The AP reports: Chauncey Billups made the 3-pointer in question at the end of the third quarter and Detroit went on to beat Orlando 100-93 Monday night, taking a 2-0 lead in their second-round series… Billups officially made the shot with 0.5 seconds left in the third after the clock froze at 4.8 seconds… The Magic still had a chance to win after trailing by 14 in the first half. Orlando had the ball down by two points late in the game, but Rashard Lewis missed a running scoop shot with 14 seconds left, Dwight Howard just missed on a putback and Hedo Turkoglu couldn’t grab the offensive rebound… Dwight Howard bounced back from a lackluster game with 22 points, 18 rebounds and two blocks. He had just 12 points and a career playoff-low eight rebounds when Detroit won the series opener by 19 points.
InsideHoops.com Stat Notes: The Pistons shot 47.4%, the Magic 43.8%. The Magic poured in 11-of-23 three-pointers (Jameer Nelson 5 threes), the Pistons a quiet 4-of-12. The Pistons got the line a bit more, and shot better from there. The Magic committed 19 turnovers, the Pistons only 8.
For the Pistons, Chauncey Billups (8-of-19, 10-of-10 free throws) had 28 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Tayshaun Prince (8-of-13) had 17 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals. Rasheed Wallace had 17 points, not much else. Richard Hamilton (awful 4-of-18) had 14 points. Jason Maxiell, still starting while Antonio McDyess comes off the bench, shot 5-of-5 for 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks.
For the Magic, Dwight Howard (8-of-11) had 22 points, 18 rebounds and 2 blocks, but no assists and 5 turnovers. Jameer Nelson had 22 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Rashard Lewis (awful 6-of-21) had 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 6 turnovers. Maurice Evans scored 13. Hedo Turkoglu had 12 points, 7 assists but 6 turnovers.
