Eastern Conference Semifinals: Pistons vs. Magic, Game Five
by Ben Q Rock
on May 13, 2008 5:30 AM EDT
in 2007/2008 Previews
Orlando @ Detroit
| Eastern Conference Semifinals | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
@ |  |
| Pistons Lead Series, 3-1 | ||
| The Palace of Auburn Hills | ||
| 7:00 PM | ||
| TNT | ||
| Probable starters: | ||
| Jameer Nelson | PG | Chauncey Billups |
| Maurice Evans | SG | Richard Hamilton |
| Hedo Turkoglu | SF | Tayshaun Prince |
| Rashard Lewis | PF | Jason Maxiell |
| Dwight Howard | C | Rasheed Wallace |
| Series Central | ||
Let's get this bit of news out of the way first: Chris McCoskey reports (thanks, DBB) that Chauncey Billups will play tonight if he feels ready; that is, the Pistons have no plans to hold him out as a precautionary measure. I'd expect that Rodney Stuckey would start once more for Detroit if Billups doesn't feel well enough to play.
The Magic need to win three straight games to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals and become the eighth team in NBA history to comeback from a 3-1 deficit. Obviously, that's a tall order, especially against a Pistons team that's surging after its spectacular come-from-behind victory in Orlando on Saturday.
The Pistons had one three-game losing streak this season: from January 18th to January 21st, they dropped consecutive games to the Sacramento Kings, to the Chicago Bulls, and to the Magic. In each of those losses, the Pistons shot an effective field goal percentage well below their average. But the real reason the Pistons lost those games was their poor defense, specifically their tendency to foul. The Bulls and Magic shot 36 and 37 free throws, respectively, in those games, in which the Pistons were the visitors. Hmmm.
And in those losses the Kings and the Bulls, the Pistons allowed their opponent's bench to erupt. Kevin Martin, Mike Bibby, and Ron Artest combined for 58 of Sacramento's 100 points; similarly, Ben Gordon contributed 33 off Chicago's pine. Since the Magic's reserves provide little in the way of offense, the Magic's better bet is to drive aggressively to the basket and hope to get fouled, then convert on the subsequent free-throws. Defensive free-throw rate was the Pistons' biggest weakness in the regular season, and it showed in their only three-game skid of the year.
Two caveats: three games in the middle of January does not a great sample size make; and the Kings' big bench scorers in that game typically start. But I thought it was worth examining nonetheless.
Tipoff's at 7 on TNT. Our season could officially end at or around 9:30. Think about that one for a second.
Go Magic. Prove Jameer right.
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Magic Win, Magic Win
Just practicing for tonights post game thread.
'Coach, Dwight is a nice guy. Dwight don't hit anybody. But Superman will knock the crap out of you.' - D12
by Eyriq the Red on May 13, 2008 7:57 AM EDT 0 recs
hope
The Magic went 27-14 on the road this year. This is a winnable game. The season is not over. Go Magic.
by magic fanatic on May 13, 2008 11:38 AM EDT 0 recs
A Magic win is possible...
Jameer’s guarantee notwithstanding. Last season, in the East Semifinals, the Pistons had a 3-1 series lead against the Bulls going into Game 5 at Detroit, but the Bulls went into Detroit and pulled off the upset to keep the series going, eventually losing in six games.
The pressure is kind of off the Magic now as most people expect the Pistons to end the series tonight; as a result, the Pistons may not be nearly as intense with a two-game cushion and the Magic should go into the game with a what-have-we-got-to-lose attitude.
The Pistons are favored by 6 1/2 points according to pinnaclesports.com.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 3:16 PM EDT 0 recs
"And Maurice Evans is at the point..."
Words I did not need to hear when I walked into the room…
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:06 PM EDT 0 recs
Turnovers...
Three silly turnovers so far from the Magic… gotta take better care of the ball!
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:11 PM EDT 0 recs
Howard...
Bad start for Dwight… 1 for 3 from the field, 0 for 2 from the line.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:15 PM EDT 0 recs
Are we running an offense?
Everyone just standing around.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:18 PM EDT 0 recs
Oh my God
It’s like NOBODY on this team has ever thrown an entry pass. Ever.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:19 PM EDT 0 recs
Rashard...
0 for 4 from the field with 3 turnovers!
