RateItAll: The Opinion Network

Still an elite team, still have a Championship left in them and still play to the level of their opponents from time to time. My preseason pick for the NBA Finals is still intact. Detroit vs. San Antonio.

This team sucks. If I were Flip Saunders, I would stop eating nachos at the scorers' table during playoff games, and I would take a second to watch the I-don't-give-a-sh$t style of basketball my team was playing against the Sixers in the first round. And after I got a good look at them half-ass$ng their way toward a 20-point loss to the Sixers, I would let my team know that I wouldn't be coming to Game 4 -- that I had some leisure reading to catch up on.

I'm not trying to take anything away from the Sixers, who happen to be my team. They played their hearts out last night (Game 3) and I truly enjoyed watching them pummel the lackadaisical Pistons.

But it just baffles me to see a team / coach who can't muster even an ounce of give-a-sh$t for the playoffs. I think Pistons fans nationwide would be justified in turning their backs on this team, whether or not they're able to squeek their way past a vastly inferior and less-experienced Sixers team in the first round.

The Bad Boys set a precedent for Physical Basketball and Team Attitude. They really should have won 3 championships and were one minute from winning in 1988 when the "phantom foul" was called on Laimbeer against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This team was physical with Laimbeer, Rodman, Salley, and Mahorn in the paint. They were the hardest-headed team in the history of the NBA. Isiah and Joe Dumars were great scorers who played through injurys and showed heart. The Pistons represented die-hard basketball and no matter who you are a fan of, you have to respect the way they changed basketball today with their influence on "defense-first." These guys held all their opponents under 100 points in the '89 championship run up until the Finals. Imagine what they would have done in today's modified "Zone defense." Today's Pistons are okay and should be proud of their one championship, but do not compare to the Bad Boys for heart. They showed a lack of intensity in the 2006 playoffs when they should have cruised through the Finals. They played with heart in the 2004 Finals when they hammered Los Angeles, but then it all went to their heads.

4 out of the starting 5 were all-stars this year...this lineup won the all-star game for the East. This lineup has significant playoff experience and were in the Finals in 2 of the past 3 years, and won 1. What's brought them down this year is attitude. I think Rasheed Wallace's whining and sour attitude has become contagious and now you have a ridiculously talented team wasting their time complaining about calls. Last series, 'Sheed was convinced that the NBA would not allow Lebron to lose the series so that's why Detroit "ain't gettin no calls". Same story this series apparently.

* new season, time for a new rating: 39 wins and 8 losses as I write this review. 10+ games ahead of their Eastern Conference rivals, Cleveland and Miami * While I'm somewhat concerned about the two losses at the hands of the Jazz earlier this season, an honest mid-season assessment still shows the Pistons to be the best team in the league, and I think this trend will continue until the end of the season when Detroit winds up with 65-67 regular season wins ( barring injuries ). The playoffs will be brutal, but I also think they will pick up the franchises fourth NBA title when they beat Miami in the ECF and eventually go on to defeat the Spurs in six games at the NBA Finals. Pistons own, nuff said!!!

Detroit # 1 team duh duh duha. with a line up with 5 great players. come on what team is better. spers got lucky

The Pistons' team is the best..anyone who thinks otherwise is trippin

They got Flip Saunders when Brown left, and he's an offensive mind-perfect for the Pistons, since they're already as good as you can get at defense. Yeah they lost last year in the Finals, and a lot of people are dissing them now, saying their championship in 2004 was a "fluke." Hey, they got back to the finals, and pushed that series to seven games. Stupid Ginobili drove me nuts slashing all day and bombing threes, but I admit that he had it going sicne the Pistons' vaunted D couldn't stop him. Still the best overall team in the league.

Wise choice keeping Joe Dumars as GM, for some reason, this guy is working. As soon as he goes, they're done again. He is the total opposite of Isaiah Thomas, what a crackhead that guy is. New York needs to dump that guy.

as you all know they r east conf. champs again i just wish that larry would have stayed and as you all know bluetar piss drinks piss

Detroit played a hell of a series. They fought it out to the end boys! That was the best NBA Finals I have watched in a long time. It was the first 7 game series in the finals since 1994 (or was it '96? can't 'member) so it was definetly a series to remember. Detroit got beat by the better team this year and there's nothing wrong with that. They're still an awesome ball club with defensive prowess that no one else in the league has. Who else can defend a whole half that well and only get one foul? and the score didn't even hit 80! That's what you call defense. I give'm a 5 now Pat....they've proved something to me.

They are the champions, right now, but won't be for long

The North Carolina Pistons rule. Ford, Sullivan, Wallace, and Brown = GO PISTONS in this part of the country. Hey, Joe D, scoop up McCants - Hamilton needs a backup, and I know he would thrive in that atmosphere. And judging from the loud Palace, it seems there are some people in Big Ten country that like the Tarheels. No hard feelings come NBA playoff time, right?

Perfect timing to get a winning streak going. I still pick the Heat to dethrone them. But you never know with this Detroit team. Coach Larry Brown always has something up his sleeve.

You all spoke a little too soon this year. Have you seen the role that they're on. They'll be fighting for the Eastern championship and maybe even another ring this year. They have about the same record as last year and I feel they are getting warmer to win the east. Just hope I'm not completely wrong and they fall apart like they were early in the season.

I like Prince and I liked the city of Detroit when I was there. I loved it when the fans trashed artest and the worthless pacers. I just wish LA would have won the title.

larry brown,any questions?

We won the championship last season and we are going to win it a again!! Lakers suck!

Whoopie! Our thugs beat your thugs! Now that's a lot to cheer about.

they just won the championship by beating the lakers!!Why is the rating 3.2 omg some people don't know jack

kobefan: what have you been smokin! i want some! the lakers wont have a prayer in hell of beating the pistons, or any other team for that matter. detroit will repeat. the lakers wont be sh*t this season. neither will dallass or nutsac-ramento. the only challenge the pistons will have this year will be themselves.

The pistons got by the Lakers because there wasnt a healthy guy left on the team. Had everyone for L.A. been healthy, the series wouldve been 4-0 Lakers. The Lakers are still defending Western Conference champions, and i highly doubt the Pistons will be able to repeat when going against the likes of San Antonio or Minnesota.

the epitome of team. best gm in the league today. young, talented, incredible d, all-time great coach. four potential all-stars (sheed, billups, rip, ben) in the lineup.

No one better

Simply the best.

You can't go wrong with them they should have kept williamson though

World champs,,,,,enough said.

Scary with sheed in the mix, but what were they thinking passing up carmelo. when denver is hoisting their 3rd banner of the carmelo era, detroit will be inconsolable.

This team will be a major force, but not quite yet. They have a lot of developing to do and the addition of Larry Brown will make all of the difference. Joe Dumars does an outstanding job in the front office at putting together a great TEAM, but seems to be willing to sacrifice a proven "go-to-man" (i.e Stackhouse for Hamilton trade).

Top seed in the east, not the Lakers talent level, but the best the Eastern division can put on the court.

they lost stack and hill,its over for them for now,and by the way the celtics,lakers,or bulls is the greatest team of all time

Detriot has improved alot since last year.

Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, and the gang (Bad Boys) were the best team ever! Maybe Jerry Stackhouse and the crew can get things going again!