One thing for certain they will throw up more threes in game 3 & 4, so we have to defend the arc better. Can't give up any more 36 point qtrs either.

Despite their 11 three pointers, the Magic had 19 TO's and the Pistons picked up 22 pts off those TO's.

Once again 15 point leads are not safe enough. especially with a team of 3 point artists. Should have had a 20 pt half time lead but we faded at the end of the second qtr.

Very good sign when Orlando pretty much brings their A- game ( except for the TO's ) and the Pistons still find a way to win with lets say less than perfect games from 3 of the starters.

Howard had a near 20-20 game, their 3-pt shots were falling. Pistons won this on 4th quarter execution. Granted they did get some help from Lewis and Turkoglu with their carless passes but have to give the Pistons some credit for taking advantage of it.

I was a little upset with some of the dirty play in the one from the Magic. Did Bogans intentionally throw himself in front of Billups causing him to trip? Kind of looked like it to me. Plus the smirk grin on Bogans face told a lot. Maybe its just me.

We are going to hear a lot about the Billups 3 when the clock never started. It was a gift but you don't know how that effected the game. Maybe if the clock was running then the play would have been setup earlier or the Pistons would simply have made up the extra ground. At any rate, Magic fans can deduct it from all the crap superstar calls Howard was getting. They are still way ahead on that one.

Pistons up 2-0 rack it.

ESPN - Orlando vs. Detroit - Box Score - May 05, 2008

The TNT play-by-play announcers made a big deal (more than once) of the Pistons' three-pointer at the conclusion of the third quarter, which they concluded should not have counted. That Pistons possession had started with just over 5 seconds left on the game clock, which froze at 4.8 (or was it 4.1) seconds, and the refs were left to make their best judgment on whether time had really expired just before Billups fired his three. The announcers timed the possession themselves with the aid of video replay and concluded that it had expired, by a few tenths of a second. But the other side of the clock snafu is that whoever fed Billups for the three (was it Ratliff?) might have relied on what he saw on game clock when he decided to pass rather than take a two-point shot. So disallowing Billups's basket would not have been a perfect solution either, even if the refs had correctly guessed that time really had expired. In any event, it was sheer speculation for the announcer (Fratello?) to suggest that a third quarter call could have altered the outcome of the game.

What was van Gundy so exercised about at the end of the game (with his f.b. double expletive)? Was he still angry about Billups's three-pointer at the end of the third? Some foul calls at the end of the game?

He likely thought Hedo was fouled with about 10 secs to go.

I would guess at some of the poor execution from his team at the end there.

I think he was made about the no-call of Ratliff hacking Turkeyglue with 11 seconds left.

On the shot clock...

It's really no big deal. It's the same as any other call in the game. Phantom fouls, no calls, etc. Plus, you know, it's not like they hit the button at the exact second on every other possession anyhow. So really there may have been a few more seconds remaining. Also, had the Pistons missed the shot, it could have changed other things.

I remember as a kid hanging around the hockey rink and sitting in the box with a friend who worked the time clock. The guy used to clip a couple minutes off of each period so he could get off work earlier. For example, when it would switch from like 18:00 to 17:00 he would clip it to 16:00. He never got caught. I didn't like that he did it, but you know, what could I do? Anyhow, a guy took a shot and scored and a big argument ensued as to whether time had expired. Fortunately, they decided it counted, but you know really there were two whole minutes left...

Not sure what my point is, other than stuff happens...

__________________
"Quite simply captain, I examined the problem from all angles, and it was plainly hopeless. Logic informed me that under the circumstances, the only logical action would have to be one of desperation. Logical decision, logically arrived at." -- Spock

Home cookin'

Billups' 28 points and disputed shot lifts Pistons to win - NBA - Yahoo! Sports

That's a great story!