Pistons Return to Semifinals
Detroit Bench Must Step Up
The Detroit Pistons reached the Eastern Conference finals by defeated the Chicago Bulls last night 95-85. The victory marks their fifth straight conference finals appearence. They now await the winner of the Cleveland Cavaliers versus New Jersey Nets series where the Cavs hold a 3-2 series lead.
After jumping to a 3-0 lead, the Pistons let two slip away to the young Bulls. Luol Deng scored 46 points and grabbed 26 rebounds in those two games. However, the Pistons bounced back to win game six. After averaging 25.5 points per game in the Miami Heat series, Ben Gordon scored just 17.0 points per game against the Bulls. This was the first year since 1998 that the Bulls made it to the second round.
Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups has led the team in scoring (20.5), assists (7.0) and steals (1.4) during the playoffs and hit 14 of 14 free throws in game six.
It's a tough call determining which team Detroit would better match up against in the semifinals. They had trouble with the Cavs last season as LeBron James broke down their defense time and time again. Yet, the Nets' trio of stars - Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson - could also be a handful for the Pistons. If Detroit is motivated and plays as good as they are, they should be able to make their way to the NBA championships. Chris Webber has been a good fit for them in the middle and has surprised by being able to fill the role without needing touches to be effective. Their defensive web of Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Chauncey Billups and Richard "Rip" Hamilton is tough to go up against. The Pistons are poised to make a run at their second title.
If the Pistons want to be successful, their bench will have to step things up. That call goes beyond just Antonio McDyess. Jason Maxiell had a solid game in game six against the Bulls with 12 points, 6 rebounds, but hadn't done much else during the playoffs. If they face the Cavs, Zydrunas Ilgauskas' size might be a handful for them, as they really don't have many true centers. They will try to rely on their lengthy forwards and veteran grit to prevail. Rasheed Wallace and Prince's lankiness and ability to guard near the basket as well as on the perimeter will cause problems for whomever they face.
The Chicago Bulls will likely pursue a power forward who can score on the block. They were rumored to be going after Memphis Grizzlies' forward Pau Gasol earlier in the season, but declined after the Grizzlies asked for too much in Luol Deng and Ben Gordon. Chicago has a lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft via a trade that sent center Eddy Curry to the New York Knicks.
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