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NBA Playoffs 2003 Round One Review

A look back at Round One of the NBA Playoffs 2003 - #1 Detroit Pistons vs. #8 Orlando Magic

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Magic 99



VS.



Pistons 94 		Sunday, April 20, 2003

Tracy McGrady scored 17 of his team playoff-record 43 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Magic to a 99-94 victory over the top-seeded Pistons in the opener of their Eastern Conference first-round series. McGrady took his turn on the playoff stage in this one and pulled out his bag of tricks, driving to the basket with reckless abandon and punctuating some of those with reverse layups, dunks and floaters in the lane.

"It wasn’t the fact that we didn’t score. We didn’t play defense as a team. It’s not scoring. That’s not what our team has been built on over the last few years. That’s the way we’ve been playing and because of that, it’s been effecting our defense. We continue to take quick shots after guys worked to get a steal. After we’ve worked to stop somebody on the defensive end, and we go down and give them the ball right back, it’s going to have an effect on your defense."
--Pistons Center Clifford Robinson

High Scorers: (ORL) Tracy McGrady, 43; (DET) Richard Hamilton, 28
High Rebounders: (ORL) Drew Gooden, 14; (DET) Ben Wallace, 13
High Assists: (ORL) Jacque Vaughn, 6; (DET) Chauncey Billups, 8

Headlines: Big Mac attack: McGrady scores 43, leads Magic past Pistons in Game 1, --Detroit Free Press | Pistons are punished, --Detroit News

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Game Two: Wednesday, April 23 at The Palace
Magic 77



VS.



Pistons 89 		Wednesday, April 23, 2003

Pistons Forward Ben Wallace, who was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season before the game, led the Pistons with 16 rebounds. Wallace started the contest with a thunderous dunk. They closed the first quarter with a 21-6 run, capped by Hamilton's jumper with two-tenths of a second remaining for a 31-14 cushion.

"Chauncey and Rip have been doing it all year for us. They’ve been our two leading scorers. Chauncey has playoff experience and this is Rip’s first two and he had just played unbelievably with great force. He shot the ball really well and he played with a lot of heart. We’re happy for him. His effort the last two games has been really important for us. . . Tayshaun made a huge difference for us in the second half. He was factor. . .He will be a huge factor as we continue on through the series. We’re tied up now and we’re looking forward to the trip down to Orlando."
--Pistons Head Coach Rick Carlisle

High Scorers: (ORL) Tracy McGrady, 46; (DET) Richard Hamilton, 30
High Rebounders: (ORL) Drew Gooden, 11; (DET) Ben Wallace, 16
High Assists: (ORL) Jacque Vaughn, 6; (DET) Richard Hamilton, 5

Headlines: Despite McGrady's 46, Pistons even series against Magic, --Detroit Free Press | Big Ben voted top defender for second straight year, --Detroit Free Press | Pistons Bounce Back, --Detroit News

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Game Three: Friday, April 25 at TD Waterhouse Centre
Pistons 80



VS.



Magic 89 		Friday, April 25, 2003

Tracy McGrady scored 29 points but received lots of offensive support from his teammates as the Orlando Magic defeated the top-seeded Pistons 89-80 to take a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series. Darrell Armstrong chipped in 20 points and Drew Gooden had 15 before fouling out with 1:11 left for the Magic, who got 46 from McGrady but just 31 from the rest of the team in Wednesday's loss in Game 2.

“I think we probably stopped doing the little things, helping each other get open, getting something on the weak side and things like that. I think that was really successful in the first half.”
--Pistons Guard Richard Hamilton

High Scorers: (DET) Richard Hamilton, 22; (ORL) Tracy McGrady, 29
High Rebounders: (DET) Ben Wallace, 22; (ORL) Tracy McGrady, Drew Gooden, 7
High Assists: (DET) Chauncey Billups, 5; (ORL) Darrell Armstrong, 8

Headlines: McGrady's help arrives as Magic takes 2-1 lead, --Detroit Free Press | Pistons mesmerized by Magic, --Detroit News

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Game Four: Sunday, April 27 at TD Waterhouse Centre
Pistons 92



VS.



