Media entered the locker room with Jevon Carter shouting — to teammates? to players? — “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid!” Long way to go in this series.
#MagicMania
Posts by Philip Rossman-Reich
Wendell Carter caps a stunning peformance with a runout dunk. All five starters scored at least 16 points. Franz with 11 in the fourth quarter. The #Magic steal Game 1 from the #Pistons 112-101.
The #Magic are set to win Game 1. Shocked crowd here at Little Caesars Arena.
#MagicMania
108-96 ORL, 2:13 4th
The #Magic identified Cade as a player to attack. That is strange because he has been a lot better defensively. But Wagner ate him in the post. They got Huerter on a switch and threw it over the top for a foul. Fans are heading for the exits.
106-96 ORL, 3:02 4th
Let's take a quick breather. The #Magic lead by eight. Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane each have five fouls. Paolo Banchero has 23 points. Franz has eight in the quarter. Cade has 34. Going to be a chaotic finish here.
#MagicMania
103-95 ORL, 3:45 4th
Meanwhile, the #Magic get Franz in. Their closing lineup is in. Cade and Stewart are coming in for the #Pistons. So virtually no rest for Cade. Duren getting a quick breather.
101-93 ORL, 5:05 4th
Fouling has been a problem for the #Magic. The #Pistons are in the bonus with 5:47 to play. Detroit has taken 31 free throws (32 and 33 coming up).
Cade checks out with 5:47 to play though. Huge run here.
101-93 ORL, 5:47 4th
Cade Cunningham has taken over in the fourth quarter. He is getting to his spots and the #Magic are struggling to disrupt him. He gets to the foul line in transition on Bane's fourth foul. Crowd getting into it. Cade up to 32 points. #Pistons within four.
96-92 ORL, 6:48 4th
There is the driving dunk I have been waiting for from Franz. Heck of a quarter for him. He has eight points in the quarter and has made all four of his shots.
Franz will come out for his normal rest to play the last 4-5 minutes. Bane back in.
96-89 ORL, 7:09 4th
The #Magic are in a see-saw battle. But Cade and the #Pistons' offense are starting to find a rhythm. #Magic are maintaining a healthy lead. Time to get Paolo back in to go the distance.
92-86 ORL, 8:20 4th
This game has been as advertised. The refs swallowed their whistles more in the third quarter. Both teams made their pushes. The #Magic maintained their lead. Exactly what you want. 12 minutes to a road playoff win.
#Magic lead the #Pistons 81-74 after three quarters.
The #Magic are going to steal the final 1:26 of the third quarter for Paolo Banchero to be on the bench. They are starting to get sloppy with their fouling and turnovers again. #Pistons hanging around. Need to maintain their lead.
79-72 ORL, 1:17 3rd
Cade Cunningham checked out a little while ago before the #Magic started re-expanding their lead. Cade has 19 points on 7 for 15 shooting.
#Pistons fans are getting restless. The #Magic are pulling away again.
79-68 ORL, 3:43 3rd
Paolo Banchero up to 23 points on 8 for 12 shooting. He looks a lot more like himself with his energy and scoring. He has 20 points in 11 of his 13 playoff games.
Please acknowledge Playoff Paolo.
#MagicMania
72-68 ORL, 5:11 3rd
Franz Wagner has only eight points on 2-for-8 shooting. But the #Magic are +9 in his minutes. To say the least, it is not just narrative but these minutes with Franz on the bench are huge after the timeout.
65-62 ORL, 7:15 3rd
The #Magic have been daring the #Pistons to shoot all game. They just made two as part of this 10-0 run. Detroit is shooting 7 for 21 (Magic are 6 for 23).
Orlando seems comfortable giving up threes to any non-Robinson or Huerters out there.
#MagicMania
Back-to-back threes from Duncan Robinson and Tobias Harris, and it is back to a one-possession game. #Magic missed an open Bane three and a Suggs floater. Magic have always responded with big shots in this game.
63-60 ORL, 7:52 3rd
The #Magic start with an 8-1 run capped by Paolo reading the double team and finding Dell on a lob as Duren crept too far to try to cut off baseline.
Magic needed a good start to the quarter. They got it.
63-52 ORL, 9:35 3rd
Third quarters have been bad for the #Magic when they are low and good for the #Magic when they are good.
First six minutes of the quarter (or first timeout) are crucial.
#MagicMania
55-51 ORL, 12:00 3rd
A Franz Wagner three after a nice Desmond Bane drive got the #Magic to settle down after things looked dicey. #Magic have to find new ways to get to the paint, only four points in the paint in the second quarter.
Magic lead the #Pistons 55-51 at halftime.
The #Magic are doing a really good job pinpointing post-ups and matchups that Paolo Banchero should like. But he is not reading the doubles really well and ceding ground instead of moving it quickly. Broken record, but it's all about quicker decisions.
49-47 ORL, 3:34 2nd
I have personally put the over/under for the first pull-apart of the series at 2.5 games. And it already looks like that it might come tonight.
#MagicMania
45-36 ORL, 7:28 2nd
The #Magic go +1 with Cade on the bench. The #Pistons have settled in a lot more defensively. Magic are fouling a ton this quarter too. But Orlando maintaining a healthy lead.
44-36 ORL, 8:09 2nd
The #Pistons are doing a really good job pushing the pick and roll out and keeping Franz (or Paolo, for that matter) from getting downhill. Might be better for the #Magic to use guards as screeners to try to bully them downhill than go through Duren.
35-31 ORL, 10:29 2nd
The #Magic with a really good response once the #Pistons cut their 13-point lead to two. Some nice plays from Goga Bitadze and strong rebounding help the #Magic preserve a 35-27 lead after the first quarter.
The #Magic have given away most of their lead. But Cade Cunningham checks out with 1:26 to play. No Duren on the floor. They must close this quarter strong.
29-27 ORL, 1:08 1st
Narratives aside, the #Magic won the Paolo Banchero minutes and come back with Franz to end the first quarter. After that block and layup, big final three minutes to this quarter out of the timeout.
27-20 ORL, 2:32 1st
#MagicLegend Ben Wallace is being recognized at Little Caesars Arena.
Isaiah Stewart gets a block on Paolo at the rim. We've all noted that Paolo is not looking as athletic as he has in years past. It was good to see him try. But the block leads to a fast break and Cade finish.
#Magic doing their work, but need to stay on it.
27-20 ORL, 3:06 1st
After starting 2 for 3 from three, Suggs is now 2 for 7. Except for the last one he took off a ball reversal, they have not been great shots. #Magic need to refocus on attacking the paint. Defense has held up though.
22-13 ORL, 4:25 1st