By Nick Adams | May 2, 2008
SERIES PREVIEW
This past Monday, the city of Orlando celebrated as the Magic won their first playoff series in 12 years by beating the Toronto Raptors in five games.
Their reward? An Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup with the team that eliminated them last season in a humbling first round, four-game sweep...the Detroit Pistons.
Game One of the series is set for Saturday in Detroit at 7:30PM ET and will be televised on TNT.
The beat down from April haunted the Magic during the off-season as each player took the sweep personally, working extremely hard to make sure the same would not happen this season. The front office took the loss to heart as well, making moves to better their team by acquiring a new coaching staff and an All-Star free agent.
With all the pieces in place, the determined Orlando organization produced one of their best seasons in franchise history, winning 52 games while grabbing their fist Southeast Division title.
Detroit entered the 2008 Playoffs with the second best record in the NBA at 59-23, and drew the feisty Philadelphia 76ers in the first round. The young Philly squad pushed the veteran Pistons to the limit in a hard fought series which Detroit ultimately took in six games, setting the stage for the rematch with the Magic.
Orlando and Detroit split the season series at two games apiece with each team earning victories on the other's home court.
The season split along with the hard work and success since last year's playoffs should give the Magic the confidence they need heading into the playoff rematch which begins with Game One on Saturday in Detroit.
Here is a more in depth look into the season series between the two second round opponents:
Nov. 2 vs. Detroit – Pistons 116, Magic 92: Six Pistons scored in double figures, led by Flip Murray’s 19 points, as Detroit defeated Orlando, 116-92, at a sold-out Amway Arena. Chauncey Billups tallied 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds, while Tayshaun Prince added 17 points. The Pistons shot 58.9 percent from the field. Orlando’s Rashard Lewis led all scorers with 21 points, including a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line. Dwight Howard tallied 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. After leading 30-28 following the first quarter, Orlando was outscored 36-25 during the second quarter and trailed 64-55 at halftime. Detroit opened the second half with a 10-0 run and never looked back, leading by as many as 25 points.
Jan. 21 vs. Detroit – Magic 102, Pistons 100: Rashard Lewis hit a 12-foot bank shot as time expired to lift the Orlando Magic past the Detroit Pistons, 102-100, at Amway Arena. Orlando had a five-point lead with 1:24 remaining after Keyon Dooling drained a pair of free throws, but Chauncey Billups scored five straight, including a 3-pointer with 3.6 seconds on the clock that tied the game at 100 a piece, setting the stage for Lewis’s game-winner. Hedo Turkoglu led all scorers with 26 points, 17 coming in the second half, while Dwight Howard chipped in 23 for Orlando.
Jan. 25 @ Detroit – Pistons 101, Magic 93: Richard Hamilton poured in a game-high 32 points, as Detroit defeated Orlando, 101-93, at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Chauncey Billups scored 23 points for the Pistons, while Antonio McDyess tallied 10 points and 13 rebounds. Hedo Turkoglu paced the Magic with 23 points. The Pistons jumped all over Orlando right from the opening tip, leading 39-18 after the first quarter and by as many as 27 points during the first half. Detroit shot 50.6 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Magic, 49-31.
Feb. 19 @ Detroit – Magic 103, Pistons 85: Rashard Lewis poured in a game-high 20 points, including 11 during the fourth quarter, as Orlando routed Detroit, 103-85, at The Palace of Auburn Hills. It snapped the Magic’s seven-game regular season losing skid at The Palace (first win since Feb. 22, 2004) and the Pistons’ overall 10-game winning streak. Six Magic players scored in double figures. Keith Bogans netted 19 points, while Maurice Evans added 16 points. Rodney Stuckey led Detroit with a career-high 16 points. Orlando held Detroit to just 38.6 percent shooting from the field and outscored the Pistons during the third quarter, 31-17, to pull away for good. The Magic were 13-of-20 from three-point range.
POSITION-BY-POSITION
SCHEDULE
Game 1: Saturday, May 3, 7:30 p.m., TNT (Detroit)
Game 2: Monday, May 5, 7:00 p.m., TNT (Detroit)
Game 3: Wednesday, May 7, 8:00 p.m., TNT (Orlando)
Game 4: Saturday, May 10, 5:00 p.m., ESPN (Orlando)
If necessary
Game 5: Tuesday, May 13, TBD, TNT (Detroit)
Game 6: Thursday, May 15, TBD, ESPN (Orlando)
Game 7: Sunday, May 18, TBD, TBD (Detroit)
*All Times Eastern
*Sun Sports Coverage To Be Announced
*All games on Magic Radio Network (Flagship AM 580 WDBO) and in Spanish (AM 1030 WONQ)
SERIES PREVIEW
This past Monday, the city of Orlando celebrated as the Magic won their first playoff series in 12 years by beating the Toronto Raptors in five games.
