Schedule and 2008 Results
Regular Season Records: Detroit 59-23, Philadelphia 40-42
Game 1 on Sunday, 20 April: Philadelphia wins at Detroit, 90-pts-86
Game 2 on Wednesday, 23 April: Philadelphia loses at Detroit, 105-pts-88
Game 3 on Friday, 25 April: Detroit loses at Philadelphia, 95-pts-75
Game 4 on Sunday, 27 April: Detroit wins at Philadelphia, 93-pts-84
Game 5 on Tuesday, 29 April: Philadelphia loses at Detroit, 98-pts-81
Game 6 on Thursday, 01 May: Detroit wins at Philadelphia, 100-pts-77

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 6: Outscoring the host Philadelphia 76ers 30-pts-12 in the first quarter, the Detroit Pistons posted a 100-pts-77 win in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1039 Game 6 for a 4-games-2 series 1039 victory. The 18-point lead after one quarter was the largest first-quarter lead by a road team in a best-of-7 NBA playoff game since series 943, in which the Phoenix Suns led the Grizzlies in Memphis 39-pts-20 after one quarter of Game 4 of their 2005 NBA Preliminary-round series en route to a 123-pts-115 win. With the series 1039 win, the Detroit Pistons improve their best-of-7 NBA playoff series record to 24-14 overall and 6-0 in the NBA Preliminary round. With the series 1039 loss, the Philadelphia 76ers see their best-of-7 NBA playoff series record fall to 18-22 overall and 1-2 in the NBA Preliminary round. The Detroit Pistons thus join the San Antonio Spurs as the only two NBA teams to have won a best-of-7 NBA Preliminary-round series in all six playoff series that the NBA has made use of the best-of-7 format in its Preliminary round. The victorious Detroit Pistons posted a win order of LWLWWW in series 1039: Series 1039 thus becomes the second NBA Preliminary-round series, the eighth NBA series (all rounds), and the 25th MLB/NBA/NHL series (all rounds) to follow that win order.

After Game 5: With MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1039 back in Michigan, the Detroit Pistons hosted and defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 98-pts-81 to take a 3-games-2 series 1039 lead. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 3-games-2, the Detroit Pistons have an 8-1 series record with a seven-series winning streak, and a Game 6 record of 7-2 with a five-Game 6 winning streak. When trailing a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 3-games-2, the Philadelphia 76ers have a 0-10 series record, and a Game 6 record of 4-6.

After Game 4: Overcoming a ten-point deficit on the road at halftime, the Detroit Pistons rallied to defeat the host Philadelphia 76ers 93-pts-84 to tie MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1039 at 2-games-all. When tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 NBA playoff series, the Detroit Pistons have a 10-8 series record and an 8-10 Game 5 record with a four-Game 5 losing streak, while the Philadelphia 76ers have a 5-5 series record and a 5-5 Game 5 record. In the history of best-of-7 format NBA playoff games from 1947 through Saturday 26 April 2008, teams such as the Detroit Pistons in series 1039 Game 4 that trailed by ten points on the road at halftime had a 10-62 (.139) game record.

After Game 3: With MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1039 in Pennsylvania for Games 3-4, the host Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Detroit Pistons 95-pts-75 to take a 2-games-1 series 1039 lead. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 2-games-1, the Philadelphia 76ers have a series record of 10-4 and a Game 4 record of 9-5. When trailing a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 2-games-1, the Detroit Pistons have a series record of 5-9 and a Game 4 record of 10-4.

After Game 2: The Detroit Pistons hosted and defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 105-pts-88 to tie MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1039 at 1-game-all. When tied 1-game-all in a best-of-7 NBA playoff series, the Detroit Pistons have a series record of 12-6 and a Game 3 record of 8-10, while the Philadelphia 76ers have a series record of 7-10 and a Game 3 record of 8-9. Series 1039 thus becomes the only 2008 NBA Preliminary round series (out of eight) not to feature a 2-games-nil lead after Games 1-2. In 2007, five of the eight Preliminary-round series opened 2-games-nil; in 2006, five; in 2005, six; in 2004, seven; in 2003, three. Of these 26 previous Preliminary-round 2-games-nil openings, 23 of the teams achieving these openings went on to series victory. The three exceptions are the Chicago Bulls in series 942 (in 2005, losing to the Washington Wizards), the Houston Rockets in series 946 (in 2005, losing to the Dallas Mavericks), and the Rockets in series 1012 (in 2007, losing to the Utah Jazz, whom they now play [and trail 2-games-nil] in series 1045 in 2008).

After Game 1: Rebounding from a 13-point deficit at halftime, the Philadelphia 76ers rallied to defeat the host Detroit Pistons 90-pts-86 for a 1-game-nil lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1039. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 1-game-nil, the Philadelphia 76ers have a series record of 15-5 and a Game 2 record of 12-8. When trailing a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 1-game-nil, the Detroit Pistons have a series record of 3-10 and a Game 2 record of 6-7. In the history of best-of-7 NBA playoff games from 1947 through 2007, inclusive, road teams such as the 76ers that trailed by thirteen points at halftime had a game record of only 1-35 (.028) - the sole winner (prior to the 76ers in series 1039 Game 1) was the Boston Celtics, in series 438 Game 3 in Milwaukee over the Bucks in their 1984 NBA Semifinals series.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2007-08 regular season, Detroit finished 19 games ahead of Philadelphia. From 1947 through the 2007 NBA Finals, when NBA teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by 19 regular-season games, they have posted a 6-0 (1.000) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1039 is the 40th best-of-7 NBA playoff series for Philadelphia, and the 38th for Detroit. In best-of-7 NBA playoff series, Philadelphia has an 18-21 series record, a 1-1 Prelim-round series record, and a 20-19 Game 1 record, while Detroit has a 23-14 series record, a 5-0 Prelim-round record, and a 24-13 Game 1 record. Series 1039 is the third best-of-7 meeting between Philadelphia and Detroit; Detroit won the previous two series between them (series 896 in the 2003 NBA Quarterfinals; series 940 in the 2005 NBA Preliminary round).