detroit

["Josh Ozersky" <jozersky1@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm not ready to cede Detroit the east just yet.
They still look like a team built on smoke and
mirrors to me, and now the illusionist has left.
Darko will take at least two or three years to
develop.  (He's less developed that Gasol,
who still hasn't emerged as a genuine star a la
Nowitski.)  They seem a promising enough team,
and will get a good free agent or two, but not
any all-nba types -- not in Detroit, without any
stars there in place.

If the Celtics can get running, and get a little help
on the boards, we should be able to at least contend
for the eastern berth in the finals.  Take the team from
last year's playoffs, give them a little wind back and
3-4 easy baskets a game, and everything is different.
(and with any offensive rebounding at all, and any
fast breaks at all, that's not asking  a lot.)

josh