Throwback NBA Playoffs ECSF 2008.5.10 Detroit Pistons at Orlando Magic G4 FHD
They’re going to test him tonight. He says he’s confident. Let’s see. The Pistons are hoping to have Chanty Phillips back for game five. Are looking to shake things up a little bit in the Eastern Conference. 33 points, five threes in game three. They kick it right into Howard, defended by Rasheed Wallace to begin the game. And Howard misses the somewhat wild spinning left-handed hook. He’s better at finishing with his weak hand. You can finish with right or left, but obviously the closer he is to the basket right now in his development, the better off he is. Keep an eye on Stucky, the man with the ball. A much different kind of player than Shanty Bis. Richard Hamilton gets inside. Well, Rip is a guy who they like to get off early, right? Sends a very clear message. Howard fifth in blocks in the league during the regular season. The multi-talented Hedo Turaloo draws the foul. Three games show they need more from Rashid Wallace as well. Has not been playing up to his capability so far in this series as Howard. This one they will count it. That’s a goend. Used to do this a lot when he was in college. He used to send a couple of back. McDice scored a point in game three. Mcdice again. [Applause] Jamir Nelson at the point. for Orlando playing maybe his best basketball of the season right now in the playoffs and the jump hook the soft touch for the big guy looking move and Mcdice who we’ve had two different defenders on Dwight Howard already and McD now a steal by Turkish three on three Jir Nelson lays it in and the Magic take the lead has to grow up pretty quickly right here and with the free throws he just knocked down he’s 22 out of 22 in the playoffs the miss Howard the McN scoring and rebounding both up for the regular season of the postseason so far as Hamilton gets inside and will look for the three-point play. Got himself to the free throw line and Rip who is a lot stronger than Matt Rain would look and suggest early on in his career he could defer and why wouldn’t you with the guys who had accomplished so much. Mcdice looking for his offense early now one for three. Rasheed Wallace. I think that’s a good sign for Detroit. The fact that Rasheed has been around the basket, man, this is a guy who is so valuable. Speaking of around the basket, Nelson to Howard. [Music] Dwight Howard easily led the league in dunks during the regular season and you can see why. Just freakishly athletic and as you mentioned, still just scratching the surface. Hamilton from the corner. Intelligent guy. He understands how to do it. We will see a number of different Pistons try to defend Dwight Howard today. Matt Seal will, Theo Rattler perhaps, Antonio Mcdis perhaps. Nelson for three. His strength, you he could turn the lights out on most catches. 81 threes during the season. Almost 10 per game. Another turnover. Threeon two. Evans takes the bump and it drops. Dwight Howard, he got it started early on the defensive end. He’s making it happen on the offensive end as well. Doing what he does best, getting up and around the rim. The Magic lead by five. What kind of defense you can throw at just 22 years old in his fourth season in the league. Stunning gets inside and it drops for him. Might be nervous. This is a a guy’s got a lot of confidence in himself and he’s playing with some pretty experienced, talented guys around him. and he did get a lot of minutes during the season as Rashard Lewis does his Dwight Howard impersonation spot. Pete Bogens out of Kentucky is into the two guard spot for the magic for Maurice Evans. Bogen started the first 35 games of the year. Lewis and it goes in was the highest scoring team in the Eastern Conference at about 105 points per game. Rebound Bogen Stucky knocked down five on four right now. Hogens penetrates and it drops. Well, the ongoing storyline will be how fast does Chanty heal himself. And I know you’ve still got a lot in this game to play. Beautiful feeding from Hamilton. Mcdice with a slam. Shamir Nelson slithers inside in and out. The Pistons looking to run a little bit. It’ll be Hamilton forcing the issue. gets it back and somehow got it. TMT going down and getting that basketball game. That was a blast. Chris Paul and Tony Parker who was equally sensational. Howard misses the dunk. Oh, is that one he would want back? They’re going to give it right back to him. Surrounded by Pistons and he is fouled. Two spot because of his size. He’s had to learn how to play the point a little bit in the NBA. Bogens. Nice dunk down. Lewis blocked. Mcdice shot clock doesn’t reset. Evans with a jumper. The series with a win here today. It’ll be Hunter for three. Not there. And back comes Orlando out in front of the pack. Evans. Terrific speed. He’s also long as heck. He’s got terrific arms. You can see he just tries to protect. But how