Detroit Pistons Playoff Preview

Detroit have given NBA Odds makers a headache in 2008 as it’s unclear as to exactly how good the Pistons are this season.

They aren’t dirty and nasty like the Piston Bad Boys of the early 1990s. Nor are they the defensive juggernaut that won two titles this decade.

What Detroit is in the 2008 NBA playoffs is either a team that could get hot and march to the NBA Finals, or a team that could get bounced in the first round and disappoint their backers on the NBA playoff odds.

If the latter happens, it will be at the hands of a Philadelphia team that mirrors them in many ways – no dominant center, reliable point guard, tenacious perimeter defending.

The Pistons won and covered their final four regular-season games and were 8-2 against the spread on basketball betting lines down the stretch. They also boasted a bankroll-padding 12-3 ATS mark down the stretch as chalk, rewarding Piston fans and square bettors who love to bet favorites on the NBA betting lines.

And they bring an experienced lineup, which boasts more playoff games on the roster than any other team except the San Antonio Spurs. Will that experience override the youthful enthusiasm a team like the 76ers can bring, who might not care about their four-game losing skid to end the season?

The Pistons had trouble with Philly on the year, losing the last two meetings.

Detroit managed a pair of series wins last year against the Magic and Bulls, but their experience betrayed them in the East final against LeBron James and the Cavaliers. And against the spread, the Pistons faltered badly late in the 2007 playoffs, going just 1-8 against the number in basketball betting.

Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince bring reliable ball handling and three-point range to the Pistons lineup. Point guard Chauncey Billups brings savvy floor leadership, lethal free-throw accuracy and more trey potential.

Even Rasheed Wallace can step back to drain the three ball, as well as playing with his back to the basket. That ability contrasts starkly with their first-round foes from Philly, which ranked last in the league in three-point attempts on the year.

But defense has been what keeps the Pistons pumped for two decades, and that didn’t change this season. And it didn’t matter whether they were at home where they ranked second overall in points allowed, or on the road where they ranked first.

This is a team that is built for playoff success, but their bench is not as deep as years past and their roster is not getting any younger. They are a first-round upset risk to consider when doing your basketball betting.