Advertisement · 728 × 90

Posts by Philip Rossman-Reich

Preview
a man with long hair and a beard is wearing a tank top that says the undertaker on it ALT: a man with long hair and a beard is wearing a tank top that says the undertaker on it

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

1 day ago 1 0 0 0
Preview
a wrestler in a ring with a referee watching ALT: a wrestler in a ring with a referee watching

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.

1 day ago 5 0 1 1
Preview
a man wearing a white shirt that says just say yes ALT: a man wearing a white shirt that says just say yes

The #Magic are set to win Game 1. Shocked crowd here at Little Caesars Arena.

#MagicMania

108-96 ORL, 2:13 4th

1 day ago 7 2 1 0

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

1 day ago 3 1 1 0
Preview
two men are standing in front of a gold statue and one is holding a red card ALT: two men are standing in front of a gold statue and one is holding a red card

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

1 day ago 2 0 1 0

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

1 day ago 0 0 2 0

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0
Advertisement

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0

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.

1 day ago 1 1 1 0

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0
Preview
a man with a beard wearing a black shirt that says the bloodline ALT: a man with a beard wearing a black shirt that says the bloodline

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

1 day ago 3 0 1 0

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0
Preview
a video of a wrestling match on make a gif .com ALT: a video of a wrestling match on make a gif .com

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0
Advertisement

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0
Preview
a wrestling ring with a lot of lights on it and a blue background . ALT: a wrestling ring with a lot of lights on it and a blue background .

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

1 day ago 1 0 1 0

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.

1 day ago 1 0 1 0

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0
Preview
two men are facing each other in a wrestling ring and they are looking at each other . ALT: two men are facing each other in a wrestling ring and they are looking at each other .

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

1 day ago 1 0 1 0

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0

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.

1 day ago 1 0 1 0
Advertisement

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0

#MagicLegend Ben Wallace is being recognized at Little Caesars Arena.

1 day ago 0 0 1 0

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0

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

1 day ago 0 0 1 0