Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic 2019-20 season preview

The Orlando Magic finished ahead of the Detroit Pistons last season but here is why the script could be flipped in 2019-20.

One game separated the Detroit Pistons from the Orlando Magic in the 2019 NBA Playoffs. The Pistons were swept by the Milwaukee Bucks and the Magic were able to take one game from the Toronto Raptors in a five-game series loss.

Both the Pistons and Magic are in similar spots. They want to improve on last season, while Orlando’s focus has been more internal, the Pistons were able to maneuver through their cap space and add depth.

Derrick Rose and Markieff Morris are immediate upgrades with the second unit. While the Pistons have their holes to fill entering training camp, there is a general belief that they are better than their 37.5 over/under projects.

Detroit won last year’s season series 3-1 but it was tightly contested. The Pistons won by seven in the opening game of the series and needed overtime in the middle of the season. The finale was a 115-98 drubbing in which the Pistons defense excelled.

That final contest is the only one in which the Pistons had their roster that can be most closely resembled with this year’s team. The previous three meetings featured Reggie Bullock and Stanley Johnson, both of whom were traded away before the mid-season deadline.

Wayne Ellington scored a game-high 25 points in the blowout loss. While he’s with the New York Knicks, Tony Snell takes his place and offers more on the defensive end and is a capable shooter.

This year’s season series should be tightly contested. Let’s take a look at what the Orlando Magic did to improve their roster.