Detroit bottles up Magic

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Detroit demonstrated Saturday why it could return to the conference finals for a fifth consecutive season.

The Orlando Magic proved they have a way to go.

The Pistons never trailed in a 100-92 win, while the Magic – the only playoff team with a losing record – turned the ball over 21 times, missed 18 free throws and never really threatened.

Richard Hamilton scored 22 points, Rasheed Wallace had 16 and midseason addition Chris Webber added 12 for the Pistons, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Detroit’s Chauncey Billups had 22 points and 11 assists, and held his counterpart, Jameer Nelson, to 10 points. Nelson fouled out with 25 seconds left.

All Pistons starters scored in double figures. Detroit hosts Game 2 on Monday night.

Former Pistons Grant Hill and Darko Milicic each scored 14 points for the Magic, who dropped all four regular-season contests against Detroit. Hedo Turkoglu led Orlando with 17.

All-Star center Dwight Howard of Orlando had 13 points and 19 rebounds, but was only 3 of 11 from the free-throw line in his playoff debut. Orlando shot 58 percent from the field, but 50 percent from the line.

The Magic made a late run after trailing by double digits for much of the second half. Orlando got within 93-88 on Turkoglu’s long jumper, and Nelson took a charge from Billups on the other end to give the Magic the ball with 1:08 left.

Howard’s dunk made it 93-90, but Tayshaun Prince dunked at the other end with 37 seconds to go, forcing the Magic to start fouling.