Orlando Magic(15-42) @ Detroit Pistons(34-23) Feb. 22, 6:00 pm The Palace of Auburn Hills TV: Fox Sports Detroit, WRBW, NBALP Previous Game Nuggets 98 @ Magic 102 Timberwolves 88 @ Pistons 87 Series: Detroit leads the series 1-0. Last Meeting: Pistons 96 @ Magic 85 Streaks Magic: Won 2 (2-8 in last ten) Pistons: Lost 1 (3-7 in last ten) Extra Fact by TimFlem Tonight is Orlando's Retro Night. They are 3-1 in retro uniforms. Head Coaches vs. Johnny Davis vs. Larry Brown Probable Starters PG: vs. Tyronn Lue vs. Chauncey Billups SG: vs. Tracy McGrady vs. Richard Hamilton SF: vs. Keith Bogans vs. Tayshaun Prince PF: vs. Juwan Howard vs. Rasheed Wallace C: vs. Steven Hunter vs. Ben Wallace 6th Men vs. Drew Gooden vs. Mehmet Okur Players to Watch vs. McGrady: 27.6 Points (.423 FG%, .813 FT%), 5.5 Assists, 6 Rebounds, 1.26 Steals Hamilton: 18.1 Points (.438 FG%, .872 FT%), 3.7 Assists, 3.7 Rebounds, 1.21 Steals Well, McGrady didn't get suspended. This will be the key matchup because he is the Magic's only real player. Tayshaun Prince may get the job or guarding him because of how he did in the playoffs last year. It will be interesting to see if Rip can keep up with McGrady's scoring though. Injury Report Orlando Magic Andrew DeClercq Pat Garrity Grant Hill Detroit Pistons Keys to the Game <u>Orlando Magic by TMac_OwNz:</u> <ul> [*]Rebounds (DeShawn Stevenson and Penigar are a new addition for the Magic and will be a key factor controlling the glass for the Magic.) [*]Run the fastbreak (You don't want to play a halfcourt game with the Pistons because they are an excellent defensive team.) [*]Set the tempo early (Magic are not a great come back team after a bad start in the first half.) [*]Defense (Last 2 games Magic have played their best defense of this season and won both games , start playing defense since start and play defense for 48 mins.) [/list] <u>Detroit Pistons by PyroManiac:</u> <ul> [*]Stop Tracy McGrady (Obviously Orlando's best player. If he has a horrible game than the Magic have almost no chance of beating the Pistons. Tayshaun Prince will likely be defending him for part of the game, so it will be important for Prince to keep him outside and prevent him from driving.) [*]Rebound (The Pistons might as well rebound. Get the game over with quickly, show off some explosive rebounding power. Detroit will try to get as many second chance points as possible because Orlando will not be able to matchup to a line of Rasheed, Ben, and Okur. They will be able to destroy the Magic on the glass.) [*]Take the ball inside (Detroit will want to see if they have become a much better inside team with the addition of Rasheed. Pistons will try to take it inside with Okur, Rasheed, and Ben. Orlando would not be able to stop the height and power of the line.) [*]Get good production from Hamilton and Billups (Billups had a triple double against Minnesota and almost pulled the Pistons to a win. Hamilton also had a good game. Even with Rasheed, a great part of the Pistons offense comes from the guard spots. Their scoring will still be important.) [*]Play the Piston's style of basketball/Get the crowd excited (The Pistons need to get back the basics of spreading the ball around and getting open shots. The Pistons also need some smart bench play and some excellent execution on the offensive end. The Pistons are on their home court and need to get the crowd excited. Get some good plays, make some key substitutions, and pump up the crowd.) [/list] TMac_OwNz's Prediction Magic by 5 in a 15-7 run at the end of the 4th. TimFlem's Prediction Pistons by 4. Magic Johnson's Prediction Pistons by 9. Trip's Prediction Pistons by 6. PyroManiac's Prediction Should be fun to watch for Pistons fans. After a few hard games, we have a game against a bad team, however with Tracy McGrady they are always dangerous. He will be the Pistons main priority tonight. Even with TMac, the Magic should not be able to contend if the Pistons have a good game. The fans should be able to see a lot of Rasheed tonight, and we should also be able to see our favorite bench player. Pistons win by 12. Thanks to TMac_OwNz for making the Magic keys to the game. It is always good to have a better look at the other teams perspective for the game.
