The Pistons’ Chauncey Billups hits the floor as he battles with the Celtics’ Paul Pierce for a loose ball last night at the TD Banknorth Garden.

The Providence Journal / Kris Craig

BOSTON — If there is one matchup that will serve as a barometer in this Eastern Conference finals series, it will come at point guard.

On paper, Chauncey Billups has it all over Rajon Rondo. The Pistons’ leader is stronger, probably is more savvy and loves to take the big shots. But he’s coming off an injured hamstring and 10 days of inactivity didn’t help him in Game One last night.

Billups was clearly slowed by the hamstring injury and Rondo played like he was shot out of a cannon. Billups finished with nine points in 31 minutes. Rondo checked in with 11 points and 7 assists in 40 minutes.

“I felt good. It was good just getting back out there,” said Billups. “Obviously my explosiveness wasn’t really there. But I felt good. I know I did better as the game went along.”

That certainly wasn’t good enough. The Pistons are certainly happy to have their veteran leader back but as Detroit veteran Lindsey Hunter said, “his game isn’t waiting on us to get well. I saw he was hesitant. It better take (only) one game. He’s got to be ready next game.”

Game Two is tomorrow night. Billups will certainly be better but he’ll have a hard time with Rondo’s speed and quick hands (five steals) in every game this series. The Pistons actually started with Richard Hamilton on Rondo defensively, while Billups chased Ray Allen. That may be a look that the Celtics will see for awhile.

“He did a nice job defensively picking up the floor, got into some things off the ball, knocking some things down,” said Detroit coach Flip Saunders. “Then he made the big shot out of the corner and two big shots in the fourth quarter. When the shot clock was coming down, he rose up and shot that like he knew it was going in. When he’s making those shots — like I said, I thought at the beginning of the year when we played them that he was one of the most improved players in the league.”

Celtics’ coach Doc Rivers has clearly tweaked Rondo, challenging him to play well and more consistently. Asked if he’ll tell Rondo this is how he’d like to see him play all the time, Rivers said, “Yes, but I’ve done that before. I’m never going to forget that this is his second year, and I just keep that focus. I understand that. I believe in him. I’m going to keep playing him. Everything I told him before the game, stop all that worrying about them, make them worry about you, too. You’re a hell of a basketball player. For the last 48 hours I didn’t hear anything about Rondo. It was everything about everybody else.”

Stroke of good fortune

The NBA held its draft lottery last night with the Chicago Bulls being awarded the first pick. Only one year ago, the Celtics were hoping for the first or second picks and the opportunity to land either Greg Oden or Kevin Durant. When the Celts shockingly were left with the fifth pick, Rivers and Danny Ainge appeared to be crushed.

A year later, Rivers smiled and said, “Shoot, I was the luckiest guy on Earth.” Instead of grooming a potential superstar, Rivers and Ainge wheeled and dealed and landed two current stars in Garnett and Ray Allen.

“If we had gotten one or two, I would have probably been interviewing somebody today before the game for ABC or TNT or something. Expectations would have been unrealistic with one of those two young guys, and they would have pegged us to win everything,” Rivers said. “As a coach and a staff we all know that we would have been a little better with talent but we’d have been younger, and it would have been one long year. So the best break was that night. Now, at the time, I obviously didn’t see it that way, but later, once you thought about it — I came to that realization a lot sooner than people thought.”

Double dribbles

Rivers went with Eddie House and not Sam Cassell in relief of Rondo at point guard. House responded again, this time hitting a long 3-pointer to close out the first quarter. Cassell did not play at all for the third straight game. … The stars were out last night, as usual, but the loudest cheers from the crowd for a fellow fan came when Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick was shown on the JumboTron. The crowd not only erupted in cheers but chanted “Bel-i-chick, Bel-i-chick,” for 20 seconds or so. … The Celtics are now 9-0 at home in the playoffs. “They haven’t lost a game. They should be confident,” said Billups. “We are usually a really good road team (but) we didn’t have a good game today. We look forward to Thursday.”

kmcnamar@projo.com