After being carried off the court in obvious pain with 6:49 left in the third, Pierce triumphantly returned to the court just minutes later to a standing ovation. Pierce’s return was an emotional lift for the Celtics, and Pierce proceeded to ignite the team by scoring 12 points in the quarter. The Celtics outscored the Lakers 31-22 in the third, and never looked back.

Pierce, who was diagnosed with a sprained right knee, finished with 22 points on 7-for-10 shooting, including going 3-for-4 from three-point range. All but three of his 22 points came in the second half.

Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 24 points and added 13 rebounds. Ray Allen chipped in with 19 points, as all members of the Big Three scored above their playoff average. As expected, Boston controlled the paint and out rebounded the Lakers 46-33.

This win is very important for the Celtics because a Phil Jackson-coached teams has never lost a playoff series when it won Game one (41-0). Also, since the NBA finals was switched to a 2-3-2 format for home games, the winner of Game one has won 18 of the last 24 titles.

For the Lakers, NBA MVP Kobe Bryant scored 24 points on only 9-for-26 shooting. Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol each added 15 points apiece.

Game two in Boston is on Sunday night at 9 p.m

Other Thoughts…

Bleacherreport.com says Pierce is the hero.

Rawsportsblog.com says its all about Pierce.

Vincentfeliboy.com praises the Big Three.

Fivetooltool.com discusses how the second half propelled the Celtics.

In what is one of the most anticipated NBA finals in recent memory, the Boston Celtics, the top seed in the East, will face the Los Angeles Lakers, the top-seed in the West. These teams have faced off in the NBA Finals 10 previous times, the most recent coming in 1987. The history between these two teams is a big reason for the all the hype, but the current players re-igniting the rivalry are the real intrigue.

Here is a breakdown of each team, and what they will need to do in order to raise the championship trophy.

BOSTON CELTICS

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Defeated Atlanta 4-3; Defeated Cleveland 4-3; Defeated Detroit 4-2.

WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO WIN: The Big Three will have to be just that - big. This trio has lead the team all year, and they will all need to be on their best to topple the red-hot Lakers. Garnett is the heart and soul, and he will need to continue to put up around 20 points and 10 rebounds a night for the Celtics to have a chance. Pierce will be asked to pick up his scoring and maybe battle Kobe Bryant, just like he did against LeBron James in Game seven of the quarterfinals. Allen’s importance can’t be understated either. He is gradually coming out of his well-documented shooting slump, and when he is a threat from the perimeter, the Celtics are much more explosive.
The biggest advantage the Celtics have is home-court advantage, and they need to defend it. Boston is 10-1 at home and only 2-7 on the road in the playoffs. Boston is facing a Laker team that is clicking on all cylinders, so it will need to use home-court advantage as an equalizer.

X-FACTOR: This is a toss up between Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins (the other two starters), but I’d have to say Rondo is more important. Turnovers have plagued the Celtics throughout the playoffs, and Rondo, despite being inexperienced, will have to be Boston’s floor general and control the tempo of the game. The Celtics prefer a half-court game, while the Lakers want to push the ball. On the other hand, Perkins will be vital to Boston’s defense as he need to contain Pau Gasol in the paint.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Defeated Denver 4-0; Defeated Utah 4-2; Defeated San Antonio 4-1.

WHAT THEY NEED TO DO WIN: For the Lakers, it’s simple. Kobe needs to be Kobe, and everyone else just needs to play their role. In the playoffs, Bryant is averaging 31.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.3 steals, while shooting 50.9 percent from the field. He has also shown the ability to single-handedly take over a game whenever he needs to, and that’s a scary proposition for the Celtics. He also has more championship experience than any other key player in this series, and if the Lakers can win, the redundant Michael Jordan comparisons will be sure to be at an all-time high.
Other than Kobe, the inside presence of Gasol (17.7 points, 8.9 rebounds), the versatility of Lamar Odom, and the timely contributions from the bench have propelled L.A. to one of the most convincing runs to the NBA Finals in years. The Lakers are 12-3 in the playoffs, and they have yet to lose at home.

X-FACTOR: Phil Jackson. Sure, he seems to always have extroadinary talent, but you cannot argue with nine rings. The Lakers hold a substantial edge in coaching in this series, and if the Lakers hit any point of adversity, the Zen Master is the perfect person to guide them in the right direction. Boston Head Coach Doc Rivers has no championship experience, much like most of the Boston roster, and the experience factor gives the Lakers a huge edge.

