Magic handle Pistons as Markelle Fultz provides boost off bench
ORLANDO, Fla. — Markelle Fultz soared through the sky and slammed home an offensive rebound to open the second quarter for the Magic on Sunday night against the Pistons.
It was the highlight of the evening at Kia Center for Fultz, whose putback dunk was part of a larger run when the Orlando point guard scored 10 straight points from the first into the second quarter during the Magic’s 113-91 victory over Detroit (9-51).
Fultz, who’s made 15 starts this season including opening night, came off the bench for the third straight contest and was efficient doing so.
He was 6 of 6 from the field for 12 points during 11 first-half minutes as he helped push the pace for the Magic’s second unit.
Fultz finished with a season-high 16 points to go with 3 rebounds while forward Paolo Banchero led Orlando (35-26) with 29 points.
Wendell Carter Jr. added 19 and Franz Wagner totaled 13. Each grabbed 8 rebounds as the Magic outrebounded the Pistons 48-28.
The Magic won their third straight game with Fultz coming off the bench but they’re 6-6 in those instances.
Coach Jamahl Mosley has said Fultz is continuing to ramp up his minutes after returning from a three-game absence due to left-knee injury maintenance. Fultz missed 27 straight earlier in the season due to knee tendinitis.
The left knee is the same one that Fultz had surgery on to repair a torn ACL eight games into the 2020-21 season.
“As you know, being able to ramp guys up, for me and this group, it’s a little different to be able to play guys off the bench because you can look at and monitor the minutes in which they play,” Mosley said pre-game Sunday when asked if there’s an expectation for Fultz to eventually return to Orlando’s starting lineup or if it’s just a matter of how things go moving forward.
“Usually a lot of times, starting and getting that continuity staying the same is very important as well.”
Fultz played alongside Cole Anthony, Joe Ingles, Jonathan Isaac and Moe Wagner as part of the Magic’s second unit against Detroit.
Veteran guard Gary Harris, who made 42 starts last season and has made 10 this year, joined regulars Banchero, Carter, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs to open Sunday.
Harris has come off the bench most of the season but helps spread the floor for either the first or second unit thanks to his 3-point shooting (36.9%), which is something Fultz lacks.
He’s made only one shot beyond the arc on nine attempts. Harris averages 3.8 three-point attempts, the fourth-most on the Magic.
As Orlando continues to make a push for the playoffs in hopes of avoiding the NBA Play-In Tournament by securing a top 6 seed in the East, Mosley will have to figure out where Fultz works best for the remainder of the regular season and beyond.
For now, it’s working.
The Magic wrapped up a three-game homestand without a loss with their 22-point victory over the Pistons.
Orlando starts a 3-game trip at Charlotte on Tuesday, the first night of a back-to-back (Bally Sports Florida, 7). The Magic face the Wizards the next night.
Email Jason Beede at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on X, known as Twitter, at @therealBeede .
