way to 40 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks in Friday’s win. He didn’t have a triple-double tonight, but this is still one of his best lines of the year. The Cleveland Cavaliers fantasy playoff schedule isn’t great, but LeBron is still the top fantasy player in the league, and should remain so in the playoffs. LeBron said after the game that he tweaked his right ankle, but “hoped” to play tomorrow in Milwaukee.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Dallas: Brendan Haywood failed to score in seven minutes on Friday before leaving the game after his lower back tightened up. Eduardo Najera played 26 minutes in his absence, but had just one points and five rebounds, while Dirk Nowitzki also filled in some at center. Erick Dampier is still out for a week or so, meaning that Haywood will play if he can. Hopefully this is not a long-term injury and he’ll be ready to go for Saturday’s game at Chicago.

Oakland: Corey Maggette returned from a hamstring injury a few days earlier than expected, scoring 18 points in Friday’s loss to the Hawks. He came off the bench and added seven rebounds on 6-of-12 shooting. He played 23 minutes, but we still don’t really trust Maggette.

Toronto: Andrea Bargnani received three skin staples in the back of his head after suffering a laceration in Friday’s game. He finished with nine points, four boards, one block and one 3-pointer on 4-of-15 shooting, but at least returned to finish the game. He should probably be considered day-to-day at this point, but watch for an update over the weekend.

Cleveland: J.J. Hickson started at center again, but was replaced in the second half by Anderson Varejao. Hickson struggled tonight, hitting just 1-of-6 shots for four points and one rebounds in 16 minutes, while Varejao had 16 points and 10 boards on 8-of-10 shooting.

Detroit: Rodney Stuckey had eight points and 10 assists before leaving Friday’s game with some sort of seizure on the Pistons’ bench. A Detroit Pistons spokesman said Stuckey’s vital signs were normal, he was breathing on his own and was conscious at Cleveland Clinic where he was taken after the incident. However, given the fact the Pistons are out of the playoff hunt, and Stuckey’s seizure was termed “violent” on television, it’s possible he could be shut down.

Denver: Kenyon Marting will miss Friday’s game against the Pacers with a partial tear of his left patella tendon, and might need surgery. The Denver Nuggets will use the next 48 hours to decide on a treatment plan, which will include rest and injections, but he very well may need surgery.

Cavilers F LeBron James scored 31 points in 16 minutes during the first half of Saturday’s game vs. New York, then cruised to a huge night — 47 points (17-of-31 FGs, 7-of-7 FTs), six 3-pointers, eight rebounds, eight assists and five steals. LeBron scored 24 consecutive points for Cleveland at one point, a streak during which he made 10-of-11 shots, including four 3-pointers. The Kings keeps one-upping himself, and we expect the heroics to continue as long as Mo Williams is out

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Portland: Although Brandon Roy (hamstring) is targeting a return on Feb. 16, there’s no official timetable for his return. The Portland Trail Blazers are already very shorthanded and fighting for playoff position, but prudence won out “In the end, we had to do what was best for Brandon,” said GM Kevin Pritchard. Roy intends to rest throughout the All-Star break and we should have a few updates before Feb. 16.

Houston: Houston Rockets guard Kyle Lowry sprained his ankle on Saturday and will not return. He is also expected to sit out Tuesday vs. the Heat. We’re surprised he’s been ruled out of Tuesday’s game so quickly, which could be due to the severity of the injury or nothing more than the proximity of the All-Star break (or maybe both).

Detroit: Pistons forward Jonas Jerebko made all nine of his FG attempts on Saturday, including two 3-pointers, to finish with 20 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Jerebko’s line was even more efficient than it seems, as he did his damage in a mere 24 minutes. It’s safe to say he’s secured a starting gig whether the Detroit Pistons shake things up before the trade dealine or not.

Charlotte: Darren Collison had another excellent game on Saturday, leading the Hornets to a road win in Charlotte, he had 24 points (9-of-17 FGs, 5-of-5 FTs), five rebounds, four assists and one steal.

