You can add the Orlando Magic to the list of teams that used to be Pistons rivals but can no longer hang with Detroit. Even with an especially poor shooting night, the Pistons defeated the Magic easily by double digits 106-92 on Sunday.
The two teams have shared similarities previously during their respective rebuilds, but it’s clear the Pistons are on another level right now. While the Pistons aim to make a deep playoff run, the Magic are currently fighting just to make the playoffs at all.
The Magic haven’t kept up with the Pistons
Ironically, preseason projections typically had the Magic ahead of the Pistons because they added Desmond Bane. Analysts feared that Detroit would stagnate after bringing back largely the same roster as last year, and Orlando would take another leap with their new shooting guard. Instead, we’ve seen the exact opposite unfold this season.
Bane hasn’t been able to uplift the Magic’s shooting to dangerous levels and their defense has taken a step back. Orlando has also suffered from its fair share of injuries, especially to stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. All that has placed the Magic in the seven seed of the Eastern Conference, putting them in the Play-In Tournament.
But the Pistons still treat the Magic as worthy rivals because of their past history. On Sunday night, the Pistons brought their full effort, which is something their fans always want to see. And that led to a shutdown defensive performance that held the Magic to just 92 points total.
Coming away from the game, it was hard not to feel like the Magic have all the same weaknesses as the Pistons but far less strengths. Orlando‘s defense was once feared in a similar vein as the Pistons now, but it has fallen as injuries have ravaged the roster. Without that defense to fall back on, the Magic are struggling to gain consistent advantages against the best teams in the league.
Another major difference between the Magic and Pistons is the quality of their star play. Cade Cunningham and Paolo Banchero were drafted first overall in consecutive drafts: Cade in 2021 and Paolo in 2022. They were both expected to be franchise centerpieces and carry the offense, but Paolo is not quite the same complete player as Cade.
While Cade has elevated himself to a potential MVP candidate, Paolo’s stock around the league has dropped significantly. What makes Cade so special isn’t just his scoring, but also his playmaking and unselfishness to get his teammates involved. Paolo doesn’t have the same passing ability and it limits his overall offensive impact.
Regardless of the primary root causes, the overall effect couldn’t be more obvious: the Pistons have risen to another level and the Magic are still mediocre. Until further notice, Orlando is no longer a real rival for Detroit.