Magic, Pistons continue best-of-seven series in Orlando

Posted: Wed May 7 10:37 AM

(Sports Network) - The second-seeded Detroit Pistons and the third-seeded Orlando Magic resume their Eastern Conference semifinal series tonight at Amway Arena.

Detroit leads this best-of-seven series 2-0. Game 4 is scheduled for Saturday in Orlando.

On Monday, Chauncey Billups scored 20 of his 28 points in the second half, including a controversial three-pointer in the final second of the third quarter, as the Pistons beat Orlando, 100-93, in Game 2 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Tayshaun Prince added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Pistons, while Rasheed Wallace also scored 17 in the victory. Richard Hamilton had 14 points despite a 4-for-18 shooting night.

Dwight Howard, who suffered a bruised left thumb in Game 1, finished with 22 points and 18 rebounds for Orlando. Jameer Nelson drained five three-pointers and ended with 22 points before fouling out for the Magic, while Rashard Lewis had 20 points, but accounted for six of his team's 19 turnovers.

In the opener, Billups scored 19 points and dished out seven assists as Detroit took control with a big run in the third quarter for a 91-72 win over the Magic at The Palace.

The Magic have never won a playoff series when they lose the first two games of the set.

The Pistons, who are 2-1 on the road in this year's postseason, have lost two straight Game 3s in the playoffs. They have won nine in a row in the postseason over the Magic.

Orlando, which is 3-0 at home in this year's playoffs, has also dropped two straight Game 3s in the postseason.

This is the fourth time these teams have met in the postseason. Orlando swept the Pistons, 3-0, in the first round of the 1996 playoffs. Detroit ousted the Magic in seven games in the 2003 quarterfinals and swept Orlando, 4-0, in round one last year.

Detroit, which defeated Philadelphia is six games, 4-2, in round one, has advanced to the East semifinals for the sixth straight year. The Pistons have won this round four straight times. Their only loss during the stretch was in 2002 to the Boston Celtics, 4-1.

The Pistons have made the Eastern Conference finals five straight years. They lost in six games, 4-2, last year to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East finals. Detroit is attempting to become the first team since the 1984-89 Los Angeles Lakers to reach six straight conference finals.

Orlando knocked off the sixth-seeded Toronto Raptors in five games, 4-1, in the opening round of the postseason. The Magic, who had dropped six straight playoff series heading into this year's postseason, won a first-round series for the first time since 1996 when they swept Detroit. They advanced to the Eastern Conference finals that year and were swept by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, 4-0.

The Magic and Pistons split four contests during the regular season. Both teams picked up a victory at home and on the road.