Recap
After losing 50 games new Coach Rick Carlise comes on and employs a tough defensive system centering around Ben Wallace who has a break out season leading the league in blocked shots, while finishing 2nd in rebounding, as he was named Defensive player of the Year. Meanwhile Corliss Williamson provided strong support of the bench winning the 6th man award as the Pistons who were picked by most experts to finish out of the playoffs win the Central Division with a solid 50-32 record, as Rick Carlise was named Coach of the Year. However, in the playoffs the Pistons would struggle as they barely held on to an 85-82 win in Game 5 over the Toronto Raptors after establishing a 2-0 series lead. In the second round the Pistons would be upset by the Boston Celtics in 5 games dropping 4 straight after taking Game 1. In all 10 playoff games the Pistons failed to reach 100 points, while also holding their opponents under 100, including a 66-64 Game 3 loss in the 2nd round to the Celtics.