Dead. Sixers worked by Pistons

(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

I posted earlier that it was do or die for the Sixers tonight, and they got killed. The Pistons won Game Six tonight in dominating fashion, 100-77, and ended the Sixers' season. Detroit wins the series 4-2, and the Sixers now go into the off-season looking for more parts to help them build for a championship down the road.

The Pistons commanded the game from the outset, building an 18 point lead after the first quarter and they simply coasted from there. They made nearly everything they shot on the night, finishing with a 67% shooting percentage, and forced the Sixers into taking bad shots themselves. Philly finished the night shooting an abysmal 33% and looked completely lost as to how to do anything against the Pistons offensively or defensively.

This was an awful way for an otherwise impressive Sixers season to end. They were completely over-matched and out-worked by the Pistons, and the game ended up being an embarrassing scrub-fest in the fourth quarter as both teams emptied their benches and gave everyone some run. The Philly crowd didn't have much to cheer about and left the Wachovia Center feeling ripped off by the terrible game they had to watch.

The Pistons move on to play the Orlando Magic while the Sixers hit the golf course. The series turned out to be a learning experience for the Sixers. They learned that they aren't good enough to play with the NBA's elite, but they can surprise teams that aren't going to play their best basketball. The Pistons stepped up their game in the final three games of the series, and the Sixers simply didn't have the firepower to match what Detroit was doing.

Next year, the Sixers will look to make a repeat trip to the Eastern Conference playoffs. Their main goal should be to finish the season over .500 and then try to get a top five seed in the East. Once they get into the playoffs again, they can use the experience they had this year to help them as they try to play their way into the second round.

All of that can happen if the Sixers add a post presence to the team in the off-season, a piece that will help them be a complete team with a bright future. Unfortunately, at the present, they went down in an ugly fashion, but we all have to remember to look at the big picture with this team that really had no business even making it to the playoffs this year. Fortunately, with the right moves by GM Ed Stefanski this offseason, the Sixers will be a force to be reckoned with down the road.

Do or die tonight for the Sixers

(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

The Sixers season could come to an end tonight. With the team down 3-2 to the Detroit Pistons and Game 6 coming tonight in Philadelphia, the Sixers will need to play their best game of the season if they want to stave off elimination. They have surprised even the biggest Sixer fan out there with how they have forced the Pistons to play at their highest level to get past them, but if the last two games have been any indication, the Sixers might simply not be able to keep up with the Pistons when they are at their best.

Since halftime of Game 5, when the Sixers held a 10 point lead, the Pistons seem to have risen their game to another level that the Sixers have had no answer for. The Pistons have made fewer turnovers which hasn't allowed the Sixers to get out and run. Detroit's defense has also locked things down even when the Sixers got out in transition. They have also exposed the fact that the Sixers are simply one scorer short of being a contending team. Andre Iguodala can't do everything himself, no matter how hard he tries and how many bad shots he forces up.

Even if their season ends tonight, the Sixers should still look at this season as a success. They fought hard to get into the playoffs and their young guys have gotten a taste of playoff basketball against an elite opponent. Now it will be up to Ed Stefanski to make the big move he has promised us since he unloaded Kyle Korver. It will be up to him to fill in the missing pieces that will make this a complete team. It will also be up to Stefanski to try to convince Andre Miller to stick around for a while.

But, we can look to the offseason later. Let's enjoy tonight's game in Philly because it might be the last time we get to watch this exciting, young Sixers team in a while.

Sixers face elimination after Pistons cruise to 3-2 series lead

The Sixers may look back to Game Four and ask what could have been. The Sixers held a 10 point halftime lead over the Pistons only to watch Detroit come back and dominate them in the second half to pull out the win. Game Five was more of the same as the Pistons controlled the play, winning 98-81, and showed why they are the championship contender and the Sixers are merely first round fodder.

