Philadelphia, PA (Best E Casino) - Samuel Dalembert recorded a playoff career high with 22 points to go with 16 rebounds, and Philadelphia's stifling defense helped the Sixers to a 95-75 drubbing of the heavily favored Detroit Pistons in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

Philadelphia now holds a 2-1 series lead and remains home for Game 4 on Sunday at the Wachovia Center.

Andre Miller deposited 21 points, while Thaddeus Young added 10 for the Sixers, who forced 25 Pistons turnovers. Reggie Evans finished with nine points and five rebounds, and was a force on the defensive end, holding Rasheed Wallace to a mere two points on 1-for-6 shooting from the field.

"I thought our concentration of keeping them off the offensive boards was a big factor," Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said. "Obviously our defense and our active hands, getting us back in the open court, getting to the rim in fast break fashion, was no doubt a big key for us."

The Sixers have jumped ahead in the series despite leading scorer Andre Iguodala netting just 10 points on 2-for-9 shooting.

Richard Hamilton dropped 23 points for the Pistons, but battled foul trouble the entire second half. Tayshaun Prince scored 18, while Chauncey Billups logged 11 on just 2-for-11 sooting from the field.

Leading 44-40 heading into the second half, the Sixers turned on their defensive pressure.

In a physical third period, the Sixers took over against a Pistons team that usually thrives on contact. Prince and Hamilton made back-to-back three- pointers in the first two minutes of the new half, but Detroit failed to hit a field goal for the remainder of the quarter (0-for-14 from the floor).

Hamilton sat out the final five minutes of the third with four fouls, and Antonio McDyess broke his nose early in the half when Iguodala inadvertently hit him in the face going after a rebound. The Pistons forward did not return to the game.

Though the Sixers didn't shoot particularly well during the Pistons' drought, they hit 10-of-12 at the charity stripe in the pivotal third quarter and led, 70-55, heading into the fourth.

Evans was called for goaltending on an attempted Billups layup, ending the Pistons' 12:33 field goal drought with 10:04 to play in the game.

Dalembert worked hard for an offensive rebound over Wallace and drew a foul at the eight-minute mark. His two free throws gave Philadelphia an 80-59 lead, and the energetic center threw down back-to-back alley-oop dunks a few possessions later to dampen any Pistons' hopes of a comeback.

"We came out very strong, we established ourselves," Dalembert said. "This is the way we were going to play and we stuck by it. Defensively, we were phenomenal today."

The Sixers sank their free throws in the waning minutes, and Detroit never threatened to get back in the game.

The Sixers, who were relegated to jump shooters in Game 2, pounded the ball and converted inside to finish the first stanza tied, 20-20 despite Prince and Hamilton combining to shoot 8-of-9 from the floor.

Detroit committed 11 first half turnovers but connected on 61.3 percent from the field to trail just 44-40 at the break.

"We turned the ball over 25 times and give up 28 points (off turnovers)," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "When you take away one of your strengths and make it a weakness, you're going to struggle. Their pressure hurt us tonight, no question."

Game Notes

Philadelphia has won three straight Game 3s in the playoffs, while Detroit has lost five of its last seven Game 3s in the postseason...The Sixers have been eliminated by Detroit in their last two postseason appearances...The Pistons have made the Eastern Conference finals five straight years...Wallace and Evans were called for offsetting technicals in the third...Iguodala and Willie Green each tallied six assists for Philadelphia...Detroit made just 18- of-26 at the free throw line, while Philadelphia sank 26-of-31.