You have to believe in the Pistons. Not because you're a homer or because you're living in some fantasy world, but because the Pistons are worth believing in.

Time after time, this team has been doubted. And time after time, it has responded. From the day this collection of misfits and castoffs was put together by team president Joe Dumars, people have had doubts.

Some even among us, but mostly from NBA America.

Tracy McGrady has become a rover, and the Pistons have to make him pay.

On defense, McGrady often has left his man, usually Michael Curry, and helped on double-teams, hounding the Pistons' guards as they brought the ball upcourt.

That has forced the Pistons to get into their half-court offense later, at times leaving precious few seconds to run a play.

Even though he is only 23 and might play another dozen years, Tracy McGrady looks around the NBA and realizes his good fortune. His Orlando Magic barely squeezed into the playoffs, and now he is one victory away from playing in Round 2.

McGrady knows this isn't something to be treated casually.

"This is my time now," he said Tuesday after practice at the RDV Sportsplex. "This is really my time. I see that. I have great vision, and I'm just going out and leaving everything on the basketball court and playing with a lot of passion, a lot of emotion, because I know what's at stake.

The Pistons have assumed the personality of their head coach.

And that's why their season is on the verge of crashing in flames.

They vow that there's one good fight left in them, but it will be interesting to see if the last swings are directed toward each other.

It's good to be Tracy McGrady these days.

He is the leading scorer in the playoffs (36.3 points per game), and his team needs one more victory to close out the Pistons and end a three-year streak of playoff futility for both himself and the Magic.

"There's no pressure," McGrady said. "We've got a pretty good cushion, but we want to play like it's an even series now. We just want to close out this game, and we don't want to give them any type of hopes.

Grant Hill is not visible, but his presence is certainly felt.

As the Magic prepare to go to Detroit and try to close out their playoff series Wednesday night, Hill is in their thoughts, and vice versa.

"A big part of this is for him," Tracy McGrady said Monday. "We know how bad he'd like to be here with us. We know he wants us to go out there and close out this series. He definitely wants us to end it on their home court."

Doc Rivers is firmly focused on winning his first playoff series in his fourth season as Magic coach.

Orlando holds a 3-1 lead and can eliminate top-seeded Detroit in Wednesday's Game 5 at the Palace of Auburn Hills or Friday for Game 6 back home at TD Waterhouse Centre.

So forgive Rivers for daydreaming a bit about what next season might hold for his surprising Magic.

There's an old saying that you should be careful about what you wish for because you may get it and regret it. The Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers can relate.

The Pistons wanted to finish the regular season with the best record in the Eastern Conference so they could enjoy home-court advantage throughout the conference playoffs. They got it and opened the best-of-seven-game first round against the Orlando Magic, whom they had beaten twice in three games during the season.

Before Sunday?s Game 4 between the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic, NBA Commissioner David Stern addressed the media about the future of the Magic in Orlando.

The big issue is Orlando?s lack of a new arena. Eventually, the Magic will need a new one with mid-level luxury suites and other revenue-making concessions.

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel reports: The Detroit Pistons plan to get physical with Tracy McGrady and the Orlando Magic when their playoff series resumes Wednesday night. Orlando holds a 1-0 series lead after taking the first game on Sunday afternoon 99-94.

"It's not just that Tracy has to hit the floor. . . . But a lot more of those guys are going to hit the floor," said Pistons guard Chucky Atkins.

"You got to bump him when he has the ball. You got to bump him when he doesn't have the ball," guard Richard Hamilton said. "You got to wear on him."

McGrady, who had 43 points in Game 1, isn?t backing down.

"If they want to be physical, let them be physical. . . . I know how to prevent myself from being caught up in whatever they're trying to do to me. It's not going to work, whatever they're going to do."