Franz Wagner torches Detroit Pistons ballyhooed young core in Orlando Magic 111-99 win
The Detroit Pistons had no answer Sunday for Franz Wagner.
Wagner, Orlando Magic's rising third-year standout forward and Michigan alumnus, outdueled the Pistons' prized young core at Little Caesars Arena, pouring in 38 points on 17-for-25 shooting to help the Magic snuff the Pistons, 111-99.
The Pistons' second unit, led by Ausar Thompson (17 points, seven rebounds, three blocks) and Alec Burks (10 points), brought Detroit back to tie the game at 78 early in the fourth. But the Pistons lost the final quarter 33-24, as Wagner scored 16 in the final period to help close out the win. As a team, the Magic shot 12-for-17 overall and scored easily on the Pistons' putrid defense.
Cade Cunningham (18 points, seven assists, five rebounds) and Jaden Ivey (18 points) led the Pistons in scoring.
2022 first overall pick Paolo Banchero added 20 points and seven assists for Orlando (27-23), a club that has risen from its rebuild over the past year-plus, while the NBA-worst Pistons (6-43) continue to flounder. The Magic are tied for sixth in the Eastern Conference.
The Pistons started hot, taking a 21-12 lead with 4:50 left in the first quarter. But the Magic, a top-five defense this season, clamped down. The Pistons made just 33% of their attempts in the second quarter and 38.5% in the third, falling behind by 12 points during the latter period.
The Pistons next begin a six-game road trip Wednesday in Sacramento. The trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m.
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Jaden Ivey stays consistent as two-way performer
He had to claw his way toward the top of coach Monty Williams’ rotation early in the season. But since Ivey was reinserted back into the starting lineup for good Dec. 18, he has been one of Detroit’s most reliable players — on both ends.
In that 22-game stretch enter Sunday, he’s averaging 17.7 points (46.3% overall, 36.6% from 3, 66.4% at the foul line), 4.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.7 turnovers. He has been even better in his past 10 games, averaging 18.9 points while knocking down 47.4% of his field goals and 40.4% of his 3-pointers. His trademark speed has posed problems for opposing defenses — he got to the rim nearly at will as he poured 28 points on the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.
Ivey showed he could score the ball during his standout rookie season. His defense is starting to catch up. He has become one of the league’s best shot-blocking guards, with 10 in his past 11 games. He showed that improvement on both ends early Sunday.
Within the game's first few minutes, he stole a pass from Wendell Carter Jr. for a layup, knocked down a pull-up 3-pointer and rejected a layup attempt by Banchero. Beyond the blocks, he has been more disciplined in his fouling. The Pistons have been an improved offensive team over the past month, and Ivey’s breakout is a significant factor in it. (Ivey did have four turnovers Sunday, part of the Pistons' 15 compared to 10 for the Magic.)
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Ausar Thompson finding way back in rotation
The game nearly got away from the Pistons in the third quarter, when the Magic built a 12-point lead — their biggest of the day— with three minutes to play. Thompson capped an 11-2 run to close the period, bringing the Pistons within striking distance, with a putback dunk. The third quarter was the rookie’s best, as he tallied nine points, four rebounds and a block in eight minutes.
Thompson closed the game for the Pistons, due to his energizing play. He has spent significant time at power forward since the trade that brought Mike Muscala and Danilo Gallinari to Detroit, averaging 23.1 minutes per game since Jan. 15. He averaged just 14.4 minutes in the 10 games prior while competing for minutes with the since-traded Isaiah Livers.
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Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons young core torched by Magic's Franz Wagner, 111-99