Los Angelas: Kobe Bryant will not play on Saturday because of his ailing ankle. This is the first game Kobe has missed because of an injury since Dec. 8, 2006. Consider him day-to-day, and expect all the usual suspects (Ron Artest, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom) to carry the scoring burden in his absence.

Chicago: The Bulls have suspended forward Tyrus Thomas one game for conduct detrimental to the team. He will not play vs. the Heat on Saturday. Thomas and coach Vinny Del Negro have had their share of conflict, and this will only fuel the recent trade rumors swirling around the promising PF. With Joakim Noah (plantar fasciitis) already sidelined, expect to see plenty of Brad Miller and Taj Gibson.

Boston: Paul Pierce (mid-foot sprain) plans to play against the Orlando Magic on Sunday, but coach Doc Rivers said he will be a game-time decision. “I feel pretty good, light practice, I’m good to go tomorrow,” Pierce said. Doc Rivers, on the other hand, said Pierce looked “a little hesitant … And if he’s hesitant, then I will probably sit him.

Kevin Durant scored a season-high 45 points on Sunday, missing only five shots from both the field and the foul line (16-of-21 FGs, 11-of-11 FTs) with 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals and two 3-pointers.

At 21 years old, it’s possible that there’s not enough buzz for Durant, whose 29.6 ppg passed LeBron James (29.4) on the scoring list to sit in second place behind Carmelo Anthony (29.7). His past weakness was his FG%, and he finished the month of January shooting over 50% from both the field and from 3-point range

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Oklahoma City: Russell Westbrook posted a monster 28-point, five-rebound, and eight-assist line in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 112-104 win over the Warriors on Sunday. We feel bad completely discounting every great line that gets dropped on the Warriors, but they might be the worst defensive team in the history of the NBA

Phoenix: Suns C Amare Stoudemire scored a season-high 36 points on Sunday, hitting 12-of-22 shots from the field and all 12 of his free throws to go with 11 rebounds, one assist, and two blocks.

Charlotte: Chris Paul needs arthroscopic surgery for a cartilage tear in his left knee and will be out 1-2 months, according to a report by Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski. Wojnarowski is one of the more reliable reporters around, so owners can start to make adjustments immediately. The report says that Paul will have the surgery on Monday.

New Jersey: Devin Harris, who missed his third straight game with a wrist injury, said he will try to play Tuesday against the Detroit Pistons, but that he will certainly be available for Wednesday’s game against the Raptors. “If Devin feels he can play unrestricted, then we’ll let him play. But we need him to play the way he can play,” said coach Kiki Vandeweghe. “We can’t have him playing with limitations.”

Los Angeles: Kobe Bryant’s fadeaway jumper from the top of the key with 7.3 seconds left put the Lakers up for good as they beat the Boston Celtics 90-89 on Sunday. Maybe one day the rest of the league will get the memo to double or triple-team him at the end of games, but until then we get to marvel over how easy he makes it look.

Oakland: Corey Maggette scored 26 points on 8-of-14 shooting (10-of-11 from the foul line) with five rebounds, four assists, and a steal on Sunday.

Minnesota: Kevin Love hit 9-of-18 shots and two 3-pointers for a career high of 25 points to go along with 11 rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block off the bench on Sunday. He also had six turnovers, and while he’s not as fun to own while coming off the bench, but as long as he gets 32 minutes on most nights, it shouldn’t matter too much.

Robin Lopez

Robin Lopez started for the second straight game and posted 20 points, seven rebounds and block, but most importantly it came against his brother. Brook had his usual 23 and 13, but it’s Robin that is one of the hottest young names in the NBA.

Robin Lopez has appeared to steal the starting center position away from Channing Frye, who only played 14 minutes on Wednesday night. It appears that Robin could be a good young big man that will grab rebounds, block shots and shoot for a high percentage from the field.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Detroit: Rodney Stuckey hit 11-of-24 shots for 27 points, a career-high 11 rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block in Wednesday’s win over the Celtics. Stuckey hit just 8-of-26 shots in his last one, so this was a nice bounce back game for him. His production should decrease mildly when the Detroit Pistons get healthy, but who knows when that might happen.

