News / Sports
NBA Scores: Detroit Pistons Clinch Top Seed with Victory Over the Magic
Chauncey Billups scored 28 points and dished out 8 assists and Richard Hamilton added 21 points and 6 assists as the Detroit Pistons (51-27) beat the Orlando Magic (36-42) 104-99 to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Orlando overcame a 16 point third quarter deficit to tie the game at 95-95 on a Grant Hill jumper with 1:35 remaining. Tayshaun Prince broke the tie with a jumper and Billups buried a three-pointer to push the lead back to five with 24 seconds on the clock. Chauncey then sealed the game with four free-throws over the final 15 seconds to earn the Pistons home court advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Magic are on the other end of the spectrum and are fighting for their playoff lives. Heading into tonight’s game Orlando led the Pacers by two games for the eighth seed but their loss to Detroit and Indiana’s victory over the Milwaukee Bucks trimmed their lead to one with four games to play.
Grant Hill scored 22 points for the Magic while Dwight Howard added 12 points and 16 rebounds in the loss.
