Weekly Essentials: Billups the engine that drives Motown

Part of the Eastern Conference's charm is that if you take an elite player off any team, calamity ensues. Cleveland can't tie its collective shoes without LeBron James. Dwyane Wade was missing from the Miami lineup early and no one knew what to do. He's back and they still don't.

Take Dwight Howard out of Orlando, Jason Kidd off New Jersey, Michael Redd from Milwaukee and those teams' identities change. Somehow, Washington survived for a bit without Gilbert Arenas, but that's more of a testament to how good a job Antonio Daniels did defensively to help change the Wizards' M.O.

Point guard Chauncey Billups is the heart and soul of the Pistons. (Getty Images)

Remove Kevin Garnett, the league's MVP this first-third of the season, from the Boston Celtics and you'll see them lose the defensive identity that has helped earn the league's best record. Ray Allen and Paul Pierce are great, but it's Garnett who, to borrow the en vogue NBA term, "changed the culture" defensively.

There are still debates over who the Pistons' best player is. I cast my vote for Tayshaun Prince in the preseason, believing he was ready to take his game to the next level, but he's been up and down thus far. Because Rasheed Wallace's acquisition helped bring Detroit its only championship, he gets some support, but there really shouldn't be a question anymore. Chauncey Billups is the team's most valuable asset, if only because no other point guard in the conference can match up with him.

Billups is the reason the Pistons have owned Orlando. He's the reason they took out the Celtics in their only meeting this season. His play helped them survive Chicago before everyone ran out of gas against Cleveland in last season's playoffs. No one can dispute that.

Take Billups off the Pistons and they're no longer the Eastern Conference's most feared team. He's the key to everything.

If he's out of the mix, Detroit still wins 50-plus games, takes the Central and gives Boston a run for home court in the conference. Simply put, the D in Detroit could also stand for depth.

Now that premier first-year combo guard Rodney Stuckey is healthy, the Pistons have the change-of-pace floor general they've coveted all season. If they want a spark, they go to him. If they want a stopper, veteran Lindsey Hunter is available.

Richard Hamilton missed time earlier this season and Detroit didn't miss a beat, plugging in rookie Arron Afflalo, who has impressed with his toughness. Behind Wallace and Antonio McDyess there's Jason Maxiell, Amir Johnson and the newly acquired Primoz Brezec. Walter Herrmann, a pivotal sub for Charlotte, had to wait to get activated by the Pistons due to the pecking order in place. On any other Eastern Conference team, he's part of the rotation. That should tell you something.

On Saturday night, Detroit has an opportunity to send another message when Boston comes to town with a chip on its shoulder. The most impressive of the eight consecutive wins the Pistons took into Monday night's game against Milwaukee is the nationally televised conquering of the Celtics at TD Banknorth Garden, spoiling their 12-0 home start.

Michael Buffer won't be needed. Detroit has the incomparable John Mason. Thomas Hearns will probably be in the house. That should help set the scene. Round 2 is here. The Pistons will be favored, their depth being the difference.

Team of the week: Phoenix is loving this holiday season. Steve Nash is out there arbitrarily dishing out assists while not really shooting the ball due to lingering shoulder trouble. Amare Stoudemire is playing better than any big man in the NBA. The Clippers and Kings were Christmas week fodder, followed up in the new year by home games against Seattle and New Orleans. The Hornets are certainly a worthy adversary, but imagine how well-rested the Suns are going to be when they welcome Charlotte on Saturday night, playing just their sixth game in 15 days.

Team of the weak: Philadelphia had its winning streak snapped in Portland on Sunday and should get used to tasting defeats on the road as its West Coast swing continues with stops in Seattle, Salt Lake City, L.A. (Lakers) and Denver this week. Stopping off in Utah for the first game in the new year will provide an opportunity to visit with old friend Kyle Korver, who was shipped to the Jazz for a first-round pick and Gordan Giricek over the weekend. Expect the reception Korver gets from his former teammates to be much warmer than the one Giricek gets from former coach Jerry Sloan. Ed Stefanski is looking good on this one, picking up a player with an expiring contract and another draft pick for a shooting specialist who isn't of much help considering the Sixers aren't going to compete for much as they rebuild the next few years. Korver will help the Jazz, though. He's the long-range specialist they've lacked since Jeff Hornacek retired.

Player to watch: Andrew Bynum followed up an unbelievable effort against the Suns on Christmas Day with lackluster performances against Utah and Boston in his next two outings. Foul trouble was a major culprit, not to mention those awful short shorts the Lakers decided to break out for the first half of the Celtics game, which made Bynum look the goofiest of all given that he's the tallest member of L.A.'s roster. Although the verdict is still out on whether Bynum is ready to dominate consistently, expect him to at least be more comfortable when his Lakers host Philadelphia and Indiana this weekend.

Showcases

•  Ron Artest will miss Wednesday's game against New York considering he's expected to have surgery to remove bone chips from his shoulder, but the word is that he's going to travel back to his hometown with the Kings anyway. He was entertaining when Sacramento visited New Jersey a few years back, musing on his options regarding free agency and his new leadership role, but expect him to be even better since he's on the mend and won't have to focus on games. Maybe he'll comment on Isiah Thomas and the disaster the Knicks have become. While he's on the shelf, expect John Salmons and Francisco Garcia to benefit from increased minutes, though guards Mike Bibby and Kevin Martin are scheduled to return in the next couple of weeks.

•  The NBA schedule makers sure are amusing. Dallas' first opponent in 2008? Who else would it be but Golden State, the team that turned last year's potential dream season into a disaster. The Mavericks have already beaten the Warriors once this year, but with Stephen Jackson back and playing at a high level, Wednesday's game should be much tougher. Count on both teams trying to send a message.

•  The likely starting centers in February's All-Star Game, leading vote-getters Yao Ming and Howard, get together in Orlando. Both have become the focal point of their respective teams. Howard has become that due to his natural progression, while Rick Adelman is running everything through Yao these days with Tracy McGrady out. Yao has called out teammates this season for being "soft" and has really started developing the leadership skills that eluded him early in his career. Not to say that you have to be critical to be designated a leader, but you do have to speak your mind and attempt to motivate. Yao has always had a captive audience due to his height, importance, popularity and skill level, but never exercised his right to vocalize. He's truly arrived now. Ditto for Howard, who in his fourth season, takes full responsibility for when the Magic struggle regardless of whether it's his fault or not.

•  Miami visits Dallas on Friday night in a reprisal of the 2006 NBA Finals. That seems like ages ago, doesn't it?

•  Utah and Portland square off twice this week. Although Denver entered the week with the Northwest Division lead, these matchups still have the feel of a passing of the torch. Thing is, Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, entering their prime as a combination, have no inclination of giving the upstart Trail Blazers anything.