VS Series: 2-0 Pistons LeadDate: Thursday, April 26thTime: 8:00 PM ETTV: TNTAmway ArenaStarting LineupsPG: Chauncey BillupsSG: Richard HamiltonSF: Tayshaun PrincePF: Rasheed WallaceC: Chris WebberHead Coach: Flip SaundersPG: Jameer NelsonSG: Grant HillSF: Hedo TurkogluPF: Tony BattieC: Dwight HowardHead Coach: Brian HillInjuriesNone to report as of nowNone to report as of nowKey bench playersAntonio McDyessCarlos DelfinoFlip MurrayLindsey HunterJason MaxiellTrevor ArizaCarlos ArroyoDarko MilicicKeyon DoolingPat GarrityWhat the Pistons have to do1. Stay Focused2. Get off to another fast start3. Keep Howard off the boardsWhat the Magic have to do1. Come out hungry and determined2. Get energy off of the crowd and control their own tempo.3. Get a win. Simple.Game preview: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Detroit at OrlandoPreview - Box Score - Recap - Series Breakdown Game Info: 8:00 pm EDT Thu Apr 26, 2007 TV: TNT, RNET Add to Calendar Buy Tickets By MARK LONG, AP Sports WriterORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- The Orlando Magic have used a number of defenders on Detroit's Chauncey Billups, and none of them has been able to slow him down.Billups has 43 points and 19 assists in two games, taking advantage of mismatches, avoiding double teams and finding open teammates.He's one of the main reasons the Pistons have a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 3 is Thursday night in Orlando, and the Magic believe guarding Billups will be key."He's a tough matchup for everybody," Orlando guard Jameer Nelson said. "There's not a guy in the league that can say he shut Chauncey Billups down. You just want to try to make it tough for him, try to get him out of his comfort zone and make it tough for him."ADVERTISEMENTBillups averaged 17 points and 7.2 assists this season and shot 88 percent from the free throw line. He's been even more of a scoring factor against the Magic, averaging 24.5 points and 6.8 assists in six games while making 42 of 48 free throws.Billups has seemingly been able to score at will against Nelson, who is several inches shorter, about a dozen pounds lighter and maybe a step slower than his counterpart.Knowing Billups creates problems for his team, Magic coach Brian Hill has rotated Nelson, Carlos Arroyo, Keyon Dooling and Grant Hill onto the 6-foot-3, 202-pound point guard.Hill started off Game 1 guarding Billups, but that left Nelson covering 6-7 shooting guard Richard Hamilton -- another mismatch.Nelson ended up on Billups for part of that game and eventually fouled out."I don't take it as a disrespect to me," Nelson said. "I need help. I've been guarding taller guys my whole life. It's not just the fact he's taller or weighs more. It's not just height. He's been here before."Some think Brian Hill should change up his starting lineup -- stick Arroyo or Dooling on Billups for Game 3 -- but the coach said that won't happen."I don't think you shake up your lineup at this time in the season," Hill said. "You go with the guys that have brought you to where you are. It wasn't like we lost two 20-point games up in Detroit. We had ourselves in position late in the games to have an opportunity to win. We just have to play a little bit harder and a little bit better."Will that be enough?Maybe not. The Magic have dropped all six meetings with Detroit this season, losing by an average of nearly nine points.They hope to reverse the trend Thursday, but the Pistons were better on the road than they were at home during the regular season."To win on the road, you can't beat yourself, and we don't turn the ball over," Detroit coach Flip Saunders said. "That's the biggest factor."One thing Orlando has in its favor: the Pistons haven't swept a playoff series since 1990. They also have lost six of their last seven Game 3s."We know we can beat these guys," Orlando's All-Star center Dwight Howard said. "Nobody else believes in us. We know what we've got and what we can do."The Magic have decided they need to be more physical with the Pistons. They want Howard, who missed eight free throws in the series opener and was sick in Game 2, to assert himself in the post. They want Hill and Hedo Turkoglu to drive to the basket more frequently.And they want to play tighter defense on Billups and Rasheed Wallace, who was 6-of-11 from 3-point range in the first two games and helped the Pistons build early leads."That's one of the things coach talked about -- trying to be a little bit more physical, trying to hit them first as opposed to them hitting us first," Hill said.It starts with Billups.But the Magic also realize they can't foul him because he's made 16 of 18 free throws in the series."We've got to be smart, play every possession," Grant Hill said. "We know what we need to do in terms of trying to stop them. It's a little easier said than done. But we've got to go out there and do the best we can."</div>I expect the Magic to come out firing today. They need this win pretty badly. If the Pistons come out lazy and uninterested like usual, the Magic will be taking this one.My PredictionMagic 95Pistons 88
I've been watching this game on and off. Howard is playing pretty solid but Webber and co. have been making play after play to stay ahead. :dribble:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KCX @ Apr 26 2007, 09:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>so for so good for the pistons.. does no1 watch bball nemore?</div> I've been watching, I haven't missed a national televised playoff game (I did miss 2-3, due to the fact that I don't have NBA TV). I had a friend over, that's why I haven't commented tonight (until now). But this has been a pretty good game, Orlando has really been playing hard. They know they need this one badly. Jameer has been outstanding tonight offensively, he's carrying the load while Dwight has thrown down about 5 vicious dunks. I like what Darko has done out there, he has played very solid this whole series. They need to guard the perimeter better, that's what's killing them. Detroit is so unselfish as a whole, and they move the ball well, but Orlando is leaving too many shooters open. They need to do a better job as a team defensively, they can't keep leaving people open (especially Tayshaun).
Jazz game. This game is over. The Magic needed this one and they are now in a huge hole. They will probably be swept. :no1:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (808Hornetsfan @ Apr 26 2007, 09:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Jazz game. This game is over. The Magic needed this one and they are now in a huge hole. They will probably be swept. :no1:</div>agreed.
Okay, so Detroit is looking like the team to beat again in the East. They should be able to wrap this series up by Saturday night and have plenty of rest before they play Bulls/Heat. I would love to see Orlando come back, but it is just out of the question. This should be a good experience though for Howard. :dribble: He now knows the feeling of a meaningful series.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (arnob_detroitbasketball @ Apr 26 2007, 07:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>What about Tayshaun today, good all around game 23 Points, 7 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 3 Steals</div>he made some great plays. I never recognize when he has a good game because they usually all have good games. I thought Webber played wonderful tonight. Must be nice to be a Pistons fan.
Detroit got some pretty BS calls against us (3 of the 4 technicals were stupid), but we just didnt give up and ended up winning no problem.Everybody performed well, and I see no reason why Detroit cant beat the Western teams if they play like this. They swing and move the ball until they find someone open and everyone on the offensive side of the ball is a threat. They also play relentless defense as they have shown in shutting down Dwight Howard. Howard really hasnt impressed me that much, as all he can really do on the offensive side is dunk. He needs to work on a little 10 footer and a jump hook, to really develop into a superstar. I see a sweep in sight