PREDICTION: You couldn’t ask for a better, more intriguing match-up. These teams have contrasting styles, and the team that can control the tempo will likely win this series. In a series like this where the teams are so equal, my rule of thumb is to pick the team with the best player on it - simple as that. And that player, as we all know, is The Mamba. Kobe is the best player in the world right now and I can’t see him being stopped, or even contained. Sure, Boston’s Big Three and stifling defense will give him trouble, but he now has the supporting cast that can help him bring a championship back to Los Angeles. Kobe will continue to put up over 30 points a game, and everyone around him will do just enough, and the Lakers will defeat the Celtics in six games. Kobe will collect his fourth NBA Title and first NBA Finals MVP, while Garnett, Pierce and Allen will have to wait until next year.

Other thoughts…

Athlonsports.com previews the NBA Finals.

Laballtalk.com breaks down the series.

Basketball.suite101.com says this series is between familiar foes.

Sportsjourneyradio.com says this rivalry is renewed.

Sportsmemorabilia.com says this is for bragging rights.

Ray Allen, who hadn’t been able to find his shooting touch this postseason, busted out of his slump by pouring in 29 points on 9-for-15 shooting. He led Boston to a 106-102 victory, and a 3-2 series lead. Allen also went 5-for-6 from the three-point line. Prior to this game, he had been 3-for-14 from behind the arc against Detroit.

Despite scoring 25 points in Game three, coming into Game five, Allen was only averaging 14.6 points on 38-percent shooting. Against Cleveland in the second round, he averaged a woeful 9.3 points points per game on 33-percent shooting.

Allen’s shooting slump had been one of the biggest stories of the postseason, and Celtic fans were encouraging him with every shot. He got off to a hot start in Game five by hitting a pair of three-pointers in transition, and that seemed to set the tone for the night.

Allen’s touch was also evident from the free-throw line where he went 6-for-6, including nailing two clutch free throws with six seconds remaining in the game.

Another welcome sight for Boston fans was Kendrick Perkins. Perkins added playoff career-highs with 18 points and 16 rebounds. Perkins was a force in the paint, and is a big reason why Boston out rebounded Detroit 42-25. Kevin Garnett led all scorers with 33 points, and also contributed on the glass with seven rebounds.

The victory in Game five is huge for the Celtics because in all playoff series that were tied 2-2, the winner of Game 5 has won the series 83 percent of the time. The Celtics look to be in the driver’s seat to reach their first NBA finals since 1986, and if Allen has fought through his slump, they will be very tough to beat.

Other Thoughts…

Statintelligence.com welcomes Ray Allen to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Celticsnews.com was wowed by Game five.

Coachingbetterbball.com says Ray Allen shot his way out of his slump.

Pokopya.com declares Allen is back in the Big Three.

Oddjack.com recaps the pivotal fifth game.

The Lakers were down 65-45, but then Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol took over. NBA MVP Bryant scored 25 of his 27 points in the second half, and even scored the go-ahead bucket with 23.9 seconds left. Gasol added 19 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals. This effort culminated in an 89-85 victory, and the second-biggest second-half comeback in the NBA playoffs since 1998.

In the first half, the Spurs were paced by Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. Duncan had team-highs with 30 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks. Parker chipped in with 18 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. There is no doubt that San Antonio is upset that it let this game, which it was in firm control of, slip away. The Spurs were coming off a short layoff, and tired legs may have played a factor down the stretch.

Game two is on Friday night, and the Lakers have to be feeling good knowing that they essentially stole the first game. Los Angeles is 7-0 at the Staples Center in the playoffs, and they have won their last 13 postseason games.

Combining the emotional win for the Lakers and the demoralizing loss for the Spurs, the Spurs may already have one big foot out the door. They gave the Lakers their best shot and were not able to come away with a win. As a result, I think the Lakers will ride this wave of momentum, and win the series in six.

Other Thoughts..

The Hoop Doctors say Los Angeles’ effort was better late than never.

Jaggedcore.com recaps Game one.

Fivetooltool.com says this Lakers’ victory will leave a mark.

Boston was unexpectedly pushed to Game seven in each of the first two rounds, and is 0-6 on the road in the postseason. Now, it will have to continue the emotional roller coaster coming off a short layoff. Detroit had it easier and defeated Orlando in five games in the second round, but was actually down 2-1 in round one against the seventh-seeded 76ers. The Pistons will now have to shake off some rust coming into this series on a week layoff.

