Magic 115, Pistons 106: Pistons End the Magic’s Losing Streak...Again

This is becoming a theme.

Once again, the Detroit Pistons entered Amway Center facing a reeling Orlando Magic squad, and once again, they walked away the wounded party.

The Pistons ended the Magic’s nine-game losing streak in December and now their seven-game streak here in March.

The hero in this one was Aaron Gordon who led the Magic with 15 first quarter points, including a 9-0 start, and finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds, and a a plus-12 rating in just 35 minutes. This in addition to stellar defense on Blake Griffin, who was held to just 12 points on 5 of 14 shooting.

“We played great defensively,” Gordon said. “It was one of the few times we’ve listened to the game plan throughout a game this year.”

He was helped along by D.J. Augustin, who had 20 points, nine assists and five rebounds, and Nikola Vucevic, who added 22 points 12 rebounds and six assists.

Gordon gave the Magic their first lead with two minutes remaining when he drilled a three from the top of the key, putting the Magic up to 101-100.

In overtime it was Evan Fournier putting in five of the Magic’s first six points, giving the Magic a 110-104 advantage, and ultimately the victory. Fournier finished with 17 points, five assists, and four rebounds and shot 6 of 15 from the field.

“I was in the moment,” he said. “Didn’t have time to think about my misses. In OT it was time to be aggressive.”

The Pistons were led by Reggie Bullock and James Ennis III, surprisingly enough who scored 21 a piece. Griffin (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Andre Drummond (10 points, 15 rebounds), on the other hand combined for 22 and 25 rebounds.

The Magic could have easily given up on this one, but fought from as many as nine points down. Frank Vogel pointed to the Magic’s 34 assists, execution, and defense. The Magic held the Pistons to 43.5 percent from the field.

Jonathan Isaac

Isaac made his return, and while his box score reads but three points, two rebounds, two steals and one block in 15 minutes, he had a pivotal deflection with .4 seconds remaining that would have give the Pistons to chance to walk off in regulation.

“Tonight was amazing,” he said. “Really wanted to win. I have butterflies every game, but they started to go away as it went on. At the end, Coach told me to get a deflection and that’s what I did.”

”You all saw what I meant,” Vogel said of Isaac. “His length is legit, and he’s going to be a difference maker for our basketball team for a long time.”

Next up

The Magic will face the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, at the Amway Center as they look to put back-to-back victories together for the first time in a month.