Pistons Bounce Back With Throttling of Magic
The Detroit Pistons would like to remind everyone why they are the top seed in the East after dismantling the Orlando Magic. Reports of their demise after a Game 1 loss to the visiting Magic were greatly exaggerated. They got back to their bullying ways and put in one of the best defensive games of the playoffs.
Defense wins Pistons crucial Game 2
Many believed the Pistons were in trouble after being trounced at home by the Magic in Game 1. Both teams are physical and like to bully their opponents (see Orlando's dominating win over the Hornets in the Play-In). In Game 1, the Magic looked like they had cracked the code on out-bullying the Pistons.
The Pistons returned the favor, setting the tone with an emphatic opening quarter. They blocked seven shots in the opening frame, letting Orlando know they weren't going to be able to take it to the hoop like they did in Game 1. Detroit ended with 11 blocks as a team in the entire contest.
However, it didn't translate to a lead. The two teams were tied at halftime, and Detroit's attempt to get back to its brand of basketball was not working yet. But after halftime, they ran out to a 22-point lead and coasted to the finish line. At one point, Detroit was on a 30-3 run in the third quarter. They ended up holding the Magic to 83 points in a full NBA game, which is an almost unheard of mark.
This broke an 11-game home winning streak in the NBA playoffs for the Pistons. The Magic made a habit of making tough, contested shots in Game 1, shooting 47% on such attempts. In Game 2, the Pistons didn't let them get away with it, holding them to an 18% mark on those shots. It's the lowest such mark in a playoff game since tracking began in 2013-14.
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J.B. Bickerstaff sparks furious third quarter
J.B. Bickerstaff is likely to win the NBA's Coach of the Year award. It's largely because he helmed the East's best team that was the sixth seed a year ago, but it's also because he's an excellent coach. He proved that at halftime of a tie game.
"He really got on us in the locker room," veteran 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."
Harris said it helped the Pistons find "that spark" and it helped them jump out to an insurmountable lead. The Pistons won by 15 after being tied in the first half and being outscored in the fourth quarter. That third quarter, right after the halftime adjustments were made, was something special.
"It's Piston's basketball, and that's what it looks like," Bickerstaff said. "We have one off night [in Game 1 that happened] to come at a bad time. But I know what our guys are, and we trusted that they were going to come back tonight, be the best version of themselves at some point."
Paolo Banchero shares insight
From the other side, the Magic might've been a little surprised by how things changed in Game 2. They were getting whatever they wanted in Game 1 and in the Play-In versus Charlotte, but the Pistons really locked in on Wednesday night.
"They met us at the rim a few times," said Orlando forward Paolo Banchero. "And they brought the intensity on defense. But we got good looks, and nobody really had a great night shooting the ball." He finished with 18 points, eight assists and six rebounds, but he shot 7/17 and missed four free throws.