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:20 PM EDT 0 recs
Yeah
He came up big in our lone win in this series. He needs to get it going. He could start by
- not blowing layups
- not throwing outlet passes five feet behind the intended receiver
- not throwing outlet passes to players with no handle anyway
by Ben Q Rock on
May 13, 2008 7:22 PM EDT
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Stan is about to blow his stack
7 turnovers in 9 minutes. Barf.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:20 PM EDT 0 recs
We’re shooting 50% from the field, but 7 turnovers good for 12 Pistons’ points… simply unacceptable.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:23 PM EDT 0 recs
I CAN HAZ AGGRESSION?!1
Even with Howard and Evans camped in the lane as Prince posts up Bogans, the Pistons get the offensive rebound.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:26 PM EDT 0 recs
Maybe it’s a good sign we’re only down 6, considering how bad we’ve looked.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:27 PM EDT 0 recs
Keyon needs to stop biting on pump-fakes
That’s what killed him on Saturday with Hamilton and that just hurt him on Hunter.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:29 PM EDT 0 recs
Magic are doing well shooting threes… hopefully that’ll keep up.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:29 PM EDT 0 recs
That might have been Rashard’s worst quarter in a Magic uniform!
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:31 PM EDT 0 recs
Pointless stat of the quarter
Rasheed Wallace has the Pistons’ only defensive rebounds.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:31 PM EDT 0 recs
first quarter stats...
Magic shooting 57%, Detroit 39%... Magic are outrebounding Pistons 11-9… Pistons a 6/3 AST/TO ratio compared to the Magic’s 3/8 ratio.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:33 PM EDT 0 recs
Good foul by Bogans
Didn’t let Maxiell complete the dunk.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:35 PM EDT 0 recs
Dwight's free throw shooting...
still leaves a lot to be desired… just 2 for 6 in the first quarter. Pistons 2 for 2 on FTs.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:35 PM EDT 0 recs
Par for the course
Turk gets a relatively easy layup, misses it, Dwight gets the rebound, fumbles it away.
Yup.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:36 PM EDT 0 recs
Dwight’s doing a good job of getting to the line, but geez, he’s gotta make ‘em!
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:36 PM EDT 0 recs
Fans sound bored
Not much to be excited about. Not a well played game by either team so far.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:38 PM EDT 0 recs
Bogans...
We need his scoring off the bench…. two missed threes by him not good.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:38 PM EDT 0 recs
Lots of empty seats when the game started… a late arriving crowd.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:40 PM EDT 0 recs
Okay, if you're going to double-team Rasheed....
At least rotate off him in time so you can box everyone out. Doesn’t matter if the team shoots a poor percentage if it gets all the second-chance opportunities it wants.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:41 PM EDT 0 recs
Yeah Ben… Pistons have 7 offensive rebounds already… Pistons 0 for 4 on threes so far and shooting just 36% overall.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:43 PM EDT 0 recs
Pistons have 11 more shot attempts than the Magic.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:44 PM EDT 0 recs
GORTAT!
Let’s see if he can school Rasheed for the third straight game.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:45 PM EDT 0 recs
Everything in this game favors the Pistons
The pace, the Magic’s high TO rate, the Magic’s poor FT shooting…
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:46 PM EDT 0 recs
Thank goodness the Pistons are shooting just 34% from the field.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:47 PM EDT 0 recs
BOGANS?!?!?
It took him 5 years in the league, but he finally figured out that he’s allowed to take the ball to the basket.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:47 PM EDT 0 recs
We actually have a six point lead despite all the turnovers and Pistons’ offensive rebounds… this could be our night!
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:49 PM EDT 0 recs
Yeah, thing is, they’re going to get it going eventually (after seeing their second-half dominance on Saturday, I refuse to believe they’ll mail in a whole game) and we’re going to hit a wall eventually.
by Ben Q Rock on
May 13, 2008 7:51 PM EDT
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That's what I want to see
Herrmann throwing garbage at the basket - that might have been the worst shot any Piston has taken this series, and they employ Jarvis Hayes - and the Magic getting a three-pointer in transition. Jameer, no less.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:49 PM EDT 0 recs
Magic shooting
Rashard Lewis: 0-5, 0 points
Rest of team: 11-16, 31 points
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:50 PM EDT 0 recs
Pistons now have 13 more shot attempts than the Magic, but are shooting just 32%.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:50 PM EDT 0 recs
Yeah, it would help our cause even more if Lewis can get going.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:51 PM EDT 0 recs
Dwight returns for Marcin
He’ll probably play the rest of the game, barring foul trouble.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:53 PM EDT 0 recs
Okay, that's crap
Hamilton falls down on his own, Lewis gets whistled for the foul. Pfft.
But if Bogans hadn’t rushed that three, it would not have come to that.
Thank goodness Evans is back.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:55 PM EDT 0 recs
Did anyone else see that?
