If you want the truth about this upcoming NBA season, who better to "Let the Truth Be Told" than the esteemed analysts at TNT? We caught up with studio host Ernie Johnson, analysts Kenny Smith, Steve Kerr and Barkley and TNT's No. 1 play-by-play man, Marv Albert to get the skinny on the 2004-05 NBA season. From Shaq to 'Sheed, from LeBron to the unsung offseason acquisition, there isn't a topic from which the TNT guys shied away.

"I think [Rasheed] has bought into it. He's always been a team guy. He's a very unselfish player. Joe Dumars and Larry Brown saw to it that he would fit right in despite all the other side issues that affected his reputation.

"I think as a teammate and as a player, as a matter of fact, Steve Kerr, who was a teammate of his briefly in Portland, was always telling us that this guy is terrific with his teammates and he doesn't look to force shots, he plays defense, he's perfect for the Pistons.

"I think he'll continue to buy in. He re-signed and they're a championship contender."

"I think the thing they have to adjust to is to be the team that everyone wants to beat. That will be new for them, but they have such a hardworking mentality. They'll be fine. They just need to get through the regular season with no injuries."

"Essentially, the team that won it returned intact, playing for a coach whose system they bought into. That's a great way to start a season.

"It's not like Larry Brown has to re-teach much. It's not like he has to get guys to buy into what he's doing. That is, without question, the team that should get off to the fastest start. They're already used to everybody [on the team]."

"I think Rasheed's in a comfortable spot in his career and his position.

"Playing with Rasheed in Portland, I think I had a good feel for the fact that he didn't want to be "the guy," the guy who has to carry the team. He's really a team player. He wants to pass the ball, he wants to share the ball, he wants to share the responsibility. He's fit in well and he's a great defensive player. He was the guy who helped get them over the top. And I can't see why they won't pick up where they left off."

"After you win a championship, two things happen: One, you have a continuation of what happened last year or you have complacency set in. There is no middle ground. Either you dominate or you get complacent. They won't be the same team.

"They won't win 55 games. They'll either win 60 games or they'll struggle.

"In Houston, we were complacent. We made a trade, Clyde [Drexler] came in the second year and we won. We were very complacent. That second run is hard and long. And all of a sudden, we're in the mix again. You don't have time, physically or mentally to get the batteries charged a lot of times. That's what you have to fight. You have two months to charge that battery when you usually have four to five."