INQUIRER Sports

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania -- The Detroit Pistons booked their second-round berth in the National Basketball Association playoffs on Thursday with an emphatic 100-77 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Richard Hamilton scored 24 points and Chauncey Billups chipped in 20 with seven assists for the Pistons, who completed a 4-2 victory in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round series.

Tayshaun Prince added 12 points for the second-seeded Pistons, who will open the conference semi-finals against the third-seeded Orlando Magic on Saturday.

The Pistons are seeking their sixth straight appearance in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Pistons scored the first 10 points of the game and led 30-12 at the end of the first quarter. Shooting an impressive 58 percent from the field, the Pistons never looked back.

Andre Iguodala scored 16 points for the Sixers, who lost the last three games of the series after taking a 2-1 lead.