2006 Detroit Pistons Preview

Welcome to the 2006 Detroit Pistons NBA Preview page. At the time of publish the preseason games are underway with the regular season to open soon. If you regularly do bet on the NBA use Maddux Sports for NBA Picks and Live NBA Odds to increase your winning percentage this season.

2006 Detroit Pistons Basketball Season Preview

Former Pistons’ defensive standout Ben Wallace has signed with the significantly improved Bulls, leaving everyone to ask-- can the Pistons capture the top spot in the Central Division and the entire Eastern Conference like they did last season? They accomplished that feat in 2005-06 by losing only 18 games. Chances for such a repeat performance are remote.

Chauncey Billups (18.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 8.6 APG, 41.8 FG%, 89.4 FT%) starts his tenth season as one of the best guys playing point guard, while his partner across the court, seven-year vet Richard Hamilton (20.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.4 APG, 49.1 FG%, 84.5 FT%), completes the finest backcourt in the conference. There’s great chemistry here, with Billups being the ultimate clutch player.

The frontcourt still has Rasheed Wallace (15.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.3 APG, 43.0 FG%, 74.3 FT%)-- one of the roughest power forwards in the game. Entering his 12th season, the question is can the aging Wallace continue to perform inside, especially with Ben Wallace gone? Tayshaun Prince (14.1 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2.3 APG, 45.5 FG%, 76.5 FT%) is designated as small forward but can also play power ball.

At center, former Spur Nazr Mohammed (6.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 0.5 APG, 50.4 FG%, 78.5 FT%) has joined the club and is expected to start, but there’s no way he’ll have the presence and command of Big Ben Wallace. Various vets will challenge him for the spot but none will supplant the “D” that Detroit has lost.

There’s some talent and depth on the bench, especially in the backcourt.

Overall, coach Flip Saunders had a good first year as the headman in Detroit but was caught between a rock and a hard place, touting his own system but then deciding to defer to the established style of a team filled with veteran players. He’ll be a stronger and more innovative coach this year.

This team is still solid but also aging. They’ll make the playoffs for the sixth year in a row. But how much further will they go? A lot depends upon how much the team buys into coach Saunders massive playbook.

For more info on the 2006 Pistons basketball team visit the Pistons official website from NBA.com or keep reading up on their division rivals including the Pacers, Bucks, Bulls, and Cavaliers.