Pistons sink Magic to advance, Hornets sting Spurs
DETROIT (Reuters) - The Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 91-86 on Tuesday to clinch their best-of-seven series 4-1 and advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the sixth successive season.
Detroit will play the winner of the Boston-Cleveland series for the Eastern Conference championship and a place in the NBA finals.
In Tuesday's other playoff game, the New Orleans Hornets took a 3-2 lead over defending champions San Antonio Spurs with David West claiming 38 points in a 101-79 triumph.
In Detroit, Richard Hamilton scored 31 points for the Pistons while Hedo Turkoglu contributed 18 points and nine rebounds for Orlando.
Orlando, knocked out by the Pistons in the first round of the playoffs last year, had the chance to reduce Detroit's lead to a single point in the final minute but Turkoglu's dunk was blocked by Tayshaun Prince.
The Magic outshot Detroit from the field but committed 21 turnovers to the Pistons' three.
New Orleans can secure victory over San Antonio in Thursday's game six after a superb display from West, who was hampered by a sore back throughout the game.
"It was a bit stiff but I get a day of rest tomorrow (Wednesday)," said West.
The Spurs were three points ahead at the half-way stage but could do little to contain the rampant West who also had 14 rebounds, while Chris Paul also picked up 22 for the Hornets.
The game turned New Orleans' way in the third quarter with the Hornets scoring 28 to San Antonio's 11.
Argentine Manu Ginobli picked up 20 points for the Spurs but San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said it had been New Orleans' defense that foiled his side.
"They deserve credit for their defense, it was their defense that made the difference in the third quarter," he said.
West said the success had been built on treating the game in a do-or-die manner.
"We had to treat this like a game seven -- we wanted to make sure we took care of it at home. We had to have an aggressive mentality and we made them uncomfortable all night and worked hard," said West.
(Reporting by Simon Evans in Miami; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
