Detroit toppled Orlando 98-94 on Monday night at The Palace of Auburn Hills for the 19th time in the past 24 regular-season games between the teams. It also gave the Pistons a sweep of the season series for the second time in three seasons.

The Magic are well aware it was the Pistons who swept them from the playoffs in 2007, and then knocked them out 4-1 last year.

"I don't know what the psychological edge is -- getting into team's heads -- but different styles cause different teams problems," Detroit coach Michael Curry said before the game.

VanGundy was perplexed afterward. He knows if the playoffs started today, the Magic would meet the Pistons in the first round.

"All the same things that happened in the close games with them the last two years happened again," he said. "We either find ways to change it, or we don't."

Despite losing center Rasheed Wallace to a strained calf muscle in his left leg in the last minute of the first quarter, the Pistons made life difficult for Orlando's star center Dwight Howard.

Howard had 27 points and 14 rebounds but had his hands full inside with Kwame Brown scoring 10 points off the bench and Antonio McDyess hitting the offensive boards. The Pistons had a 15-6 advantage in offensive rebounds, with McDyess pulling down seven.

"Dyess was getting all the rebounds, and that is the reason we lost that game," Howard said. "It was offensive rebounds, and it has been that way the last couple of years."

Detroit guard Richard Hamilton also continued to be a problem for Orlando. He scored 29 points and had a career-high 14 assists.

"It was a big game because with Allen (Iverson) not playing (injured), Sheed (Wallace) going down and Stuckey (turned ankle, but returned) getting hurt, it was going to be a tough game for us," Hamilton said. "We just dug deep and we got the win."

Curry was impressed most by the team's effort.

"I thought that everybody who stepped out on the Basketball court gave winning Basketball effort, made winning plays throughout," he said.

The Pistons outscored Orlando 9-4 in the final 2:48 with Hamilton scoring seven of the Pistons' points.

Rashard Lewis, who had 21 points, missed a 3-point try from the corner with 24 seconds remaining that could have tied the score at 95.

"It is two teams that fight to the wire and we are evenly matched in a lot of ways," VanGundy said. "But we make more mistakes and give them a lot of opportunities."