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

Detroit — Richard Hamilton and Tracy McGrady shared a swift and respectable hug inside the Palace of Auburn Hills. Hamilton embraced a visibly somber McGrady, whose Orlando Magic had just been eliminated by the Detroit Pistons in seven games during the first round of the 2003 playoffs. The victory marked Hamilton's first career series win, and the Pistons had to overcome a 3-1 deficit to achieve the feat.

They became the first team in league history to complete the comeback in the first round of a best-of-seven series. The series comeback became synonymous with the "Goin' To Work" Pistons' many accomplishments. Nearly 23 years to the date Hamilton walked off the floor to begin preparing for the second-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers, he watched history repeat itself on Sunday inside Little Caesars Arena.

While sitting next to his former teammate Ben Wallace, the Pistons — led by Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris — became the 15th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 playoff deficit and advance to the next round. They did so in a 116-94 Game 7 victory over the Magic. "This was absolutely amazing," Hamilton told The Detroit News.

"To see it from both sides, first as a player, and now be on the other side to support the guys as they faced this uphill battle. … This was great for their confidence. "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.