ORL Magic at DET Pistons (May 13, 2008)
2008-05-13 05:38:00
PA SPORTSTICKER NBA PLAYOFF PREVIEW
(ORLANDO-DETROIT)
*Confident Magic aim to stave off elimination*
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Orlando at Detroit 7:00 pm EDT Eastern
Conference semifinals Pistons lead, 3-1
AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) - Jameer Nelson and the Orlando
Magic think their due for a win against the Detroit Pistons and
are not afraid to let everyone know.
Nelson and the Magic aim to stay alive against the Pistons in
Game Five of their Eastern Conference semifinals series Tuesday.
Orlando's fourth-year point guard, Nelson was confident his team
would bounce back after blowing a 15-point, third-quarter lead
en route to a crushing 90-89 loss to Detroit at home in Game
Four on Saturday.
It was an especially impressive win for the Pistons, who were
victorious despite the absence of All-Star point guard Chauncey
Billups, who sat out with a strained right hamstring. He's
questionable for Game Five.
Tayshaun Prince hit the game-winning shot in the waning seconds.
The ball had barely gone through the net before Nelson was
ready to talk about Tuesday's contest.
"You know what, we're going to make some adjustments and we're
going to go (to Detroit) and win this game," said Nelson, whose
team trails the best-of-seven matchup, 3-1. "I'm not trying to
be arrogant or cocky or anything like that.
"But tonight, we let it slip out of our hands, Game Two we let
slip our of our hands. And we're going to win this game in
Detroit."
There have been a lot of missed opportunities in the series for
the Magic, who shot just 25 percent in the fourth quarter of
Game Two as the Pistons pulled out a 100-93 victory on May 5.
To keep their season alive, the Magic will need better
production out of superstar Dwight Howard, who scored just eight
points on 3-of-12 shooting. Howard also had 12 rebounds in 45
minutes.
The Pistons, for their part, have received an increased
contribution from guard Richard Hamilton, who scored 32 points
on Saturday. He even engaged in a fourth-quarter scoring duel
with Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu, who scored 13 points in the
final period.
But Turkoglu eventually missed the potential game-winning layup
on the final possession of Game Four, which was a microcosm of
Orlando's series - so close, but yet so far away.
If the Magic win, Game Six would be Thursday in Orlando.
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