nba-playoffs-phil-detr - AthlonSports.com

2008 FIRST ROUND EASTERN CONFERENCE

KEYS TO THE SERIES : DEPTH

The Pistons' bench is too deep to allow Philly to hang around. Detroit's vets are fresh and when they need a breather, Maxiell, Hayes, Stuckey and Afflalo will produce solid minutes. Then when Billups, Hamilton, Prince, Wallace and McDyess re-enter the game, they know exactly how to close it out.

ATHLON SPORTS PICKS : DETROIT IN FIVE

No. 32 Richard Hamilton SG
Points – 17.3
Assists – 4.2
Rebounds – 3.3
Minutes – 33.7

No. 9 Andre Iguodala SF
Points – 19.9
Assists – 4.8
Rebounds – 5.4
Minutes – 39.5

No. 36 Rasheed Wallace PF
Chauncey Billups is Mr. Big Shot and Richard Hamilton runs opposing defenses ragged, but when playing the Pistons, Wallace always presents the toughest match-up for opposing defenses. He possesses excellent post moves, the ability to step outside and shoot the three and is Detroit's emotional leader. Wallace averaged 12.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.2 steals this season while shooting 35.6 percent from beyond the arc. Sure, he's as likely to rack up a technical foul as he is to drain an open three, but when his intensity is at its peak the Pistons don't have a better player on either side of the ball.

No. 9 Andre Iguodala SF
The new "A.I." is one of the best athletes in the league. Largely overshadowed in Philadelphia his first few years by Allen Iverson (the original "A.I."), Iguodala has quickly become Philly's leader. His assists and rebounds are down this year, but his turnovers are too thanks in large part to the addition of Andre Miller at the point and an improved jump shot. He led Philadelphia in scoring this season with 19.9 points a game, up from 18.2 last year. He’s also averaged 5.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.1 steals and 0.6 blocks. With these new weapons in place, Iguodala is poised to lead the Sixers against the Pistons.

No. 22 Tayshaun Prince SF
Prince is as versatile as they come. The 6-9, 215-pound Prince can guard point guards and power forwards alike. He and Billups make an excellent tag-team particularly on the defensive end, and his ability to post up and make the outside shot makes him a match-up nightmare for opposing teams.

No. 1 Samuel Dalembert C
Philly will need consistency out of Dalembert in this series. If the Sixers can rely upon the 10.5 ppg, 10.4 rpg and 2.3 bpg he provided during the regular season, they have a real shot against Detroit. Along with Reggie Evans, Dalembert provides the hard-nosed, physical veteran presence that allows the rest of Philly's athletes to roam free.

The Sixers are an athletic club that likes to get into the passing lanes defensively and get the ball up and down the court offensively. The Sixers are also a solid rebounding team and any opposing team should anticipate maximum effort from this squad. Andre Iguodala is the scorer, Andre Miller the assist man with Samuel Dalembert and Reggie Evans cleaning up inside. Willie Green is the glue of this bunch, and Lou Williams, Rodney Carney and rookie Thaddeus Young bring scoring and energy off the bench. One thing Philly is not is a three-point shooting team, averaging a league-worst 31.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Detroit is one of the most playoff-tested teams the NBA has to offer, with an efficient offense and excellent help defense. Unlike previous seasons, Detroit has been able to use its bench down the stretch, which should benefit the most postseason-tested starting lineup in the Eastern Conference. Detroit’s five starters — Billups, Hamilton, Prince, Wallace and McDyess — have 493 games of playoff experience among them. Last season was a disappointment, however, as Detroit's season ended in the Eastern Conference Finals at the hands of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The 76ers played the Pistons in their two most recent playoff appearances, the second round in 2003 and the first round in 2005. They lost in six games in 2003 and in five games in 2005.

The rest that Detroit's starters received down the stretch should benefit them once this series commences. Rodney Stuckey, Arron Afflalo, Jarvis Hayes, Jason Maxiell and Theo Ratliff have been solid off the bench and will be ready to make an impact when called upon.

Philly's youth and inexperience will doom them against the veteran Pistons.

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