ORLANDO — Ahead of their Game 3 matchup against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday, the Orlando Magic held a Friday morning practice in which coach Jamahl Mosley discussed what the team identified.

“Practice was good,” Mosley said. “Some of those adjustments that we saw in the last game and what they did to the pressure, to the switching, a lot of that.”

The defensive pressure the Pistons applied in their 98-83 Game 2 win over the Magic kept them from executing efficiently in multiple facets of their offense. By the end of the game, Orlando had shot just 32.5% from the field and 25% from 3-point range while committing 19 turnovers.

“I think a lot of it was their ball pressure turned up,” Mosley said. “And they did that the first time we played them. We had a big lead the first or second time we played them, they had a big lead.

“We had a lead. And they just turned up the pressure,” he added. “They got into some switching, taking away the paint, leaving strong side shooters and just our ability to adjust to that will be very necessary, you know, coming from this game.”

The Pistons have also effectively contained Desmond Bane through the first two contests of the series, which has limited him to 14.5 points per game while shooting 29% from the field and 20% from 3-point range.

“I think, you know, I think a lot of it is how they're guarding him,” Mosley said. “They've done some different things, you know, taking him, putting different matchups on him, taking away his catches, taking away his easy catches. I think just finding ways to combat that will be necessary in this game three. That's clearly a big factor.”

Another point of emphasis for the Magic will be the battle inside the paint. In Game 1, Orlando outscored Detroit, 54-34 in paint points. In Game 2, the same score remained, but it was the Pistons who held the advantage.

To Mosley, there are multiple factors that contribute to being successful in the paint on both ends of the floor.

“Well, just being smart in how you close out and not letting guys get by you, so you're not over-rotating, over-helping,” Mosley said. “I think that's a big key, but then for us getting into the paint, making sure we're just on time, on target passes, being able to catch it, shoot it, or drive it, so you're not holding it. 

“Now, they do a great job of collapsing the paint,” he added. “So, we've got to make sure we're making the quick decisions.”

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