ORLANDO, Florida (Ticker) -- After Tracy McGrady went off in the third quarter, the Detroit Pistons resumed taking it to the Orlando Magic.
Richard Hamilton keyed a big fourth quarter and scored 20 points as the Pistons posted a 96-85 victory in the teams' first meeting since last season memorable first-round playoff matchup.
Detroit won the final three games of that series, denying McGrady his first series victory in four tries. The Magic superstar was shackled by Tayshaun Prince in Game Seven, making only 7-of-24 shots.
McGrady helped Orlando rally from an 11-point halftime deficit Saturday with 18 third-quarter points on 6-of-7 shooting. The Magic took a 72-67 lead into the fourth quarter.
Hamilton nailed back-to-back jumpers to cap a 10-0 tear that gave Detroit the lead for good at 79-76 with 8:15 remaining. After a basket by Orlando's Tyronn Lue, the Pistons scored the next seven points, including a pair of baskets by Ben Wallace, for an 86-78 advantage with 5:10 to go.
"It was a great job, especially down the stretch," Pistons coach Larry Brown said. "We limited them to one shot and didn't allow them to get any run-outs."
McGrady finished with 31 points to lead all scorers but was notably absent in the final period, when he was guarded by Prince and a second defender. He missed all seven shots, did not score and handed out a pair of assists.
"Detroit saw that I was rolling in the third quarter, and in the fourth quarter, they switched their defense up and every time (I) touched the ball, they loaded up on me," McGrady said. "And my guys were kind of confused because everybody was standing on the perimeter, not knowing what to do."
"It seems so much is put on Tracy's back that it's tough for those guys," Pistons guard Chucky Atkins said. "When he's not scoring, they're not scoring."
Hamilton scored 10 points in the fourth quarter as Detroit shot 53 percent (9-of-17) and limited Orlando to 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting. Chauncey Billups netted six of his 17 points in the fourth.
Billups poured in 27 points in last year's Game Seven victory.
"We are running a lot more under coach Brown," Billups said. "That is one thing we wanted to do last year. We finally did it the last three games of the series vs. them and we got some easy transition baskets."
Atkins netted 13 points and Wallace collected 13 and 17 rebounds. Elden Campbell added 12 points, seven rebounds and four blocks as Detroit bullied Orlando to a 50-33 edge on the glass.
"Our big guys were huge," Brown said. "Ben was sensational. Sometimes I can't believe that guy."
Wallace scored nine points in the second quarter as Detroit opened a double-digit advantage. But McGrady was able to get to the line and nail an assortment of jumpers in scoring 18 points in a span of less than six minutes in the third period.
"He was in a zone a little bit," Billups said. "As soon as he started hitting, I was like, 'Oh man, here we go.'"
Prince and the Pistons made a more concerted effort to get the ball out of McGrady's hands in the fourth and it often ended up with Juwan Howard instead. Howard committed four turnovers and missed a pair of shots in eight fourth-quarter minutes.
"I have to get guys to execute better as a team," Orlando coach Doc Rivers said. "Boy. I tell you it's frustrating to see that and for the guys, you know it's frustrating for them."
Howard had 12 points and 10 boards and Drew Gooden also had a double-double with 10 and 10. Lue netted 13 points and McGrady finished with nine assists.
