Schedule and 2003 Results
Regular Season Records: Detroit 50-32, New Jersey 49-33
Game 1 on Sunday, 18 May: New Jersey wins at Detroit, 76-pts-74
Game 2 on Tuesday, 20 May: New Jersey wins at Detroit, 88-pts-86
Game 3 on Thursday, 22 May: Detroit loses at New Jersey, 97-pts-85
Game 4 on Saturday, 24 May: Detroit loses at New Jersey, 102-pts-82

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 4: Hosting Game 4 in New Jersey, the New Jersey Nets defeated the Detroit Pistons 102-pts-82 to sweep MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 900 in four straight games. The four-game sweep is the fourteenth in best-of-7 NBA Semifinals playoff series, the thirty-ninth in best-of-7 NBA playoff series (all rounds), the thirty-ninth in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 Semifinals playoff series, and the 152nd in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series (all rounds). In best-of-7 NBA playoff series, the New Jersey Nets now have a series record of 5-2, while that for the Detroit Pistons falls to 12-11. Series 900 is the fourth four-game sweep in 2003. The most four-game sweeps in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoffs in one calendar year was eight, in both 1989 and 1999. If the 2003 NBA and NHL Finals and all three MLB best-of-7 playoff series in Fall 2003 result in four-game sweeps, then there will have been a record nine best-of-7 playoff series sweeps in 2003. The New Jersey Nets have now won ten consecutive best-of-7 playoff games in 2003. The MLB/NBA/NHL record for consecutive best-of-7 game victories in one calendar year is eleven, held by both the 1992 NHL Pittsburgh Penguins and the 1992 NHL Chicago Blackhawks (ironically, it was the Pittsburgh Penguins that swept the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1992 NHL Finals). The NBA record for consecutive best-of-7 game victories in one calendar year has been ten, set by the 1999 San Antonio Spurs, so the 2003 New Jersey Nets have tied this record.

After Game 3: With MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 900 in New Jersey for Games 3-4, the New Jersey Nets defeated the Detroit Pistons 97-pts-85 to take a 3-games-nil lead in series 900. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 3-games-nil, the New Jersey Nets have a series record of 1-0 and a Game 4 record of 1-0. When trailing a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 3-games-nil, the Detroit Pistons have a series record of 0-2 and a Game 4 record of 1-1. Through winning Game 3, the New Jersey Nets have won their ninth straight playoff game.

After Game 2: Winning its second consecutive game on the road by two points, the New Jersey Nets defeated the Detroit Pistons 88-pts-86 to take a 2-games-nil lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 900. When leading an NBA best-of-7 playoff series 2-games-nil, the New Jersey Nets have a 2-0 series record; when trailing 2-games-nil, the Detroit Pistons have a series record of 0-5. New Jersey trailed Game 2 by nine points at the end of the third quarter. In best-of-7 NBA playoff games from 1947 through 2002, when the road team trailed by 9 after 3Q, its game record was only 4-51 (.072). In Game 1, New Jersey trailed by 8 after 3Q and at that point had a historical game victory probability of only 11 in 70 or .157. Thus, the historical probability of New Jersey surmounting both the 8-point 3Q deficit in Game 1 and the 9-point 3Q deficit in Game 2 was 0.157 x 0.072 or 0.011. In best-of-7 MLB, NBA, and NHL playoff series from 1905 through 2002, teams taking a 2-games-nil lead on the road in the Semifinals (as New Jersey has) had a 22-1 series record. The only loss occurred in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 53, in which the Boston Bruins lost to the Detroit Red Wings in their 1945 NHL Semifinals series. The 1945 NHL Detroit Red Wings thus provide a favorable precedent for the 2003 NBA Detroit Pistons.

After Game 1: The New Jersey Nets visited and defeated the Detroit Pistons 76-pts-74 to take a 1-game-nil lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 900. When leading an NBA best-of-7 series 1-game-nil, the New Jersey Nets have a 4-1 series record and are on a four-series winning streak; when trailing an NBA best-of-7 series 1-game-nil, the Detroit Pistons have a 2-7 series record. After three quarters of Game 1, Detroit led New Jersey by eight points after three quarters at home: From 1947 through 2002 in best-of-7 NBA playoff games, when the road team trailed by eight points after three quarters, its game record was 11-59 (.157), and when either the home or road team trailed by eight points after three quarters, its game record was 16-81 (.165). From 1947 through 2002 in best-of-7 NBA playoff series, when a team has won Game 1 by two points (as New Jersey has), its series record is 13-6 (.684) with a current four-series winning streak.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2002-03 regular season, Detroit finished one game ahead of New Jersey. From 1947 through the 2003 NBA Quarterfinals, when an NBA team led its best-of-7 playoff series opponent by one regular-season game, it has gone on to post a 12-11 (.522) best-of-7 series record in that series against that opponent. Series 900 is the first best-of-7 meeting between New Jersey and Detroit.