The Pistons got out to a big early lead and never looked back, leading the game by double digits for most of the way. The Sixers couldn't slow down their four pronged attack of Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton. Wallace, who actually looked focused on playing basketball, finished with 19 points. Prince, who continues to cause match-up problems for the Sixers, netted 17 points. Billups and Hamilton did an excellent job of limiting turnovers while creating plays for their teammates. Billups finished with 21 points and 12 assists while Hamilton notched 20 points.

The Sixers once again struggled to score against the Pistons' pressure defense. Only three players managed to score at least 10 points. On paper, Andre Iguodala played his best game of the series, shooting 8 of 13 from the field for 21 points and adding 6 assists and 5 rebounds. Look closer at how he played and you notice how many times he turned the ball over and how frustrated he was trying to make things happen all on his own. For the second game in a row, Andre Miller also came up small. He is the catalyst for this team and when he isn't playing at a high level, everyone struggles. If the Sixers are going to have any chance of coming back in this series, it will be on Miller to make it happen.

The series returns to Philadelphia on Thursday. The Sixers probably blew their best chance to win this series when they faded at the end of Game Four, but they are by no means done. The Pistons have them up against the ropes, but Detroit is not the kind of team who will go in for the kill. They have a tendency to lose focus and let a team hang around, so the Sixers are not finished yet. The Sixers have to find a way to steal Game Six and force the series back to Detroit for a Game Seven where anything can happen. They just have to hope that Rasheed Wallace and the rest of the group get distracted looking past the Sixers and at their second round opponent, the Orlando Magic, who finished off the Toronto Raptors last night.

No matter what happens in Game Six, the Sixers should be proud for how far them have come this season. Pushing a team like Detroit to play their best basketball in order to win is an accomplishment for this up and coming team. Let's just hope they find a way to prolong this season a little longer.

Sixers blow chance to take over series

(AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)

It was a tale of two halves. In the first half, the run and gun Sixers forced numerous Detroit turnovers en route to taking a ten point lead at halftime. In the second half, the Pistons defense took over and forced Philadelphia to take bad shots and dominated the Sixers to win the game 93-84 and tie the series at 2 games apiece.

The first half of the game looked just like the Sixers' Game Three blowout as Philly built a 14 point lead with a number of steals and fast break dunks. The Pistons looked lethargic on offense and didn't seem at all interested in playing defense. They flipped the switch at halftime and clamped down on defense, only allowing the Sixers to score 16 3rd quarter points. The Pistons beat the Sixers at their own game, forcing turnovers and finishing easy transition baskets at the other end.

The Sixers featured a balanced scoring attack with 6 players finishing in double figures. Thaddeus Young led the way with 15 points and Samuel Dalembert added 12 rebounds to go with his 12 points. Andre Iguodala played well in the first half but struggled down the stretch, finishing with 12 points on a 4 of 16 shooting night.

Philly had no answer for Tayshaun Prince, who shot 11 of 12 from the field to give him 23 points on the night. Prince couldn't be slowed down no matter who guarded him. Rasheed Wallace also played his best game of the series and finished with 20 points and 10 boards.

The Sixers missed a golden opportunity to take control of this series. They dominated in the first half and looked like they would easily build a 3-1 series lead but the Pistons had other ideas and completely shut them down when it mattered. Andre Iguodala, except for a massive dunk early in the first quarter of today's game, has looked completely flustered on the offensive end. He repeatedly settles for turnaround jumpers instead of trying to slash into the lane. He is the Sixers top scoring threat, so he feels the need to force things that just aren't there. It really highlights the Sixers need for another complementary scorer.

Game Five is back in Detroit. The Sixers will need to play the way they did in the first half of tonight's game if they want to stay in this series.

The big highlight of the night for the Sixers, Andre Iguodala's huge dunk over Rasheed Wallace. Notice Jimmy Rollins' reaction in the clip:

That's more like it: Sixers dominate Pistons to take series lead

(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Detroit Pistons are an elite team that won 59 games in the regular season and many experts considered them a strong candidate to make the NBA Finals. The Sixers finished the season below .500 and were considered lucky to even be participating in postseason play.

