SLAM DUNKS: The Pistons return 80 percent of the NBA's most complete starting lineup, including a trio of All-Stars in Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace. Billups (18.5 ppg, 8.6 apg) and Hamilton (20.1, 3.4) give Detroit a reliable guard tandem on both ends of the court and Wallace (15.1, 6.8 rpg) combines with Tayshaun Prince (14.1, 4.2) to form one of the league's most versatile forward combinations. ... Reserve F Antonio McDyess (7.8, 5.3) has enjoyed a career resurgence the last two seasons, both in terms of health and production. ... Detroit allowed just 90.2 points per game in 2005-06 - the lowest mark in the Eastern Conference and third-lowest in the league.

AIRBALLS: The one missing piece from the dominant Pistons teams over the last several years is Wallace, who signed a lucrative four-year contract with Chicago in the offseason. The four-time Defensive Player of the Year was the heart and soul of everything Detroit did in terms of defense and rebounding. The Pistons replaced the four-time All-Star by signing Mohammed (6.2, 5.2), a limited journeyman who played only 17.4 minutes per game for San Antonio last season. GUESSWORK: With all the talent the Pistons still have on the court, they have just as many questions off it. Most of the issues surround Saunders, who won 64 games in his first year as coach after spending 10 seasons with Minnesota. The Pistons held a 2-0 series lead over Cleveland in the East semifinals before losing three straight. They ultimately rallied to win the series but were handled by Miami in the conference finals. Along the way, a group of players that epitomized the team-first concept in previous seasons suddenly became totally out of sync. Several players criticized Saunders' coaching and, while on the court, the Pistons had turnover issues and spent more time arguing with referees than working with each other.

THINKING CAP: After losing Wallace to free agency this summer, the Pistons may have bigger problems a year from now as Billups and McDyess both can opt out of their contracts after this season. If the players' issues with Saunders do not resolve themselves, the Pistons could be one year away from entering a rebuilding mode, a scary thought for a team that appeared headed for perennial greatness.

D-LEAGUE CANDIDATE: Blalock

THE COACH SAYS: "Looking back (on last season), our team got caught up in the (chase for) 70 wins, and it took on a life of itself. A lot of our guys played a few more minutes earlier. We gave them rest late. Maybe we should have given them rest earlier."