Here are five things to look out for in this series.

Boston’s Road Struggles
It is inexplicable how poorly the Celtics, who had the best road record of any team in the regular season, have played on the road this postseason. At home they’ve outscored opponents by an average of 16.6 points, while on the road they have been outscored by 9.5 points. The Pistons are a playoff-tested, tough team at home, and no victory will come easy for Boston on the road. As much as Boston doesn’t need to mathematically win a game on the road to advance, it will probably have to if it wants to make a push for the finals.

Experience
Detroit is clearly the more experienced team. This team seems like it has been together forever, and since the 2002-03 season, the Pistons have reached at least the Eastern Conference Finals every season. Detroit even won a NBA Championship in 2003-04. On the other hand, the Celtics have very little playoff experience aside from Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown, who aren’t even primary contributors. Boston is actually led by its Big Three - three perennial All-Stars brought together to take the next step, something they haven’t been able to do individually. If they can get to the finals, they will take a big step in getting the monkey off their backs.

Chauncey Billups’ Hamstring
Nobody is happier than Chauncey Billups that Boston was pushed to a Game seven. This allowed him a few extra days rest that may be crucial as he tries to come back from a hamstring injury. After getting injured in the first five minutes of Game three of the second round, he didn’t play in the rest of the series. Billups had success against the Celtics in the regular season, and was averaging 15.8 points and 5.7 assists in the playoffs. Point guard play will be pivotal in this series as the experienced Billups matches up against the inexperienced Rajan Rondo. If Billups is healthy, he has the obvious advantage.

Team Defense
This match up features the league’s top two defenses. Statistically, they were the best two defensive units in the regular season, and in the playoffs it has been no different. The Celtics have limited opponents to 86 points per game on 40 percent shooting, while Detroit has allowed only 87 points per game on 44 percent shooting. Detroit is coming into the series with fresher legs, but the team that continues to bring defensive intensity and is able to shut down their opponents big guns will likely win this series.

Ray Allen
Where has Ray Allen been in the playoffs? The third member of the Big Three has not been living up to his billing. Allen averaged 17.4 points in the regular season, but has only averaged 12.7 points in the playoffs. Even worse, against the Cavaliers, the veteran shooting guard posted only 9.3 points a game. Boston needs to get him on track to give it another solid scoring option against Detroit’s stingy defense. Allen’s job will be made more difficult as he will probably be forced to guard and chase Richard Hamilton through countless screens for more than 40 minutes a game.

Prediction
This series will likely resemble the games between these two teams during the year. Boston won the regular season series 2-1. All three games were tight and physical, and I expect nothing less the entire series. Boston all of a sudden seems vulnerable, and Detroit is fresh and more experienced. Boston’s road futility will come back to haunt them, and the Pistons will take this series in seven games.

Other Thoughts…

Detroit Bad Boys discuss if fatigue will be a factor.

CelticsNews.com previews the Eastern Conference Finals.

Pregame.com says it will be a very close series.

NBAObsessed.com says the Pistons are the favorites.

Emptythebench.com says this is the series we have been waiting for.

In my mind, Bryant has been the NBA’s best player for years, and it’s about time he got the recognition he deserves. Bryant averaged 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.8 steals, while leading the Lakers to a 57-25 record and No. 1 seed in the West. Only LeBron James, who finished fourth in the MVP voting, had a higher scoring average than Bryant this season.

Bryant had one of his best seasons yet this year. He surpassed his career averages in field goal and three-point shooting, steals, assists and rebounds. Also, Bryant is an outstanding defensive player, and has been named to the NBA All-Defensive team in seven of the last eight years.

It’s an injustice that this is only Bryant’s first MVP. In the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, he not only led the league in scoring, but was named to the league’s All-Defensive team. Those years he saw the award go to the likes of Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash. No offense to either one of those players, but Bryant is the superior player - always has been, and always will be.

This year’s MVP race was one of the most compelling in recent memory. LeBron took fourth, but legitimate cases could have been made for Boston’s Kevin Garnett and New Orleans’ Chris Paul as well. Bryant was the deserving candidate, however, and received 82 first-place votes. Paul came in second with 28 first-place votes, and Garnett came in third with 15.

