Pistons Stats:
NBA championships: 3
Last year in Finals: 2005
Playoffs since 1980: 18
Isiah Thomas
Grant Hill
| DETROIT PISTONS ROSTER (* PER = Player Efficiency Rating) | ||||||||
| POS | PLAYER | HT | YEAR | AGE | PTS | REB | AST | PER* |
| G | ISIAH THOMAS | 6-1 | 1985 | 23 | 21.2 | 4.5 | 13.9 | 22.2 |
| Comment: OK, so nobody's going to confuse him with Red Auerbach as an exec, but he was the consummate point guard | ||||||||
| G | DAVE BING | 6-3 | 1971 | 27 | 27.0 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 22.5 |
| Comment: A forgotten star from the NBA's past, Bing was 1st-team all-NBA in '71 and averaged 22+ six straight seasons | ||||||||
| G | JOE DUMARS | 6-3 | 1993 | 29 | 23.5 | 1.9 | 4.0 | 17.6 |
| Comment: The real MVP of Pistons' back-to-back title teams? Great defender and 2nd-team all-NBA in '93 | ||||||||
| G | CHAUNCEY BILLUPS | 6-3 | 2006 | 29 | 18.5 | 31. | 8.6 | 23.4 |
| Comment: Became All-Star after playing with four previous teams; great in the clutch, tough on D and shot 43 percent from 3-point range | ||||||||
| G/F | RICHARD HAMILTON | 6-7 | 2006 | 28 | 20.1 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 18.2 |
| Comment: Keeps getting better: shot career-high 49 percent in '06 and made first All-Star appearance | ||||||||
| F | GRANT HILL | 6-8 | 1997 | 24 | 21.4 | 9.0 | 7.3 | 25.5 |
| Comment: Before the injuries, we forget he was one of the best all-around players in the NBA, making 1st-team all-NBA in '97 | ||||||||
| F | DAVE DEBUSSCHERE | 6-6 | 1968 | 27 | 17.9 | 13.5 | 2.3 | 15.0 |
| Comment: Nickname was the "Big D" -- for his great defense; named 1st-team all-D six straight years | ||||||||
| F/C | BEN WALLACE | 6-9 | 2004 | 29 | 9.5 | 12.4 | 1.7 | 17.4 |
| Comment: So good on D and on the boards, he's twice made 2nd-team all-NBA despite low scoring average | ||||||||
| C | BOB LANIER | 6-11 | 1975 | 26 | 24.0 | 12.0 | 4.6 | 24.4 |
| Comment: Hobbled by knee injuries later in his career, the young Lanier was a force with consistently outstanding PER scores | ||||||||
| C | BILL LAIMBEER | 6-11 | 1987 | 29 | 15.4 | 11.6 | 1.8 | 17.4 |
| Comment: One of the most hated players ever -- except in Detroit, of course; four-time All-Star and one of the NBA's top rebounders in the '80s | ||||||||
SCOUTING REPORT: Against the Bulls, the Pistons face a team that is strong on the boards. Will Chuck Daly go small and try to outrun the Bulls, or go big to counteract Grant/Rodman/Gilmore on the inside? Look for Dumars and Billups to harass Jordan and force the ball into the hands of the forwards. Detroit has a big edge in 3-point shooters, but Chicago has bigger guards, especially if Pippen plays some point.