Charlotte: Bobcats SF Gerald Wallace played through his sprained ankle and had 20 points, 10 boards, two assists, two steals, five blocks and two 3-pointers on 5-of-11 shooting in Wednesday’s easy win over the Miami Heat.

Miami: Michael Beasley pulled a Rasheed Wallace and suggested that “it should be an easy win” for the Heat over the red-hot Bobcats on Wednesday, if they stayed focus. The Bobcats came in as one of the hottest teams in the league and throttled the Heat by 39 points, good for a franchise record. Beasley, who had 20 & 10 on Tuesday, hit just 3-of-11 shots for six points, two rebounds and three steals on the night. Maybe he learned a lesson tonight.

Miami: Dwyane Wade hit just 6-of-16 shots for 16 points, four rebounds and one assists as the Heat fell to the Bobcats by a final score of 104-65.

Washington: Randy Foye got hot early and hit 9-of-14 shots and two 3-pointers for a season-high 26 points to go along with three assists, a steal and a block in Wednesday’s loss. Foye has been on fire for the struggling Wizards, and should stay hot as long as they don’t trade for another point guard.

Portland: Brandon Roy said after Wednesday’s win that he’s likely to miss a couple games after aggravating his hamstring injury. “Odds are high that I’ll miss the next two (games) just because we want to be smart with (the injury),” he said

Boston: Rajon Rondo hit 8-of-16 shots for 21 points, eight boards, seven assists and four more steals as the Boston Celtics fell to the Pistons to lose their third straight game for the second time in a month.

Bucks G Michael Redd has reportedly suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee, ending his season. He was injured on Sunday night in L.A. and suffered the same injury nearly one year ago to the day (Jan. 24), making us wonder if his career is over. Brandon Jennings, Charlie Bell, Luke Ridnour, Carlos Delfino and Jodie Meeks will all see an increase in minutes with this news, while it looks like Bell will move into the starting lineup.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Chicago: Luol Deng hit 13-of-18 shots and a 3-pointer on his way to 27 points and six rebounds as the Bulls crushed the Detroit Pistons on Monday. Deng was likely on benches this week with three games and a fractured left thumb, but played very well tonight. He had not scored more than 18 points since Dec. 22. Derrick Rose was also feeling it for the Bulls, hitting 11-of-13 shots for 22 points and nine assists, as the Bulls hit a whopping 57% of their shots tonight.

Detroit: Ben Gordon, who was iffy with a hamstring injury, played just six minutes and failed to score on Monday before leaving with a groin injury.

Atlanta: Joe Johnson hit 14-of-25 shots and five 3-pointers for 36 points, three rebounds and one assist as the Hawks upset the Celtics in Boston. Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace were out, but this was just Boston’s fifth loss at home. In fact, of their 10 losses this season, three of them have been to the Atlanta Hawks, who had lost seven straight to the Celtics prior to the run.

Oakland: An MRI revealed that Warriors F Anthony Randolph will miss three to six weeks with a badly sprained left ankle.

Boston: Kevin Garnett will be out another 10 days with his hyperextended knee, according to coach Doc Rivers. KG has already been out for 15 days and hasn’t played since Dec. 28. He hasn’t done any work, either, which includes running and jumping. “Now I actually am pretty sure it will be in the next ten days or so,” said Rivers

Los Angeles: Pau Gasol is listed as doubtful for Tuesday’s game against the Spurs due to his hamstring tear, which means he’s probably not likely to play on Wednesday against Dallas Mavericks, either.
Gasol worked on the treadmill Monday but didn’t practice. Phil Jackson didn’t have any new information because Gasol was still being treated after practice had ended.

