Detroit strong head in Orlando

Beaten at home a week ago by the Spurs, the Pistons have since responded well by beating the Thunder, the Cavs, and then tonight in Orlando in a tough matchup. In its mission, Detroit could count on the metronome of Tobias Harris for steady play to accompany the usual threats, carried by Cade Cunningham (29 points, 11 assists) and Jalen Duren (16 points, 10 rebounds).

Ready for a physical battle, the Magic players tried to hit hard from the start, such as an alley-oop and then a dunk by Tristan Da Silva to reward good defensive sequences. Detroit held on, as did Cade Cunningham’s response, also with two counterattack dunks (17-17) before turning their backs on Orlando’s new offense. There were 2+1 by Desmond Bain, a three-pointer by Jalen Suggs, two consecutive baskets by Moritz Wagner, then two long-range shots by Tristan Da Silva to bring the home team to +9 (45-36), a gap that did not last long…

At 3 points, the pair of Suggs-Banchero first responded to the Pistons’ 8-0 run to stay at +7 at the break (57-50). Detroit therefore had to wait until the second half to finally take control and never let it go. Everything happened very quickly: two baskets by Tobias Harris to set the tone, two 3-point baskets by Cade Cunningham and Harris to raise the score to 8-2 and the Pistons took the lead for the first time in the match (65-67).

The 11-0 that followed thanks to Cunningham-Reid-Harris and ended with an authoritarian counterattack by Caris Levert, put Orlando’s back against the wall (71-81). Returning to a tie at the beginning of the fourth quarter on a three-pointer by Desmond Bain (83-83), the Floridians then encountered a 14-2, again marked by two baskets by Tobias Harris to complete the demonstration of strength of the leader (85-97), who then lasted until the end, again pushed by Auris Cunningham in the final Thompson to secure the victory (92-106).

WHAT TO REMEMBER

Fighting with the flavor of the Eastern Conference. More than 50 free throws, “coach challenges” at every opportunity, hard contact, flashy counterattacks and devastating counterattacks, this Magic-Pistons was played in the purest tradition of these shocks of the Eastern Conference, where you must first impose your muscles, your intensity and your defense before thinking about the rest. Detroit arrived well prepared after great struggles against the Spurs, Thunder and Cavs, and took the best on the floor of the reference team in terms of commitment and “tough” basketball since the arrival of Jamal Mosley, conceding only 35 points after the break.

Trump Tobias Harris. In a complicated match, with little room for manoeuvre, Detroit was able to count on the game science of Tobias Harris, valuable in the second half, which allowed Jay Bickerstaff’s men to dominate the debates. 23 points is rare enough to underline him, who has only been better three times this season. It’s also the second time he’s scored 23 points this season against Orlando.

An evening without triples. Struggling in the first half, the Pistons quickly realized their 3-point prowess would let them down. Detroit actually missed its first fifteen attempts from behind the arc before breaking the deadlock with Cade Cunningham, Jevon Carter and Tobias Harris. The pitiful 4/30 in practice will still remain an anecdote as Jalen Duren’s teammates eventually prevailed.

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How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Difference of points when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.