The Pistons defense, led by Rasheed Wallace, has silenced many opponents. Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images

The Pistons' stifling defense nearly did it again. After holding five straight foes under 70 points -- an NBA record -- Detroit had the Nets right there until the bitter end Thursday night. With just over one second to play, New Jersey's Aaron Williams tipped in a missed shot to forge the 89-71 final. Detroit might have seen its "70" streak come to an end, but it sent a clear message to the rest of the NBA. The Pistons' D is for real. With long-armed Rasheed Wallace added to the core of Ben Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups, Detroit now has so much length and quickness. They can switch pick-and-rolls, they can help and recover, they can trap, they can block shots, they can defend most post matchups.

Off the bench, point guards Mike James and Lindsey Hunter have become a factor. They harassed the Nets into several turnovers Thursday night. They also enable Billups and Hamilton to get more rest so they're fresher down the stretch. Detroit hasn't played a lot of high-scoring teams of late. During its recent streak they beat the Blazers, Nuggets, Sonics, Bulls, Sixers and Nets. But holding five straight foes under 70 -- the previous record was two straight games -- speaks for itself. The Pistons, winners of 10 of 11, are onto something good, and at the right time of the season. Now onto the 'bag:

The Pacers keep knocking off teams like no one else in the East, but they don't seem to get too much credit. I think Indiana can make the Finals and is the perfect team to take on the Kings. Any thoughts to blow my argument out of the water?--Didier Vanoverbeke, Koekelare, Belgium

You could be right. The Pacers have quietly won 18 of 22 and have the NBA's best record. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they made it to the Finals, though the Pistons (and maybe the Nets) will have something to say about it. I also agree that the East could give the West a run for the money this year. Shaq is the only guy who can make the Finals a rout, and there's no guarantee he'll be there. A key for the Pacers will be whether they can claim the NBA's best record and homecourt advantage in the Finals. Indiana is much tougher at Conseco, with victories against the Spurs, Lakers and T'wolves in its building this season. With homecourt, I like the Pacers' chances a lot more.

Is there any way Chris Ford and Allen Iverson can co-exist next year? Assuming the obvious answer is the correct one, will Philly be forced to trade the Answer? Or will Ford be shown the door in favor of a coach more to Iverson's liking?--Ross Boissoneau , Empire, Mich.

Good to hear from you again, Ross. To answer your question, I think it's possible Iverson and Ford could bury the hatchet. But I don't think it will come to that, because the Sixers are going to get rid of Ford anyway. I think Philly will gauge the market on Iverson as well, but whether the Sixers will receive any offer back of equal value is a big question. More likely the they'll hire a new coach who gets along with Iverson (like Maurice Cheeks) and attempt to fill in some pieces around him.

Do you think the Grizzlies are being overlooked in the role of spoiler this season? They have routinely shown an ability to beat any team this year and have been on a tear of late. Couldn't their fresh legs and depth really do some damage come playoff time?--Tobin Dreher, Houston

Yes, the Grizz could be dangerous come the postseason. They've got a great coach in Hubie Brown, and a team that plays defense. But I don't think they have the frontcourt scoring to contend with the West's elite, and I think their depth will be less of a factor in the playoffs. If they get the right matchup in the first round, maybe they spring an upset. But I don't see them going any further.

Kobe Bryant said recently that he won't consider signing with Utah this summer. It seems that the Jazz have never been good with free agents. They always build through the draft with late picks and trades. Is Utah really such a bad place to play? --Cyrus Kayvan, New York City

Let's just say Salt Lake City ain't the liveliest night spot on the NBA map. For a lot of players, that's a big consideration when choosing where to play. But the Jazz are a quality organization with a winning tradition. If they have money to offer, they'll get some free agents. Maybe they have to work a little harder, and fill in the blanks through the draft, but it can be done. Karl Malone and John Stockton didn't seem to mind playing in Utah all those years.

The Hornets are a real mystery. What's up with this wildly erratic team? We already know it was a huge mistake to dump Paul Silas for Tim Floyd, but now the players seem to be feuding as well. The fans in New Orleans are bitterly disappointed by the developments with this team (and also with the leadership of owner George Shinn and Bob Bass).--John Mule, New Orleans

No doubt the Hornets have been a disappointment. Yes, they've had several injuries but it doesn't explain their lack of effort many nights. Even when Jamal Mashburn was in the lineup, they didn't play defense. Also, they have issues on offense. Baron Davis doesn't shoot a high percentage, yet he dominates the ball. Jamaal Magloire barely touches it some nights (just one field-goal attempt in 27 minutes vs. the Heat the other night). Then there was Davis' recent failure to show up for a team breakfast, and Mashburn's decision to rehab in Miami. It all adds up to a team that doesn't seem to be on the same page. Barring a quick turnaround and a long postseason run, look for changes in New Orleans this summer.

