Detroit coach Flip Saunders credited Joe Dumars, the team's president of basketball operations, for assembling the unique model of success.

"So many times people talk about certain teams have players carry them, but Joe built this team on the idea of a team," Saunders said Tuesday night after eliminating the Orlando Magic. "When one piece happens to go out, we continue to run as a unit."

That was clear in the second round when Chauncey Billups missed the last two games with a strained right hamstring, but Detroit won both times even with rookie Rodney Stuckey filling in for the All-Star point guard.

In more subtle ways, Antonio McDyess seems to make jump shots when Rasheed Wallace doesn't - and vice versa - while Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince look to score if teammates are struggling.

Detroit dispatched the Magic in just five games, giving Billups and his teammates at least a few days off before facing Boston or Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals.

If the Celtics and Cavaliers decide their conference semifinal in Game 6 tomorrow night, the Pistons might play as soon as Sunday.

If that series is pushed to a Game 7 on Sunday in Boston, Detroit will have about a week off before making their usual appearance in the NBA's final four.

In the Western Conference semifinals, the New Orleans Hornets lead the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, three games to two. Last night in Los Angeles, the Lakers played the Utah Jazz in Game 5 of their semifinal. That series was tied, 2-2.

The Pistons and Lakers are the only franchises to advance to six straight conference finals since the playoffs expanded in 1984, going from a three-round postseason to four.

During their run, the Lakers won three titles. The Pistons are shooting for their second during their current stretch.

Los Angeles - led by Hall of Famers Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy - started a run of eight straight in 1982 when it needed to win only one series to reach the conference finals.

The Boston Celtics were in 13 straight conference finals from 1957 to '69, setting a record that the Lakers trail with 7- and 8-year streaks.

The current Pistons, the New York Knicks (1969-74), Lakers (1968-73) and St. Louis Hawks (1956-61) each did it in 6 consecutive years.

Some might compare Detroit to baseball's Atlanta Braves because both franchises won only one title during frequent trips to the playoffs.

But Magic coach Stan Van Gundy raved about the Pistons' feat. "To me, it's as much of an accomplishment as people winning multiple championships," Van Gundy insisted. "It's hard for me to even fathom 6 straight years of getting to the conference finals. That's a phenomenal record of success."

Dumars agrees.

The former shooting guard for the Pistons' Bad Boys teams, who won championships in 1989 and 1990, wants to win his second championship as an executive.

But shortly after the Pistons held off Orlando for a 91-86 victory on Tuesday night, he was enjoying a moment of satisfaction.

"The conference finals is what we want," Dumars said in an interview with the Associated Press. "We want more, but we recognize and appreciate how tough it is to reach the conference finals 6 years in a row.

"We do not take it lightly." *