Billups and Hamilton help Detroit to Game 1 win

Rasheed Wallace poured in 16 points and six rebounds, while Tayshaun Prince and Chris Webber each chipped in 12 points for the Pistons, who are the top seed in the East for the second straight year and making their six consecutive playoff appearance.

Detroit, which fell to the eventual NBA champion Miami Heat in last year’s Eastern Conference finals, is seeking its fourth title and first since the 2003-04 season.

Hidayet Turkoglu had 17 points for the Magic, who returned to the postseason for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign. Grant Hill and Darko Milicic posted 14 points apiece, while Dwight Howard recorded a double-double with 13 and 19 boards in defeat.

Game 2 of this best-of-seven series is scheduled for Monday at The Palace.

Orlando trailed the entire game, but made things interesting in the fourth quarter.

After Webber drained a driving layup to make it 91-77 with 5 1/2 minutes to play, the Magic went on a 13-2 spurt — capped by Howard’s dunk — to cut to within 93-90 with just under one minute left.

Prince then responded with a dunk of his own, but Hill kept it a three-point affair, 95-92, with a lay-in with 26.2 seconds on the clock.

Billups, though, converted 5-of-6 from the charity stripe in the final moments to seal the victory.

The Pistons finished 49 percent shooting from the field, while the Magic shot an impressive 58 percent.

Detroit stormed out of the gate with a 13-4 burst — ended with Wallace’s three-pointer — and went up 23-12 after a pair of Webber free throws with 4:07 left in the first quarter.

Antonio McDyess’ free throw capped the frame as the Pistons led 28-16.

Detroit continued to stay on top in the second and led by as many as 14 before Orlando cut within eight, 51-43, on Trevor Ariza’s layup as time expired.

Billups’ trey extended the Pistons’ advantage to 16, 73-57 with 3:04 left in the third while Hamilton dropped in four points minutes later to give Detroit an 81-67 cushion.

Game Notes

McDyess ended with five points and nine rebounds...Jameer Nelson added 10 points for Orlando...Attendance was 22,076.