NBA: Magic Stifle the Pistons Playoff hopes with 115-87 rout

Written By:
Adrian Manguit, Eagle News Service US, Florida Bureau

(Orlando, FL) – Friday night’s game was a tale of two teams.  First we have the Orlando Magic who are trying to figure how to play as a team after their major trade of Serge Ibaka for Terrance Ross from the Toronto Raptors. Second, we have the Detroit Pistons who are vying for a playoff spot in the eastern conference.  Most assumed the Pistons would play inspired basketball as they are only one game behind the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat, who are also in the fight for the final spot in the east.  However, it was the Orlando Magic who demonstrated the will to win on Friday night.

“It’s important that these young guys learn to play the right way and that we find chemistry within our group here going into next year. How we finish is important,” the Orlando Magic head coach Frank Vogel said after the game.

“This was our best game of the year, our most complete game,” he also added.

After the trade of Serge Ibaka, Vogel mixed up the player’s line-up for a more small-ball approach, allowing other players on the team to flourish, like point guard Elfrid Payton, who had a triple-double on Friday night (14 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists).

“I think it helps everyone in the locker room, and it’s starting to show,” Payton said, concerning the line-up adjustment.

It was another story for the Detroit Pistons, who struggled to keep up with the Magic, as their coach also struggled to find words at the post-game press conference after a very disappointing loss.

“We’ll see what happens.  We’ll go to practice this weekend, and we’ll go to New York on Monday and we’ll see what happens,” Piston’s head coach Van Gundy said.

Tobias Harris led the Pistons with 11 points and 3 assists, however was the only starter who scored in double-figures that night.  Leuer and Marjanovic, who scored 16 and 15 points respectively, provided help off the bench, but the Pistons needed more help. Overall as a team, the Pistons shot only 35.4% overall and went 2-22 from beyond the arc.

When asked if Coach Stan Van Gundy had a message for the team after the devastating loss, Van Gundy shortly replied “I didn’t have one.”  He was also asked if the team had given up, “I don’t know. You’d have to ask them,” he added.

The Detroit Pistons have the chance to get back on track against the New York Knicks, as they head to MSG on Monday.

Terrance Ross gets to face his old teammates, as the Orlando Magic travel to Toronto, Canada to face the Raptors on Monday.