News / Sports
NBA Scores: Pistons Too Balanced for Magic, Take Game Two for 2-0 Series Lead
Chauncey Billups scored 21 points and handed out 8 assists, Tayshaun Prince added 18 points and 5 rebounds and Rasheed Wallace finished with 17 points and 11 boards as the Detroit Pistons put together a complete game to knock off the Orlando Magic 98-90 and take a 2-0 lead in their first round match-up in their Eastern Conference playoff series.
All five of the Pistons starters scored in double figures and Antonio McDyess came off the bench to score 9 and grab 11 boards.
Detroit led by as many as 11 in the first half but Orlando pulled to within one after Grant Hill hit a 15-foot jumper with 1:20 remaining in the second quarter. Hill was fouled on the basket but failed to hit the free-throw which would have tied the game. Billups was able to boost the Pistons lead to five after hitting a pair from the line but the Magic trimmed their deficit to three heading into the break when Carlos Arroyo sank both foul-shots with one second on the clock.
The Pistons held Dwight Howard in check throughout the game, allowing just eight points to the Orlando big man and in the third quarter Detroit shut him out completely. With Howard not a factor the Pistons lead grew to 13 before settling on a 71-59 lead after three.
Jameer Nelson pulled the Magic to within six with just under a minute left in the game but Billups was fouled on a driving layup and he completed the three-point play with one from the line to push the lead to nine. Detroit sealed the game with seven free-throws over the final 53 seconds.
Hedo Turkoglu led the Magic with 22 points while Grant Hill added 21 in the loss.
The two teams will meet again on Thursday for game three of their best of seven series.
