Game 1 - Detroit Pistons 100, Orlando Magic 92

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Pistons Lead 1-0 - GAME 1 - April 21, 2007 - The Palace of Auburn Hills

		1	2	3	4	F
	MAGIC	16	27	24	25	92
	PISTONS	28	23	30	19	100

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GAME INFO Tipoff: 7:00 PM ET TV: ESPN/WRBW MY65 | Radio: WDBO AM 580 | Spanish Radio: AM 1030 WONQ

By Matthew Gardner | OrlandoMagic.com

After a four-year hiatus from the NBA playoffs, the Orlando Magic made their return on Saturday night.

Unfortunately, that return appearance had the Magic playing the role of catch-up artist against the Detroit Pistons.

Orlando trailed by as many as 16 points in the second half, but found a way to make it a one-possession game late in the fourth quarter before eventually succumbing to free throws by Chauncey Billups, 100-92. Game Two in this best of seven series will be played on Monday night in Detroit.

The Magic was led by five players in double figures, including Hedo Turkoglu's 17 points. Dwight Howard added 13 points and 19 rebounds, while former Pistons' Grant Hill and Darko Milicic each had 14. However, it was Detroit's backcourt combination that gave Orlando fits all evening. Billups and Richard Hamilton combined for 44 points (22 each), while Rasheed Wallace added 16 and Chris Webber and Chauncey Billups each had 12. Detroit's starters scored all by 16 of the team's 100 points.

FOURTH QUARTER
Much like the third quarter, Pistons attacking again at the beginning of the fourth, hitting a quick shot and forcing an Orlando turnover. But the Magic get the turnover back from the Pistons and Dooling makes a layup, while also drawing the foul. He hits the free throw and Orlando trails, 83-70. Turkoglu then draws the three-point play by hitting a shot and picking up the foul, but misses the free throw. Orlando pulls within 11 points. Dooling then hits a three and Orlando has pulled within eight at the 9:02 mark. Detroit calls timeout.

Billups and Delfino each hit baskets, ending Orlando's run, but Turkoglu knocks one down from the baseline to keep the game within 10 with 6:56 left. Delfino misses a three bad, but Dooling misses at the other end - taking away another chance for Orlando to stay within single digits.

Milicic makes a shot and draws a foul, but misses the free throw. Orlando still trails by 12, 91-79. Milicic gets an unintentional poke in the eye by his former teammate Wallace. Wallace went for the ball and got Darko instead. He heads to the line and makes the first one. The second one also falls and its a 10 point game again, but only 3:45 remaining.

Nelson now has a three-point opportunity, getting around Billups for a layup while also drawing the foul. He makes the free throw and Orlando down by only seven, 91-84. Prince misses a shot, but Hamilton gets the offensive board. Billups then draws the foul on Milicic and he'll head to the line after a timeout.

Billups hits both free throws and Nelson misses a long two at the other end. Magic try for the turnover and finally get it on a second attempt. Hill goes in for a fastbreak and draws the foul instead. Grant goes to the line and hits both free throws to bring the Detroit lead back down to seven at the 2:00 mark. Hamilton runs down the shot clock, but can't hit the outside jumper and Orlando takes over possession. Turkoglu then hits a long two and it's a five-point game. Billups is then called for an offensive foul at the 1:08 mark, so Orlando will have an opportunity to make it a one possession game.

Milicic feeds the ball inside to Howard and he dunks it down to make it a three-point game in the final minute. But Prince gets an opening along the baseline and dunks it down, while also drawing the foul with 37.4 left. He misses the free throw. Orlando rebounds and calls the timeout with 34.9 left.

Magic draw up a play for Hill after the timeout and the veteran and former Piston makes the layup. Billups is then fouled with 25.2 seconds remaining as Orlando trails by four. A stellar free throw shooter, Billups is not the guy Orlando wants to foul in this situation. He hits both and the Pistons lead is back to six.

After a quick timeout, Orlando can't get a solid shot off and Billups is fouled again with 19.3 left. He makes both and Orlando now trails by seven, 99-92. But with 14.0 left, Dooling turns over the ball. Billups hits another free throw and after a Dooling miss, Detroit runs out the clock.

