The Magic sent a loud message with their Game 1 victory in Detroit, and it came on the back of their solid offensive execution. Orlando did a great job moving the ball and actually led all playoff teams in passes during Game 1 with 308. The Magic came out ready for the Pistons’ defense, while the Pistons seemed unprepared in comparison.
The Magic picked the Pistons apart
The Pistons have been a top defense all season and excel in defensive playmaking; they led the league in both steals and blocks. But the Magic prevented these takeaways by anticipating the Pistons’ rotations. Orlando finished Game 1 with 26 assists and 12 turnovers, a pretty good mark against the Pistons.
The Magic haven’t been a phenomenal passing team this season, as they often rely on isolation play behind their big wings in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. But they clearly came into this series with a game plan for attacking the Pistons effectively with pinpoint passing. Now the Pistons will have to respond by adjusting their defensive coverages to contain the Magic.
It wasn’t just Banchero and Wagner making plays for themselves and their teammates in Game 1. The Magic finished with 6 different players racking up at least 3 assists. That level of distributed playmaking shows an organizational commitment to ball movement that must have been a clear coaching emphasis.
Not only did the passing help the Magic’s offense, it also slowed the Pistons down from scoring points. The Pistons are at their most efficient when they get transition opportunities, typically coming off their forced turnovers or emphatic rejections.Â
By limiting their own offensive mistakes, the Magic were able to keep the Pistons at bay in transition; overall Detroit scored 25 transition points compared to Orlando’s 23. The Pistons also didn’t get to the rim as easily without the fastbreak. They were actually outscored in the paint by 20, which is a rarity this season.
The Pistons did not play the same way
On the other hand, Detroit did not have the same precision on offense. Ball movement was not as prevalent, and only Cade Cunningham scored points with any efficiency. For the Pistons to generate sufficient offense, they’ll need more of a team effort.
That effort needs to be driven from better game planning and execution on both ends. The Pistons clearly have a lot to improve offensively and can get more guys involved. But their underwhelming defense in Game 1 has gone under the radar. By returning to their dominant defense from the regular season, the Pistons will have an easier time executing on offense too.
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