The Sacramento Kings trailed the Bulls by as many as 35 points on Monday, but Tyreke Evans led a stunning late-game charge as Sacramento stole a road victory in Chicago. Evans started slow but finished with 23 points (8-of-19 FGs, 6-of-9 FTs), eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. He even knocked down his only 3-point attempt. The 35 point comeback was the second largest in NBA history.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Milwaukee: Milwaukee Bucks C Andrew Bogut dominated the Pacers’ frontcourt in Monday’s road victory, scoring a career-high 31 points and grabbing a season-high 18 rebounds. He shot 14-of-19 from the field, adding three assists, one steal and three blocks.

Dallas: Mavericks F Dirk Nowitzki (elbow) is on the active list and will play on Tuesday against the Trail Blazers, according to beat writer Eddie Sefko.

Sacramento: Kevin Martin (wrist) is scheduled to have a CT scan on December 30th. If all goes well he could return in early January. “I’ll know more after that,” Martin said. “It could be (early January).” He began shooting again nearly two weeks ago, and recently began doing dribbling drills with both hands.

Detroit: Detroit Pistons F Charlie Villanueva said he will play Tuesday despite plantar fasciitis, which causes “a sharp pain every step I make.” “I can’t really move out there. I’m very limited,” said Villanueva. It seems like only a matter of time before CV needs to take time off and rest his heel, but for the immediate future he sounds like he’ll keep suiting up. On a side note, he is no longer wearing a mask to protect his recently broken nose.

Detroit: Ben Gordon missed his ninth straight game on Tuesday as he recovers from a sprained ankle.
He said he “wasn’t quite ready,” which seems to have been the case for weeks now. Keep him benched until we get a concrete report that he’s ready to suck it up and play.

San Antonio: Spurs rookie DeJuan Blair moved into the starting lineup on Monday, posting eight points and six rebounds in 16 minutes.

Indiana: Pacers center Jeff Foster is out indefinitely with back pain. Foster joined the team in Boston on Tuesday but for the immediate future Roy Hibbert and Solomon Jones will hold down the C spot for Indiana Pacers.

Oklahoma City: Injured veteran Matt Harpring (knee) has been traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of Tuesday’s trade for Eric Maynor. Harpring’s career is almost certainly over, and he’s currently working as a commentator for NBATV. OKC gains an expiring contract, and Utah gets to slash his salary from their luxury tax.

ESPN’s Mark Jackson reported Wednesday that Phil Jackson was kidding when he said that Paul Gasol could be out until Christmas. Jackson also said that Pau is day-to-day, but won’t play Thursday. That’s all well and good, but the reports we’ve seen indicate that Gasol is not likely to play for the next two weeks.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Cleveland: Cleveland Cavaliers SF LeBron James says he will no longer discuss the summer of 2010 and his pending free agency. Apparently the “do you want to play with Dwyane Wade in Miami?” questions pushed him over the edge. “I think I owe it to my teammates, I owe it to myself,” he said. “It’s just getting old. I’m focusing on this season.”

Cleveland: Cavs G Delonte West will not play on Wednesday and is on the inactive list.
He apparently missed a team flight on Tuesday, which probably has a lot to do with his absence tonight. West is going to probably be more of a headache than he’s worth to fantasy owners this season.

Detroit: Detroit Pistons PF Charlie Villanueva scored a season-high 30 to go along with two 3-pointers, four rebounds, two steals and a block. Villanueva hit 13-of-17 shots and outscored the Bobcats 18-12 in the second quarter. He’s averaging 19 ppg over his last six and is starting to get comfortable with his new team.

Portland: A healthy Blazers C Greg Oden had 18 points, 11 rebounds, a steal and a block on 8-of-10 shooting in a dominant win over the Timberwolves. Oden played just three quarters and dominated Al Jefferson, who is obviously far from full strength after knee surgery. Jefferson had just 14 points and six rebounds against Oden, and is averaging just six boards per game.

New Jersey: Nets C Brook Lopez had 23 points, 14 boards, a steal and a block in another loss on Wednesday. The New Jersey Nets have yet to win a game, but Lopez is an early season bright spot on what appears to be a bad team.

