Magic Second Half Leads to Dominant Win vs. Pistons
ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic went to the locker room at halftime up nine points on Sunday night against the Detroit Pistons, but when they went back there after the fourth quarter, the lead grew to 22 in their 113-91 victory.
A 20-3 run to begin the third quarter put the game out of reach for the Pistons as the Magic cruised to a third straight victory. The defensive effort early in the second half pushed the Magic to a win.
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"I think we were just really able to get stops," Paolo Banchero said postgame about the team's ability to pull away in the third quarter. "I thought we did a good job playing defense, forcing them into tough shots and then not letting them get many second chance opportunities. Then, the offense just fed off of that."
While the execution was strong, it was backed by a lot of preparation that the team took on -- both from the players and coaching staff.
"It says a lot about them being prepared," coach Jamahl Mosley said. "You have to give credit, so much credit to our coaches. ... Our ability to sustain our effort and continue to play together was something that I'm very proud of -- this group and our coaching staff -- for how they're getting these guys prepared for what they're going to continue to see."
The players and coaches have been in lockstep all season long, and the synergy has been a huge reason behind the team's success so far this year.
The Magic are back in action tomorrow when they visit the Charlotte Hornets. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
