Burning Question 2008: Celtics or Pistons

With Detroit's 114-69 shellacking of the Milwaukee Bucks on New Year's Eve, the Pistons ended 2007 properly, pointing the finger in the faces of Boston Boosters and devotees to ESPN's Best-Team-Ever-Tracker and asking seriously, "Are we the best team in the East right now?"

As 2008 begins, the most important question going into the new year is, Boston or Detroit? The argument is as old as the sun: The Celtics have more talent--Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen out-skill any 15-man roster in the league--but Detroit has experience. With the same core intact from their world championship team just three years ago, the Pistons have a calm and unified presence about them that makes them impervious to whatever teams throw in their direction.

It was no accident that the two teams' epic battle a few weeks ago ended with Chauncey Billups pulling out a wiley veteran pump-fake on Celtics' youngster, Tony Allen, who came down hard on Billups, leading to Billups making two game-winning free throws. The Pistons have been there before and they know what's coming.

Tonight the two teams begin 2008 in opposite corners of the NBA universe with the Pistons looking to extend their winning streak to ten games against the Wizards in Washington while the Celtics take on Houston at home, their first real test at home since they faced Detroit. The way the Pistons are playing I see them having no problem with the Wiz. Boston versus Houston, on the other hand, should be a match of real intrigue simply because of Yao's presence as perhaps the only TRUE center in the league right now having an all-star season. The game will be a critical test to see if centers still really matter in the NBA, or if pure talent in bushels, such as the Celtics possess, can conquer all.