None of those things mattered tonight, as the two teams seemed to switch roles: the Sixers completely dominated the Pistons, who looked listless and lifeless as they struggled to keep up. The Pistons have an incredible amount of playoff experience, and the young Sixers are just getting their feet wet, yet it was the Sixers who showed playoff moxie and the ability to play sound defense and hit clutch shots in their 95-75 beatdown of the Pistons. The win gives the Sixers a surprising 2-1 series lead.

The Pistons seemed to have a good dame plan: shut down Andre Iguodala and make the Sixer supporting cast beat them. Perhaps they underestimated just how good the supporting cast is. While Iguodala was hounded all night and managed just 10 points on 2 of 9 shooting, six other Sixers managed to score at least 8 points, including Samuel Dalembert's team high 22. The Sixers put forth a total team effort: Andre Miller had 21 points and 6 assists, Thaddeus Young notched 10 points and energy-man Reggie Evans had 9 points and 5 rebounds. Dalembert also added 16 rebounds and 2 blocks on the night.

Detroit never really got going and only had three players finish in double figures. Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince, who finished with 23 and 18 points respectively, were the only two players who seemed to be focused on the game. Rasheed Wallace was once again more interested in arguing with the refs and mixing it up with Reggie Evans and he finished with a pitiful 2 points on 1 of 6 shooting.

There will probably be some argument as to whether the Sixers won this game by playing tenacious defense and out-hustling the Pistons or whether the Pistons simply didn't feel like playing. Detroit, known for their mental lapses, basically took the night off. They focused a lot of their energy on shadowing and frustrating Andre Iguodala but they neglected to actually play defense on anybody else. On the other end, the Sixers defense definitely played a part in keeping the Pistons under 80 points, but there was definitely a lack of effort on Detroit's part.

Even the most jaded Sixer fan has to believe now. The Sixers proved that game one was no fluke as they played their best game of the series tonight. They came right out of the gate with lots of energy, feeding off the home crowd and hustling for every loose ball and grabbing every rebound. They fastbreaked the Pistons into oblivion, scoring 29 fast break points created from forcing the Pistons into 23 turnovers, Detroit's season high. If the Sixers come out with the same intensity next game, regardless of whether the Pistons decide to show up, we could be looking at one of the biggest playoff upsets ever.

This scrappy Sixers team has quickly found a place in the Philadelphia sports fan's heart. They are the ultimate underdog that is taking it to the mighty behemoth. They are making basketball fun again in Philly, something that it hasn't been for several years. Let's see if the thrill ride continues Sunday in Game Four.

Video highlights courtesy of Comcast SportsNet:

No upset this time: Pistons dominate Sixers in Game Two

Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by D. Lippitt/Einstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Looks like the real Pistons decided to show up for Game Two. After squandering a 15 point lead in Game One of the series, the Pistons got out to a big lead in Game Two and never allowed the Sixers to make a run, blowing them out 105-88. As I feared after the Sixers improbable win in Game One, the loss seemed to wake up the Pistons and force them to take the Sixers seriously.

Detroit featured a balanced attack with five players finishing at least 12 points. Rip Hamilton led them in scoring with 20 points, and also added 7 assists and 7 boards. Rasheed Wallace had another good game tonight, tallying 16 points, 7 boards and 3 blocked shots.

The Sixers had very few bright spots in the blowout. Louis Williams led the team in scoring with 17 points despite shooting 4 of 12 from the field. Reggie Evans built on his energetic performance in Game One, grabbing 11 rebounds and notching 13 points. Andre Iguodala didn't even show up tonight, shooting 1 for 9 from the field and looked frustrated all game with how poor he was playing.