about this? The hustle, the length. Out of Missouri has given them a spark at times. Had 10 points in game three. Howard couldn’t handle the pass. And back on the Pistons. The cutter is Taan Prince against the Magic going into Howard and Hamilton comes down and strips him. Backto-back turnovers for the Magic to start this quarter after after they didn’t have any in the first quarter. And now Detroit almost returns the favor. Still seven to shoot. Hamilton from 17. You have been sensational. I thought it was terrific because you get a three more days worth of treatment and you are still competing in this one. Prince inside a tough two point. Now Bogus now Evans for three. [Applause] [Music] Detroit looking for the lead. A wide open Prince. What a great start to this quarter. power forward spot even though he’s better suited for the small forward position. Skills certainly. How about skills by Hedo Turkaloo the dribble drive. Now two Orlando players collide and go down. Hunter misses the shot. It’s laid back in by Prince. Stan Vani will do anything to avoid having to get all dressed up with a swat. Knocked it away from Prince. Big guy runs the floor well. You know, Turkoo at 610 doors too. He’s dangerous handling the ball. Yeah. And they they fear him in transition. They got to fear dueling in the outside. Gor left hand [Applause] over it. you know, just make it as tough a shot as you possibly can. Well, like a lot of players, the more so for Howard the most, the closer he gets to the rim, the more effective he is. As Dueling fouls Hamilton and the the ultimate peacemaker, Hedo Turku gets between the two of them. Number two on Dueling. Hamilton and Dueling a little bit fired up. Well, you put Rift on the box and you wouldn’t expect that he could do this, but he’s a very good postup player. See what Hamilton did. Grabbed the little veteran move there. Kind of grabbed the shorts of Keon Dueling to facilitate his way around him. Didn’t get caught. Now a Detroit turnover and Orlando gives it right back. Hamilton and one. Silly foul. You’re frustrated that you’re stripped and you hate this as a guard. There’s nothing worse than being stripped when the smart veteran. The guy understands lean in, get contact, just put a soft up off the board and the N1 possibility conference champion or the Eastern Conference final for five years. You’re right in the ball game. Yep. Lewis over Hayes square this series with Detroit. Turkaloo. Hayes flashes into the paint. Giving up some size in this match up with Turkoo. shoots over him and misses badly. Broen’s in transition. How about that strength as you would imagine then signs directed at any other Pistons player. Wallace knocks it away from Lewis. Hamilton off to Hunter. Good job by Hamilton. Call us a quiet first half. You’re probably not too upset being down four. Absolutely. They’re the more experienced team who knows how to close out games. Just be in position. Rashan Lewis knocks down the three. Looking for Prince in the post. Knocked away by Turkoo and a foul by Hunter. Breaking earnest record. That’s right. They could win it all without ever winning a game on the road. Lewis Evans. This time he slams it down. Deafany noise here at Amway Arena. Wallace with a turnaround over Howard. Tough shot. I would have him on the box cuz they need half court options. Jamir Nelson gets inside and lays it in. Rodney Stucky starting at the point. Three first half fouls. Limited minutes. Rasheed Wallace. This has been one of the best matchups in the game. Turkaloo and Prince. Rashard Lewis for three. Hamilton off a screen, elevates for the jumper. How many times have we seen that? Remains a 12point Orlando lead here early in the second half. Nelson to Evans. Jir Nelson is making it happen and roll about 25 a game in his two years at Eastern Washington. And a great block by McDice. Starts the break for Detroit. And now the numbers aren’t there. Prince will slow it down into the post to Mcdice over Turkaloo. Backto back field goal. He is right. Touch pass Mcdice. Shot clock at six. Rasheed banks it in. This is a veteran team. They will not go away. Is there a reason you Wallace knocks it away. [Music] The Pistons have made three straight shots to get it down to nine. Hamilton down to seven. Just run after the Nelson misses. Ironically, Orlando a very good three-point shooting team, a very poor free throw shooting team. Hunter got it. Lindsay Hunter from the conference tour of the regular season had gone scoreless for six minutes. He had good position momentarily on Mcdice. Now another turnover. Prince hits the floor. Hunter finds Hamilton and we are tied. A veteran group, not Stuckyy, but he’s contributed to this run. Lip. Oh yeah, he been there. And that mid-range specialist, Antonio McDice, they’ve gotten it from a lot of different guys. Rasheed Wallace, not sure he called the bank, but it