Richard Hamilton astonished by Pistons' 3-1 comeback: 'This was amazing'

"To get out of the first round after being down 3-1, for them, they had to realize that nobody was going to get them out of this hole but themselves. They went on to prove that. As a young team, sometimes that can be hard because guys would be pointing fingers."

Hamilton closely followed the Pistons' first-round series. It brought back several memories of his battle against the Magic, with many similarities to 2003.

For the second time in franchise history, the Pistons — as the top seed — aimed to avoid a significant upset, determined not to be eliminated by an eighth-seeded team. What also stood out to Hamilton the most was the Pistons' intense defensive effort.

Although they trailed 3-1 after the first four games, the Pistons finished the first round with the league's top-rated defense. They produced the highest defensive net rating of 101.9 while limiting Orlando to a league-low average of 97.7 points per game. They also ranked first and ninth in blocks and steals, averaging 9.4 and 7.6, respectively. Another reason for Hamilton's nostalgic sentiment was the physicality of the two teams during their matchup.

"The referees allowed them to play, and that's how it was back in the day. It was physical and a grind. When teams don't make shots, you have to find different ways to win," Hamilton said. "I think this team is starting to figure out different ways to win and how to win ugly, which is very important."

After Hamilton quickly embraced McGrady following their playoff battle back in the day, he realized that the grueling seven-game series had made them a better team. The Pistons implemented the lessons learned during that series, which became the foundation for their successful six-year run at the top of the Eastern Conference (2003-08).

After defeating the Magic in 2003, the Pistons eliminated the 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals in six games. Their season ended in the conference finals, where they were swept in four games by the then-New Jersey Nets. A year later, the Pistons advanced to the NBA Finals, where they won their third championship in franchise history, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in a 4-1 series victory.

Hamilton believes this version of the Pistons will have the same benefit, which has him believing the sky is the limit as they prepare for their second-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"Now, going into the next series, they can just play. They can play relaxed," Hamilton said. "This team can go as far as they want. This is the fun part of the year."

Cavaliers at Pistons, Game 1

**▶ Tip-off:**7 p.m. Tuesday, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit

▶ TV/radio: Peacock, NBCSN/950

▶ Outlook: Similar to the Pistons, the Cleveland Cavaliers had their first-round series go to a decisive Game 7 against the Toronto Raptors. The Cavaliers prevailed in a 114-102 Game 7 victory on Sunday. Jarrett Allen had his best career playoff game, finishing with 22 points, 19 rebounds, three blocks and two steals.

coty.davis@detroitnews.com

@cotydavis_24

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Pistons' 3-1 series comeback leaves Richard Hamilton astonished