Detroit Pistons

2023-12-08

Detroit Pistons pummeled by Orlando Magic, 123-91, as skid hits 19

Omari Sankofa II, Detroit Free Press

ORLANDO — The Detroit Pistons entered the game with a losing streak old enough to vote — 18. Soon, it may be old enough to drink.

The suffered their 19th straight loss on Friday, 123-91 to an Orlando Magic team that was next to them at the bottom of the standings two years ago. The Pistons are now 2-20 this season and barreling toward the NBA's worst record, while Orlando improved to 15-7 to remain in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Detroit now has an unfathomable 4-43 record in its past 47 games, after dropping 23 of their final 25 last season.

Orlando shot 53.5% (23-43) in the first half, taking control with a 46-26 run after the Pistons opened an early 18-12 lead. Detroit opened shooting 8-for-12, but unraveled after reserves began checking in midway through the first.

Jaden Ivey was the first substitution, as head coach Monty Williams made a change from Detroit’s previous two games (which featured Ivey checking in at the start of the second quarter). He was soon joined by Joe Harris —returning after missing a month with a sprained shoulder — Ausar Thompson and James Wiseman.

Killian Hayes started and played well early, hitting five of his first six shots while playing the entire first. But the rest of the unit struggled to score — the Pistons didn’t make a field goal for more than 5 minutes — from 5:38 remaining in the first until Hayes hit a midrange jumper with 5 seconds on the clock. In that span, Orlando took control to lead 28-23 at the end of the period.

The Pistons remained cold in the second quarter, shooting 8-for-21 as the deficit ballooned to 14, 58-44, at halftime. Orlando kept its foot on the gas, opening the second half with a 22-7 run that expanded the deficit to 29, 80-51, midway through the third.

Marvin Bagley III started in place of Jalen Duren, who will miss two weeks after spraining his left ankle against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 21 points and six assists, and Hayes (16 points, seven rebounds) and Alec Burks (14 points) also reached double figures.

The Pistons clearly missed Duren, as they gave up 74 points in the paint and didn't have an answer for Michigan alumnus Franz Wagner (27 points) and 2022 No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero (24 points). Detroit shot just 6-for-30 from 3 and turned the ball over 16 times, leading to 19 points for the Magic.

Harris returns, but bench comes up short again

A game after Duren landed on the injury report, the Pistons got a lift when Harris — who last played on Nov. 5 while dealing with a shoulder sprain — returned on Friday.

But the career 43.6% sharpshooter — the fourth-highest 3-point mark in NBA history — has struggled so far; he hitjust 31.6% of his triples in his initial seven games. Williams acknowledged he would have to see if Harris’ shooting picks up. But he added the veteran can also help the roster in other ways.

“I’ve seen him in workouts and in practice,” Williams said before Friday's game. “We’ll have to see. But that’s what he’s done his whole career. His voice, his experience is really important to us. I’ve gotta manipulate the rotation a little bit to find a slither for him to get on the floor, because he’s important to the growth of our young guys. Joe can help someone like Ausar, talking to him while he’s out there on the floor with him, and also playing the role of a spacer and defender and being in the right spots. I’m hopeful to try to find spots for him to get out there and help us.”

Harris checked in midway through the first quarter, but wasn’t able to help the bench as it was pummeled by Banchero and the rest of the Magic. He took, and missed, one shot attempt in just four minutes of action.

It was another weak effort for Detroit’s bench, which Williams acknowledged on Wednesday he needed to tweak in search of more production. The second unit mustered just seven points in the first half — six of which were scored by Alec Burks — on 2-for-12 shooting.

The bench improved marginally in the second half, with Burks and Ivey combining for 16 points in the third. But the game was well out of hand at that point, as Orlando led by as many as 29 before the end of the period.