Top Takeaways From Detroit Pistons' Victory over Orlando Magic

The Detroit Pistons started the month of March off with a bang with a 106-92 victory over the Orlando Magic. All-Star guard Cade Cunningham pushed past a slow 3-point shooting night to lead the Pistons with 29 points and 11 assists. Forward Paolo Banchero finished an up-and-down game with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while Magic forward Tristan da Silva tacked on 19 points and six boards.

The Pistons will face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday after defeating them in an overtime victory last Friday.

The game will tip off at 7:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday in Rocket Arena. It will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network - Detroit.

Mar 1, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) brings the ball up court during the first quarter against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Slow Before Steady

It's never smart to rev a cold engine.

The Pistons pushed through a cold start that saw them make nine of their 28 attempts in the first quarter. They wouldn't make a single 3-point shot until just over eight minutes into the second quarter, when Javonte Green broke a massive cold spell with a jumper from the right corner. The Pistons fell behind with a 7-point deficit by halftime as Banchero went to the free throw line 14 times and De Silva got off to a hot start from the floor.

Detroit still never deviated from the brand of ball that kept things steady until it went full throttle in the second half.

The trio of Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris combined for 68 points in Detroit's Sunday-night battle, including 35 in the second half. Duren would log his 29th double-double of the season as he continued to crash the boards and overcame a slow start of his own with five makes on his final seven tries. Harris used crafty drives and jumpers to make his mark with some consistency from inside the arc.

Physicality Seals the Victory

Detroit's physicality came through just when the Pistons needed it most.

While the Magic found some early success from the 3-point line, the Pistons limited them to just under 28% from the floor in the fourth quarter. They earned five of their 14 total steals in the quarter as they put the clamps on the Florida squad on the interior. Detroit responded with a dozen buckets of its own as it finally shifted into sixth gear, where the frontcourt worked as red-hot engines inside with plenty of close-range strikes.

Ausar Thompson highlighted the Pistons' drive in the second half with eight rebounds and two blocks, including a swat that saw him defy gravity to deter a Desmond Bane drive. He took two steals to the house on his way to four buckets in the second half, which only added to a half that saw the Pistons outscore the Magic by 21 points despite hitting about 23% of their 3-pointers in the same span.