Final: Detroit Pistons 100, Orlando Magic 92

THIRD QUARTER
Not a good start for Orlando as a pair of turnovers lead to three quick buckets for Detroit as the lead is back to 14. Orlando is staying in the game, but the turnovers are absolutely killing the visiting squad. That's 15 now with still 8:00 remaining in the third quarter. Making turnovers in the regular season is one thing, but turnovers in the playoffs are just plain deadly. Nelson hits a jumper to keep the Magic within 11, but Wallace cans another three to make it a 14-point Detroit lead. Turkoglu hits a jumper, but Billups finds Webber as the Detroit lead is 13. Turkoglu tries to get inside for a layup, but misses and Howard is called for the offensive board on the rebound. Prince then makes a fancy shot and draws the foul on Hill. He goes to the line and hits the free throw. Detroit now leads, 68-52. Howard hits a pair of free throws after missing his first eight. He then makes a bucket to cut the lead back down to 12, 68-56.

Magic trail by 13 with 3:29 left in the third quarter. But Billups hits a three and the Pistons have their largest lead of the game at 16.

Orlando is not going away, but there are struggling to get this back to a single-digit game. The Magic is hovering around 11-13-15 points, but can't get on a run strong enough to make this a ballgame.

End of Third Quarter: Detroit Pistons 81, Orlando Magic 67

SECOND QUARTER
Former Piston Carlos Arroyo gets his first basket of the night after checking into the game. Hedo Turkoglu then hits a three and the lead is back down to nine. The other former Piston, Darko Milicic, is fouled and hits both free throws and the lead drops to only seven, 31-23. Carlos Delfino then hits a bucket for Detroit. Hamilton knocks down another jumper at the 7:27 mark as Detroit's lead stays at 12, 36-24. The Magic has 10 turnovers so far and has missed nine free throws (3-of-12). Arroyo then hits another shot, but Antonio McDyess dunks back a miss. But Darko gets open and dunks one down on his former team. However, a fastbreak bucket by Hamilton keeps in a 12-point Pistons lead.

Milicic playing much better against his former team than in previous games. He also doesn't appear to be bothered much by the right mid-foot sprain he suffered against Philadelphia. The Magic are within 11 points, 47-36, with 2:45 remaining until halftime.

Orlando closes within 10 in the final minute as a fastbreak leads to a Grant Hill dunk. Pistons hold for the final possession, but they turn it over. The Magic rush it down the court and Trevor Ariza takes it in for a layup at the buzzer and Orlando is within eight at the half.

Halftime: Detroit Pistons 51, Orlando Magic 43

FIRST QUARTER
We are underway in Detroit with the Magic making a return to the playoffs. Detroit gets on the board first as Richard Hamilton hits a jumper. Jameer Nelson with a difficult matchup having to go again Hamilton. Rip takes it to him again, hitting a second jumper. Then a Magic turnover delivers another possession to the Pistons and Hamilton finds Tayshaun Prince for an easy two. Grant Hill hits the first bucket for Orlando, but the Magic has fallen behind, 6-2. Chris Webber hits his first postseason bucket as a member of the Pistons. At the other end, Dwight Howard misses a layup, but gets the rebound and dunks it back. But the Pistons continue a strong start, hitting its first 5-of-6 with Rasheed Wallace's first basket of the night. It's a 10-4 Orlando lead.

Grant Hill misses on a fastbreak layup and Detroit gets a three at the other end as Wallace connects on a wide open trey. Howard gets another basket and has an early 4 points and 3 rebounds as Orlando trails 13-6. Tony Battie finds an opening along the baseline and dunks one down, bringing Orlando back within five. However, Prince nails a jumper along the baseline for Detroit.

Detroit giving no mercy to the No. 8 seed, extending its early lead to 11. Battie gets inside for another basket and Orlando has had 10 of its first 14 points coming in the lane.Chauncey Billups, working against Hill, hits a jumper to take it back to a double digit lead. Orlando then turns the ball over for the seventh time in the first quarter.

Battie puts back a Nelson missed jumper to bring the lead down to nine, 25-16.

End of First Quarter: Detroit Pistons 28, Orlando Magic 16

PREGAME
The Orlando Magic make their return to the NBA playoffs tonight for the first time since 2003. Magic head coach Brian Hill will be working with a team that has seven players (Ariza, Augustine, Bogans, Diener, Howard, Nelson and Redick) that will be playing is a playoff series for the first time. However, that doesn't mean the cupboard is empty when it comes to the veterans. Hedo Turkoglu has the most playoff experience on the Magic, appearing in 44 postseason contests. Others with past playoff experience are Tony Battie (26 games), Bo Outlaw (22), Carlos Arroyo (22) Pat Garrity (18), Darko Milicic (17), Keyon Dooling (15) and Grant Hill (15).

Orlando is 26-34 all-time during the postseason, which includes a 14-20 record in the first round.

