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Bulls visit Pistons in Game One

May 5, 2007 - 1:56 PM Chicago at Detroit 7:00 pm EDT Eastern Conference semifinals Game One

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- The Chicago Bulls have advanced in the playoffs for the first time since 1998. They now will rekindle a postseason rivalry.

The fifth-seeded Bulls will visit the top-seeded Detroit Pistons Saturday in Game One of their Eastern Conference semifinal series at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Chicago has not played Detroit in a postseason series since 1991 when it swept the Pistons in the conference finals en route to a title. The Bulls had lost to Detroit each of the previous three years - a major stumbling block for a young Michael Jordan.

During those years, bad blood existed between the squads, highlighted by Pistons superstar Isiah Thomas leading his team off the court without acknowledging the Bulls after the 1991 sweep.

While there is not as much angst between the teams this season, the Bulls still enter the series with something to prove. This matchup marks the first time Chicago has made it past the opening round since 1998 - Jordan's last season and the team's sixth championship.

But the Bulls will have to go up against the veteran Pistons, who have the most playoff experience in combined games among the 16 teams that made the postseason this year. Their players have participated in 800 playoff games, and six Pistons started the postseason with 75-plus career playoff games.

Detroit cruised through its first-round series, sweeping the struggling Orlando Magic. Chicago also completed a sweep in its opening-round matchup, eliminating the defending champion Miami Heat.