San Antonio: As expected, Spurs PF Tim Duncan and PG Tony Parker are not playing for the Spurs on Wednesday due to ankle injuries. DeJuan Blair and George Hill are starting in their place. Both Duncan and Parker did come out and loosen up before the game and are possibilities to play on Saturday. We’re guessing both could have played tonight, but Gregg Popovich is going to save them as much as he can for the playoffs.

Los Angelas: Los Angelas Lakers C Andrew Bynum will play Thursday and will not be on a minutes count.
He could play as many as 35 against the Suns, and the Lakers have to hope he stays healthy now that Pau Gasol is out indefinitely with a hamstring injury.

2008-09 NBA Team Preview – New Jersey Nets

2008 Record: 34-48
Division Finish: 4th – Atlantic
2008 Playoffs: Missed the playoffs.

Head Coach: Lawrence Frank
Season: Going into sixth season
Record At New Jersey: 191-177
Career Record: Same

Offseason Acquisitions:
Yi Jianlian, F, 8.6 ppg., 5.2, rpg. – Traded from Milwaukee Bucks
Bobby Simmons, F, 7.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg.- Traded from Milwaukee Bucks
Kenyon Dooling, G, 8.1 ppg, 1.8, apg. – Traded from the Orlando Magic
Jarvis Hayes, G, 6-8, 6.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg. – Signed from Detroit Pistons
Eduardo Najera, F, 5.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg – Signed from Denver Nuggets
Julius Hodge, G, – Signed from Australia
Eddie Gill, G, – Signed as free agent.

Offseason Losses:
Richard Jefferson, F, 22.2 ppg.,4.2 rpg.  – Traded to Milwaukee Bucks
Marcus Williams, G, 5.9 ppg., 2.6 apg. – Traded to Golden State Warriors
DeSagna Diop, C, 2.5 ppg., 4.5 rpg. – Signed with the Dallas Mavericks
Bostjan Nachbar, F, 9.8 ppg., 3.5 rpg. – Signed with Russian league
Nenad Krstic, F-C, 6.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg. – Signed with Russian league.

Offseason Transactions:
None

Rookies:
Brook Lopez, C, 7-0, 19.3 ppg., 8.2 rpg., Stanford
Ryan Anderson, F, 6-10, 21.1 ppg., 9.9 rpg., Cal
Chris Douglas-Roberts, F, 6-7, 18.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg., Memphis
Brian Hamilton, G, 10.8 ppg, 5.6, Signed from Developmental League

The Skinny:
If you fell asleep and missed the entire 2007-08 NBA season you would probably have no idea who the New Jersey Nets are this year. Frankly even the most die-hard Nets fan may have a problem recognizing their own team.

For years guard Jason Kidd and forward Richard Jefferson were the faces of the franchise. But for the first time in seven seasons both of those players have a new address. Kidd was traded to the Dallas Mavericks about halfway through the season and Jefferson was moved to the Milwaukee Bucks during the offseason.

During the last couple season when the NBA trade deadline came around Kidd was always one of the players you heard mentioned. With the tread on the tires wearing thin and his scoring production starting to slip – not to mention all the off the court problems he brings – Kidd was shipped to Dallas, the team that originally drafted him.

Jefferson being sent to the Bucks was more of a surprising move. One reason may be his health over the last few years. Jefferson has only played two full seasons in the last four years. Seeing how it seems to be an every-other-year thing for Jefferson, maybe the team thought it was time to move him.

I would have thought the Nets could have gotten more for him than they did. He averaged a career-high 22.6 points per game last season – a product of Kidd being gone and New Jersey not having another scorer besides Vince Carter – and what they got in return was two players who combined don’t have Jefferson’s numbers. They picked up forwards Yi Jianlian, 8.6 ppg., and Bobby Simmons, 7.6 ppg. Not the best trade in the world.

The biggest problem I find with New Jersey is who in the world is going to score for them? Yes Carter will get his points, but his production actually slipped last year by four points per game. That was with Jefferson for the whole season and Kidd for the first part. What is he going to do now that he is the lone star on the team? He will need to score at least 30 a night, but that is not in him and he teams will really concentrate their defense on stopping him.