was effective nonetheless. And you knew that minutes, it’s a 6363 tie. Let’s see what Stan Van Gundy wants coming out of the timeout. He wants Nelson to the rim. Last two games has gotten seven rebounds in each. Dwight Howard 30 minutes of action and six points on three of nine shooting. Hunter with another one. The most unexpected of sources. Seven years old, hardly played all season. First action of this series is today as he has his shot blocked. Nelson steams back the other way behind the back through the legs. Hunter jumps right on top of him. Going to be denied. A little mishandle as he tries to go between the legs and Hunter jumps all over him and might might have given him an elbow in the And the Pistons have it. Well, Stan Van Gundy told his relatively young and inexperienced team about matching the intensity of the Pistons each and every possession. They’re learning about it right now. Exactly. No, nothing is taken for granted. Rasheed Wallace over Dwight Howard. Pistons by one. Man hate him in the posting NBA arenas, but talk to a guy who’s the guys who have been his teammates. They love him. They have nothing but good things to say about him as he knocks down the free throws. Pistons by three after trailing by 11 at halftime. Evans big shot for the Magic. You’re looking at him is a player they are high on but just choosing not to go to him. What a tough shot in between two defenders. Dueling penetrates, left it short. Wallace. Another rebound in transition. Prince lays it in. Beautiful basketball. Touch or two cuz Dwight simply has been ineffective. His scoring goes way up in the fourth compared to the first three. Prince trying to get him in the air. Spins around him and follows his own miss. What a play by Taan Prince. The run continues for the Pistons. Turkaloo with a jumper. They needed that one badly. Yeah, it was about time you get to touch and wow. Howard and Mcdice. A huge collision at the foul line. Middle of your floor is going to come a little bump a little bit. He’s sitting there in Cleveland getting ready for his game. Sneaking peaks at this one on the monitor. Four-point game. All Detroit in the second half. Hamilton with two more. He [Music] Evans steps in and knocks down the mid-range jumper. Not made a field goal since there was 7 minutes left in the first quarter. Meanwhile, Rasheed Wallace knocks down another clutch shot. 16 now for Wallace and most of them in the second half. See, they don’t have empty possessions. They don’t have turnovers in fourth period. They’re too experienced and they’re too toughminded. It is Detroit’s largest lead of the game. The Magic led most of the game until midway through the third. Rashard Lewis with a tough fadeaway. Jay, he’s the veteran. Get out of the way. Prince on a switch. Has Howard on him. He finds Hamilton who doesn’t get the bounce. Good shot opportunity though, Dan. Every time down, Detroit’s had a good shot. There’s Turkaloo trying to take over. Driving right around Stucky to lay it in. I love the guy they rely on. So go find it and make your own if you have to. And he does. As you mentioned, fifth in the league in fourth quarter scoring during the regular season. He just driving is dueling. Look at the quickness. Turaloo for the lead [Applause] for the Magic. Under three to go. Rick Hamilton bodied up by Dul and got him in the air and drew the foul. Game five, Tuesday night at the Palace. Will it be 3-1 Detroit or all tied up at two? Turkaloo again. [Applause] So skilled. Looking for Hamilton again. Tough match up for Dueling [Applause] [Music] and he backs him in, arch it up and over him and ties the game. So much just excellent patience, good use of the dribble to get himself into the shot. Only he knows when he’s going to pull the trigger and makes it tough on the defender. 30 for Richard Hamilton as we go under two minutes. Turker [Music] Howard kept it alive. Lewis comes over to help. Shot clock at two. Wallace for three. Howard with a rebound. Terrific weak side check out because too often that has resulted in Detroit extra possession. Turkaloo gets through. He’s taken over. [Applause] Stan Vani said he didn’t have anything to do with it, but he’s given him an opportunity and Turkoo has taken it. [Applause] Hamilton fouled again by Dueling. Hamilton goes down. Under a minute to go. Tied at 88. It’s been Hamilton and Turkoo here in the fourth. It’s Jir Nelson now who is fouled on the drive. A lot. Remember Evans on Hamilton now. Rashid trying to take Howard got it off and missed it. What a rebound by Mcdice. [Music] Hunter passed it up. Wallace drives. Game clock and shot clock are even. Flip Saunders is going to let him play. Down to 10. Prince. Yes. What a money runner there by Taan Prince. Prince is guarding Ho Chuck who’s got the ball and a whole lot of space. It’s going to be Turkler. Gets it off the follow. No good. [Applause]