MAGIC INJURY REPORT
Darko Milicic - sprained right mid-foot (day-to-day)

TONIGHT’S OPPONENT:
Apr. 21 @ Detroit, Game #1, First Round: Orlando is 28-40 all-time vs. Detroit (19-15 at home, 9-25 on the road) during regular season action, including 0-4 this season (see recaps below)…The Magic went 1-2 last season against the Pistons...Orlando is 6-4 vs. Detroit in the playoffs (2-0 at home, 1-0 on the road, 1996 first round series; 2-1 at home, 1-3 on the road, 2003 first round series)...Orlando has lost 14 of the last 17 meetings with the Pistons overall...The Magic have lost seven of the last nine matchups at home, but won 19 of the last 28…Orlando has lost the last six at Detroit and 11 of the last 13 at The Palace…Grant Hill spent the first six seasons of his NBA career with Detroit…Carlos Arroyo spent parts of two seasons (2004-05, 2005-06) with the Pistons…Darko Milicic was selected second overall by Detroit in 2003 and spent the first two-plus seasons with the Pistons (2003-06)…Arroyo and Milicic were traded to Orlando on Feb. 15, 2006 in exchange for Kelvin Cato an a future first round pick…Assistant GM Dave Twardzik served as an assistant coach for the Pistons in 2000-01…Assistant Coach John Kuester served on the Pistons’ bench in 2003-04 and helped them capture the 2003-04 NBA Championship.

Apr. 11 @ Detroit – Pistons 104, Magic 99: Chauncey Billups poured in a game-high 28 points, including a decisive three-pointer with 24.6 seconds remaining, as Detroit edged Orlando, 104-99, at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Richard Hamilton added 21 points for the Pistons, who clinched the Central Division and best record in the Eastern Conference. Grant Hill paced the Magic with 22 points, while Dwight Howard tallied 12 points and 16 rebounds, but was just 6-of-16 from the free throw line. Detroit led by as many as 18 points, but the Magic would not quit. They came all the way back to tie the score at 90 after a jumper by Hill with 1:35 remaining. However, they could not get over the hump, as Tayshaun Prince scored on a short hook shot, then Billups followed moments later with the huge trifecta.

Feb. 23 vs. Detroit – Pistons 94, Magic 89: Chauncey Billups poured in 28 points, while Richard Hamilton added 22, as Detroit rallied during the fourth quarter and defeated Orlando, 94-89, at sold-out Amway Arena. The Pistons outscored the Magic during the final stanza, 27-18, and held Orlando without a field goal in the quarter until the 1:21 mark. Rasheed Wallace added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Dwight Howard paced the Magic with 20 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, while Hedo Turkoglu netted 20. Orlando held Detroit to just 39.4 percent shooting from the floor, but could not overcome the decisive, final 12-minute span.

Feb. 21 @ Detroit – Pistons 110, Magic 88: Chris Webber and Richard Hamilton led a balanced attack with 18 points each, as Detroit routed Orlando, 110-88, at The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was the Magic’s sixth consecutive road loss. Chauncey Billups netted 17 points for the Pistons, while Antonio McDyess added 14. The Pistons shot 52 percent from the floor and dished out 27 assists. Dwight Howard led the way for the Magic with game-highs of 27 points and 15 rebounds. Detroit led 31-27 after the first quarter, but dominated for the rest of the contest. They outscored the Magic during the second quarter, 31-16 and led 62-43 at halftime. Detroit led by as many as 31 points during the second half.…Dec. 8 vs. Detroit – Pistons 87, Magic 83: Chauncey Billups poured in a game-high 31 points, as Detroit edged Orlando, 87-83, at a soldout Amway Arena. Richard Hamilton scored 14 points and had 10 rebounds for the Pistons. Dwight Howard, celebrating his 21st birthday, tallied team-highs of 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic. Orlando had its six-game home winning streak snapped. Orlando led 44-40 at halftime and 67-66 after three quarters. After the Pistons took a two-point lead, Howard converted a reverse layup with 2:23 left to tie the game at 82. Hamilton then hit back-to-back jump shots, the second with just 51.2 seconds remaining, to help Detroit escape with the win.

BEST ALL-TIME SCORING PERFORMANCE VS. PISTONS: 46 pts., Tracy McGrady (@ Orlando, 12-25-02); Shaquille O’Neal (@ Detroit, 2-16-93)
BEST ALL-TIME SCORING PERFORMANCE VS. MAGIC: 42 pts., Grant Hill (@ Orlando, 1-3-00)