Detroit Pistons Race Past Orlando Magic In 106-92 Final To Notch Third Straight Win

It was all smooth sailing in the second half of the Detroit Pistons game against the Orlando Magic on Sunday night, as they snagged their third straight victory to improve their NBA-best record to 45-14 this season.

Pistons Defense Shuts Down Magic Offense in the Second Half

After heading into halftime trailing 57-50, the Pistons’ defense would tighten the screws in the 3rd quarter to give themselves a 6-point lead into the 4th quarter, which would prove too much for the Magic to overcome. One of the main ways the Pistons’ defense helped secure the win was in the turnover department, as they forced 19 Magic turnovers, which subsequently led to 26 easy points in the win.

While Detroit’s team defense was putting the clamps down on the Magic’s offense, Pistons superstar Cade Cunningham was putting the finishing touches on another fantastic offensive outing. The two-time All-Star had a game-high 29 points while also dishing out 11 assists. That double-double marked Cunningham’s 5th one over the last 6 games.

The Pistons would need every bit of Cunningham’s production on offense, as they struggled mightily from beyond the arc in the win. Detroit shot just 13% from the three-point line. That is a percentage that usually leads to a loss instead of a win in many cases.

The Pistons also received some nice contributions from both Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson. Duren had16 points and 10 rebounds, while Thompson had a great stat line of 9 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks in the win.

Paolo Banchero Shines In Loss For Magic

It was a one-man show for Orlando on offense tonight, as Magic All-Star Paolo Banchero put together another good performance in the loss. Banchero finished with a team-high 24 points to go along with 11 rebounds, as Banchero was seemingly the only viable option on offense. The Magic shot just 37% from the field as a team and wouldn’t score over 20 points in either the 3rd or 4th quarter as Orlando’s offense collapsed badly in the second half.

The inefficient play of Orlando’s starting backcourt would serve as one of the main reasons for the Magic’s bad play on offense, as neither Jalen Suggs nor Desmond Bane could find any rhythm. They shot a combined 9-for-31 from the floor in the loss. Suggs is coming off a rough month shooting-wise, as he shot just 39% from the floor in February.

The Magic would also receive almost no support from the bench in the loss. Orlando’s second unit had just 14 points, as the Magic would have to lean heavily on their starters for any offensive production in the loss. This game marks the Magic’s second straight loss, as Orlando continues to struggle to string together wins.

Pistons Continue To Cement Themselves As Title Contenders

As the NBA Playoffs are now officially one month away, the Pistons are in a perfect position to clinch the top seed in the East this season. Detroit is 5 games away from clinching its second straight playoff appearance, as well as its first 50-win season since the 2007-08 season. Detroit is also one of only a handful of teams this season to be in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating, a true mark of a championship contender.

The Pistons are also among the top six in odds to win the championship this season, according to Fox Sports, with only the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers being the only two teams in the East with better odds. However, if the Pistons can take care of business the rest of the season and claim the top seed and homecourt advantage in the playoffs, don’t be surprised to see those odds shift heavily in Detroit’s favor.