Wallace's numbers - six points and two rebounds - in Detroit's no-doubt 100-77 victory were overshadowed by the moment in the first half when he lost his blue headband on a rebound and Billups helped him retrieve it, while the Pistons guard was dribbling.

But there was no question that the former Simon Gratz High School star played a pivotal defensive role through six games on the Pistons' smoothly operating five-man unit to get his team a second-round playoff matchup with the Orlando Magic starting tomorrow.

"Even though there were some games he really stepped up and scored for us and made big shots, defensively he's huge for us," teammate Tayshaun Prince said. "He showed us that tonight, even though he wasn't doing as much damage on the offensive end."

The 6-foot-11 Wallace led all NBA players with 20 blocked shots entering the game. Though he didn't have any last night, he still clogged the paint and made scoring difficult for the Sixers.

"Just what he does on defense, whether it's to talk or play the pick-and-roll and things like that," Prince said. "He knows where to be and where to give us help. Obviously, he did a tremendous job blocking shots this series."

Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks, who coached Wallace when they were with the Portland Trail Blazers, said defense may be his best area.

"He's a big guy who can post the ball, can step out on the block, and make a shot and play defense," Cheeks said before the game. "He is underrated for the things he does. Most people know about him shooting the three more than anything, but his defense is one of the best parts of his game."

Offensively, the 33-year-old Wallace had two games of 20 or more points in the series. Last night's total came on two three-point baskets, but he scored one of them during the Pistons' 16-2 flurry that pretty much snuffed out the Sixers' hopes in the opening 51/2 minutes.

"We had to jump on them from the gate," Wallace said, "and not give them a chance to linger around in the game come late in the third quarter and fourth quarter for them to try to keep it close. So we went straight from the gate."

The Pistons were down, two games to one, in the series and by 10 points at halftime of Game 4 when they turned things around. They outscored the Sixers by 34-16 in the third quarter to swing the momentum in their favor.

Wallace contributed with 10 points, nine coming on three three-point baskets. He finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Asked in what area things turned around, Wallace replied: "It don't matter to us. We think we're pretty good in a bunch of categories, so we're going to go out there and play and do it."

Wallace finished the series averaging 14.5 points and 6.5 rebounds, playing mostly against Samuel Dalembert. Now he gets to match up with Orlando's Dwight Howard, who had three games of at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in the Magic's first-round elimination of Toronto.

"Playing hard helped us out for the next series," Wallace said. "We're going to have to go just as hard against Orlando. . . . We're going to try to limit [Howard's] shots a little bit, but we know he's going to get a lot of touches. He's their focal point. So we're going to have to play good team defense."