SI.com's Jack McCallum answers five of the more intriguing questions to arise out of the Pistons' victory in the 2004 Finals.

1. Are you surprised at how easily Detroit dispatched Los Angeles? How did the Pistons make it look so easy?

The fiery Rasheed Wallace was given a warm welcome in Detroit He rewarded the hospitality of the team and its fans by helping lead the Pistons to the NBA crown. AP

First, and most obviously, just about everyone underestimated the Pistons badly, particularly their capacity to score. Second, Detroit was a team on the rise by the time the Finals started; L.A. was a team in decline. The Finals may have yielded a different result a couple of months ago -- even, perhaps, a couple of weeks ago. But NBA playoff teams are supposed to peak in June, not decline. The Pistons did it right; the Lakers did it wrong.

And finally, since Detroit coach Larry Brown was able to exert 94-feet of pressure throughout much of the series, the Pistons' depth and superior physical conditioning, two things often overlooked and sometimes not even important in the Finals, played a major role.

2. What holes does Detroit need to fill to return to the Finals?

Since the Pistons have an undersized center in Ben Wallace, having backup size at that position is important. I'm not saying that Elden Campbell was the key to the series, but he played valuable minutes against Shaquille O'Neal. But Campbell's getting old and the Pistons have to be aware of that. I'm not sure he will be as effective next season. Detroit could also use some more depth for the full-court defense it got from its backup guards, such as Lindsey Hunter and Mike James.

This is a team with a terrific starting five, but it needs to be nine- or 10-deep. All of those reserve positions will be carefully reviewed. One thing we know will not happen: general manager Joe Dumars will not go out and get the highest-priced free agents, even if Detroit could restructure contracts and fit somebody like, say, Kobe Bryant under the cap.

3. Will Rasheed Wallace return to Detroit next season? Does Rasheed want to return? How will his situation affect Mehmut Okur?

Trying to read Rasheed Wallace is like trying to decipher the Rosetta stone. He was noncommittal on that subject throughout his tenure in Detroit this season. Still, I think he does want to be back, and I know the Pistons will make every effort to sign him. Although he is a bigger priority than Okur (who is a restricted free agent), Detroit wants Okur, too, because he's young, athletic and -- as I said above -- furnishes backup size. I've been told that the team believes it can fit both free agents into its salary structure.

4. What is Darko Milicic's future with the team?

The selection of Darko with the No. 2 pick in the 2003 draft began to look better as the postseason went on, not because of anything he did, but because the mature play of Tayshaun Prince seemed to mitigate the need for having a scorer such as Carmelo Anthony, whom Denver took with the No. 3 overall pick last year.

But hear this and hear it well: Milicic is a BIG part of the Pistons' future. While some in the organization believe Larry Brown should've played him more this season, it's hard to argue with the results Brown got with the lineup he did play. But the team likes Milicic and his minutes will increase next year. This is a guy, remember, who should be in high school. He's younger than either LeBron James or Anthony. Detroit loves his size, his athletic ability, his willingness to work and the way he handled his nearly inert status this season.

5. Is this a club that can repeat as champion once, if not more than once?

Sure the Pistons can repeat because they can get to the Finals next season in an Eastern Conference that, on paper, is still behind them. Will they repeat or win multiple titles is a more difficult question.

Pat Riley and Chuck Daly, both of whom won back-to-back titles, used to talk about how success makes things harder. Riley called it "the disease of I." The great democracy that was established in Detroit this year is what could be at issue next year. A team needs a strong leader to stay on course after winning a trophy, somebody like a Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson. We'll see if Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups are those kind of guys.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Jack McCallum covers the NBA for the magazine and is a regular contributor to SI.com.