The Orlando Magic suffered an ugly second half that led to a Game 2 loss on Wednesday to the Detroit Pistons in their first-round playoff series.

After the game, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley talked about what went wrong for his team, especially in the third quarter in which the Magic were outscored, 38-16.

“Yeah, I think they came out, added a little bit of a level of aggression,” Mosley said. “That first play we ran, they called an offensive foul on Dez. And then from there, they started picking up some heat, turned us over a couple of times. We missed a few shots at the rim, and that momentum just changed the game.”

While both teams struggled in the first half of Wednesday’s game, the Pistons were able to convert their shots in the third quarter. However, a lid remained on the basket for Orlando.

“I think we got a lot of great looks,” Mosley said. “The shots didn't fall. I think we had three or four at the rim in that instance, and I think being able to finish now stops them from getting out with the momentum. So at the rim, finishing, and then they're getting out on the break. They had a couple blocks.

“Again, a couple shots didn't go down,” Mosley added. “So, that was able to fuel their break.”

It is a series that remained physical in the second game, which Mosley believed the Magic were able to handle given the expectation for how the Pistons would play.

“I think we responded well to the physicality,” Mosley said. “ I really do. I think they were doing just as much grabbing and holding physical plays at the rim. I mean, that's the game. We said that is what it was going to be from the beginning of the series. And we embraced that, we accept it.

“Again, we had some great looks in that third quarter, got downhill,” he added. “They did a hell of a job at the rim, trying to keep us out of there. And our ability to knock some shots down in that moment, it was key. Again, you gotta give them credit for how they responded to the last game.”

Despite the loss, the Magic will head home to Orlando in good standing after stealing Game 1. Being back in front of the crowd in the Kia Center for Saturday’s Game 3 is something Mosley is looking forward to, but he knows what it will take for the Magic to win beyond the momentum generated from their fans.

“It's great to get back home in front of our fans, the best fans that we have,” Mosley said. “I mean, I think just our ability to come out with the right type of energy, the right focus, the right amount of physicality. Understanding exactly how they're swinging and how they're punching from the beginning of the game.

“So, we've gotta make sure that we keep our minds right, keep our heads right, get our recovery the way we need to, and come out with a game plan for some of the things that they did tonight that they adjusted to that we'll have to adjust to as well.”

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