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Pistons Magic Series Predictions

Despite Darko Milicic and Grant Hill heading back to Detroit for a crack at their former team, I don’t expect this series to generate too much buzz. The Pistons took all four regular season meetings and this playoff series will read the same way.

How are we even supposed to muster up any kind of excitement for this series when it is one of the biggest first round mismatches I’ve seen in quite some time. The Pistons have better guards, better wings, and better posts on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. I especially expect Chauncey Billups to have a field day with Orlando’s smaller guards. Jameer Nelson has had trouble defending point guards all season long, even points nowhere near Billups’ ability. Chauncey will be able to shoot over the 6-foot-on-a-sun-shiny day Nelson any time he wants.

If the Magic had any angle to do something against the Pistons, it was with their twin towers approach playing Milicic and Dwight Howard together in the front court. But Darko’s injury could get the Magic thoroughly embarrassed on the interior as it forces Hedo Turkoglu and Trevor Ariza to play beyond their size. Neither one of these guys has a chance trying to stick C-Web, Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess, or Nazr Mohammed. This superior front line very well could get the Pistons back to the NBA Finals.

Orlando’s best chance for a win in this series will be if the Pistons come out flat after a couple easy wins because they are disinterested. That’s how Milwaukee took a game from Detroit last season in the first round of the playoffs. However, that Bucks team was clearly better than this Magic team and this Pistons team is on a mission after missing out on the NBA Finals last season after making the trip the previous two years.

I wish I had better news for you Magic fans, but I’m sure you’re all more pessimistic than I am about this first round series, especially with the way the season unfolded after a positive start.

If there’s any out there who think Dwight Howard can carry the Magic on his back, watch these Pistons’ vets frustrate the hell out of him with their intelligent and physical play. This young kid is quite the talent, the only true bright spot for the Magic really, but he needs a better supporting cast and some more time to develop his offensive game before he can dethrone some of the NBA’s elite bigs.

Did I mention it already? Pistons in four.

Updated April 19th, 2007