 The idea was simple for the Pistons, give the ball to Rip Hamilton and jump on the young Sixers quickly. The Pistons did just that as they raced to a 18 point lead after the first. Clearly a tone setter, the rest of the way proved to be too much for the 76ers to overcome as the Pistons aggressiveness overtook the Sixers at home. The backcourt of Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton combined for 44 points. Tayshaun Prince had 12 points and 7 rebounds.
The Sixers again lacked strong offensive punch as Andre Iguodala finished with 16 points. He averaged only 13.2 points and shot 33% from the field. Andre Miller had another bad shooting night going 4-16 from the field and only scoring 11 points. Miller also scored below his regular season scoring average and assist in this series. The Sixers needed their best two players to be what they were in the regular season. Unfortunately they both feel short and the Sixers will now go into an important offseason trying to figure out what pieces are needed to add to this developing roster. Andre Iguodala will be a restricted free agent so if another team offers Iguodala a contract, the Sixers will be able to match it. Obviously Andre Iguodala did not help his status by having a subpar playoff series. Another consistent offensive weapon is needed in order for the Sixers to be able to produce consistently night in and night out. The Sixers made good strives this season and with a surprising playoff appearance, the future of the Sixers looks encouraging. Hopefully the Sixers will add the right pieces in order to become one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
Boxscore
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The game that Andre Iguodala finally gets back on track offensively, the rest of the Sixers except for Louis Williams didn't answer the call in a big Game 5. Despite playing on the road, the Sixers from the start made things very difficult with bad offense and a rare bad shooting night from usually consistent Andre Miller. The Sixers were down quickly by 14 points after the first and never really recovered to give the Pistons a run for their money. The starters for the Pistons played probably their best game of the series as a unit. Chauncey Billups was fantastic scoring 21 points and dishing off 12 assist. Rasheed Wallace, the Pistons best player in this series finished with 19 points and 6 rebounds. Rip Hamilton scored 20 points and Tayshaun Prince added 17.
In Game 2, it looked like the Pistons were back to their dominance as they rolled over the Sixers in impressive fashion. The Sixers in Game 3 gave the world notice that they are not here just to show up but they are here to win. The Sixers did just that by thoroughly outplaying the Pistons. Samuel Dalembert was the catalyst, exploding with 22 points and 16 rebounds. Andre Miller was also very good getting 21 points and 6 rebounds. Despite the continual struggles of Andre Iguodala, the Sixers have been playing some good team ball and getting key contributions from their bench, most notably Louis Williams and Reggie Evans.
The Philadelphia 76ers shook the playoff series as they survive and beat the Detroit Pistons at the Palace for the narrow win. Despite a slow start from the Sixers, the second half proved to be a different story as the Sixers starting clicking offensively. Andre Miller began to reinsert himself on the offensive end. Miller finished with 20 points and 6 assist. Andre Iguodala who hit two late free throws to seal the game finished with 16 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assist. Reggie Evans was a hero off the bench scoring 11 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.
The Bobcats were looking to end the season on a strong note at the expense of the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers were looking to stop a 3 game losing streak and finish with a .500 record. The Bobcats came to play despite being eliminated from playoff contention. Jason Richardson proved to be too much for the Sixers as he dropped 29 points. The Sixers were dominated in the second quarter which opened up the game for the Bobcats. The Bobcats had 5 players in double figures. Raymond Felton had a strong game finishing with 18 points and 12 assist. Emeka Okafur recorded 24 points and 9 rebounds. Matt Carroll finished with 19 points and 8 rebounds.
The Sixers continue to make a push to get the highest seed possible, get a nice win at home against the #2 seeded Detroit Pistons who have already secured their spot and seeding in the NBA playoffs. The Pistons played without Rip Hamilton and did not play the starters their normal minutes. Despite what the Pistons decided to do, the Sixers needed to continue winning games to secure the highest seed possible. They are on the heels of the Washington Wizards who currently have a 1 game lead on the Sixers. For this game, Andre Iguodala displayed the all around game again as he finished with 25 points, got 5 rebounds and delivered 6 assist. Samuel Dalembert also was strong in the post getting 20 points and 13 boards. 
