Chauncey Billups, Pistons
100-77 win at 76ers
20 pts, 8-11 FG 3-5 3-pt FG

Richard Hamilton, Pistons
100-77 win at 76ers
24 pts, 9-14 FG, 1-2 3-pt FG, 5-5 FT

Tayshaun Prince, Pistons
100-77 win at 76ers
12 pts, 5-6 FG, 2-2 FT

Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince had 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists in Thursday's Game 6 win. Nice numbers, but they don't tell the whole story. For the series, Prince averaged 16.3 points while shooting a staggering 66 percent (44-of-67) from the field, adding 5.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He also limited 76ers star Andre Iguodala to 13.2 points on 33 percent (23-of-69) shooting.

Andre Miller, 76ers
100-77 loss vs. Pistons
11 pts, 4-16 FG

Lou Williams, 76ers
100-77 loss vs. Pistons
11 pts, 3-11 FG, 1-4 3-pt FG

Thaddeus Young, 76ers
100-77 loss vs. Pistons
7 pts, 2-8 FG, 0-1 3-pt FG

Even at this time of the season, it's hard for a team that has reached the conference finals five straight years to maintain its attention span. In fact, when the Detroit Pistons fell into an inexplicable 2-1 hole in their first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers, that wasn't enough to snap them out of their torpor. The Pistons trailed by 14 points late in the second quarter of Game 4 and appeared headed for a 3-1 deficit when they suddenly transformed into a wild animal let out of a cage. From the 6:50 mark of the third quarter of Game 4, Detroit trailed for a total of 23 seconds the rest of the series. Over the last 10 quarters, the Pistons outscored the upstart Sixers, 255-196, storming to three straight convincing victories and into the conference semifinals for the seventh straight year.
Guard Chauncey Billups was one of the prime culprits, averaging 11.3 points and 4.7 assists in the first three games and 19.7 points and 8.7 assists in the last three. The All-Star explained that the Pistons - who finished with the second-best record in the NBA - had been waiting for the postseason for about a month, while the Sixers had been playing with postseason intensity over the final month, trying to lock up a berth. However, Billups admitted in this clip that the criticism of his team's lackadaisical play was warranted. "Philadelphia probably woke us up,'' coach Flip Saunders said. "Over the last 10 quarters we've executed as well as we can.'' The Pistons now take on the Orlando Magic as they target another trip to the conference finals. Don't expect their attention span to waver much.

Maybe we should call Friday night "The Joy of Six." Three first-round series will stage Game 6, with Boston, Cleveland and Utah looking to move into the conference semifinals - or face the unknown specter of a Game 7. Let's run them down:
Cavaliers at Wizards: This series has had more than its share of trash-talking and hard fouls. Forwards Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison showed their leadership by telling their teammates to stop talking, shut up and play. Even with Gilbert Arenas on the shelf, the Wizards can force a Game 7 by winning at home - if they can zip their yaps and refrain from detonating LeBron James.
Celtics at Hawks: The Hawks have not been competitive on Boston's floor, but they have been tough at home, finding ways to win against the league's best team. Joe Johnson and Josh Smith have gotten most of the attention, but the key player has been Mike Bibby, who is averaging 15 points and five assists in Hot-lanta but just 7.7 and 1.0 in The Hub. If the Hawks win, they join the Wizards as the only teams to beat the Celtics three times this season. Who saw that coming?
Rockets at Jazz: This series also has been pegged to the play of a point guard - or, more specifically, when Rafer Alston plays. Alston sat out the first two games with a hamstring injury, and the Rockets lost both at home. Since he returned for Game 3, the Rockets have been the better team. They are facing elimination but will be trying to win in Utah for the third time this season - which is the total number of wins the entire rest of the league has at EnergySolutions Arena.

If you look at the numbers for Antonio McDyess from Thursday night's series-clinching win, you might be wondering why he is occupying this box. However, this is the number that matters: 3-0. That is Detroit's record in the playoffs since McDyess moved to the bench after breaking his nose in Game 3. McDyess did not come off the bench once this season but seamlessly returned to the role he served his first three years with the Pistons. Meanwhile, Jason Maxiell has moved into the starting lineup. Both bigs will be big in trying to slow down Orlando's Dwight Howard in the conference semifinals.

Kevin Durant has done something that Gus Williams, Jack Sikma, Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton and Rashard Lewis never did as members of the Seattle SuperSonics - win the Rookie of the Year award. Durant became the first SuperSonic to win the award, easily outpolling Atlanta's Al Horford. The youngest player in the NBA, Durant averaged 7.6 points more than any other rookie; that margin surpassed the norms of all but 12 first-year players. Durant talked about his first NBA season with our resident Rookie Ranker. One topic that wasn't broached was how five people somehow thought he was only the third-best rookie.

This box usually is reserved for someone who comes up big at the end of the game. But at the end of Detroit's romp, guys like this were on the court. Game 6 quickly devolved into a blowout because All-Star guard Richard Hamilton played the first four minutes like it was the last four minutes. The Coatesville, Pennsylvania native made his first four shots as the Pistons bolted to a 12-2 lead and never looked back. In the opening quarter, Hamilton scored 13 points while the Sixers managed just 12. Hamilton's quick start allowed Detroit to sustain the total control it established in the second half of Game 4 and carried through the rest of the series.