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Posted: Tuesday May 23, 2006 1:06PM; Updated: Tuesday May 23, 2006 8:58PM
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Eastern Conference Breakdown
SI.com's Marty Burns breaks down the matchups between Miami and Detroit
Center

Shaquille
O'Neal		 vs.
Ben
Wallace
Shaquille O'Neal; Ben Wallace
Shaquille O'Neal and Ben Wallace
D. Lippitt/Einstein Getty Images
Shaquille O'Neal might not be the game's most dominating player anymore, but the 7-foot-1 center is still a huge factor. He averaged 20 points, nine boards and nearly two blocks a game during the regular season and had a 30-point, 20-rebound effort against the Bulls in the opening round. Coming off a week's rest, he should be in good shape. However, Shaq has struggled this postseason with foul trouble as the refs have mysteriously (and some might say "finally") begun calling him for leading with his elbows. Facing Pistons center Ben Wallace, who won his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award this season, Shaq will have to be careful. Wallace, though undersized at 6-9, has done a good job of battling Shaq in recent postseasons. The Piston won't score much, but he makes as big an impact as a 20-point scorer with his ability to rebound and wreak havoc defensively. Shaq averaged 28 points a game against Detroit during the regular season and might need similar production for Miami to take this series. But his recent foul troubles and putrid free throw shooting raise questions about whether he can score in bunches for more than a game or two.
Edge: Even
Power Forward

Udonis
Haslem		 vs.
Rasheed
Wallace
Udonis Haslem
Udonis Haslem
Bob Rosato/SI
Udonis Haslem is Miami's most underrated player. He won't score much, but he'll rebound, defend, set screens and knock down the occasional jumper. His defense against counterpart Rasheed Wallace will be key in this series. Wallace averaged 17.3 points and 6.0 rebounds against the Heat during the season series while shooting 11 of 23 from downtown. But he injured his ankle in Game 4 against the Cavs, and it's not clear if he'll be slowed. Either way, Haslem must be ready to body up the 6-11 Wallace in the post while also staying out on him. Haslem also must run the floor as much as possible for easy buckets and make 'Sheed pay for double teams on Shaq by hitting those 15-foot jumpers when left open. For Wallace, the key is to be aggressive and not settle for too many threes. He also might help his team by zipping his lip to the refs and avoiding any more foolish predictions for a while.
Edge: Pistons
Small Forward

Antoine
Walker		 vs.
Tayshaun
Prince
Tayshaun Prince
Tayshaun Prince
Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Antoine Walker, who is expected to remain in his starting role over James Posey, showed late in the Nets series how valuable he can be when he's attacking the basket. Unfortunately for the Heat, he doesn't always do that. Instead the 6-9 veteran tends to fall in love with the three-point shot, which can be disastrous if he's off target. He hit just 5 of 18 from downtown against the Pistons during the season series, which Detroit won 3-1. The Heat are going to need Walker to be smart on offense and not force outside shots. Just as important, they need him to move his feet on defense. The Pistons are going to attack Walker off the dribble and try to expose his defensive liabilities. If Walker can't defend, Riley won't hesitate to turn to Posey. Tayshaun Prince, meanwhile, is a more complete player than either of his Miami counterparts. He can score in the post and knock down outside shots, but he's also a long-armed defensive stopper with an amazing ability to sprint back on defense and block shots from behind. After facing LeBron James last series, Prince should be mentally prepared to go up against anyone. He also will be counted on to provide help on Dwyane Wade.
Edge: Pistons
Shooting Guard

Dwyane
Wade		 vs.
Richard
Hamilton
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade
Bob Rosato/SI
The marquee matchup of the series, along with the Shaq/Big Ben battle at center. Dwayne Wade and Richard Hamilton are All-Stars who have proven their mettle in big games. Wade is more explosive, possessing the ability to get in the lane at will. During the season series he torched the Pistons for 28.0 points (on 51.2 percent shooting), 6.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists. He led Miami to its lone victory over Detroit by scoring his team's final 17 points in a comeback on Feb. 12. Hamilton has the quickness and length to stay with Wade defensively, but he will need help from Prince and others. The Pistons don't rely on Hamilton to score as much, but he is the centerpiece of their attack. Look for Detroit to run him off a lot of screens, hoping to force Wade to get tired chasing him around. Hamilton averaged 21.5 points (on 52.4 percent shooting), 4.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists against Miami during the season. If he can deliver anything close to that in this series, the Pistons will be in good shape.
Edge: Heat
Point Guard

