Orlando Magic Grades: Detroit Pistons 114, Orlando Magic 110

There were signs of life from the Orlando Magic, but not enough in this one as they never fully recovered from a hot-shooting start for the Detroit Pistons, falling 114-110.

It has been a disheartening few weeks for the Orlando Magic. There are only so many positives you can glean from a loss.

But considering recent performances, this was a good effort from Orlando.

They just could not overcome the 13-point deficit incurred in the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons and fell 114-110 at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday, despite a furious late-game comeback to erase a 20-point deficit.

The Magic were decent enough on both ends to start. Collectively, they did a good job trailing opposing shooters and closing out. But the Pistons were on fire from the opening tip, so any daylight at all was enough for them to find the bottom of the net.

On offense, Orlando got solid looks at the rim but could not finish, blowing easy layups any NBA player normally makes. It is hard, if not impossible to win games doing that. The Magic finished the first quarter looking sloppy and dejected, trailing 36-23.

The second quarter was better, ending only four points in the Pistons’ favor. Jonathan Isaac’s return to the second unit was a big help here. The third quarter saw both teams score 36. The Magic put up a staggering 67 points in the second half, outscoring the Pistons by 13 in the fourth (matching the first quarter margin), but they just ran out of time in what felt like a thrilling comeback that peaked with a 19-0 run to cut a 24-point deficit to five.

Orlando could easily have acquiesced as they have done many times before, but instead climbed out of the depths and were one Hezonja miss away from possibly dragging victory from the jaws of defeat.

But give credit to Detroit. The Pistons have fallen into a recent slump of their own, but this team is schematically much improved from where it was last year.

Andre Drummond plays away from the basket now more than ever to get shooters and wings going in dribble handoff action. He did not show it as much tonight, but he also has improved as a passer working from the elbows.

This is not news, but Drummond is a really large man. It is hard for defenders to get around him on ball screens or handoffs. Elfrid Payton has a hard enough time playing pick-and-roll defense against average bigs, so Detroit’s 7-footer certainly did him no favors. Drummond’s screening prowess and activity was a major reason the Magic got killed by shooters running around screens and spotting up.

The Magic offense was clicking after the first quarter, particularly in the halfcourt. Flex action got the team some easy buckets, as did Nikola Vucevic’s post passing and shooting. D.J. Augustin has partially taken Evan Fournier’s role in the offense, and although Sunday was not his best game, he put pressure on the defense by running through Orlando’s offensive sets with a purpose.

The Pistons are a good team, talent-wise and strategically. Considering Orlando was missing three of its best players and one more rotation piece (Aaron Gordon, Evan Fournier, Terrence Ross and Arron Afflalo) a four-point loss was hardly the worst possible outcome.

A loss is a loss, but there was a lot to feel good about Sunday. If the Magic want to build on some of the positives from this game, they will need their best players back sooner than later.

Next: Mario Hezonja carving out a role for himself

The Orlando Magic get a few days off to recoup before they take on the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Wednesday.