June 7 -- Defense certainly does win championships. The pair of teams that advanced to the NBA Finals (Game 1 Thursday, 9pm ET ABC), San Antonio (88.4 ppg) and Detroit (89.5), finished one and two, respectively, in points allowed during the regular season.

Both sides have legitimate arguments as to why they can win the series, so it's anybody's guess as to which team will emerge victorious. Here's a look at some key facts and figures to help you make your own NBA Finals prognostications:

With the two clubs evenly matched, The Finals could be decided by will. D. Clarke Evans/NBAE/Getty Images

.913 winning percentage Detroit has won 21 out of its last 23 playoff series in which it won Game 1.

1-1 San Antonio and Detroit split the regular season series one game apiece. However, the stat is deceptive considering the Pistons' 110-101 March 20 home win was achieved without the likes of Spurs forward Tim Duncan to contend with.

Duncan sprained his ankle two minutes into the game, an injury that forced him to miss the next 12 contests.

With a healthy Duncan in the lineup Dec. 3, San Antonio edged Detroit, 80-77, on their home floor. The Pistons were held to just .355 shooting, The Spurs committed an uncharacteristic 23 turnovers as Detroit battled back from a 21-point third quarter deficit to provide San Antonio with a rare home scare.

3 The Spurs have reached the NBA Finals three times in the last seven years. San Antonio defeated New York in five games in 1999 for the franchise's first-ever title and New Jersey in six games in 2003. San Antonio has an opportunity to win a third championship, against Detroit this year.

When asked about his team's success over the last seven years, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich refused to credit himself.

"What we have done really well is we haven't screwed it up," he said. "But that's it. Without that having happened, we're not who we are. So we have been very fortunate."

Similarly, the Pistons also have been one of the most successful franchises in recent NBA history. This is their second consecutive finals appearance. In 2005, Detroit defeated the Lakers in five games to earn a championship.

"You know, when I got the job, Joe told me, we had guys with unbelievable character and they wouldn't give up," said Pistons head coach Larry Brown, in his second campaign with the club. "We just got good guys in that locker room that have a lot of pride, and I think character has a way of, you know, handling obstacles and adversity, and that's what this team is about."

7.8 San Antonio's league-leading point differential during the regular season. The Spurs averaged 96.2 points (18th in the league) and gave up just 88.4.

7.8 The scoring average of Phoenix Suns All-Star forward Shawn Marion in the Conference Finals against San Antonio. Spurs defensive stopper Bruce Bowen locked him up, forcing him to shoot just .391 from the field. During the regular season, Marion posted 19.4 points per game on .476 shooting.

In The Finals, Bowen figures to draw the defensive assignment on Richard Hamilton, Detroit's leading scorer during the regular season and the playoffs. Hamilton went 4-of-14 from the field for eight points in their first meeting and 4-of-12 for 11 points in their second face off.

"He's a guy that comes out and when he plays, you know, don't even look for his offense," Hamilton said. "He's a guy that just solely just plays defense. You know, he tries to hit you with all different parts of his body, tries to frustrate you and things like that. You know, it's a challenge, just like any other challenge."

8-of-18 The other matchup everyone is zeroing in on his Duncan vs. NBA Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace. Wallace limited him to 8-of-18 shooting and 18 points in their Dec. 3 meeting. It wasn't a complete shutdown, but it's important to note Big Ben also held Duncan, 10th ranked in free throw attempts per 48 minutes, to just two shots from the charity stripe.

10 The Pistons have closed out playoff series in all 10 of the last deciding games they have participated in.

"You know, just knuckle down," Hamilton said after leading the Pistons to a Game 7 victory in the East Finals Tuesday night. "It's win or go home right now. I just took it upon myself to say, you know, it's like the NCAA Tournament. You're there for these situations, regardless of how you played or shot the ball the last previous games.

"You just figure, this is it right here, just lay it on the line and go out there and play."

10.5 The difference between San Antonio's offensive production (102.2 ppg) and Detroit's (91.7 ppg) in the playoffs. During the regular season, the gap was closer (2.9 ppg).

13 Number of consecutive seasons Spurs forward Robert Horry has participated in the playoffs -- every year of his career. The 6-10 sharpshooter has accumulated five championship rings -- more than any other active player -- and has made a living knocking down clutch game winners from beyond the arc.

And who can forget Game 2 of the 1997 Western Conference Semifinals when Horry set an NBA Playoffs record for most three-point field goals made in a game without a miss, knocking down seven treys.

"He's a smart player," Popovich said after Horry made a key three-pointer in a Game 2 win in the West Finals. "It's great to have him out there. But down the stretch in fourth quarters he knows what is going on at the defensive end, the offensive end, taking a charge, getting offensive board. It's not just shooting the three. Tim (Duncan) really enjoys playing with him out there."

15-0 San Antonio never lost once to an Eastern Conference opponent during the regular season at home, and had just three losses at the SBC Center total. On the road, they proved to be vulnerable, recording eight wins against seven losses against East foes.

19-2 In the second half of the regular season, the Pistons lost just a pair of games in 21 home dates.

"I don't think the playoffs start until somebody loses at home," said Brown during the Philadelphia series in the First Round. "We took care of our home court."

85.9 Detroit's points allowed per game in the postseason, tops in the NBA.