Pistons Have Playoff Experience, Celtics Have Solid Record: Who's Finals Bound?

The Boston Celtics can't win on the road and the Detroit Pistons have been resting for a week now. The Pistons have the most playoff experience between the two and the Celtics put up the best record in the NBA.

So who's going to come out on top?

Boston took the regular season series 2-1 but for the Celts to win they must get a complete scoring effort from the big three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. While KG and Pierce have played well during this playoff run, Allen was a ghost for most of the games against Cleveland. One of the best pure shooters in the NBA, Allen has only scored in double figures four times in the past eight games.

Also on the missing person's list was Rajon Rondo, one of the most underrated players on the season, was taken out at the end of game seven against the Cavs because he just wasn't getting the job done.  This team certainly has a lot of question marks as they enter the conference finals.

The one thing going for the top-seeded C's is the fact that they haven't lost at home in the playoffs and posted the second best home record during the regular season. Their defense has been stingy and they held the chosen one, LeBron James to a low field goal percentage.

For the Pistons to get back to the NBA finals Chauncey Billups must be healthy and they must keep Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen from getting back their shooting form.  Billups has had plenty of time to rest his hamstring and says he's 100%.

Another key match-up will be between 6-9 power forward Antonio McDyess and 6-11 power forward Kevin Garnett.  McDyess will need to find a way to keep Garnett from getting the rebounding advantage and hold him to under 19 points—easier said than done.

But on paper the Pistons seem to have the edge at almost every position on the court starting with the point guard position and ending with the center spot.  In between, Richard Hamilton has the edge over a slumping Ray Allen and Rasheed Wallace should have no problems with Kendrick Perkins.

The matchup that everyone wants to see is at the small forward position between Paul Pierce and Tayshaun Prince.  Prince has become a very good 1-on-1 player and Pierce can put points on the board. 

My prediction is the Pistons in seven games.  Detroit has already proven they can win on the road in the playoffs so if Boston can't steal one in Detroit, they could be watching the NBA finals from their coach.

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