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Richard Hamilton scored 32 points and Hedo Turkoglu missed a layup with time running out as the Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 90-89 to take a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Tayshaun Prince scored 17 for Detroit, including an 11-foot runner for the go-ahead basket with 8.9 seconds left. Rasheed Wallace had 16 points and eight rebounds. Antonio McDyess had eight points and 14 boards.
Orlando squandered a 15-point lead in the third quarter. After Prince's basket, Turkoglu's layup from the left side of the lane was no good and didn't draw a foul, and Dwight Howard's putback was also off the mark. The Pistons, the first team to win on the road in the second round, can clinch the series when it returns to Detroit.
The Pistons won despite playing without All-Star point guard Chauncey Billups, held out after straining his hamstring in Game 3.
Turkoglu scored 20 for Orlando and three players added 15 points -- Rashard Lewis, Maurice Evans and Jameer Nelson. Whilst Dwight Howard somewhat struggled finishing the game with 8 points on 3-12 shooting and 12 rebounds.
NBA Most Valuable Player Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers headlines the First Team, as the NBA announced the 2007-08 All-NBA Teams. Bryant is joined on the First Team by Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic, LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets.
The lone unanimous selection, Bryant earns First Team honors for the third straight season and fifth time in his career. Winner of the 2007-08 NBA Most Valuable Player, Bryant ranked second in the NBA in scoring at 28.3 points per game to go along with averages of 6.3 assists and 5.3 rebounds. Bryant led the Lakers to the best record in the Western Conference (57-25) a 15-game improvement over last year (42-40).
The All-NBA Second Team consists of Phoenix’s Steve Nash and Utah’s Deron Williams at guard; San Antonio’s Tim Duncan and Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki at forward; and Phoenix’s Amaré Stoudemire at center.
The All-NBA Third Team includes San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili and Houston’s Tracy McGrady at guard; Utah’s Carlos Boozer and Boston’s Paul Pierce at forwards; and Houston’s Yao Ming at center.
South Dragons are reportedly closing in on their import players for season 2008/09, reportidly that Brisbane Bullets superstar Ebi Ere and former Singapore point guard Mike Helms both amongst the candidates.The Dragons have already filled seven roster spots and new head coach Brian Goorjian confirmed that the Dragons could announce one new import within the next fortnight."We reckon we're close on one," Dragons coach Brian Goorjian said. "If something happens there, it might be done in the next two weeks, but we're talking to them."Ere played for Goorjian at the Sydney Kings, while Helms is seen as a good fit at the point guard spot for the team. "We're working on (signing the imports)," Goorjian said. "We need something like (Helms and Ere) to put points on the board."Meanwhile, the Dragons are reportedly having trouble securing their Young Australian Player for the new season. "Some of the guys coming back from college (in the US) want ridiculous money, six figures," Goorjian said. "And the kids from the AIS are choosing college over us."
