Detroit drubbing best thing for them

Roughly 11 short months ago, Boston and Detroit got together at TD Banknorth Garden under decidedly different circumstances.
The Pistons were the proven commodity, while Boston, even at 20-2, were the new kids on the block. They were two factions of veterans separated by rings. Detroit's group had them, while Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce were among the unfortunate.
Circumstances sure have changed quickly.
It was a freezing Wednesday night in late December when the new-look Celtics and Pistons first dropped gloves in what's become the Eastern Conference's premier matchup. Chauncey Billups knocked down a pair of free throws with one-tenth of a second remaining and the Pistons snapped the Boston's 12-game home winning streak to start the season. After the game, I'll never forget walking into the Detroit locker room to see Billups, Hamilton and Prince huddled by their lockers discussing the night's events and their disdain for their new rivals.
It was a sight that can now be appreciated the way you do anything you know you'll never see again. Forty-eight minutes came down to one-tenth of a second. Chapter One had written. It was the start of a collision that would change both franchises. Going back and reading my on-scene column from that night, it seems like that was apparent even then.
Doc Rivers dropped the following: "Chauncey is the general over there. It's a good game for us to learn from. We wanted this as a measuring stick to see where we actually were. We know that if to be of any substance, we've got to go through Detroit and some other teams and like Paul (Pierce) said, I would rather deal with it now than later."
Boston took the bitterness of that defeat and worked it into the desperate suffering that served as motivation through June. In retrospect, Detroit may have taken it as a sign to relax. The Celtics could be handled. Despite all the hype surrounding them, all the Pistons had to do was press the button when the time came and blow right by them.
Nearly half a year later, they were proven wrong. The Celtics got their title. Flip Saunders caught a pink slip. Pistons players were put on notice that nobody was safe. It took time for the hammer to drop on that, but ultimately, with Billups moved, they wound up disbanded.
As Detroit walked back into Boston on Thursday night, Allen Iverson led them. Recent wins over the Lakers and Cavaliers gave the Pistons hope that they could hang with the defending champs, but once the game unfolded, it was clear they weren't quite ready for the challenge.
Boston was too strong defensively. Detroit, too uncertain of how to play off its new point guard just yet. The 98-80 loss was the second time they've lost by 18 in the last three games. That swagger they enjoyed all those years looks gone.
Uncertainty has replaced it.
That's not entirely a bad thing, though. Eventually, this group is going to know where they belong on the floor and how they're best-served playing. Iverson will get acclimated. Antonio McDyess should return. Time is on their side.
The key, however, is that nobody is going to appear bored with the regular season, as has been the case around Detroit these past few years. Since winning it all in 2004, the Pistons have been missing the hunger you need to be the last ones standing. They're 0-2 against the Celtics since acquiring Iverson, but have a purpose to work towards now.
No longer can Detroit sit back and say, "we'll be there at the end." In this case, uncertainty is a driving force. Ditto with the doubters. The Pistons must be focused on improvement, from first-year coach Michael Curry placing the pieces together to the players themselves working towards progress as a unit.
By the time they return to Boston on March 1, they'll have had sufficient time to gel and see where they're really at.
Roles have reversed. The Celtics are now the measuring stick. The Pistons have lots of work to do.

Thursday's +/- report: Rajon Rondo (+10, 18 points, eight assists) was more productive than Allen Iverson (-9, 16 points, four assists) and even though he didn't have the best statistical night, Kevin Garnett (+16, 15 points, four rebounds) still got the better of Rasheed Wallace (-28, 13 points, five fouls)... It was an extremely rough night for Rodney Stuckey (-22, 0 points, five turnovers in 15 mintues)... Kwame Brown (+2, six points, seven rebounds) had a few moments where he looked overmatched, but was the only member of the Pistons starting five to register on the plus-side... Pau Gasol (+21, nine boards, nine assists) stood tall in his moments against Shaquille O'Neal (-7, 15 points, nine rebounds), helping pick up teammate Andrew Bynum (-7, 10 points, seven rebounds), who look flustered.