First of all, isn't it somewhat shocking that the Cavaliers have won only one Central Division title in franchise history - back in 1976? 

I know the Cavaliers haven't always been at the level they're at now and that Michael Jordan played in the Central, but ONE Division title in 38 years? Not a single Central crown in the entire Lenny Wilkens Era. None for Mike Fratello. Sounds crazy, doesn't it?

After dropping Detroit on Super Bowl Sunday, 90-80, this year's Cavaliers are 12 games ahead of the struggling Pistons - who have won the Central in six of the last seven seasons. The Wine and Gold blew past the Pistons, 32-14, in the fourth quarter at The Palace - with Daniel Gibson and Mo Williams personally leading Cleveland's 15-2 run to the start the period.

Cleveland's 15-2 run - which erased and eight-point edge and completely turned the game around - was done with LeBron James as a spectator. That alone, should signal the changing of the guard in the Central Division. In years past, topping the Pistons at The Palace with LeBron on the bench during the Cavs' key run would have been unthinkable.

LeBron still led everyone with 33 points, but the fact that he's not doing all of the Cavaliers' heavy lifting is the reason this year's club is the Beast of the East. Although one wouldn't know it from the Eastern Conference All-Star team, this squad is loaded.

You can start with Mo Williams, who's been nothing short of sensational all season - specifically since late December. Williams heads into the break having notched double-digits in 20 straight games, averaging 19.8 during that stretch. He's averaging 24.7 ppg over his last seven outings.

"This whole season has been different, especially when you know Mo's out there controlling the offense," praised LeBron. "He can control a lot of things that go on with our offense, and then he can create for himself and for others. There has not been a time this year that pressure was on those guys without me being out there."

When Zydrunas Ilgauskas went down with a sprained left ankle, Anderson Varejao - who took five stitches to his lip on Sunday - stepped in and averaged 11.3 points and 7.4 boards per contest. In Andy's 16 starts, the Cavaliers are 11-5. When Delonte West broke his wrist against Chicago, Sasha Pavlovic stepped in and has averaged 11.3 points per game himself - with the Wine and Gold going 7-2 in that interim.

Overall, the Cavaliers bench is averaging 27.8 points per game, shooting .446 and grabbing 14.0 rebounds per game. J.J. Hickson - who some thought might spend his rookie season bouncing back and forth to Erie, Pa. - tallied double-figures in four of the six games before Z returned on Friday. Wally Szczerbiak had 14 points last Thursday and 15 one night later. Boobie is finding his stroke and Tarence Kinsey was finding his niche before rolling his ankle in Orlando.

The Cavaliers have rolled through the first half of the campaign - accruing one of the best marks in the East, going undefeated at home, winning 10 straight games in three straight months while simultaneously avoiding back-to-back losses all season. Much of these accomplishments have been done with one or two starters on the shelf.

The Pistons have been exactly average since acquiring Allen Iverson. They've gone 21-21 since the Answer came over from Denver, undergoing constant lineup mutations and struggling in their own gym. When the Cavaliers blew past them on Sunday, it was Detroit's fourth straight home loss. They've lost nine of their last 12 and had their first losing month, at 6-9, in five years.

"I'm sure everybody's confidence is still up because we've got a long way to go," said Iverson, who will start alongside LeBron James on the East All-Star squad. "At this point, even before the All-Star break, if we lose our confidence there isn't any reason to even come back after break because we would be going out there playing for nothing."

The Cavaliers won't have to travel to Detroit again this year - at least not during the regular season. The Pistons come to town on February 22 and again on March 31. They currently hold the sixth seed in the East and, if the season ended today, would face the Magic in the First Round. (The Cavaliers would open with the Sixers.)

Actually, it's way too early to be thinking about postseason seedings. But it's not too early to consider that - many years ago, while the Cavaliers were busy not winning the Central Division - the Pistons didn't make their Championship runs until they could solve the Celtics. And Michael Jordan's Bulls didn't make their runs until they could get past the Pistons.

Maybe Sunday's win in Detroit was the first step in the Cavaliers' rite of passage. Or maybe it was just win No. 37, with Toronto on deck for Tuesday night.