NBA Playoff Preview - Detroit vs. Orlando

By Shawn Clarke, NBA analyst

Detroit Pistons: 1st Seed, East (53-29)

Orlando Magic: 8th Seed, East (40-42)

The Detroit Pistons are the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs for a second straight year, and hope this time the elite ranking in the conference pays huge dividends.

The Pistons won their fifth Central Division title in the past six seasons, and will take on the Orlando Magic in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The best-of-seven series will begin Saturday at The Palace of Auburn Hills where the Pistons compiled a 26-15 record this season.

Orlando went 15-26 as the visitor during the regular season.

Detroit, which has reached the postseason for a sixth straight year, bowed out in six games against the eventual NBA champion Miami Heat in last year's Eastern Conference Finals. The Pistons are the No. 1 seed for the third time in four years and will have home-court advantage throughout the East playoffs.

Flip Saunders' squad has registered a team-record six straight 50-win seasons and are the hands-down favorite to reach the NBA Finals out of the East. Much like Larry Brown's championship run during the 2003-04 season, Saunders has his club ready to pounce on the opposition.

Led by one of the most talented starting fives in the NBA, the Pistons improved their frontcourt with the addition of veteran forward Chris Webber, who joined the team in late January after Philadelphia bought out his contract. It was a tale of two stories for Webber, as he complained in his final days as a Sixer before turning to smiles after Detroit signed him.

Webber has certainly made the Pistons a better team with his arrival and now gets a chance for an NBA championship. Along with C-Webb, Detroit also has the killer backcourt duo of Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups. Forwards Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince also make life miserable for opposing defenses.

History is not on Orlando's side in this matchup as the Magic lost all four meetings with Detroit this season. The Magic are in the playoffs for the first time since the 2002-03 season, and captured the eighth seed in the East.

Head coach Brian Hill has the Magic back in the playoffs where they were eliminated in seven games against the Pistons in 2003. Hill already took this franchise to the NBA Finals once (1995) and will try to do it again with a fairly young squad.

Led by All-Star center Dwight Howard and point guard Jameer Nelson, the Magic are entering the postseason having won four straight and six of seven games. The odds are certainly against the two players in this matchup against proven winners and playoff veterans.

But anything can happen.

Remember when eighth-seeded Denver upset top-ranked Seattle during the first round of the 1994 playoffs?

STARTING FRONTCOURT: Wallace is the leader of the Detroit frontcourt with his intimidating demeanor and natural basketball skills. The 6-11, 230- pound Wallace has the stroke of a point guard from all areas of the hardwood and can bang inside with the big men on any given night. But if opposing players get under his skin, Wallace's temper has a tendency to blow through the roof. In 75 games this season, the former North Carolina star averaged 12.4 points and a team-high 7.2 rebounds a game. Wallace is one of three Pistons (Dale Davis and Lindsey Hunter) with 100-plus career playoff games under his belt. Prince is another forward who has the natural ability to knock down long-range jumpers as well as driving to the basket. The southpaw Prince came on the scene during the 2003-04 season with his tremendous defensive skills and has yet to regress. Prince averaged a playoff career-high 16.4 points last postseason. Since Webber joined the team Detroit is 30-13 overall and 30-12 with him in the starting lineup. Webber's career is winding down and now is his best chance ever to win an NBA title. Standing in the way of those dreams are Orlando's frontcourt of Howard, Hedo Turkoglu and Tony Battie. Howard is a force in the middle and Detroit will have a hard time containing the big kid. Howard led the Magic in scoring (17.6 ppg) and rebounding (12.3) this season and earned a trip to Las Vegas for the All-Star Game. He will bang around with Wallace and Webber, mostly, while Turkoglu creates mismatches inside with his ability to score and pass. Turkoglu has a lot of playoff experience (44 games) and the postseason is always a new start regardless of what seed.

EDGE: PISTONS

STARTING BACKCOURT: Detroit has arguably the best backcourt in the entire league. With guards Hamilton and Billups running the floor, it's no wonder Saunders has such an easy time racking up wins. Hamilton led the team in scoring with 19.8 ppg, while Billups is the drill sergeant on the court. Billups was second in scoring with 17.0 ppg and led the Pistons with 7.2 assists per contest. He owns a 17.8 ppg average in 80 playoff games with the Pistons. Both players, including Webber, sat out the season finale against Boston to rest. Hamilton and Billups will be no match for Orlando's backcourt tandem of Nelson and Grant Hill. Nelson is gradually turning into the premier point guard Orlando dreamed of when it dealt for him on draft day a few years ago. Nelson was fourth in scoring this season with 13.0 ppg and led the squad with 4.3 assists per game. Nelson is a natural point guard, but Billups is on another level when it comes to directing an NBA offense. Billups averaged 26 points per game in the four wins over Nelson and the Magic this season. It's also a surprise Hill is healthy enough to play around this time of year. Hill is usually rehabilitating some sort of injury, but has proved all doubters wrong and is back in the playoffs. Hill is a more polished player than Rip, but Hamilton is younger and more dangerous around the perimeter. Nelson will have to play at the fierce defensive level of his college days at Saint Joseph's in order to disrupt Detroit's plan of attack.

EDGE: PISTONS

BENCH: It seems the Pistons have all the advantages in this matchup, and rightfully so for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Behind the glitz and glamour of the starting five, Saunders has his bench players to rely on. Veteran guards Lindsey Hunter and Flip Murray could possibly start anywhere else, but earn their paychecks off the pine. Either one can step in and lead the offense. Saunders also has center/forward Antonio McDyess, guard Carlos Delfino and forwards Amir Johnson and Jason Maxiell at his disposal. Orlando has a lighter, faster bench with guards Keyon Dooling, J.J. Redick and Carlos Arroyo and forwards Trevor Ariza and Darko Milicic. Once again the Pistons are the favorite in this category just because of the veteran leadership and experience alone.

EDGE: PISTONS

PREDICTION: From 1995-2005 Saunders tried hard to get the Minnesota Timberwolves on a championship level and failed. Yes, he guided the T'wolves to eight straight playoff appearances but never had a chance to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy at season's end. But now Saunders has an excellent opportunity to achieve that goal with the East's top seed and a talent-laden roster desperate to get this series started. Hill will have to rely on Howard and Nelson to carry the load. That is a lot to ask for when the Detroit roster displays the likes of Webber, Hamilton, Billups and Wallace. This series has a David vs. Goliath feel to it, but the Magic can throw all the stones they want but it won't have any effect.

PISTONS IN FOUR

2007 NBA Playoffs