After Carter, the next best returning scorers on the team is point guard Devin Harris, who averaged 15.4 ppg. and 6.5 assists per game. If you think there is a significant drop off between Carter and Harris you should see the fall after Harris. New Jersey only has four of its top nine scorers back from last year’s team that ranked 25th in the league at 95.8 points per night. Yikes!

There are three players battling for the starting center position. Second-year man Josh Boone scored 8.2 ppg. and grabbed 7.3 rpg. as a reserve. The Nets picked up Yi Jianlian from Milwaukee and he comes in averaging 8.6 ppg. and 5.2 rpg. With mediocre talent in the middle, the starting job could easily go to the team’s first round draft pick, Brook Lopez from Stanford. He scored 19.3 ppg. and grabbed 8.2 rpg. for the Cardinal last season.

Another young player the team will be called upon to have more of a roll in the offense is power forward Sean Williams. In his rookie season he started 29 games, scoring 5.6 ppg. and grabbing 4.4 rpg. Just like center spot, this could be wide open because of the team’s youth. Rookie Ryan Anderson from Cal averaged 21.1 ppg. and 9.9 rpg. If Williams does not show vast improvement I could see the Nets going with Anderson or don’t be surprised if they play Lopez at the four and Jianlian/Boone at center.

Your guess is as good as mine as to who will be the Nets starting small forward when the season opens. By default the starting job goes to Bobby Simmons, but he was less than spectacular at 7.6 ppg. and 3.2 rpg. for the Bucks last season. Rookie Chris Douglas-Roberts may have a shot. He put up 18.1 ppg. and 4.1 rpg. in getting Memphis to the national championship game. Simmons has not panned out that well so why not give Douglas-Roberts a shot.

Prediction:
It is going to be another season without a playoff appearance for the Nets. I think that since they are so young that they will struggle to score points consistently. They were mediocre on offense with Jefferson and I do not see anyone filling his scoring role.

If nothing else the team may show signs of improvement down the road. With the exception of Carter and Harris, I think the other three positions on the floor are up for grabs. What you hope for in that case is for the competition to make everyone better. No one is going to be able to rest on their laurels so they are going to have to produce every night.

The entire frontcourt is going to be a battle. If Boone cannot get it done, then Lopez or Jianlian being ready to step in and take his place. The same goes for Williams in the power forward and Simmons at the small forward.

There are just too many holes on this team for them to really be a playoff team and that is saying a lot in the weak East. I think their backcourt is manageable – for now, Carter is not getting any younger – but something has to be done about the frontcourt. They really did not get much of anything for their two big trades. Who knows what general manager Rod Thorn was doing. I know you’re not going to get much for Kidd, but there should have been a market for Jefferson.

What the Nets’ biggest problem is that they lack any real talent. After Carter I am not sure that anyone of these players would be starting on 95 percent of the NBA rosters. This could be a decent team for a few years down the line, but for the immediate future they should be scouring the college and international ranks for a top big man because they are going to have a lottery pick in 2009.

2008 Record: 59-23
Division Finish: 1st – Central
2008 Playoffs: Lost, 4-2, to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals

Head Coach: Michael Curry
Season: First Season

Offseason Acquisitions:
Kwame Brown, C, 6-11, 5.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, Signed from Memphis Grizzles

Offseason Transactions:
Resigned forward Walter Herrman

Offseason Losses:
Jarvis Hayes, F, 6-8, 6.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg, Signed with New Jersey Nets
Juan Dixon, G, 6-3, 6.5 ppg, 1.6, rpg, Signed with Washington Wizards

Rookies:
Walter Sharpe, F, 6-9, Alabama-Birmingham

The Skinny:
Teams have come and gone over the last six years in the Eastern Conference, but one constant has been the Detroit Pistons. With their core still in tact from last year’s conference finals there is no reason to believe that the team won’t be back in the Eastern Finals or beyond once again this year.