Hamilton hit that three, and Marcin pulled the collar of his warmup shirt over his head and started massaging it.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:55 PM EDT 0 recs
That was the first Pistons’ three of the game…. they’re now 1 for 8 shooting threes.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:56 PM EDT 0 recs
Our assist/turnover ratio...
is really ugly at 3/10.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 7:58 PM EDT 0 recs
That's the best they could do?
Keith Bogans has the wireless mic?
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 7:59 PM EDT 0 recs
Sage advice from Bogans to Howard
“Make your free throws.”
by Ben Q Rock on
May 13, 2008 7:59 PM EDT
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Seven in a row by the Pistons to retake the lead… c’mon Rashard, make the free throws!
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 8:00 PM EDT 0 recs
lol
Hamilton stops, drops, and rolls after getting a love-tap from Dwight. Dude is almost as bad as Ginobili.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 8:04 PM EDT 0 recs
Evans wasn’t even looking for the pass from Howard, but nice three to stop the Detroit run.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 8:04 PM EDT 0 recs
Hunter hits a three
Detroit’s woken up, it has momentum, and we can’t get anything done on offense.
It’s been a nice season, though.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 8:06 PM EDT 0 recs
Ben, I think one of your posts tomorrow is going to be… Anatomy of a Second Quarter collapse!
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 8:07 PM EDT 0 recs
Poor Ben :-/
I don’t even know if I can watch the game. I’ll probably just stick to the thread like I did during the game 2 loss. It’s less devastating.
by TheGiantSquid on
May 13, 2008 8:10 PM EDT
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That's why I like Rasheed
Nice hack on Dwight. Doesn’t give up any easy buckets, but also doesn’t put anyone’s life at risk, either.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 8:08 PM EDT 0 recs
Is it irony...
if we’re the first to be eliminated from the 2nd round when we were the first to eliminate in the first?
by TheGiantSquid on May 13, 2008 8:11 PM EDT 0 recs
Like a thousand spoons
when all ya need is a knife?
by TheGiantSquid on
May 13, 2008 8:13 PM EDT
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haha, Pam Oliver
“The Magic have only committed something like 12000 turnovers. How is this game even this close?”
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 8:12 PM EDT 0 recs
I'm still not giving up on this game...
If we can cut down on the turnovers and be more aggressive on the boards and shoot free throws better, we have a chance… as bad as we’ve looked, we’re only down 6.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 8:13 PM EDT 0 recs
Charles Barkley:
“Can we start the second game now?”
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 8:16 PM EDT 0 recs
Chuck sure has a lot of confidence in the Magic, doesn’t he?
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 8:19 PM EDT 0 recs
I remember watching him on NBA insider or whatever it’s called criticizing the Magic crowd during a recap of game 3, saying they were too quiet and that they shouldn’t give up on the team when they’re only down a few points.
Takes his own advice, I see. Also, he’s kind of an idiot.
by TheGiantSquid on
May 13, 2008 8:23 PM EDT
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My problem with him is that he’s sometimes just, uh, wrong. Like when he said the Magic needed another three-point shooter. Uh… we take 25 threes a game and we make 39% of them.
I appreciate his candor, if nothing else. Magic Johnson’s the one who has to go.
by Ben Q Rock on
May 13, 2008 8:24 PM EDT
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I like his candor too, but other than that, he’s just…blah.
Haha, poor Magic Johnson. He’s pretty awful. Speaking of awful—awfully AWESOME, how can you not love Reggie Miller?? “He’s got the crowd out of its feet!” LOLOLOL.
by TheGiantSquid on
May 13, 2008 8:29 PM EDT
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Key stat of the second quarter...
Pistons were just 7 of 20 from the field, but 11 of 12 from the free throw line. Hamilton scored 15 second quarter points on 8 of 8 free throws as Detroit outscored the Magic 20-8 to end the quarter.
by Mike from Illinois on May 13, 2008 8:24 PM EDT 0 recs
Quote of the year from a DBB commenter
We has a winar!!1
As frustrating as it can be to be a Pistons fan, it has got to be worse to be a Magic fan right now. Detroit missing a ton of open jumpers in the middle of the half, and the Magic can’t capitalize. It’s like they are holding open the door for Orlando and the Magic keep walking into the wall.
That last sentence made me chortle… and then I died a little bit inside.
by Ben Q Rock on May 13, 2008 8:29 PM EDT 0 recs
Yeah that pretty much sums it up right there.
by TheGiantSquid on
May 13, 2008 8:30 PM EDT
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For the half...
Magic are shooting 53.5%, compared to just 37.3% for