The Detroit Pistons finished off their NBA first-round playoff series with a 100-77 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers tonight. The Pistons won the series in 6 games, but it was really two series in one. Most observers expected the Pistons to win in no more than 5 games. However, the Sixers shocked everyone by not only winning the first game in Detroit, but rolling to a 20-point win in Game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead. In Sunday's Game 4 the Sixers opened up a 14-point lead late in the second quarter. Then someone flipped a switch somewhere, and from that point on the Pistons outscored the Sixers 260-197.
Although attendance rose during the year as the Sixers made their improbable run into the playoffs, none of the three playoff games at the Wachovia Center sold out, and tonight's announced attendance was a sad 14,130, over 4,000 under the 18,000-plus totals for their first two home games. It's just proof that Philadelphia is one of the few cities in the United States where the NBA takes a back seat to the other major pro sports, even the NHL. — Joe Guckin
The Detroit Pistons finished off their NBA first-round playoff series with a 100-77 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers tonight. The Pistons won the series in 6 games, but it was really two series in one. Most observers expected the Pistons to win in no more than 5 games. However, the Sixers shocked everyone by not only winning the first game in Detroit, but rolling to a 20-point win in Game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead. In Sunday's Game 4 the Sixers opened up a 14-point lead late in the second quarter. Then someone flipped a switch somewhere, and from that point on the Pistons outscored the Sixers 260-197.
Although attendance rose during the year as the Sixers made their improbable run into the playoffs, none of the three playoff games at the Wachovia Center sold out, and tonight's announced attendance was a sad 14,130, over 4,000 under the 18,000-plus totals for their first two home games. It's just proof that Philadelphia is one of the few cities in the United States where the NBA takes a back seat to the other major pro sports, even the NHL. — Joe Guckin
