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Pistons can clinch Eastern crown, face Magic

Apr 11, 2007 - 4:50 PM Orlando (36-41) at Detroit (50-27) 8:00 pm EDT

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) - After reaching a franchise-record sixth consecutive 50-win season, the Detroit Pistons want the big prize in the Eastern Conference.

The Pistons can lock up the best record in the East when they host the Orlando Magic on Wednesday in a possible first-round playoff preview.

Monday's 91-83 victory at New York moved Detroit within one win of clinching its fifth Central Division title in six years. Chauncey Billups scored 22 points and Richard Hamilton added 19 for Detroit (50-27), which has won five of its last six games.

The Pistons have beaten the Magic three times this season and are going for their first season sweep since the 1991-92 campaign. Detroit has held Orlando to under 90 points in all three contests and is 33-5 when holding opponents to 90 points or less.

The Magic (36-41) hold the eighth and final playoff slot in the East, two games in front of Indiana (34-43). They have not made the playoffs since 2003, when they squandered a 3-1 lead and lost to the Pistons in the first round.

Orlando has dropped five straight at Detroit and 13 of 16 meetings overall.