Jason
Williams		 vs.
Chauncey
Billups
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups
John Biever/SI
In Chauncey Billups the Pistons boast one of the game's best all-around point guards. The veteran QB efficiently orchestrates Detroit's attack, getting the ball to teammates and racking up assists with few turnovers. When he needs to score, he can do so inside and out. Billups was particularly effective against the Heat this season, averaging 24.3 points and 9.0 assists while hitting 12 of 28 from downtown. Jason Williams is more up and down. The former Kings and Grizzlies point guard usually does a good job of distributing the ball and is capable of sticking the three-pointer when foes collapse too much on Shaq or Wade. But his defense is shaky at the top, and he has a tendency to disappear if his shot isn't falling. That's why Williams starts the game but often gives way to Gary Payton in the fourth quarter.
Edge: Pistons
Bench
Miami Heat
 vs. Detroit Pistons
Gary Payton
Gary Payton
David Bergman/SI
The Heat bench is deep and experienced with Payton, Posey, Alonzo Mourning, Shandon Anderson, Derek Anderson and Michael Doleac all proven NBA players. Mourning is a defensive force in the middle when healthy. Posey gives the Heat a quality perimeter defender and three-point shooter. Payton provides heady play and leadership at the point. The Pistons bench is thinner by comparison. Antonio McDyess is one of the game's best sixth men, providing efficient scoring and rebounding in the frontcourt. Lindsey Hunter and Tony Delk provide ball pressure and three-point shooting, while Maurice Evans is a rugged perimeter player who can run the floor. Dale Davis and Carlos Delfino haven't seen much action in these playoffs, but Saunders says each could be called on to help defend Shaq and Wade, respectively.
Edge: Heat
Coach

Pat
Riley		 vs.
Flip
Saunders
Pat Riley
Pat Riley
John Biever/SI
Riley is a Hall of Famer with four NBA championship rings from his Showtime Lakers days. He also has coached more postseason games than anybody else in NBA history, though he hasn't been to the conference finals since 1997. Saunders is making only his second appearance in the conference finals, following a loss with the T'wolves in 2004. But Saunders showed he had the right touch with this Pistons team, guiding them to a 64-18 record in his first campaign with the team. Riley, meanwhile, struggled to develop cohesion and chemistry with his roster after taking over for Stan Van Gundy. Still, Riley's vast edge in experience should enable him to make adjustments. Saunders has always patterned himself after Riley, from his coaching style to his fancy tailored suits. It will be interesting to see if he can match wits with him on the big stage.
Edge: Heat
X Factor
Miami Heat
 vs. Detroit Pistons
Rasheed Wallace
Rasheed Wallace
John Biever/SI
For the Pistons, it's Rasheed Wallace's ankle. Detroit's offense sputtered against the Cavs, and part of it was because the slightly hobbled Wallace wasn't scoring much in the post. If his sore ankle continues to bother him and prevents him from drawing double teams down low, the Pistons could be in trouble. For the Heat, look for Mourning to play a critical role. The 6-10 center was a force off the bench earlier this season before suffering a calf injury late. He returned for the first round and has been slowly rounding into shape. If Shaq gets into foul trouble, 'Zo's ability to come in and provide energy and shot-blocking will be huge.
Edge: Heat
Intangibles
Miami Heat
 vs. Detroit Pistons
Richard Hamilton
Richard Hamilton
Manny Millan/SI
The Heat come into the series hot, having won six of seven. They are also well-rested, having had six days off since dispatching the Nets in five games. Perhaps most important, Shaq and Wade will be highly motivated after having lost to Detroit in seven games during last year's conference finals. But the majority of this Heat team has only been together one year, thanks to an offseason overhaul by Riley. Team chemistry (especially on the defensive end) has been an issue all season. The Pistons, meanwhile, come in with the confidence of knowing they beat the Heat a year ago (winning a Game 7 at Miami) and that they owned them 3-1 in the season series. They also have the home court advantage, a significant factor since they are 43-5 this season (including playoffs) at the Palace.
Edge: Pistons
Bottom Line
The Heat are rested and ready. But Shaq appears to have lost some of his power, and Detroit's balanced attack should find plenty of openings against Miami's slow-footed D.
Pistons in seven.

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