Magazine picks Pistons 3rd in Central; Big Ben: East better than West
Despite making it to the Eastern Conference finals the past five seasons, the Pistons haven't done enough to warrant top billing in the conference.
Athlon Sports' NBA preview magazine has picked the Pistons to finish third in the Central Division, behind the Chicago Bulls and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Pistons didn't rebuild their nucleus in the off-season, adding some youth to their bench.
Athlon's analysis says the Pistons' success will hinge on the development of their younger players. If draft picks Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo are as good as advertised, and Jason Maxiell and Amir Johnson give the club steady production up-front, the Pistons will keep their status as one of the Eastern Conference's elite.
Athlon's projections:
• Chicago Bulls over the New Jersey Nets in the Eastern Conference finals
• Phoenix Suns over the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference finals
• Suns over Bulls in the Finals
BIG BEN SPEAKS: Some highlights of an ESPN.com chat with former Piston and current Bull Ben Wallace.
• On whom the Bulls will be playing in the NBA Finals this season: "Probably it will be the Suns. If the Suns are fortunate enough to get there."
• On whether he would go back to the Pistons: "I don't really have any plans to. Even if I did, my defense wouldn't be as good as when I left."
• If the Bulls don't make it to the Eastern Conference finals, would he feel like the season was a disappointment? "Not when you do it with a young team. It takes some time to where you're trying to go. This year, we're planning on getting to the East finals. But if we don't, it will be another year of experience."
• Who's going to have the bigger 'fro this year, Ben or Joakim Noah? Joakim Noah is going to have the biggest 'fro, but I have the best known 'fro.
• On which conference will be stronger: "I definitely think that the East is going to be stronger than the West. That's still why we play the game. I guess the conference is only as good as the teams playing in it."
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