The Pistons' gritty Game 4 playoff victory over Orlando Saturday gives Chauncey Billups the luxury of easing his way back into the lineup. But the Pistons' point guard and leader doesn't want to miss anymore games even though his team has a 3-1 lead in the second-round series.

Billups accepts injuries as part of the game, but he was cursing his fate at missing Game 4. After testing out his strained right hamstring at the team hotel Saturday morning, Billups knew he couldn't play.

"It wouldn't matter if it were Game 7 of the NBA Finals or Game 4 of Orlando. His leg is just not ready," coach Flip Saunders said. "He can't really do anything to really be effective."

The Pistons can finish off the series in Game 5 at The Palace Tuesday. Billups was injured when he fell forward early in Game 3 after his left foot got tangled up with Jameer Nelson's foot.

Saunders is optimistic his training staff will get his point guard back in the lineup Tuesday.

"We are fortunate we've got some days off until our next game," he said. "All we can do is do what we're doing, give him treatment 24/7. It is getting better; it's just not where it needs to be."

Power forward Antonio McDyess believes the Pistons have control of the series, even if their point guard can't play again.

"I feel we've got the momentum going home now," he said. "We can relax, and just hopefully Chauncey will be ready to play and we'll get this win."

PISTONS 90, MAGIC 89: Small forward Tayshaun Prince scored the go-ahead basket with 8.9 seconds left as the Pistons rallied to take a 3-1 lead in their second-round playoff series Saturday night. Detroit trailed by 15 early in the third quarter.

"There were a lot of times in that game, considering the circumstances, that they could have said, 'It's not going to be our night. We'll wait until we get home,'" said coach Flip Saunders. "But they grinded it out."

Following their stirring third-quarter rally, the Pistons had a seven-point lead with less than five minutes remaining. The Magic scored the next eight points, and it was a one-possession game the rest of the way. Prince's runner in the lane, off a double screen, came after Antonio McDyess chased down an offensive rebound.

After a timeout, Magic small forward Hedo Turkoglu went one-on-one against Prince, but Pistons power forward Jason Maxiell slid over to help and Turkoglu's layup try missed badly. So did Dwight Howard's putback attempt.

Prince's game-winner gave him 17 points, and he added a team-best five assists while often running the point. McDyess and Rasheed Wallace were ferocious around the boards and on defense. They combined for 22 rebounds and held Howard without a basket after the first quarter. Turkoglu scored 13 of his team-high 20 points in the fourth.

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