Good preview. Dammit, what can I say? Sheed is going to do well in the second half-p) and the Pistons take it by the margin above.
Hudson doesn't play for the Magic BTW Pistons fans will get their first look at Rasheed in full tonight, there is no reason why he won't have a big game. Magic have no one who can put a body on him. Pistons need to win as many as possible, even though the latest trade was successful the wins are not coming.
Thanks for pointing that out. I missed changing him. I expect Rasheed to have a big game too. Nobody on the Magic can guard him and he will be able to destroy Juwan Howard.
Hey everybody. I'll appreciate it if you post your opinions about this game in the Magic forum as well as hear. We put so much time in these previews and I'd hate if mine would go to waste. Thank you
I like your new sig, Pyro, it's awesome! I can't imagine this will be a close game. The Pistons aren't bad enough to lose to the Magic. Sounds arrogant, but it's true. I hope to see a lot of Rasheed and Darko tonight. Interesting how Ben is back at center, and Tayshaun is still starting. I think I'd rather see Memo starting at center, and 'Sheed starting at small forward, with Tayshaun off the bench. Larry's the boss, though, and I know they'll try out a few lineups before they decide anything. Pistons by 16.
Thanks, I made the sig, glad that people like it but I'm still just starting out with photoshop. I'm not sure if that is the true starting lineup, I'm just taking a guess. I'm sure that they will try it out with Rasheed starting at PF and at SF to see what is more effective. I would probably prefer Rasheed to start at SF and Prince to come off of the bench just so that our front court would look that much bigger.
That was pathetic. A very dissapointing loss. We should have blown them out, horrible. Detroit will need to play better against Chicago tomorrow. CHOKE JOB!!!
Wow...there are just no words for this. How can the Pistons be the best team in the East and lose to the Magic? This isn't adding up, the Pistons are too good to be underachieving like this. Tayshaun shoots the ball every time he touches it, Chauncey passes the ball when he should shoot it, and none of them are getting boards. Not even Big Ben is getting the rebounds he should be getting. This was a pathetic game, a pathetic effort by the Pistons.
key to tonight's game: free throws. we committed WAY too many fouls. we only shot 65% from the line (our season average is 77%). that's how you lose close games.
What an upset. We did the impossible.Looks like the jerseys paid off huh got to play in those more often lol.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Juwan Howard's three-point play with 3.5 seconds left gave the Orlando Magic an 87-86 victory over the slumping Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. Detroit had the ball and the lead with 10 seconds left, but Tracy McGrady stole the ball from Chauncey Billups, and Howard was able to fight off Richard Hamilton to hit the tying layup. Howard then hit the free throw to put the Magic ahead. Rasheed Wallace missed at the buzzer for the Pistons, who have lost eight of nine. Wallace had 14 points in his first full game for Detroit, two days after he was forced to miss the second half of a loss to Minnesota because paperwork from the three-team trade that sent him from Atlanta to Detroit had not been certified. Howard led the Magic with 20 points, and McGrady added 19 on 3-of-20 shooting. Hamilton led all scorers with 23, Billups had 15 and Ben Wallace added 11 points and 13 rebounds. Rasheed Wallace woke up the crowd early, hitting a 3-pointer on the game's first possession and adding a spectacular alley-oop dunk later in the first half. He had eight points and six rebounds in the half, and Hamilton added 11 points to help Detroit take a 48-41 lead at the intermission.</div> Recap Box Score Damn retro jerseys. Horrible game, Pistons should have been able to destroy the Magic. There is no excuse. Detroit cannot even pretend to be the best in the East if they cannot beat Orlando with Tracy having a bad game.
lol what can I say...we should be #1 seed in the east if it wasn't for chemistry lack at the beginning...(19 games losing streak) hell we might as well have a 20+ games winning streak hahaha.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TMac_OwNz:</div><div class="quote_post">lol what can I say...we should be #1 seed in the east if it wasn't for chemistry lack at the beginning...(19 games losing streak) hell we might as well have a 20+ games winning streak hahaha.</div> You blame chemistry on not being the 1st seed? LMAO I hope you're joking.
Some teams don't have good chemistry since start , neither the same coach , or good coaching decisions on how you can win a game with the good talent you have.