The MVP award is the culmination of a career transformation for Bryant. As recently as this summer, his image was still damaged as a result of his rape allegations, the Shaq feud and his wavering trade demands. Now, he is applauded for being a consummate team player, not just a tremendous scorer. He recently even said that he wants to be a Laker for life. He has reformed his image off the court, and any good press for Bryant is well-deserved and long overdue.

Currently, Los Angeles has a 2-0 series lead over Utah in the second round of the playoffs, and is 6-0 in the postseason. Bryant has showed off his MVP form by averaging 34.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.3 steals, while shooting 53.8 percent from the field.

Everything is falling into place in Los Angeles, and Bryant may have the opportunity to not only be league MVP, but possibly NBA Finals MVP as well.

But for now he’ll settle for being league MVP - finally.

Other Opinions..

Troy’s Thoughts on Sports questions whether Kobe deserves the award.

Dancing Barry says that Kobe is legend.

Wow My Life recaps Kobe’s first MVP award.

If Boston’s bench continues to play like it did in game two, LeBron James should start packing for Beijing now.

Leon Powe, Sam Cassell and James Posey all gave the Celtics huge minutes off the bench, combining for 27 points and 13 rebounds in Boston’s 89-73 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The trio sparked a decisive 10-0 run in the second quarter to give the Celtics a lead they would never relinquish.

Not only was Boston’s bench production fantastic, but for the second straight game, their suffocating defense completely shut down King James. James managed 21 points and six assists but shot only 6-24 from the field and turned the ball over seven times. For the series, LeBron is shooting an embarrassing 19 percent and has an assist-turnover ratio under one.

Boston now leads the series 2-0, and quite honestly, it doesn’t look like Cleveland has much of a shot at turning it around. With the exception of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, no one is providing any kind of help for James; Delonte West has pulled a disappearing act, and Wally Szczerbiak continues to hurl bricks at the rim. And without Cleveland’s role players stepping up, Boston can continue to double- and triple-team James, frustrating the superstar.

Furthermore, Kevin Garnett is the only one of Boston’s big three to play up to his own lofty standards. Granted, Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 19 points on Thursday, and Ray Allen added 16, but if either of them catches fire, Cleveland will be watching the rest of the playoffs in their respective homes.

As the old cliché goes, the series isn’t over until you lost on your home court. However, Cleveland needs to make some serious adjustments before Saturday’s game three. First, and most importantly, James needs to adjust to Boston’s in-your-face defense. This would obviously be a lot easier if his teammates show up—which is the second key—but LeBron has to start hitting some shots. Finally, Cleveland can not allow Boston’s bench to beat them; the big three is one thing, but if the Cavaliers are going to allow Powe and Posey to be as productive as they have been, Cleveland doesn’t deserve to win.

Guard Play Carries Spurs to Game Three Victory

For all intensive purposes, game three of the San Antonio-New Orleans series was an elimination game for the Spurs. Thanks to Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, they passed the test with flying colors, winning the game 110-99.

The Spurs two starting guards were stellar, combining for 62 points and 17 assist in the must-win game. Tim Duncan added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the defending champs, who appear to have regained their classic swagger.

The game was shaping up to be a classic for three and a half quarters, but San Antonio’s starting backcourt decided to take charge midway through the fourth period. With nine minutes to play and the Spurs leading by a deuce, the duo fueled an 11-0 run to seal the game. Bruce Bowen’s triple from the corner with just under six minutes remaining was the final dagger in the Hornets’ hearts.

The Hornets were again led by Chris Paul, who scored 35 points on 15-25 shooting and dished out nine dimes. David West was also dominant in the paint, tallying 23 points and 12 rebounds. However, no other Hornet scored more than 12 points, and on defense, New Orleans never had an answer for Ginobili or Parker.

With the victory, San Antonio keeps their hopes alive of repeating as NBA Champs. It is unlikely, however, that their backcourt will give them that kind of production every game, so Duncan will need to up his scoring output. For the Hornets, they are golden on the offensive end, but on defense, they obviously can’t allow San Antonio’s guards to get into the paint with such ease.

Of the four Conference Semifinal series, this is still the most intriguing match-up. San Antonio always seems to find a way to get the job done, while Paul is proving why he should have been named MVP. Ultimately, this series will be a back-and-forth tussle with the youngster carrying his team through to the Western Conference Finals in seven games.

