Jojo Doria - AHN
Orlando, FL (AHN) - Tayshaun Prince only scored 17 points for Detroit but his last shot --an 11-foot runner sealed the game as the Pistons edged the Orlando Magic 90-89 on Saturday to take a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven series in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Richard Hamilton led the Pistons with 32 points going 8-of 9 from the three point area and added six boards and three assists. Rasheed Wallace had 16 points and eight rebounds while Antonio McDyess contributed 8 points and collected 14 boards for Detroit, the first team to win on the road in the second round of playoffs.
Orlando led at the break 55-44 but the Pistons with McDyess and Hamilton each scoring 4 points led a 15-0 surge almost seven minutes in the third to tie the score 70-all going to the fourth period. Seldom used Lindsey Hunter, who has played a career-low 24 games, drilled a three-pointer during the Pistons' run in the third.
Hedo Turkoglu put Orlando up 86-84 following two connections from the three-point arc and a three-point play in a span of a minute-and-a-half with 2:33 remaining in the fourth period.
Prince hit a runner from 11feet with 8.9 seconds for the go-ahead basket as Turkoglu missed a contested layup with Dwight Howard failing to convert on a follow-up as time expired.
"I was reading the situation," Turkoglu told the Associated Press on the final play of the game. "I didn't want to rush and force a bad shot. Maybe I was holding it too long instead of going right away. I'm just upset that I couldn't help the team."
Turkoglu led the Magic with 20 points, two rebounds and four assists. Maurice Evans and Jameer Nelson each scored 15 points and also pulled down five boards each. Rashard Lewis contributed 15 points and three rebounds
Lindsay Hunter, who was activated because of the injured Chauncey Billups, contributed eight points and three assists while taking over the ball handling chores from a foul-plagued Rodney Stuckey. Stuckey, in his first playoff start, finished with eight points and three assists.
Howard was pounded and double-teamed all night, finishing with just eight points and 12 rebounds.
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