Get Back to Where You Once Belonged: Detroit Pistons vs. Philly 76ers Playoff Preview

- The Season's Over -

Get Back to Where You Once Belonged: Detroit Pistons vs. Philly 76ers Playoff Preview

April 19, 2008

Philadelphia-area natives Rasheed Wallace and Rip Hamilton hope to oust their old hometown team

Rasheed Wallace, Rip Hamilton Photo Credit: Icon SMI

Detroit Pistons: 59-23, 2nd seed
Philadelphia 76ers: 40-42, 7th seed
Head-to-Head: Season series tied at 2-2

Prelude

Seven straight 50+ win seasons. Five consecutive Eastern Conference Finals. Two NBA Finals. One NBA championship. And, still, it’s not enough for these Detroit Pistons.

For all the success the Pistons franchise has experienced for the better part of the last decade, there’s still an empty pit in the stomach of its management, its players, and its fans. Two trips to the finals were nice, but there probably should have been two more. NBA titles are hard to come by, and that thumping of the Los Angeles Lakers back in 2004 was oh so very sweet, but the loss in a grueling seven-game series to the San Antonio Spurs the following year cut deeply. And then of course there was the disappointing ECF losses to the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers, two teams they were probably better than but whom outplayed, out-strategized, and ultimately outdid the favored Pistons in six games each.

When you know you could have played better, could have lasted longer, could have a few more rings on your fingers, the bad taste left in your mouth is hard to rinse out.

But here they are again, Central Division champs and the East’s 2nd-seeded team with a 59-23 record. Here they are with another chance to get it done as quickly and painlessly as possible in the early rounds of the postseason. And here they are, once again, determined to cement their legacy as one of the best teams in NBA history. The core group—you know who they are by now—has no interest in another silver medal. They know the inexplicable skepticism that has dogged their NBA dominance will linger on unless they win it all. They know they have the talent, depth, and experience to get there: now they have to actually do it.

The upstart Philadelphia 76ers, though very respectful of their opponent, could care less about the Pistons quest to fully realize their legacy. Pegged as a lottery-bound team deeply entrenched in the post-Allen Iverson rebuilding process, head coach Maurice Cheeks guided his team to one of the best records in the Eastern Conference since the All-Star break and a final regular season tally of 40 wins and 42 losses. They’re gutty, they’re extremely athletic, and once they grab that long rebound or force a turnover they’re adopting with a pack mentality and running wild on a fast break back the other way.

Led by rising star Andre Iguodala, underrated veteran PG Andre Miller, and one of the better shot-blocking and rebounding bigs in the East, Mr. Samuel Dalembert, the Sixers have improved faster than anyone anticipated. For what they have in promise and raw talent, however, they lack in experience compared to Detroit: Pistons’ starting SF Tayshaun Prince, alone, has played in more playoff games than the Sixers’ entire roster combined. Rebounding specialist Reggie Evans is the only Sixer of note who has won a playoff series.

David vs. Goliath? Not quite, but it’s pretty damn close.

ETB breaks down the Pistons-76ers series and rolls out our predictions after the jump…

Backcourt

Andre Iguodala The marquee names in this matchup are clearly (and rightfully) the Pistons’ Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton, who together arguably comprise the NBA’s best all-around starting backcourt. Both have made three consecutive trips to the All-Star Game, both have a history of coming up big in the postseason, and both seem fresher at this time of the year than they have in quite some time. After underwhelming performances in last year’s ECF against the Cleveland Cavaliers, you can bet that Billups and Hamilton will be intent on re-establishing themselves as clutch playoff performers this series and beyond.

They’re complimented by rookies Rodney Stuckey (14 points, 4.2 assists/per in April) and Arron Afflalo (already an excellent defender), as well as veterans Juan Dixon and Lindsey Hunter. More on Stuckey and Afflalo under “Wild Card,” below.

Andre Iguodala Photo Credit: Icon SMI

The Sixers have their own set of All-Star caliber guards in PG Andre Miller and SG/SF Andre Iguodala (Iggie will start the game at SF, but play some off-guard as well). After arriving in Philly via the A.I. trade last year, Miller has fit in well and given the team an unselfish, pass-first floor general to lead this decidedly non-veteran crew. On the season he averaged 17 points (a career best), 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 49% FG. He doesn’t get the recognition he deserves, and Billups agrees: “As I’ve said a number of times, he’s the most under-rated point guard in the league,” he said. “He doesn’t get (enough) credit for what he does.”

If you’re not familiar with Andre Iguodala, make sure you pay attention to him this series: he’s one of the most explosive young talents in the NBA and is adjusting well to his new role as face of the 76ers franchise. My ETB compadre Andrew Thell wrote about Iggie in his excellent look at the team in early March:

Iggie had a magnificent season last year as one of only three players to average at least 18 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. The other two are known by their first names: LeBron and Kobe. Even more impressive, Iggy has averages just over 2 steals per game over the last two seasons. His 2.1 steals per tie him with Shawn Marion and Allen Iverson for fourth in the NBA this season. And unlike a lot of players who rack up steals, Iguodala doesn’t just vulture and overplay passing lanes. He’s a tremendous man defender and help defender, a rarity in the NBA.

Starting SG Willie Green offers offense and offense alone, but does have a history of lighting up the Pistons in recent seasons. Backup PG Louis Williams has the talent to start on most teams now, and will eventually assume that role in Philly if he sticks around long enough.

Frontcourt

He averaged just 10.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 42% FG over the three regular-season games he faced the Sixers, but Rasheed “Roscoe” Wallace is going to be a handful for Philly to deal with. If they match Dalembert up with him, ‘Sheed will likely set up on the perimeter more often than not and pull the Sixers’ best shot-blocker out of the paint; that would open up the lane for Billups, Hamilton, Prince, etc. If they throw 6-8 Reggie Evans at him, ‘Sheed will instead camp out on the blocks and shoot over the much smaller Evans all day. There’s really no one on Mo Cheeks’ bench, either, who he could realistically expect to check Wallace. Figuring out what to do about The Sheed Problem is a conundrum that will have to be solved if the Sixers hope to keep pace with the Pistons.

Detroit has a lot of big bodies coach Flip Saunders would feel comfortable utilizing depending on the situation: if he wants to go with a long, solid post defender on the blocks who can block shots, veteran Theo Ratliff can spell Wallace. If he needs energy, rebounding, and someone to get the crowd going with a thunder dunk, he can call on Jason Maxiell or Amir Johnson to sub for Antonio McDyess. Philly isn’t quite as deep: rookie Jason Smith has a nice stroke on his midrange spot-up jumper, but is still somewhat of a defensive liability. Thaddeus Young is a burner with plenty of hops, but at just 19-years-old and in his first postseason, asking too much of him wouldn’t be wise. And don’t tell me Mo Cheeks relishes the idea of trotting 6-11 Calvin Booth out there for more than a minute here or there.

In short, if Dalembert, Evans, and/or Iguodala dig themselves into a foul-trouble hole early, the Sixers will be in for a world of hurt down low. They’re already up against it as it is.

Wild Card

While the Pistons are still largely defined by the play of their veteran core, a youth movement is slowly manifesting itself in the roster. Four of their five key contributors off the bench—Jason Maxiell, Amir Johnson, and rookies Rodney Stuckey and Arron Afflalo—are all 25-years-old or less, and all have improved and gained a ton of confidence in not only themselves individually, but as a group on the floor as the season wore on. When the Sixers bring out quick, energetic youngsters like Lou Williams, Thaddeus Young, and Rodney Carney, the Pistons have the personnel to match it. They’ll be huge not only against Philly, but throughout these playoffs.