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Everything looked to be against the Detroit Pistons. They were on the road, playing a Los Angeles Lakers squad that was 9-0 at the Staples Center this playoff year. They didn't have the talent level of four future Hall of Fame starters. Their scoring prowess registered somewhere between sloth and slug on the evolutionary chain.

The Game 1 numbers seemed to be tilted L.A.'s way, as well. Shaquille O'Neal totaled 34 points and 11 rebounds. Kobe Bryant put up 25 tallies of his own. Detroit's main scoring threat, Rip Hamilton, went 5-16 from the field.

Yet, as of late Sunday night, it's the Motor City boys up 1-0 in the NBA Finals. Very impressive, indeed.

All should be joyous in Pistons camp, but there's something eerie about this circumstance. A déjà vu of some sorts is in the air.

Wait a minute, I got it!

That aura comes from Detroit coach Larry Brown, who must have dreams, or maybe nightmares, about this same situation.

Let's take a flashback sequence to exactly three years ago. Before the 2001 Finals, the Lake Show was straight rollin' through opponents. In fact, L.A. was a perfect 11-0. Up next, the gutty, determined Eastern Conference champs from Philadelphia, coached by, none other than, Larry Brown.

No one really gave the Sixers a shot. Only one main scorer. No depth at the post. Starting on the Lakers' home floor. It all spelled out disaster for any Allen Iverson, Aaron McKie, or Dikembe Mutumbo fan. Then, lightning in a bottle happened. On the night of June 6th, the overwhelming underdogs shocked the basketball world by taking a 107-101 overtime victory.

A.I. threw everything but Jack Nicholson at the bucket, coming away with 48 points. Mutumbo showed he could still play, obtaining a double-double of 13 points and 16 boards. The performance left hope that a competitive series could grow out of the Game 1 shocker.

Sadly, whatever inspiration that had lifted Philadelphia to victory disappeared, along with the Sixers' resistance to a Laker repeat. Five games, no muss, no fuss.

So, here we are again. Exactly three years later and everything is falling into place once again. Question is, does Coach Larry have a chance of avoiding another 4-1 series defeat?

Most signs point to no. But don't go and shake those Eight Balls just yet, because there are characteristics that separate Brown's 2004 Finals team from the 2001 model.

While the Pistons have only had one "prolific" scorer in the playoffs, Hamilton is not the only scoring presence. Counting Sunday's tilt, Chauncey Billups has scored 20 or more points in seven games this postseason. Rasheed Wallace has added 13 ppg during the Detroit's run. This wasn't the case with the A.I.-led Sixers squad.

More importantly, this team's foundation is defense. As of now, the 2004 Eastern Conference champs have held their opponents to 80 points or less in 11 out of 19 games. A lot of people (myself included) say that the low scores are mainly attributed to bad offense and shooting.

But as they say, once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, eleven times is just absurd. During their drive to a runner-up finish, the '01 Sixers gave up 92.4 ppg. This year's Pistons: 80.1 ppg.

So sleep well tonight, Larry Brown. Your team has successfully stole one in Staples. Just remember, starting Monday, you'll have to try and keep history from repeating itself.

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