Their reward? An Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup with the team that eliminated them last season in a humbling first round, four-game sweep...the Detroit Pistons.
Game One of the series is set for Saturday in Detroit at 7:30PM ET and will be televised on TNT.
The beat down from April haunted the Magic during the off-season as each player took the sweep personally, working extremely hard to make sure the same would not happen this season. The front office took the loss to heart as well, making moves to better their team by acquiring a new coaching staff and an All-Star free agent.
With all the pieces in place, the determined Orlando organization produced one of their best seasons in franchise history, winning 52 games while grabbing their fist Southeast Division title.
Detroit entered the 2008 Playoffs with the second best record in the NBA at 59-23, and drew the feisty Philadelphia 76ers in the first round. The young Philly squad pushed the veteran Pistons to the limit in a hard fought series which Detroit ultimately took in six games, setting the stage for the rematch with the Magic.
Orlando and Detroit split the season series at two games apiece with each team earning victories on the other's home court.
The season split along with the hard work and success since last year's playoffs should give the Magic the confidence they need heading into the playoff rematch which begins with Game One on Saturday in Detroit.
Here is a more in depth look into the season series between the two second round opponents:
Nov. 2 vs. Detroit – Pistons 116, Magic 92: Six Pistons scored in double figures, led by Flip Murray’s 19 points, as Detroit defeated Orlando, 116-92, at a sold-out Amway Arena. Chauncey Billups tallied 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds, while Tayshaun Prince added 17 points. The Pistons shot 58.9 percent from the field. Orlando’s Rashard Lewis led all scorers with 21 points, including a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line. Dwight Howard tallied 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. After leading 30-28 following the first quarter, Orlando was outscored 36-25 during the second quarter and trailed 64-55 at halftime. Detroit opened the second half with a 10-0 run and never looked back, leading by as many as 25 points.
Jan. 21 vs. Detroit – Magic 102, Pistons 100: Rashard Lewis hit a 12-foot bank shot as time expired to lift the Orlando Magic past the Detroit Pistons, 102-100, at Amway Arena. Orlando had a five-point lead with 1:24 remaining after Keyon Dooling drained a pair of free throws, but Chauncey Billups scored five straight, including a 3-pointer with 3.6 seconds on the clock that tied the game at 100 a piece, setting the stage for Lewis’s game-winner. Hedo Turkoglu led all scorers with 26 points, 17 coming in the second half, while Dwight Howard chipped in 23 for Orlando.
Jan. 25 @ Detroit – Pistons 101, Magic 93: Richard Hamilton poured in a game-high 32 points, as Detroit defeated Orlando, 101-93, at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Chauncey Billups scored 23 points for the Pistons, while Antonio McDyess tallied 10 points and 13 rebounds. Hedo Turkoglu paced the Magic with 23 points. The Pistons jumped all over Orlando right from the opening tip, leading 39-18 after the first quarter and by as many as 27 points during the first half. Detroit shot 50.6 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Magic, 49-31.
Feb. 19 @ Detroit – Magic 103, Pistons 85: Rashard Lewis poured in a game-high 20 points, including 11 during the fourth quarter, as Orlando routed Detroit, 103-85, at The Palace of Auburn Hills. It snapped the Magic’s seven-game regular season losing skid at The Palace (first win since Feb. 22, 2004) and the Pistons’ overall 10-game winning streak. Six Magic players scored in double figures. Keith Bogans netted 19 points, while Maurice Evans added 16 points. Rodney Stuckey led Detroit with a career-high 16 points. Orlando held Detroit to just 38.6 percent shooting from the field and outscored the Pistons during the third quarter, 31-17, to pull away for good. The Magic were 13-of-20 from three-point range.
| ORLANDO MAGIC (52-30) | ||||
 NELSON |
 EVANS |
 TURKOGLU |
 LEWIS |
 HOWARD |
DETRIOT PISTONS (59-23) |
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 BILLUPS |
 HAMILTON |
 PRINCE |
 MCDYESS |
 WALLACE |
POSITION-BY-POSITION
2007-08 Season Statistics |
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SCHEDULE
Game 1: Saturday, May 3, 7:30 p.m., TNT (Detroit)
Game 2: Monday, May 5, 7:00 p.m., TNT (Detroit)
Game 3: Wednesday, May 7, 8:00 p.m., TNT (Orlando)
Game 4: Saturday, May 10, 5:00 p.m., ESPN (Orlando)
If necessary
Game 5: Tuesday, May 13, TBD, TNT (Detroit)
Game 6: Thursday, May 15, TBD, ESPN (Orlando)
Game 7: Sunday, May 18, TBD, TBD (Detroit)
*All Times Eastern
*Sun Sports Coverage To Be Announced
*All games on Magic Radio Network (Flagship AM 580 WDBO) and in Spanish (AM 1030 WONQ)