Magic 100 		Sunday, April 27, 2003

Drew Gooden and Darrell Armstrong scored 35 points en route to a victory in Game Three and were even better in this one. Gooden had a playoff career-high 20 points and 13 rebounds and Darrell Armstrong scored 18 as the Magic took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“It isn’t frustrating. It is simple. They are playing basketball and we are passing and standing around. We have been doing it all series. Those guys come out and be aggressive. We are coming out and standing around. It isn’t frustrating. They are just beating us. It is as simple as that... We are not being ourselves. We are doing the same thing like I said. It is the same [expletive]!”
--Pistons Guard Chucky Atkins

High Scorers: (DET) Chauncey Billups, 25; (ORL) Tracy McGrady, 27
High Rebounders: (DET) Ben Wallace, 24; (ORL) Drew Gooden, 13
High Steals: (DET) Ben Wallace, 7; (ORL) Tracy McGrady, 5

Headlines: 0-for-ORLANDO: Magic runs Pistons into 3-1 hole , --Detroit Free Press | Pistons in dire straits, --Detroit News

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Game Five: Wednesday, April 30 at The Palace
Magic 67



VS.



Pistons 98 		Wednesday, April 30, 2003

Richard Hamilton scored 24 points and Ben Wallace added 14 and 21 rebounds as the Pistons manhandled the Orlando Magic, 98-67, to avoid elimination in their Eastern Conference first-round series. Rookie Tayshaun Prince chipped in a season-high 15 points and Chauncey Billups also scored 15 for the Pistons, who never trailed as they climbed within 3-2 in their best-of-seven series against the eighth-seeded Magic.

“I didn’t even have a clue I was playing today so it was a surprise to me. You just have to be prepared. Mike (Curry) picked up three quick fouls and once that happened, I knew there was an opportunity for me."
--Pistons Forward Tayshaun Prince

High Scorers: (ORL) Tracy McGrady, 19; (DET) Richard Hamilton, 24
High Rebounders: (ORL) Drew Gooden, 15; (DET) Ben Wallace, 21
High Steals: (ORL) Tracy McGrady, 4; (DET) Chauncey Billups; Clifford Robinson, 4

Headlines: DREW SHARP: Lopsided victory gives Pistons one-game reprieve, --Detroit Free Press | Pistons stomp Magic, --Detroit News

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Game Six: Friday, May 2 at TD Waterhouse Centre
Pistons 103



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Magic 88 		Friday, May 2, 2003

Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace transformed the Detroit Pistons from desperate to determined. Billups scored 18 of his 40 points in the first quarter and Wallace had 20 points and 17 rebounds as the Pistons forced a seventh game in their Eastern Conference first-round series with a 103-88 victory over the Orlando Magic. It was Detroit's first road playoff win since April 27, 1997 and could not have come at a better time. With a win at home Sunday, the Pistons can become the seventh team in NBA history to erase a 3-1 deficit and win a seven-game series.

It was too much of Chaucney Billups, too much of Ben Wallace, too much of Rip Hamilton. And those three guys almost outscored our whole team.”
--Orlando Guard Tracy MCGrady

High Scorers: (DET) Chauncey Billups, 40; (ORL) Tracy McGrady, 37
High Rebounders: (DET) Ben Wallace, 17; (ORL) Drew Gooden, 12
High Steals: (DET) Chauncey Billups, 4; (ORL) Tracy McGrady, 5

Headlines: Billups scores 40 as Pistons force Magic into Game 7, --Detroit Free Press | Pistons take Magic to Game 7, --Detroit News

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Game Seven: Sunday, May 4 at The Palace
Magic 93



VS.



Pistons 108 		Sunday, May 4, 2003

Chauncey Billups scored 37 points as the Pistons built a 26-point lead in the third quarter and routed the Orlando Magic, 108-93, in the seventh game of their first-round series. Rookie Tayshaun Prince came off the bench to score 20 points and sparked a second-quarter surge for the Pistons, who became just the seventh team in NBA history to erase a 3-1 deficit and win a playoff series.

"They didn’t know what the hell they got themselves into when this series started. When they got up 3-1, they really didn’t know what they a got themselves into. Once we got up three-one, the expectations rose, and I don't know if our guys were prepared for that."
--Orlando Head Coach Doc Rivers

High Scorers: (ORL) Tracy McGrady, 21; (DET) Chauncey Billups, 37
High Rebounders: (ORL) Drew Gooden, 17; (DET) Ben Wallace, 12
High Steals: (ORL) Tracy MCGrady, 6; (DET) Michael Curry, 6

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Pistons Win Series 4-3