Orlando Magic confident, Pistons lose

NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

Rashard Lewis – We beat the Pistons!

Young teams have to go through a growth cycle and it appears that the Orlando Magic took a big step in that growth cycle.

The Magic beat the Pistons 102 to 100.

The Pistons had pounded the Magic on a regular basis

It had gotten to the point that some of the Magic were tired of the losing and some of them half expected to just lose again.

This is the growth cycle.

You must overcome the psychological hurdles that the great teams can throw at you. Losing to the Pistons was one of those hurdles.

It happened four straight games in last year’s playoffs, and four in the regular season before that. Detroit also handily won their first of four contests this year. source

The Pistons did not make it easy for the Magic. Chauncey Billups managed to can a 32 foot 3 pointer to tie it up with 3.6 seconds left.

“I was thinking, ‘How in the world did he make that?”‘ Howard said. “I was expecting him to miss it, but they call him ‘Big Shot Chauncey.”‘

Actually they call him Mr. Big Shot, maybe correct nicknames is another one of those hurdles.

Rashard Lewis made a tough shot at the buzzer to pull out the victory.

Mr. Big Shot was willing to accept that. Great teams accept great losses.

“I can sleep after a game like this,” said Chauncey Billups, whose 32-foot 3-pointer tied the score with 3.6 seconds left. “After that loss in Chicago, I was up at five in the morning, mad, wondering what’s going on. A game like this, we fought, we competed and the dude (Lewis) hit a tough, tough shot. That’s why he gets paid the big bucks.” source

The Magic had more heroes in this game.

Lewis might have received a $116 million contract from the Magic, but on this night, it was Hedo Turkoglu who hurt the Pistons the most.

He had 26 points and had eight assists. The Magic kept running a high pick-and-roll play with Dwight Howard (23 points). While the Pistons’ defense focused on Howard, Turkoglu continually got clear lanes to the basket.

Rasheed Wallace had a monster game for the Pistons with 15 points and 15 rebounds.

Orlando took a little step towards believing in themselves and it can only pay dividends down the road.

Keep in mind they caught the Pistons in a mini slump and things may not work as well the next time, but that too is a part of the growth cycle.

NBA Basketball Fan Question Where is your team in the growth cycle?

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

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