The Orlando Magic are on a roll! They've won seven out of their last nine games.
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The Orlando Magic are on a roll! They’ve won seven out of their last nine games, and they’re not just aiming for a playoff spot after four seasons of missing out—they might not even need the play-in tournament to get there! They just beat Cleveland 116-109 on the road after the All-Star break, and with a 31-25 record, they’re in the running for a top-six finish in the conference.
The Magic are doing better than they have in a long time! They’re on track to finish the regular season with more wins than they’ve had since 2010-11, when they ended with a 52-30 record. And they’ve got a great opportunity to add to their win count when they play the Pistons on Saturday night. The Pistons have only won eight games, so it’s a good chance for Orlando to boost their numbers.
The Magic’s last win was all thanks to their bench players stepping up big time. The five guys they brought in off the bench against the Cavaliers scored a total of 63 points, with Moritz Wagner leading the way with 22 points and seven rebounds.
For the Pistons, Grimes (knee injury) and Stewart (ankle injury) might not be playing the game. As for the Magic, Fultz has been rested for the game. Besides, Suggs is questionable for the game due to a head injury.
Orlando had a tough night with their two main guys, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, not quite hitting their usual stride. Banchero, who’s an All-Star, only managed to score 12 points on 4-for-15 shooting and turned the ball over four times. And Franz, who’s usually good for 21 points, only got 14 and had three turnovers. Luckily, the bench stepped up and saved the day.
This will be the third time Orlando and Detroit face off this season, with one more game to go. The Magic had an easy win in the first matchup, with Franz Wagner scoring 27 points in a 123-91 victory on Dec. 8. He then matched his career-best with 38 points in a 111-99 win on Feb. 4, where Orlando pulled ahead in the fourth quarter. As for the Pistons, they’re sticking to their usual style, playing catch-up for most of their games. They lost to the Pacers 129-115 on Thursday, with the Pacers leading by as much as 31 points.
Indiana was way ahead at halftime, with a 72-43 lead. Detroit did manage to pick up the pace in the second half, especially with a 45-point third quarter, but the gap was just too big to close. Cade Cunningham was the top scorer for the Pistons with 30 points and eight assists. But because of the mistakes made early on, their second-half comeback didn’t really make a difference.
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