chicago last year 6 games
cleveland 7 games year before
indiana 6 games year before that
new jersey 7 games (year we won the title down 3-2)
phili 6 games (first year to the ECF)

so by winning the series you'd be right... by getting thru them in a timely fashion to be fresh for the ECF's i would say its a mixed answer.

I meant getting through them in a timely fashion...so that means my memory totally failed me.
For some reason I thought we crushed Chicago. Plus I totally forgot about Cleveland. Thanks for the info.

Put it in that category of useful stats.

I'm predicting a by the numbers series win in 6 games. The usual collapses...the usual hair pulling...and the usual wins. I thought philly was our worst opponent. The magic are ascending but they're not quite there yet.

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Wow, didn't realize this game would come so quickly. I expected it would be at least Sunday before they started up again. Good thing the starters got some rest in the 4th quarter against Philly tonight.

I would have predicted a longer series but I thing the switch is stuck in the "ON" position. Look for the Pistons to win in 5 games. They appear to be on a mission to make sure Flip coaches again next season. Getting to the ECF after a five game series can't hurt his chances.

I am not sure if it was a switch as much as it was just being out of practice. Billups summed it up in his post-game comments in that the starters were playing less than 20 mins for most of April. Same thing happened to Boston when they were resting. Both teams just rested too much.

Right now though. The Pistons are playing about the best that I have seen them play all year. Good news comming into this series. May have to get Amir involved though, Ratliff just looks old.

Ratliff may be an option against Dwight. Though I do think AJ should get a look against guys like Rashard Lewis @ PF. I worry about Dice/Sheed being able to recover quickly enough when Shard is shooting J's, and stay in front of him when he's driving to the rim.

I think you start Tayshaun on Lewis and put Rasheed or Maxiell (depending on who else is on the floor with them) on Hedo.

Hedo doesn't much like the length of taller players and he isn't a fan of getting banged up either.

The thing I like about our new starting lineup is the forwards should be able to switch with each other on everything. Seeing as how Howard will probably command a quick double show depending on the situation this could at many times apply to the entire front line. Esp if Amir gets PT.

Personally I like this series from a defensive standpoint (everywhere but the 5) much much more than I liked Philadelphia.

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"You know how I be, last year Joe D couldn't do without me" - LB4LB

That seems to be the way Detroit has handled DH in the past.

He's still young, and he seems to feed on confidence as much as anything else.

The Pistons make a concerted effort to prevent Howard from watching his shots go through the basket. They will go out of the way to goaltend shots after the whistle, and they definitely try to foul him rather than give up easy confidence building layups and dunks.

Howard doesn't take well to it at all, and it doesn't really help his confidence any when he gets to the line.

One thing to watch with Dwight is how he handles his first few FT attempts. Whether they go in or not is usually a good barometer of how he shoots them (and how much he is frustrated by the Pistons tactics) the rest of the game.

Confidence.

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"You know how I be, last year Joe D couldn't do without me" - LB4LB