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Pistons idle during trade deadline,
but are still primed for postseason run
The NBA
trade deadline came and went with the opportunity for the Pistons
to make some moves and prepare for another postseason run deep into
the playoffs, and the Pistons did – well, nothing.
It turns
out that Joe Dumars’ lack of activity around the trade deadline
may not be such a bad thing though especially since the landscape
of the Eastern Conference has changed dramatically in recent weeks.
They Pistons
could ultimately turn out to be benefactors of the proverbial “Addition
by subtraction.”
The Miami
Heat lost their all-star guard Dwayne Wade last week to a possible
season ending shoulder injury. Wade is still deciding whether or
not to have surgery on his separated shoulder.
Wade’s
potential playoff absence definitely would remove a huge postseason
stumbling block for Detroit. He led the Heat to an NBA championship
last season after defeating the Pistons in the Eastern Conference
finals.
It seems
unlikely that the Heat would be able to reciprocate last season’s
run without Wade and on the back of their other superstar, aging
center Shaquille O’Neal. O’Neal has also dealt with
injuries this season and missed numerous games before the all-star
break.
If the Heat
are out of the way the Pistons would be left to contend with a weak
Eastern Conference. The only real threats may come from the Cleveland
Cavaliers, a team Detroit beat in the playoffs last year, or the
Washington Wizards.
The Pistons
also seemed to have already answered a big void earlier this season.
Detroit acquired Chris Webber from the Philadelphia 76’ers
and seems to have solidified its frontcourt.
Webber has
started 18 of 19 games since he donned the Piston uniform and has
averaged just over 30 minutes and 13 points a game. He has already
made an impact on the team after the off-season acquisition of center
Nazr Mohammed didn’t pan out.
With a solid
starting line up nailed down and the potential absence of an Eastern
Conference juggernaut, it appears as if, come playoff time, the
Pistons may control their own destiny even despite not making a
move during the trade deadline.
View
the Detroit
Pistons 2006-07 Schedule with Results.
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