BillLaimbeer's Look at this series:

The Milwaukee Bucks will be the Pistons 1st round opponent this year. At 40-42, the Bucks will be the only team in the 2006 NBA playoffs with a losing record.

The Bucks started out the season pretty strong (17-11), but have had losing records in each of the last four months:

November 7-6
December 9-5
January 7-10
February 6-7
March 7-8
April 4-6

Milwaukee depends on Michael Redd (25.4 ppg) for over a quarter of their offense. On any given night, Redd can go off for 40+ points. In the 3 games Redd scored 40+ this year, however, the Bucks are 1-2. The shooting guard is the only position that Milwaukee holds the advantage over the Pistons (Rip Hamilton).

The Bucks have some youth at most key positions and that should prove to be the difference in this series. Point guard T.J. Ford is playing in his first full season. Ford averages 12.2 ppg and 6.6 assists per game (14th in the NBA). Edge: Detroit (Chauncey Billups)

At the small forward, Bobby Simmons is really in his 2nd full season as a starter. His numbers and experience are somewhat similar to Tayshuan Prince, but I'll give a slight edge to Detroit with Tay's all-around game.

The Pistons also have an advantage inside with the Wallace's matching up against rookie Andrew Bogut (good rebounding and FG% numbers) and Jamaal Magloire (3rd season as a starter in the NBA, 9.5 rebounds per game).

The bench production differs a little bit, as far as scoring goes. The Bucks have 8 guys scoring 8+ ppg. The Pistons have 7 guys scoring 7+ ppg. Detroit most likely will use an 8-man rotation with McDyess, Delk, and Hunter coming off the bench.
Defense: The Pistons rank 3rd in the NBA for points allowed (90.1). The Bucks rank 20th, giving up 99.8 ppg.

The Bucks have beaten just about every team in the NBA, including Detroit, Miami, New Jersey, San Antonio, Dallas and Phoenix. With a 40-42 record, the Bucks have lost to just about every team in the NBA, as well.

Season series:
Nov 26: Det 85, @Mil 76
Jan 25: @Det 106, Mil 102 (OT)
Mar 31: @Det 112, Mil 105
Apr 17: @Mil 113, Det 93

Detroit won the season series 3-1, although the Bucks win came in a game when Detroit was resting its starters (Sheed and Rip didn't even dress). The 3 Piston wins were all close games.

For a #1 vs. #8 matchup, these games will be more competitive than most people predict. My guess is the Pistons win the series 4-1. The difference will be Detroit's experience.

Ok we go that lopsided loss out of the way, time to focus and end this series. I would not let Redd beat me if I were Flip. Bell, Simmons, Kukoc, and TJ would have to beat me, not Redd.

The Pistons hardly ever double anyone, I think Redd has gotten our attention and at least deserves to have someone run at him from time to time to make him give the ball up.

Delk and Delfino should split Rip`s PT if he is unable to go. What if Delfino is the guy that could perhaps, slow Redd down? We will probably never know.

Extending this series past 5 games will make this playoff run more difficult than it has to be.

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"I`m shocked" The Low, on the Pistons game 2 win in the ECF at Boston.

right before the game I'm going to flip coin as to what pistons team will show up. This is what they do. They can either play the most potent brand of team basketball or they can look like a CBA squad.

I think it hinges on whether Rip can really run and cut or not. He sure hasn't been the same player as he was in game 1. And if he can't, he hinges on whether Flip will make a move and try someone else out on Redd.

Time for a return to fundamentals. Pistons 82-74.

I want to see an absolute beat down. I'm passing up the Red Wings in an elimination game to see this, it better be entertaining for Pistons fans and absolutely embarassing for the Bucks.

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To all of my friends, comrades and companions at PF.com

Thank you for another great season!

Well... many people were complaining of boredom two games into the series and now people are upset that the Pistons were blown out. Ironically, the series is still relatively boring. The Bucks could make things interesting with a vicory tonight. Do we really want that? Hell, NO!

The first round sucks for great teams. They are expected to blow out an inferior opponent. Problem is...that makes for a dull series. If the series is close (see San Antonio vs. Sacramento) the fans don't label it interesting. Instead, they stress that the series will take too much out of their team or that they will not advance to the next round.

I see the Pistons playing hard tonight and winning a see-saw battle by 5 points. The Bucks will give it an all out effort but fall short. Game 5 is a blowout for Detroit.

I just want the first round to end as quickly as possible. Bring on the second round opponent. (If it's the Wiz, we will have our hands full and I think it will be a very exciting matchup).

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"Quite simply captain, I examined the problem from all angles, and it was plainly hopeless. Logic informed me that under the circumstances, the only logical action would have to be one of desperation. Logical decision, logically arrived at." -- Spock

I'm going to go to this game tonight just because we lost in game 3. So we better win--or else

Give'em hell Dave! We'll expect a recap from the arena tomorrow! If you take any pics, you can email them to me to put up, or I'll show you how to use www.imageshack.us

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To all of my friends, comrades and companions at PF.com

Thank you for another great season!

let's not do what san antonio just did and have this bucks team get confidence. give it to sheed because the bucks have no answer for him.

well i was out of town at CMU over the weekend watching the game, so i took the night off too, just like the pistons.

however, i'll be back tonight, AND in chat, so we should be okay!! lol