The Bulls don't seem to be any better under Scott Skiles than they were under Bill Cartwright. Skiles takes things personally. There is no way that Marcus Fizer (a No. 4 overall draft pick) and Eddie Robinson (an athletic player) should ride the bench while NBDL players get minutes. With the talent the Bulls have, they should have a much better record. Is Skiles the right coach for this team?--DJ, Chicago

It's too early to tell. Skiles' record is worse than Cartwright's, but he has had to deal with several injuries and a major trade that cost him his top two scorers (Jalen Rose, Donyell Marshall). More important, Skiles is trying to change the culture of losing. He clearly didn't like something in the approach of Fizer and Robinson. He and GM John Paxson decided it's better to go with young NBDL guys for now even if it means losing games this season. Until we see Skiles after a full training camp and given the chance to play his guys, it's hard to get a read on whether he's the right coach or not.

Shammond Williams has been traded at least four times, most recently to the Hornets. He was an outstanding college player at UNC. Why has he sat on the bench in every one of his NBA stops?--Freddie Samuels, Long Island, N.Y.

Williams isn't a bad player. I watched him light up the Knicks one night at the Garden a few years back. His problem is that he's more of a shooting guard than a point guard. Yet at 6-foot-1, he lacks the size to defend 2s. In Seattle, Gary Payton could cover for him and help set him up for shots. If Williams can find a similar situation, and start to knock down his jumper again, he could get back on the NBA radar.

When it comes to the expansion draft, is there a limit on the number of players the Bobcats can take from one team? Do players in their rookie contracts count? Are the Bobcats allowed to take a free agent from a team? How will the T'wolves be affected? --Laura Dornbush, Minneapolis

Teams are allowed to protect up to eight players, not counting unrestricted free agents. The Bobcats can select only one player from any team. The T'wolves don't have much to worry about. With Gary Trent and Fred Hoiberg set to become free agents after the season, Minnesota can protect just about everybody else on its roster. Their toughest decision right now looks to be whether to protect rookie Ndudi Ebi. We doubt GM Kevin McHale is losing too much sleep over it.

Steve Francis really isn't fitting in well with Houston's offense. He hasnt' shot well, and he has 7-6 Yao Ming in the paint, and he just does not get him the ball enough. What do you think the Rockets can do about it? I was thinking maybe Francis and Mo Taylor for Brent Barry and Ray Allen?--Zafir Khan, Houston

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Not bad. But Barry is a free agent, so he'd have to agree to a sign-and-trade. Also, the Rockets would have to be willing to give Barry a deal (around $6 million) that would make the aggregate salaries of all players involved match up. Houston also would have to be willing to risk that Allen won't bolt as a free agent the following year. Plus, I doubt Seattle would go for it. Taylor isn't going to solve the Sonics big-man problems. For all these reasons, I don't think we'll see this particular trade.

It is so tough to be a basketball fan in the post M.J. era because players today are so fragile. Every top player (with the exception of one or two) spends such a significant amount of time on the injured list that it is difficult to know what lineup we are going to get on any given night. Why do you think players have such a difficult time playing in 90 percent or more of their games in a season? --Larry C. Ellis, Toronto

It does seem like there are a lot more injuries these days. But it probably has more to do with advances in sports medicine than anything else. Teams have top trainers, doctors and equipment on hand to diagnose injuries. With so much money invested in star players, they naturally want to protect their assets. Teams aren't as willing to take chances as they once were. Overall, it's a good thing -- even if it leads to frustration for fans.

Has the NBA ever awarded co-Coaches of the Year? Hubie Brown and Jerry Sloan seem equally deserving of the award this year.--Rafael Vistan, Pasadena, Calif.

In its 40-year history, there have never been co-Coaches of the Year. As you point out, Sloan and Brown both deserve serious consideration this year. I admit I'm leaning toward Sloan right now. He had less talent to work with than Hubie, and he had to retool completely without Malone and Stockton. But there are still three weeks left in the season, so let's wait and see what happens.

Marty Burns covers pro basketball for SI.com.