The Detroit Pistons are on the road against the Orlando Magic in a battle between the teams with the two worst records in the NBA. It’s a TGIF game at 7:00 p.m. (ET) as the Pistons hit the road after just one game back home.
The Magic are on one day of rest after losing to the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Pistons are on two days of rest after losing a tough game to the Denver Nuggets.
This is one of those games where the Pistons have a legitimate chance at victory.
The Basics:
- The Magic have the 28th ranked offensive efficiency in the NBA.
- Orlando has the 23rd ranked defensive efficiency in the NBA.
- Despite having a worse record, the Magic have a better offensive and defensive efficiency than the Pistons.
- These two teams have the worst records in the NBA, with the Magic being at the bottom and Pistons the second worst.
- Cade Cunningham is coming off of a career-high in points (34)
- The Magic have seven players in their rotation who are averaging over 10 points per game.
- Six of the Magic’s nine highest minutes players are 23 years old or younger.
- Both Wagner brothers are on the Magic. Each played for Michigan in college.
- The Magic have not won a game by 20 or more points all season.
Detroit Pistons-Orlando Magic notes
This game will likely be somewhat of a wet-noodle fight. Both teams are very young and very bad. There is theoretically some intrigue in the Cunningham vs. Jalen Suggs battle, given that Suggs was the fifth pick in the last draft and was in brought in for a workout by Detroit. However, Suggs has struggled mightily in his shooting so that seems to not really be of note. Cunningham vs Franz Wagner would probably be more the headliner.
The Magic have also been starting both Wendell Carter Jr. and Mo Bamba, this will put a lot of strain on the height-challenged Pistons, who have recently been starting games exceptionally small, with 6-foot-8 Isaiah Stewart and 6-7 Saddiq Bey up front.
Both Kelly Olynyk and Jerami Grant would have helped inside but they are both still out.
It will be interesting to see if coach Dwane Casey switches things up at all, or if the Pistons roll with it and try to beat it with quickness and shooting.
Oddly, Orlando is actually worse on at home than on the road, having twice as many wins when not near Disney World.