With a 59-23 record the Pistons had the second-best record in the NBA last season. The only team with a better mark was the Boston Celtics. A big reason for the two best records coming out of the same conference is that the East is pretty week. The number of really good teams in the East you can count with your ears and nose. There are only a handful of decent teams and then there are the dregs of the league.

The West is completely different. You’ve got a bunch of really good teams with no one really head and shoulders better than another. Few would have expected the Lakers to make the Finals, but really there is so much talent in the conference that who ever is hot in the West can make a run. The talent in the East is not that good. Even a really hot team will struggle to beat one of the top dogs.

Two teams have been as consistent as it comes. One is San Antonio and the other is the Pistons. They have seen very little turnover in their roster during the last six years and as a result they’ve been able to rule a mediocre Eastern Conference.

Five key players have been with the team for at least four years. Guards Richard “Rip” Hamilton and Chauncey Billups along with forward Tayshaun Prince have all been with the team for six years. Center Rasheed Wallace has been there five years and forward Antonio McDyess has been there the last four.

That’s a great group of talented players that have been with each other for a while now. They know how to anticipate everyone’s moves and they all know how to win it all as members of the Pistons’ 2004 World Championship team.

No team may have more of its team returning from last year than the Pistons. Detroit brings back its top seven scorers from last year’s squad that was on the doorstep of the NBA Finals. The starting five averaged 69.0 points per game last season and accounted for 386 starts out of a possible 410.

The biggest problem the Pistons have is their frontcourt. Not since the days of the Bad Boys has Detroit been big on the inside. Even when they had Ben Wallace they still weren’t dominant. Wallace was a tremendous rebounder, but he wasn’t much of a threat on offense. Rasheed Wallace has the size of a center, but the skills of a power forward and presents such a tough match-up at the offensive end of the floor, but just the opposite of Wallace he’s not much on defense.

In an effort to strengthen the inside, during the offseason the Pistons acquired the services of center Kwame Brown from the Memphis Grizzles. After averaging 5.7 ppg. and 5.7 rpg., Brown was shipped to Memphis as part of the Pau Gaol deal. They also drafted 6-9 forward Walter Sharpe from Alabama-Birmingham who was averaging 14.2 ppg. and 6.8 rpg. before he was declared academically ineligible for the spring semester. Second-year center Cheikh Samb from Senegal could pay benefits down the line. He’s 7-foot-1 and is pretty solid at 245.

Unlike some teams, the Pistons appear to be ahead of the curve when it comes time to replace their vets. General Manager Joe Dumars knows that Billups and Hamilton aren’t getting any younger, that’s why they drafted guard Arron Afflalo and Will Bynum. Both are pretty good college players and if they listen to what the vets have to say they could step in and keep the train rolling.

Prediction
Even though Detroit has much talent back across the board, the one big intangible is its new coach. With only one year of experience as an assistant, Michael Curry was handed the keys to the Pistons after Flip Saunders was fired.

Curry has long had the respect of Dumars when he was signed to a 10-day contract with the team a few years back. Now the question is will he have the respect of his players. At 39-years old he’s only about four years older that Wallace and McDyess.

With such a veteran team this maybe the perfect situation for Curry. Billups and Hamilton can pretty much run the team from the floor so all Curry really needs to be able to do is manage all the egos in the locker room. As a former member of the Players’ Association he knows how to deal with a lot of egos so he may be the perfect man for the job.

I think this will be the year that the Pistons get back to the NBA Finals. As good as Boston is, I think the Pistons will figure them out. I also think that Detroit is much deeper than the Celtics are and the combination of those two factors will give them the edge of Boston come playoff time.

Before he got traded to Memphis, Brown was finally starting to develop into a good role player on the inside. It also helped that it was able to get out of Los Angeles because he was starting to get into trouble off the court there. This could be a second life for him in Detroit. Sharpe and Samb could also give some help on the inside.

This could be their last hurrah, but I think the Pistons will win it all this year. No one in the East besides Boston will give them a run and I don’t think Boston has it this year. The West is better from top to bottom, but they’ll beat themselves up and only San Antonio is as good as Detroit 1-5 with any sort of bench.