While this was an ugly loss for the Sixers, they still leave Detroit with the series tied 1-1. By stealing a game on the road, they did all that can be asked of them, stealing home court from the Pistons. They need to basically forget about tonight's game and focus on going home and protecting their court. The crowd will give them all the energy they need to get them pumped up, so it's up to them to come out and play their game.

The real Pistons showed up tonight and showed the Sixers exactly why this team has made deep runs into the playoffs several times over the last few years. It's now up to the Sixers to respond and show the Piston's that this is still going to be a series and that they won't be shut down again. If they can't muster a better effort in Game Three, they will give the Pistons all the confidence they need to wipe the Sixers right out of the playoffs.

Sixers come from behind to shock Pistons

The never-say-die Sixers, who have routinely made double digit comebacks this season, pulled off the biggest upset so far of the NBA Playoffs, knocking off the Detroit Pistons 90-86 despite trailing by 15 points as late as the halfway point of the third quarter.

Most experts didn't give the Sixers a chance in this series, and through the first two and a half quarters of the game, everything went according to plan for Detroit. The Sixers never gave up, and went on a 10-0 run in the third quarter to claw their way back in the game. The Sixers continued to fight back until Reggie Evans hit two free throws with 5 minutes left in the game that gave them a lead that they never relinquished. The Pistons had their chances to salvage a win, but Chauncey Billups, normally known as Mr. Clutch, struggled to make free throws down the stretch and the Sixers defense clamped down to make the necessary stops.

The Sixers, as they have been all season, were led by Andre Miller who scored 20 points and picked up 6 assists. Willie Green made several big baskets that sparked the Sixer comeback and finished with 17 points. Andre Iguodala shot poorly (4 of 15) but filled up his score sheet with a great all-around game, notching 16 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists. He also made two huge free throws with seven seconds left to secure the victory for Philly. Samuel Dalembert played good defense and tallied 4 blocked shots and 10 rebounds. Reggie Evans also grabbed 14 rebounds to go with his 11 points.

The Pistons looked like they were on auto-pilot for most of the game. They didn't have much intensity, and their lackluster play allowed the Sixers to surge back into the game. The Sixers should feel good about knocking them off, but this loss could just be a wake-up call for the Pistons to pick their game up. You can bet Rasheed Wallace will have them pumped up and they won't take the Sixers lightly from here on out.

The Sixers have already succeeded in getting the attention of the Pistons, and while I expect them to get drubbed by Detroit in Game Two, they still have a shot to pull off an upset in this series if they can take care of their home court. This series is far from over, but the Sixers have already proven to the NBA that you have to take them seriously. Teams that don't play their "A" game for 48 minutes will pay the price against this young, upstart Sixers team.

Click below for highlights of the exciting Sixers victory, plus interviews with Andre Miller, Tayshaun Prince and Rasheed Wallace, who blames himself for the loss. Courtesy of ESPN

Sixers vs. Pistons: Series Breakdown

After making my NBA playoff predictions yesterday, it's time to take a closer look at the Sixers series with the Pistons, which gets under way today. The Sixers have a tough road ahead if they want to get past Detroit, a veteran team who has been through the wars together and know what it takes to win in the playoffs. Philly will make the Pistons work for everything, never letting up until each game is over, but the Pistons are simply too good to be taken down by the Sixers. Here is my breakdown of the series, broken down by position. For an even closer look at the series, ESPN.com has some great insights on their Pistons/Sixers series page.

