12/21/06

There's one call for us all…

The boys in blue have quietly worked themselves back up towards the top of the NBA's Eastern Conference standings after a solid weekend performance with 2 quality wins over the New Jersey Nets and the Seattle Supersonics.

It's easy for the average-joe NBA standings watcher to say "yeah, well the Eastern Conference is down this year and the Nets aren't as good as everyone said, and the Sonics are, well, the Sonics".   True, the Sonics were without Ray Allen and the Nets were without a 100% healthy Richard Jefferson (when is he ever healthy anyway?), but they were quality wins because head coach Flip Saunders was forced to use his bench due to the absence of Rasheed Wallace at PF.

Jason Maxiell and Dale Davis have had to platoon the last 2 games due to the ankle injury that 'Sheed suffered, and they've answered the bell when it's been their time.   Let's step back from this praise I'm offering though and take a look at what else has gone on around Max and Dale:

• Tayshaun Prince shot a horrific 8-27 from the field in both games.   Someone had to pickup the slack, and although Billups picked up his Lions' share of it, Max and Dale Davis cleaned the glass from Prince's clanks for some easy put-backs.

• Detroit's perimeter defense held Vince Carter to a putrid 5-21 from the field, and kept Richard Jefferson under control most of the night by holding him to 7 shots and 2 baskets in 38 minutes.

I'm by no means saying that Detroit is back with these recent 2 wins against below average foes, but wins are wins.   Detroit has had their fair share of quality wins so far this season but they've also had their terrible games in which it appears that they all would rather be somewhere else for the night.   They could easily have only 6 losses after 2 of their losses came at the hands of flukey "end of the game" theatrics that cost them games against Utah and NO/OK.

I'll be chiming in with my thoughts throughout the season regarding the 'Stones.  Obviously Detroit is not at the level where they were last year, but I think where they're at is where they want to be.  I know it's cliché to keep hounding on it and hounding on it, but Detroit plays better with their backs against the wall, and I would not be surprised if they make another Finals appearance this season.