James and Boston’s Paul Pierce were assigned to guard one another, and their added defensive work showed in both of their stat lines. Pierce connected on 2-of-14 field goals in scoring four points and committing six turnovers. The only superstar to do his usual work was forward Kevin Garnett, who was a matchup nightmare for Cleveland and finished with 28 points and eight rebounds. Ray Allen was held scoreless and attempted just four shots in 37 minutes.

On paper, the Celtics have considerably less firepower beyond their Big Three than Cleveland does beyond James. Wally Szczerbiak and Daniel Gibson are more capable long-range shooters than Boston’s James Posey and Sam Cassell; Ben Wallace is a more established physical presence than Kendrick Perkins or Leon Powe; and the bench combination of Joe Smith and Anderson Varejao trumps the rotation of Powe, Glen Davis and P.J. Brown.

But, at least on Boston’s home court, the Celtics’ role players were much more prepared to make contributions, seeing as they hadn’t been playing stand-and-watch basketball for the better part of 82 games. The true sense of “team” proved beneficial as each of Boston’s role players and reserves made an impact. Point guard Rajon Rondo made the biggest mark on the game with 15 points (all in the first half), while Perkins controlled the paint with 12 rebounds and two blocked shots.

What’s next for Cleveland should be a serious adjustment on the offensive end. TNT’s Charles Barkley has been begging for coach Mike Brown to let James play off the ball more and get into better position to get to the rim. The problem is, Brown doesn’t seem to trust Delonte West or Gibson to do the bulk of the ball-handling. He may have to start surrendering that trust for the Cavs to have a shot at an upset.

Other thoughts …
Red’s Army says that Sam can happen to anybody.

Believe it or not, James played aggressively, says SwamiGP’s Weblog.

The Cabin points out that James couldn’t make a would-be tying layup, or any other shot, in the loss to Boston.

Dustin Hockensmith is editor of ImaginaryDiamond.com. He can be contacted at dhockensmith[at]fantasysports101.net.

The Celtics-Cavs series kicking off tonight is not short on intrigue. It pits the East’s top team versus arguably the East’s top player in LeBron James. It pits the balanced attack of the Celtics and its Big Three versus the one-man show in Cleveland. The NBA must be salivating over the marketing and rating possibilities, and this is shaping up to be a memorable matchup.

Here are a few things to look out for in this series.

Can the Cavs Contain the Big Three?
Everybody knows that in Boston everything begins and ends with the Big Three: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen form the most imposing trio in the league, and they are the reason Boston entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed. Garnett is the team’s emotional leader, and his compelling match up with Cleveland’s Ben Wallace in the post will be crucial. Wallace is traditionally a defensive force in the paint, but he will have his hands full with Garnett, who averaged 21.0 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.4 blocks in Round 1. On the perimeter, Pierce and Allen are a lethal duo. Against the Hawks, they combined for 34.1 points, 7.8 assists and 4.7 three-pointers a game. The Celtics can come at you from all angles, and the Cavs will need to contain the Big Three if they want to advance to the next round.

Can LeBron Shoulder the Load?
Boston’s defensive strategy is completely different than the Cavs’. Instead of being forced to spread out and cover numerous scorers like the Cavs will have to, the Celtics need to zero in on James. If James is off, the Cavs have no chance. But, if he is on like he was in averaging 29.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 steals versus Washington, Cleveland can beat just about anyone. Boston might not be as physical, but it did finish the regular season with the league’s second best scoring defense. LeBron has fared well against the Celtics though, averaging 32.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.3 assists against them this season. If Boston continues to let King James run wild, they will be going home.

Celtics Road Woes
One cause for concern for Celtics fans is how poorly they played on the road versus Atlanta in the first round. Boston lost all three games away from home, despite blowing out the Hawks on their home floor in the other four. The Celtics went 31-10 on the road during the regular season, so it’s not a pattern of poor play, but it’s not comforting to see the Jekyll-and-Hyde act they pulled in round one. As was evident in the regular season with these two teams, home-court advantage will be very important in this series. The Celtics and Cavs split the season series 2-2, and the home team won all four games.

Will LeBron Get Enough Help?
The main question for Cleveland always is - how much help will LeBron get from his supporting cast? And, the answer to that question normally determines Cleveland’s fate. LeBron’s supporting cast has improved over recent years, and he now has help on the perimeter with guys like Wally Szczerbiak and Daniel Gibson to go along with the inside presence of Zydrunas Ilgauskas. In round one, Szczerbiak and Gibson combined for 22.6 points and 4.2 three-pointers a game, and Ilgauaskas added 14.5 points and 7.3 rebounds. In fact, five Cavs averaged double figures against Washington.

