- How To Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Florida (Orlando), FanDuel Sports Network Detroit Extra (Detroit), NBA League Pass
- STREAM MAGIC-PISTONS ON FUBO TV
- How to Listen: 104.5 The Beat (Orlando), 950 AM (Detroit), NBA Audio League Pass, SiriusXM Channel 213 (Magic)
- FOLLOW LIVE: @OMAGICDAILY
- Tickets: $45-$354+ on StubHub
- Season Series: Magic 111, Pistons 100 in Orlando on Nov. 23; Pistons 105, Magic 96 in Detroit on Jan. 1; Tonight in Orlando
Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic: Stats and 3 Keys to Watch
Detroit | Orlando | |
|---|---|---|
99.4 | Pace | 96.6 |
111.8 | Off. Rtg. | 107.0 |
112.5 | Def. Rtg. | 107.9 |
54.3 | eFG% | 50.3 |
30.5 | O.Reb.% | 30.6 |
15.9 | TO% | 15.5 |
22.7 | FTR | 26.7 |
3. The Suggs and Goga Difference
The Orlando Magic have slipped. Everyone can see the offensive issues plain as day. The Magic are scoring just a point per possession in their last eight games. That is only better than the Washington Wizards in that time period.
The quiet thing is the Magic's defense has slipped significantly in that time too. In the past 10 games, the Magic have a 113.4 defensive rating. That is about six points per 100 possessions worse than their season average.
The offense can be inconsistent so long as the defense is elite. The defense has not been elite.
And a lot of that can be attributed to Jalen Suggs' absence with a low back strain over the last 10 games (a 2-8 record) and Goga Bitadze being in the concussion protocol (an 0-5 record and a 117.9 defensive rating).
Both players were upgraded to QUESTIONABLE on the Magic's injury report for Saturday's game, at least opening the door for the possibility they will return. The Magic will benefit from their return.
Orlando has a 105.3 defensive rating with Suggs on the floor and a 106.1 defensive rating with Bitadze on the floor. The Magic have a 104.8 defensive rating—and +5.5 net rating—in 515 minutes with Suggs and Bitadze on the floor.
Just having a lot of healthy bodies available will be a boost. But these two players would seemingly be the ones to lift the team's energy and get them looking like themselves.
2. Detroit's surge
Having said that, the Orlando Magic missed two opportunities to score some confidence-building wins against two poor defensive teams in the Toronto Raptors and Portland Trail Blazers and completely dropped the ball. Now they have to do it against a surging Detroit Pistons team.
The Pistons have won 11 of their last 15 games. They have an overall offensive/defensive rating split of 111.8/112.5. In the last 15 games, that has improved to 113.4/109.9. That defensive improvement is the biggest thing with both Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart dominating on defense.
Everything for the Pistons runs through Cade Cunningham. He will likely be named an All-Star reserve for the first time in his career, averaging 24.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 9.4 assists per game. He is shooting 37.1 percent from three.
In his last 15 games, he averaged 25.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game. He shot 35.0 percent from three. The former number-one pick has made a leap.
1. Standings implications
At this point, most of the postseason and playoff teams understand the battle lines and what they are competing for. The Orlando Magic are slipping in the race for homecourt advantage, but they are clearly in the playoff race. The same goes for the Detroit Pistons.
That makes games like this one even bigger. They are two-game swings and key for tiebreaking implications. This one is about as big as it could be for both the Magic and the Pistons. Unfortunately, it comes with Orlando trying to get itself healthy.
The Magic trail the Pistons by one game for sixth in the Eastern Conference. There will be a lot of time to make up that ground at the end of the day. But it would be nice to be outside the Play-In for however long the team can—the schedule opens up for the Magic before the All-Star Break after the upcoming six-game road trip.
The bigger implication is the Magic and Pistons are tied in the season series and this is the final matchup in the series. Saturday's winner wins the season series and the tiebreaker should they be tied in the standings later in the year.
That is a big deal. Because everyone should acknowledge the Pistons are not going away. They may hit a rough spot in the schedule as every team does and drop a bit, but they will be fighting for the 6-seed at least for the rest of the year.
This is a big one.
Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic: Injury Report & Projected Lineups
Detroit Pistons Injury Report
- Jaden Ivey - OUT (Left Fibula Fracture)
- Bobi Klintmann - OUT (G-League On Assignment)
- Ron Harper Jr. - OUT (G-League Two-Way)
- Tolu Smith - OUT (G-League Two-Way)
- Daniss Jenkins - OUT (G-League Two-Way)
Orlando Magic Injury Report
- Jalen Suggs - QUESTIONABLE (Low Back Strain)
- Goga Bitadze - QUESTIONABLE (Concussion Protocol)
- Moe Wagner - OUT (Torn Left ACL)
- Cole Anthony - QUESTIONABLE (Illness)
- Gary Harris - OUT (Left Hamstring Strain)
- Mac McClung - OUT (G-League Two-Way)
Projected Lineups
Detroit | Orlando | |
|---|---|---|
Cade Cunningham | PG | Anthony Black |
Tim Hardaway Jr. | SG | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope |
Ausar Thompson | SF | Franz Wagner |
Tobias Harris | PF | Paolo Banchero |
Jalen Duren | C | Wendell Carter |
Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic: Prediction
Our Record: 28-18/23-23 ATS
The Orlando Magic are capable of winning big games and beating good teams. They know what they can do when they are at their best. But they have been far from their best lately. They have been struggling to find themselves.
Getting healthy will go a long way to making this team look normal again. And coach Jamahl Mosley said the team has accounted for and is accepting of some bumps in the road as players return to full force. It will be a process as this team starts to align itself again.
Still, good teams find a way to win. And the Magic are struggling to find that way to win right now.
It could all click very suddenly.
Paolo Banchero could take what he learned from Thursday's loss and have a killer game to make up for his frustrating 1-for-14 showing. Franz Wagner looked great in his return, but he could continue to improve as he plays more. And the prospect of getting Jalen Suggs and Goga Bitadze back could up the team's energy.
They should start to look more like themselves, at least as a response to how poorly they played Thursday. The Magic feel like they are coming to the end of this swoon.
But, there will still be lineups that probably should not see the floor in a game of this magnitude. The Magic cannot treat this game with the importance it probably deserves because so many players are still on minute restrictions.
Detroit is playing well right now. The Magic are plenty capable of winning. But they have to give themselves the chance first.