Photo by D. Lippitt/Einstein/NBAE via Getty Images

What a start to the second round. I was a bit concerned in the first half that we were playing so well but not able to pull away, but it turned out it was just the Magic doing whatever they could just to stay in the game and they would eventually wear down under the pressure of the Piston’s defense.

The second half was all Pistons as they outscored the Magic 48-30 leading the way to a series opening blowout win.

The Detroit defense was exceptional. We did a great job of crowding them on the perimeter. The Magic averaged over 30 3-point attempts a game in the first round vs. Toronto, but last night they only got off 15 and made only 2.

Props to the Pistons big men for making Dwight Howard (12 pts, 8 rbs) look less like Wilt Chamberlain and more like, um I don’t know, just someone who isn’t nearly as dominant. I was surprised to see the Pistons open up with Jason Maxiell on Howard and Sheed out on Rashard Lewis since Rasheed is the noted Superman stopper. Maxy more than held his ground though, I was impressed. I like how Flip threw different defenders on Howard. The combos of Maxy, Dice, Sheed and later Ratliff seemed to really bother Howard. Even though Howard was unable to extricate his game from the Pistons bigs the Magic still need him to have a shot at the series so you know Magic fans are sweating his thumb he bruised (somehow) in the third quarter.

Chauncey Billups, as expected, played a great game overpowering . He really motored the Pistons early scoring 14 and dishing out 5 assists by halftime. Mr. Big Shot finished with game highs in points (19) and assists (7) in just under 33 minutes none of which were in the 4th quarter.  Richard Hamilton combined with Billups to give Detroit’s starting backcourt a 36-11 scoring advantage over Orlando’s Nelson and Evans.

The Pistons have now won 8 straight playoff games against Orlando dating back to the opening round of the 2003 playoffs.

[Box score]