That’s more like it. The Detroit Pistons used a dominant 30-3 third-quarter run to turn a knotted-up slugfest into a 98-83 win over the Orlando Magic that ties the first-round series at one apiece. The Pistons were led by Cade Cunningham’s game-high 27 points. Really, though, they were led by a ferocious team defense that led to Orlando’s lowest point total of the season.
In doing so, they broke the longest home playoff losing streak in the NBA at 11 games. Perhaps even better news? There is still
a lot the Pistons can improve on as they move to Orlando for a pivotal game three.
Entering the game, everyone was saying the same thing — Jalen Duren had to play a lot better in Game 1 if Detroit was going to take this series. Duren did play better than his truly dreadful performance in Game 1. But he still hasn’t played a typical Duren game. He scored 11 points and nine rebounds with four assists and three turnovers. He can still play a lot better than he’s shown.
The rest of Detroit’s starters helped pick up that slack, with all five starters scoring in double figures. Tobias Harris chipped in a 16-point, 11-rebound night, Ausar Thompson added 11 and 8, and Duncan Robinson had 10 points, including three three-pointers.
The Pistons also turned the ball over 22 times against the Magic. Look, Detroit is always a high-turnover team, but 22 is way too high. They can and should cut that down as the series goes on. They also missed 10 free throws. They hit those and a comfortable win turns into a true blowout.
The lead got as high as 27 points late in the third, and there was certainly some highlights to go around. I’ll point to two as Pistons fans bask in the win — one on offense and one on defense.
The first is an absolutely filthy hesi from Cade at the top of the key that flummoxed poor Paolo Banchero.
Even better was Isaiah Stewart’s block in the fourth quarter on, let me check my notes, Paolo Banchero.
The Pistons defense had highlight plays against Banchero, but they stifled just about every Magic player. Orlando shot 32% from the field, including a combined 7-for-28 from the trio of Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and Wendell Carter Jr.
Banchero scored 18 points, but he needed 17 shots to do it and one game after hitting plenty of tough long twos and some threes, tonight, he did almost all his damage near the rim.
