Eerie how closely our mini-era matches up with the early 00's Pistons. But when history looks back on this team, this team was actually less successful than that Pistons team.
(Note: Pistons were a 50 win playoff team the two years prior to 2003, but we're starting it with 2003-04, because that's when they landed Sheed)
Detroit:
2003-04 - Championship (54 wins)
2004-05 - Finals (54 wins)
2005-06 - ECF (64 wins)
2006-07 - ECF (53 wins)
2007-08 - ECF (59 wins)
2008-09 - Swept in 1st round (39 wins)
Boston:
2007-08 - Championship (66 wins)
2008-09 - 2nd Round (62 wins)
2009-10 - Finals (50 wins)
2010-11 - 2nd Round (56 wins)
2011-12 - ECF* (Projected 48 wins) * Fluke
2012-13 - Swept in 1st round - (41 wins)
Final 6 year tally:
Detroit - 1 title, 1 Finals, 3 ECF, 323 wins
Boston - 1 title, 1 Finals, 1 ECF, 323 wins* (*projecting last season)
Spooky, right? Both teams started with the acquisition of an elite big man (Detroit - Sheed, Boston - KG) and were built on their defensive dominance.
We're basically right where the Pistons were in 2008-09... getting swept in the 1st round.
Sheed was gone the next year... kinda like how KG will be gone next year for us. The Pistons since their mini-dynasty:
2009-10: Lotto (27 wins)
2010-11: Lotto (30 wins)
2011-12: Lotto (25 wins)
2012-13: Lotto (29 wins)
... They now have two guys to build around in 22 year old Greg Monroe and 19 year old Andre Drummond. Perhaps they sniff the playoffs in a couple years. Something to look forward to... maybe after 4 years of lotto hell, Boston will have some hope in 2018?