Magic Moving in Wrong Direction With Pistons Loss

The Orlando Magic are on a losing streak after falling to the Detroit Pistons 106-92 inside the Kia Center.

The Magic played well in the first half, taking a lead against the Pistons, but they were unable to take advantage of the opportunities given to them. They could have broken the game open, but they kept the Pistons hanging around.

Magic Fall Short vs. First Place Pistons

Orlando Magic guard Jett Howard jumps for the rebound against Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The Magic were led in scoring by Paolo Banchero with 24 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. However, Banchero committed nine of the Magic's 19 turnovers, which led to 26 points for the Pistons. That was arguably the biggest difference in the game.

Tristan da Silva did a good job while filling in for Anthony Black in the starting lineup. Black missed the game with a quad contusion, but da Silva managed to step up with 19 points on 8 of 13 shooting. Desmond Bane added 17 points of his own while Jalen Suggs scored 14 points with four 3-pointers.

Pistons guard Cade Cunningham also had a double-double with 29 points and 11 assists. Former Magic forward Tobias Harris had 23 points and seven rebounds. All-Star center Jalen Duren added 16 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double while former top-five pick Ron Holland II had 11 points off the bench.

It's definitely a step back for the Magic, who couldn't get much done due to the Pistons' active defense. The Magic had chances to break the game open, but the Pistons defense kept Detroit in it. Going into halftime, the Magic led by seven points, but that lead was wiped away within the first half of the third quarter.

The Magic weren't fully healthy with Black and Franz Wagner out of the lineup, and that is definitely part of Orlando's struggles throughout the season. However, the Magic had a chance to beat the first-place Pistons at home and they couldn't execute down the stretch.

It's a difficult loss, but it isn't one that should completely deteriorate the team. The Magic are just not where the Pistons are and this game showed how far off they are from the best team in the East.

The Magic return to the court on Tuesday when they take on the Washington Wizards. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET inside the Kia Center. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.