HoopWatch

For four games, the Detroit Pistons controlled most of the game. Except for a Game Three total domination, the young Orlando Magic tried to stage a magical comeback for most of the series, only to falter at the end, as Detroit’s resilience and clutch shooting kept them at bay.

The Pistons have gone to the Eastern Conference Finals four straight times, and have always been poised at the end game. Something they have learned after years of playing together. The Magic had no chance even before the series began.

All of Detroit’s regular starters all scored in double figures in all of their games in this first round series. All – Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace and Chris Webber. They are all veterans, and those four starters have played together for five straight seasons. They are used to playing together and they are unselfish. They are balanced and good. That’s hard to beat, especially for a young team like Orlando.

Detroit has one of the best back court duo in Billups and Hamilton. Prince can guard three positions from the two, three and four spots. He is the ultimate stopper of the opponent’s scoring leader. He is long, and is offensively sound as well. He is their silent assassin. Webber is a good perimeter shooter, a former All-Star, and can pass so well. Wallace is the ultimate mismatch. He is a nightmare for the opponent’s center. He brings so much range from the middle position coz he can shoot the three with consistency. And Detroit has the deeper team loaded with veterans. Veterans like Antonio McDyess, Dale Davis, Carlos Delfino and Lindsey Hunter.

Orlando’s Dwight Howard, perhaps the most athletic big man of today, was shackled offensively all throughout the series except for a gallant 29-point-17-rebound performance in Game Four. He had a measly eight-point game in Game Two. Orlando tried to climb back from an eleven-point fourth quarter deficit in the fourth game, butWallace hit a three, Webber made a hook, and Billups and Hamilton iced the game by making all six of their free throws and scored Detroit’s last 12 points in the game. Such clutch performance!

Detroit won 100-92 in Game One, 98-90 in Game Two, 93-77 in Game Three and 97-93 in Game Four.

Orlando bids goodbye to a promising and fruitful season. It was quite a run. They made the play-offs for the first time in the post-McGrady era. They’ll be back next year. They are a young team, and with every experience building-up, they will be a team to reckon with in the near future. But right now, it’s still Detroit’s time. (photos courtesy of yahoonba.com)