The second-seeded Detroit Pistons attempt to take a 2-0 lead over the third-seeded Orlando Magic, as the teams continue their Eastern Conference semifinal series tonight at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Game 3 of this best-of-seven series is scheduled for Wednesday at Amway Arena.
In the opener, Chauncey 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.
Richard Hamilton added 17 points, while Jason Maxiell scored 12 to go along with nine rebounds in the victory. Tayshaun Prince tallied 12 points and eight boards, while Antonio McDyess netted 10 for the Pistons, who beat the Magic for the eighth straight time in the postseason and limited the Magic to a 2- of-15 performance from three-point range.
Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu both scored 18 points in the loss for the Magic, while Dwight Howard had 12 points and eight rebounds, but by the end of the game was on the bench with a left thumb injury. Howard's hand was heavily wrapped in a bandage. He hurt the thumb going for a rebound in the final minute of the third quarter.
Howard is probable for tonight's contest.
The Pistons have won seven straight Game 2s in the playoffs, while Orlando has dropped three of its last five Game 2s in the postseason.
The last time Detroit lost a Game 2 in the playoffs was against the San Antonio Spurs on June 12, 2005 in the NBA Finals.
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.
