Ira Winderman

The playoff races are as compelling as they have been in years.

In the Eastern Conference, the Cavaliers, Celtics and Magic are jostling for position at the top.

In the middle of the pack, the Hawks, Heat, Pistons and 76ers find themselves in their own race.

And at the bottom, everyone but the Wizards and Raptors are in contention for the No. 8 booby prize.

As for the West, seeds No. 2 through No. 8 behind the Lakers seemingly change on a nightly basis.

Yet something seems to be missing.

Actually more like someone.

Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, Greg Oden, Andrew Bynum and Elton Brand all have been reduced to spectators amid the drama.

Yet their teams continue the battle.

That has turned the question of the hour into whether some teams are better off without.

Fact or Fiction: The Rockets are better off without Tracy McGrady?

Fiction.

At least that's the case when it comes to this Rockets team this season.

Yes, Houston has played remarkably well in recent weeks, with McGrady now out for the season. And yes, we're all quite aware by now that McGrady has never advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs.

But we've also seen what Houston looks like without an off-the-dribble scorer in its lineup. It looks like Ron Artest gone wild, attempting to be the creator that he is not, firing off shots with little regard to the quality of the attempts. Sometimes they actually go in.

Do the Rockets have to shake things up in the offseason, return the focus to Yao Ming? Absolutely.

The proper move would be to ship McGrady for a lower-cost, offensive-oriented shooting guard or small forward who doesn't need the ball in his hands all the time.

But this postseason, when the Rockets need two points late, it either will require getting an entry pass into Yao, or relying on the insanity that is Artest.

The Yao option will require assistance; the Artest option will require a prayer.

Fact or Fiction: The Trail Blazers are better off without Greg Oden?

Fiction (sort of).

It has been a rocky ride in recent weeks in the absence of the rookie center, leaving one to wonder just how much longer Brandon Roy can keep things going by himself.

When the pace slows to even more than coach Nate McMillan's liking, there will be a need for post play, and post defense, in the postseason.

Yes, Joel Przybilla and LaMarcus Aldridge are a formidable frontcourt pairing, but Oden's bulk can't hurt against the likes of Yao, Bynum, Tim Duncan, Erik Dampier, Nene or possibly even Shaquille O'Neal.

While this hardly is expected to be the breakthrough year for the Blazers, this very much is a team of the future. It is important that Oden's learning curve include a postseason lesson, even with Przybilla arguably providing a more consistent contribution.

Oden needs to end his season on the court. It will go a long way toward alleviating concerns about his knee and his psyche.

The fragile tag is one Oden needs to shake before it dominates yet another offseason.

Fact or Fiction: The Pistons are better off without Allen Iverson?

Fact. And for so many reasons.

Special feature The Answer? The highs and lows of Allen Iverson's career NBCSports.com

No matter where the Pistons finish in the Eastern Conference playoff race, whether it’s a favorable first-round matchup against Atlanta or near-certain elimination against Orlando or Boston, Iverson is in his final weeks with Detroit. That is fact.

What the Pistons need now is to get a read on the Tayshaun Prince-Rip Hamilton-Rodney Stuckey permutations, develop a bond among the team's mainstays, see exactly where Joe Dumars' 2009 free-agency bucks would best be spent.

To Iverson's credit, he has remained out of view amid his recent back ailment.

The lesson for the rest of the league has been that while clearing cap space can open up possibilities for the future, biding time with a unique offensive presence can more than bog down the present.

The Pistons certainly have had their moments amid Iverson's absence; Hamilton certainly is looking much more like his old self.

The best end game for both parties likely would be to acknowledge they already have reached the finish line of this union, with Iverson remaining away for the balance of the schedule.