Too tight? Too loose? Too rusty?
Yes. All of the above.
They say the playoffs don't start until the road team wins a game. The series started two games before the Pistons wanted it to.
www.nba.com/pistons/news...
FINAL: Magic 112, Pistons 101
Pistons never led. Outscored in paint (54-34), outrebounded (45-39), shot 40 percent. All 5 Orlando starters in double figures. Cade Cunningham (39) and Tobias Harris (17) only Pistons in doubles.
Pistons still no playoff wins
@LCArena_Detroit
One hole gets plugged, another opens. Pistons get some offensive momentum, but Orlando scores on 6 of 7 possessions to start 4Q. Pistons timeout at 8:15 trailing 94-86.
END 3Q: Magic 81, Pistons 74
Pistons still shooting less than 40 percent. Going to have to find something they can count on in the fourth quarter. Duren has been held to 4 shot attempts.
And now it's Orlando's turn to spurt. Pistons tied the game at 65 on a Cade Cunningham 3, but the Magic are on a 14-3 run since to lead 79-68 at 3:43 3Q
And less than 2 minutes later, it's a 10-0 Pistons run and Orlando gets timeout at 7:45. Offense looks a lot better when 3-point shots fall. Duncan Robinson and Tobias Harris big corner 3s in this run.
Another sluggish start for the Pistons and Orlando pushes its lead back to 11. Pistons timeout at 9:35. Orlando 8-1 to open the half.
HALF: Magic 55, Pistons 51
Pistons have not led. Held Orlando to 20 points in the second quarter. Pistons shooting 35.6 percent and 5 of 17 from 3. Cade Cunningham 14 but only 1 assist. Some of that is poor shooting, but he's not back 100 percent.
Pistons getting a little closer to their norm defensively and Javonte Green has had a big part of that. Magic have scored 4 points in last 4 minutes. They lead 49-47. Green with 2 steals in 5 minutes.
At 6:16 2Q, Pistons trail 47-40. They got their first offensive rebound at 7:15 and now have 3 in less than a minute. J.B. Bickerstaff has used 11 players, keeping his rotation just as deep as in the regular season.
END 1Q: Magic 35, Pistons 27
A 6-0 close for Magic after Pistons cut a 13-point deficit to 2. Orlando a 5-0 edge in offensive rebounds. Orlando missed its last 9 3-point FGAs after starting 3 of 4.
First playoff moment: Isaiah Stewart stones Paolo Banchero at the rim on a dunk try, Pistons get a bucket in transition off the block .. After a shaky start (5 turnovers) and falling behind by 13, the Pistons have pulled within 7, 27-20, 3:06
Depth was one of the building blocks for the Pistons in winning 60 games and the No. 1 seed. Does depth matter in the playoffs, though?
J.B. Bickerstaff votes yes: "It's still a weapon."
www.nba.com/pistons/news...
Whoa! Big news for Cade Cunningham (and Luka Doncic) - the NBA rules they are eligible for awards (MVP, All-NBA) after falling one game short of the 65-game minimum.
The Pistons are the No. 1 seed nobody is picking. They could not care less.
www.nba.com/pistons/news...
60 wins puts the Pistons in elite company …
Plus, check out what the Pistons have done from 3 since Cade Cunningham’s injury
This week’s Pistons Digest:
www.nba.com/pistons/news...
The Pistons first playoff game will be 6:30 pm Sunday
FINAL: Pistons 133, Pacers 121
60 wins for the Pistons is the third most in franchise history. On to the playoffs.
HALF: Pistons 81, Pacers 63
Highest-scoring first half for the Pistons since 1982. Paul Reed 18/4 and 3 steals, 7 of 7. Cade Cunningham 7/7/10.
Pacers 32 of 50 shots from 3. Pistons are shooting 69.6 percent overall and 66.7 percent from 3.
Update: Minnesota's win over Houston means the Pistons will pick 21st. That was a great bit of work Trajan Langdon did in the 3-team deal that netted Kevin Huerter, moving up 7 spots. To do that on draft night would have cost ... a future protected first, probably?
A good night for the Pistons. Their 59th win ties for the third most in franchise history.
The kicker is that Toronto's loss means the pick swap the Pistons got from Minnesota in the Kevin Huerter deal conveys. It was protected 1-19. Pick will now be 20 or 21.
"I feel great now. It was a great recovery and I feel I’m in a good spot now."
The Pistons never blinked at the news of Cade Cunningham's collapsed lung. True to form, they turned it to their advantage.
www.nba.com/pistons/news...
FINAL: Pistons 137, Bucks 111
Cade Cunningham 13/5/10 in 26 minutes in his return from a collapsed lung. Pistons go to 58-22 with 2 games remaining and then get 6 days off before opening the playoffs.
END 3Q: Pistons 112, Bucks 86
Cade Cunningham has played 22 minutes - that's the most important stat of the night.
Isaiah Stewart has not played in the second half, but he's on the bench and there's no indication there are any issues.
HALF: Pistons 75, Bucks 57
3 triples in final 2:17 from Duncan Robinson opened things up. He has 15, Duren 11 & 6.
Cade Cunningham out after 13 first-half minutes, a bit more than I would have anticipated - so a good sign they're comfortable with his conditioning level. He has 6 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists. Looks like Cade Cunningham.
A 14-2 run gets Milwaukee right back in the game and the Pistons get a timeout at 4:35 2Q, leading 53-49
END 1Q: Pistons 34, Bucks 28
Cade Cunningham played 7 minutes with 4 points on 2 of 3 shooting, 3 assists
Bucks staying close with 5 threes and 5 offensive boards
Cade Cunningham back and starting after missing the last 11 games. If he plays in the last two games, as well, he'll finish with 64 games - one below the NBA threshold for All-NBA and MVP consideration.
Isaiah Stewart also back after missing the last 13 games with a calf strain.