Pains me to say it...but the better team won!

FIRST QUARTER:

With nothing to lose, I expected the Magic to come out firing to begin the game. However, we were inexplicably tentative aloof! The Magic had seven turnovers in the first 8:45 of the quarter. Rashard Lewis had four of our eight total turnovers in the quarter. In an ominous sign of things to come,the Pistons hauled in five offensive rebounds and had nine more field goal attempts than Orlando. As poorly as the Magic played, the the score read 20-20 after one.

SECOND QUARTER:

The Magic continue to play give away and miss free throws. Yet, we take a 33-27 lead after Rashard's first field goal of the game at the 5:35 mark of the quarter. Then, as the Pistons did all series, they went on a huge run (11-0) and took a 47-41 lead at halftime. We got a big time reprieve. Seems like we should be down by 20 considering the free throw shooting (7-16), the turnovers (12) and Detroit's 10 offensive rebounds.

THIRD QUARTER:

The Magic finally show some life They started to play their game. They upped the tempo, cut down on the turnovers (three in quarter), gave up just one offensive rebound and gwent on a 14-4 run to end the quarter to take a 68-65 leading going into the fourth.

FOURTH QUARTER:

It's 70-65 after a couple of Rashard free throws. Then, the Pistons go on a 13-0 run keyed by Antonio McDyess, who had 8 points and a couple of huge offensive rebounds during that game deciding jaunt. We start oh for our first eight from the field and don't hit our first field goal until the 3:38 mark. Magic cut it to 85-84 with :40 to play, but again, the Pistons make the plays late, i.e...a huge Prince block on Hedo to end all Magic hope. 91-86. Game over. Season over.

SUMMARY: The Pistons made plays in crunch time....They took care of the ball....They hit their free throws....They defended.

The Magic just did not execute in late game situations. We didn't take care of the ball. We were frustrated by Detroit's physical play. We didn't take advantage of Chauncey Billups' absence and could not control Rip Hamilton all series.

In other words...DEAL WITH IT ORLANDO!

That's the message from Joel Litvin, NBA President of League and Basketball Operations, in reference to the 'inadvertent' clock stoppage near the end of the third quarter of game two. Litvin goes on to say, "We determined that the play that concluded with Chauncey Billups' three-point field goal took approximately 5.7 seconds. Because there were only 5.1 seconds remaining in the quarter when the play began, the shot would not have counted had the clock continued to run."

Tell us something we don't know, Joel!

Sure, the more I think about the play, the more maddening it becomes.

Was the clock gaffe a factor in the Game Two 100-93 loss? Yes.

Was it the determining factor? No.

Sure, the Pistons gained a head of steam from that Billups' home run, but the cold hard fact is that the Orlando Magic did not make plays when they needed to!

All season long, this Magic team has been poised and polished in the fourth quarter. Such was not the case on Monday night in Auburn Hills.

Rashard Lewis, who came alive with eight points in the third quarter, had a forgetful fourth. Over the final 3:05, Rashard would miss his final four shots. Rashard also had a huge turnover with just over a minute to play and the Magic down just two. Rashard finished the game just 6-21 from the field with six turnovers.

Hedo Turkoglu also turned it over six times. Turk was shut out in the final period of game two. To add insult to insult, Hedo curiously heaved an ill-advised three point bomb at the :42 mark that would clank off glass and end all hope of a come back.

It's ironic that Turk and Hedo, the two guys who have been so great all season in clutch situations, were the two guys just couldn't come through for us late in the fourth quarter of game two.

Magic fans, as we head toward game three, we can lash out at the refs, the clock operator and even David Stern, but the bottom line is that we just didn't make the plays necessary to win a playoff game against a great team on the road.

Hopefully, we, and the NBA, learned valuable lessons.

...I hate crying about the referees, but that call at the end of the third quarter was atrocious. The TNT replay clearly showed that Billups released the ball at the 5.23 second mark. The clock read 5.1 seconds at the beginning of the play. Do the math. The shot came .13 too late!

...Our MVP of tonight's game? The Palace clock operator!

...With that said, we're up four with just over six minutes to play but couldn't hold the lead. The Magic also made some very questionable decisions in the final three minutes of the game. They have only themselves to blame for the loss. But there's no question that Billups' three gave Detroit the momentum it was looking for after the Magic gained a head of steam in the third quarter.

...Seems like we can't get a break on these late clock controversies. Houston stole a win from us earlier this season after the refs got one wrong. It happened again in game two. If it's not for bad luck, we'd have none at all.

...Rashard was 0-4 with one turnover in the final 3:05.

...The Pistons didn't score a field goal in the final 6:00 of game two. Problem is, the Pistons hit their final 13 points from the free throw line.

...If Jameer Nelson does not foul out with 1:23 to go in this game, I believe we win! The Closer sparked the Magic in the third quarter with three-3-pointers. He ran the show all night and finished with 22 points. I have to think that shot with :42 left and the Magic down two goes to Jameer if he's on the floor. Jameer Nelson is coming of age as a point guard in this league.

...That is all from Motown...Magic fans, let's rock the house for game three because our team's gonna need you!

...Your team didn't just get trampled in game one, they got ambushed. The Detroit Pistons played a perfect defensive game. Usually against the Magic, teams must pick their poison. However, the Bad Boys prevented the three point shot....They defended Dwight....and they limited penetration.

...The Magic score a season low in points and connect on a season low three 3-pointers. I don't think we were flat...I think you can credit the Pistons for flattening us!

...Note to officials: There's no crying in the playoffs, but please guys, watch what Mcdyess, Maxiell and Wallace are doing to Dwight down below. The Pistons are masters at the waistline pushy. Not crying...It's a fact. Call it!

...Magic fans, just a little reminder for game three in Orlando Wednesday: three more techs and Rasheed's suspended one game!

...Was that Vinny Johnson or Jason Maxiell lighting us up for 10 fourth quarter points?

...How many times have we heard it? The playoffs are aqll aout game-to-game adjustments. we have one heck of a coach in Coach Stan, but if the Pistons continue to take away the three, Dwight and the drive, I am not sure what adjustments can be made. The only think I see is that Superman must get deeper in the lane.

...Hedo and Rashard had 18 points apiece. The Pistons are daring those guys to drive the ball to the hole. Again, we gotta hit our free throws.

...Yes, game one was a blowout...but keep in mind, we led 46-45 early in the third quarter. Time out...Pistons go on a 19-3 run to blow it open. Game over.

I...f you know of any phone booths up here in the Auburn Hills area, please point them out to Dwight. It's obvious what Detroit's gonna do. They're gonna hack, claw, scratch and maul him. The Pistons made him look like Clark Ken in game one with 12 points, 8 rebounhds and 3 blocked shots. We need him to be Superman the rest of the series if we're gonna come back.

...Because of the way the Pistons dismantled us in the second half (48-31), I am sure there are many of you who are predicting doom in this series. Here's what I have learned this season: DON'T COUNT US OUT!