Absent the headline-grabbing trade that remains possible before the Pistons reconvene for the 2008-09 season in another six weeks, the expectation is that the starting lineup when the Indiana Pacers come to town for the Oct. 29 regular-season opener will be the familiar old hands: Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess.

It’s the finishing lineup I’m waiting to see.

And for the 30 percent or so of games that come down to the final minute, my guess is that there’s a distinct possibility the finishing lineup could look like this for a significant number of those games: Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace (or McDyess) and Rodney Stuckey.

• True Blue Pistons: What the ‘finishing’ lineup could look like