Unsung Heroes
Star power aside, many playoff series are decided by the play of unsung heroes. Each team has eligible candidates to step up and make a difference. For Cleveland, I think those players are Delonte West and Gibson. West’s game has improved as of late, and he averaged 10.2 points, 5.0 assists and 1.2 steals in round one. West, who was drafted in the first round by Boston in 2004, also showed his ability to hit big shots by hitting a game-winning jumper in Game 4 against the Wizards. Gibson has had the hot hand shooting, and he averaged 11.8 points while shooting 15-for-30 from behind the arc in round one. He has made 11 of his last 17 attempts from three-point range.
For Boston, the much-improved play of Rajan Rondo is overshadowed by the Big Three. Rondo has matured with every game he’s played, and he put up 11.6 points, 7.3 assists and 1.7 steals. Rondo is a key component to this team, and his play at the point guard position can go a long way in determining the outcome of this series.

Momentum
Both teams are coming off emotional first round victories. Boston was unexpectedly pushed to a Game 7, and Cleveland dismantled the Wizards in a physical six-game series. The Celtics would have liked a few extra days rest heading into Round 2, but going to a Game 7 will serve as a wake-up call to the top seed. Boston is inexperienced in the playoffs, and it learned in round one that it that it has to show up in every minute of every game.
The Cavs also learned from their first-round victory. They learned that not only can they win close games, but that they can do it on the road. The Cavs won twice in Washington, including the series clincher in Game 6. This should give the Cavs confidence in tight games, and when they have to go in to Boston.

Prediction
This series certainly falls under the must-see category. I fully expect the stars to shine on one of the NBA’s biggest stages. LeBron should have a big series, and should be able to give the Celtics all that they can handle. In the end, however, the balanced attack of the Big Three, the depth of the Celtics, and Boston’s stingy team defense will be just a little too much for LeBron and co. Garnett will not let his team lose, and Boston will prevail in six.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

More opinions…

The Painted Area chimes in with its second round preview.

The Scores Report says it’s Lebron versus the world.

The Beantown Sports Guys give their thoughts on Boston vs. Cleveland.

Wicked Good Sports previews the Celtics vs. Cavs.

Anthony Oliva III is a senior journalism student at Penn State University. He can be contacted at anthony.oliva3@gmail.com.

But, while the stars are apparently aligning in Detroit’s favor, the Magic could also place some blame on themselves for two bad road losses. A red-hot third quarter on Monday aside, Orlando trudged through two full games on the Pistons’ homecourt and dug themselves a 14-point hole in the first half of Game 2.

The disputed play brought a momentus charge to a halt, and they went into the fourth down 78-76. With 4.8 seconds left in the third, the game clock stalled and Rodney Stuckey found Chauncey Billups, who knocked down a 3 to take the lead.

Having lost the reassurance that comes with a fourth-quarter lead, the Magic still battled back and even took an 86-82 lead with six minutes and 28 seconds left in the game. As the veteran Pistons refused to go away, Orlando was shaken by doubt and self-pity and was eventually put away by Detroit’s free throw shooting down the stretch.

While superstar center Dwight Howard did his usual work, 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting and 18 rebounds, Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis got thorougly outplayed by Detroit’s frontcout of Tayshaun Prince and Jason Maxiell. Turnovers were a big story - Howard, Turkoglu and Lewis combined for 17 of the Magic’s 19 - but so were the disappearances of Lewis and Turkoglu during crunch time. The two combined to go 0-for-8 from the floor and committed four turnovers in the game’s final six minutes.

Turkoglu, a 40 percent 3-point shooter in the regular season, has knocked down just 5-of-25 attempts (.200) in the playoffs, while Lewis, a 41 percent 3-point shooter, has knocked down 12-of-52 attempts (.231) from beyond the arc. With the keys to Orlando’s long-range attack struggling when it matters most, expect Detroit to need no more than five games to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

More opinions …
In its Magic-Pistons preview, Empty the Bench made note of Lewis and Turkoglu’s potential struggles.

Need 4 Sheed points out that, no matter the circumstances, the Pistons still take a 2-0 series lead into Orlando.

Sports and Stuff says this series isn’t about just one shot.

Dustin Hockensmith is editor of ImaginaryDiamond.com. He can be contacted at dhockensmith[at]fantasysports101.net.