The Detroit Pistons almost were unrecognizable for the first six quarters of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic, but that all changed in the span of about eight minutes.
The top-seeded Pistons appear to have finally settled in as they head into Game 3 against the eighth-seeded Magic on Saturday in Orlando, Fla.
After losing its playoff opener 112-101, Detroit evened the best-of-seven Eastern Conference clash with an impressive 98-83 win on Wednesday.
Cade Cunningham had 27 points, 11 assists and six rebounds to lead Detroit, which was tied at the half before opening the third quarter on a 30-3 run over a span of eight minutes.
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff provided some well-timed advice at halftime to help the Pistons snap an 11-game home playoff losing streak.
“(Bickerstaff) really got on us in the locker room,” Detroit forward Tobias Harris said. “(His message was) there is no more of ‘my bads.’ It’s like they’re out there hustling, getting offensive boards on us. And there’s too many of them for us (to allow) as a group. We know that’s not our standard. So he was on us. We were able to find that little spark.”
Harris scored 16 points in the victory, while Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson had 11 apiece.
After being outplayed in nearly every category in Game 1, Detroit started to look more like the East’s top team on Wednesday. The Pistons held Orlando to 32.5% shooting from the field and 25% (8 of 32) from 3-point range in the victory.
“This is a good team we’re playing against,” Bickerstaff said. “If that team is healthy most of the season, they’re not an eighth-seeded team. They’re a very talented, very good basketball team. We’ve got a ton of respect for that team and they’re well-coached. But if we play Pistons basketball, we feel like we can beat anybody.”
The series now shifts to Orlando’s Kia Center, where the Magic are 6-1 in their last seven postseason games, including play-in tournament games.
Orlando is looking to bounce back after being held to a season low in points on Wednesday. Jalen Suggs scored 19 points and Paolo Banchero added 18 for the Magic, who were outscored 54-34 in the paint.
“You have to give them credit,” Banchero said. “I thought we had some good looks in the first half. They met us at the rim a few times. They brought the intensity on defense. We got good looks and nobody really had a great night shooting the ball. Not a game you’d expect to win looking at the stat sheet, but I would say it’s nothing that’s discouraging.”
Forward Franz Wagner said the Magic can lean on their experience as the series heads into the pivotal Game 3.
“The playoffs are way different, and it definitely helps to have been there before and just kind of know how the flow of a series goes,” Wagner said. “It’s still early in the series. Also, (we know) that margins will decide these games. That’s the beauty of the playoffs and that’s why it’s important to play every possession really well.”
Orlando will need more production from guard Desmond Bane, who is averaging 14.5 points on 29% shooting in the first two games of the series. Bane also is shooting 20% (3 of 15) from 3-point range.