Backcourt: The Pistons back court, while it's getting old, is still one of the best in the league. Chauncy Billups and Richard Hamilton can score, play defense and be floor leaders. Billups runs the show for Detroit, and he always tries to get everyone going offensively. For the Sixers, Andre Miller is the catalyst to everything they do, from running the fast break to creating turnovers. Miller is the steadying presence on a team filled with youth. Unfortunately for Miller, he will be matching up with Billups, a guard who is too smart to be taken advantage of. Miller thrives when playing against less experienced point guards who don't play fundamentally sound. Willie Green is the Sixers starting shooting guard, and while he can take the ball to the hoop pretty consistently, he's no match for Rip Hamilton. Bill Simmons of ESPN calls Green the worst starter of any team in the NBA, and while that's a little extreme, Green will be exposed in this series. EDGE: PISTONS

Frontcourt: The Sixers are still deciding whether they will be starting Reggie Evans or Thaddeus Young at power forward, but whichever one they choose will be at a disadvantage against Rasheed Wallace. Evans has the size and energy to match-up with Evans, but having the smaller Young in the game would allow the Sixers to out-run the Pistons. It's an interesting dilemma for Mo Cheeks, but I bet he plays it safe and goes with Evans. The best frontcourt match-up is at small forward, where Tayshaun Prince will be paired with Andre Iguodala. Iguodala has proven that he can slow Prince down in the past, but the question will be if Prince can still keep up with Iguodala, whose game has greatly improved this season. Prince and Hamilton both figure to be matched up on Iguodala at different points as the Pistons try to slow down the Sixers leading scorer. At center, Samuel Dalembert is much improved this season, and I see no reason why he can't keep up with Antonio McDyess or Wallace when he's playing center. Dalembert's rebounding and defense starts many a fast break, so if he can build on his regular season performance, that would be big for Philly. EDGE: PISTONS

Bench: Assuming they start Reggie Evans, the Sixers get a ton of energy from their bench when Thaddeus Young, Louis Williams and Rodney Carney come into the game. All three provide a big spark and help the Sixers push the ball down the throat of the other team. The only other player that figures to be in the Sixer rotation will be Jason Smith, who can spot Dalembert or Evans for a few minutes.

The Pistons have a few contributors from their bench, starting with Jason Maxiell, but they aren't known for their depth. The Pistons might have the best starting five in the league, but their bench consists mostly of role players like former Sixer Theo Ratliff and ancient veteran Lindsey Hunter. Jarvis Hayes can also come in to shoot the three, but they really don't have anyone that can match all the energy the Sixer bench provides. EDGE: SIXERS

Prediction: There is a definite contrast in styles between these teams, with the Pistons playing a more methodical game and the Sixers looking to run the fast break every chance they get. Unfortunately for the Sixers, while the Pistons prefer to slow it down, they are versatile enough to run with Philly if they have to. Andre Iguodala can't guard both Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince, so one of them will have a mis-match against Willie Green, something the Pistons will exploit every chance they get. The Pistons are simply too experienced to let an upstart team knock them off in the first round, so while the Sixers have been a great feel-good story this season, it looks like its all about to end after the Pistons win in 6 games. Philly will steal one of the first two games, and then get a split at home to keep the series close, but the Pistons will close it out by winning games 5 and 6. Then the Sixers will go into the off-season happy that they got some playoff experience under their belt, and looking for that missing frontcourt piece that can take them over the top down the road.

Sixers vs. Pistons: Series Begins Sunday

The Sixers limped into the playoffs, finishing on a four game losing streak and a record below .500. That's not the kind of momentum they are going to need to knock off an elite NBA team like the Pistons. Here is the schedule of games for the first round series between the Pistons and Sixers:

Gm. 1: Sun., April 20: at Detroit, 6 pm

Gm. 2: Wed., April 23: at Detroit, 7:30 pm

Gm. 3: Fri., April 25: at Philadelphia, 7 pm

Gm. 4: Sun., April 27: at Philadelphia, 7 pm

Gm. 5: Tue., April 29: at Detroit, TBD

Gm. 6: Thu., May 1: at Philadelphia, TBD

Gm. 7: Sat., May 3: at Detroit, TBD

I will have more analysis on this series later, but a lot of things are going to have to go right for the Sixers for them to do some damage. My initial prediction is Pistons in 6. There is a contrast in styles here, with the Sixers liking to push the ball and the Pistons liking to slow it down, so it should make for an interesting series.