NBA: Pistons Use Big Second Half to Down Magic

The Orlando Magic lose another game on the road as the Detroit Pistons use a big second half to win Monday night’s game 103-88.

Game Recap

The first half was back-and-forth with no team taking real control. The Magic ended the first quarter up eight and got solid defense out of former first round pick Mo Bamba.

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The Pistons began to pick it up coming out of the second quarter. Luke Kennard turned in a game-high 20 points while knocking in a trio a threes. This is Kennard’s second double digit scoring game in the past five games after starting out November with seven such games.

Orlando’s Aaron Gordon was sidelined with a bone bruise in his ankle while Niokla Vucevic is dealing with a more severe ankle injury. This meant a big night for Detroit’s big men.

Andre Drummond came into the night leading the league in rebounds per game at 16.8. He added on to that by grabbing another 18 on the night. Blake Griffin finished with 17 points and five rebounds while showcasing his aggressiveness in the paint by getting to the free throw line eight times (he went 6-8). Take a listen to what Magic’s head Coach Steve Clifford had to say about defending Griffin.

Other Notes

With Gordon and Vucevic out, forward Jonathan Isaac has stepped up for Orlando in terms of minutes and production. The 2017 sixth overall pick struggled offensively scoring just 10 points. Although, he did knock down a pair of three-pointers and played terrific defense finishing the game with four blocks.

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Another standout for Orlando was 2017 first overall pick Markelle Fultz who finished the night with 16 points on 7-12 shooting. Fultz has been able to carve out a role on this Magic team as he looks to get back into his form from the injury that started his career. This was the fifth consecutive game that Fultz finished with double digit points.

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What’s Next

The Magic, who have yet to win on the road this year, finish up a four game road trip when they travel to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers tomorrow night. Detroit is also back in action tomorrow night as they play a home-and-home with the Charlotte Hornets.