Let's Make a Deal?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The National Basketball Association, as it breaks for its annual study in ole´ defense known as the All-Star Game, has become "Let's Make A Deal," minus, of course, the man in the checkered sports coat, Monty Hall.
Behind Door No. 1, the Los Angeles Lakers found Pau Gasol, the decidedly talented -- at least offensively -- big man who had been languishing in Memphis. Behind Door No. 2, the Phoenix Suns discovered Shaquille O' Neal, the biggest of big men, who went from the penthouse to the outhouse in Miami faster than he can mumble the words, "Icy Hot Patch."

Behind Door No. 3, the Dallas Mavericks have hopefully found Jason Kidd, the master of the triple-double, who still wields the basketball like a puppet on a string. Well, when he is in the mood.

What nobody knows is exactly what these teams, assuming the Kidd deal doesn't fall through, have netted. Did they just make the final move that will lead to a championship? Or did they change direction mid-stream and take themselves out of legitimate contention?

Seems like this is all playing into the hands of the Pistons. Notice how they haven't been making headlines recently, even though they have won 10 straight games, raising their record to 39-13. Yes, the Pistons are 26 games above .500. Yes, they are on pace to win more than 60 games. Yes, they are as good as ever.

Anybody notice? Not with Shaq, Gasol and Kidd being moved around like pawns on Bobby Fischer Day at the local chess club.

Part of it is the Pistons' fault. They have been so methodical it has presented only a ripple locally, let alone caused waves nationally. Do we ever take them for granted.

But they have been in the shoes of Lakers, Suns and Mavericks in the past. It was the trade with Portland for Rasheed Wallace in 2004 that put the Pistons over the top. Yet, a major move is the last thing they need right now.

Joe Dumars did an excellent job of evaluating his team after it melted down during the deciding Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals in Cleveland last spring.

He appealed to the professionalism of his core players, who had seemed to lose a bit of their edge. And he decided to infuse the Pistons with an energy rush from young players rather than augmenting the bench with picked-over veterans.

It's worked exceedingly well. Dumars has been lambasted for his draft picks, particularly the fiasco with Darko Milicic, but he has turned it around. Jason Maxiell, Arron Affalo and Rodney Stuckey are fearless in the way they attack the basket. It's made a huge difference.

A bonus has come with the Pistons' recent string of blowouts. It has not only kept their starters rested for a playoff run, but allowed the young players to get much-needed playing time.

Playoff basketball is different, but it seems doubtful the Pistons' younger players are going to be intimidated by it. They aren't lacking swagger.

Of the deals in the Western Conference, the best one was the Lakers acquiring Gasol. They didn't give up much to get him -- just perpetually underachieving Kwame Brown. The Suns are playing Russian roulette with Shaq. He is not the player he once was and could dramatically slow down their offense. The idea they need him for tight games to score down low is ridiculous. When Miami won in 2006, it was with Shaq scoring early during playoff games, but not late. What is Steve Nash going to do? Slow it down, toss it into Shaq, have him get fouled and hit one out of three foul shots?

Kidd is either great or mediocre -- and there seems to be no criteria for which is going to show.

The Celtics are the only team in the Eastern Conference at the same talent level as the Pistons, but their Big Three seems to be wearing down. Cleveland remains a wild card because LeBron James has the capability to elevate himself into another universe. And, to be honest, Pistons coach Flip Saunders is going to remain on the hot seat until he at least takes a team to the NBA Finals.

But the Pistons are sitting pretty right now. They are the calm in the middle of an NBA storm -- along with the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. It's up to others to catch up.

The Pistons have become the standard again.</div>

Source: Daily Tribune