The first-round playoff series between the Orlando Magic and the Detroit Pistons moves to Orlando, and the Magic must do multiple things in order to defend their home floor.
ORLANDO — The Orlando Magic’s first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons has moved to the Kia Center as they prepare to host Detroit for Game 3 on Saturday.
The Magic enter Saturday’s contest in a tied series with the Pistons after stealing Game 1 in Detroit but falling in Game 2. Now, they will have their home crowd on their side.
“I think there's a level of excitement, anticipation of what's to come,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said before the game. “I think our guys know what it's like playing here in front of our fans. It's absolutely incredible, and the energy, the atmosphere, the fans outside, you're just waiting for the excitement of the building.”
Mosley was pleased with Orlando’s execution in Game 1, and while his team possessed the right intentions in Game 2, the ability to convert was absent.
“Yeah, I think Game 1, our ability to share and move it,” Mosley said. “I think trusting the pass and obviously making some shots at the right time. There were spells in that game, which in all playoff games happen. You go through lows, but we didn't let that impact us. Game two, I think the intent was there in a lot of ways.
“Detroit made some adjustments there and I think that our ability to combat that early on in the game,” he added. “Shots didn't fall. It didn't impact us as much early as it did in that third, but I think just looking back at the film and watching it, our guys were able to see exactly what they did and how we can combat that tonight.”
One player who holds the key to success for the Magic is forward Franz Wagner, who demonstrated his heroics by scoring 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter of Game 1. However, he struggled in Game 2 offensively by going 4-11 from the field for 12 points.
A positive element of Wagner’s Game 2 performance was his production on the defensive end that showed up in the form of a game-high four steals. After Friday’s practice, Wagner talked about the challenge of guarding Cade Cunningham but also expressed joy in taking the challenge. The willingness by Wagner to take the assignment of guarding Cunningham is something Mosley applauds.
“Yeah, I mean, Cade, again, there's a reason why he's in top of the MVP category because of how he plays,” Mosley said. “He plays at his own pace. He reads the floor, recognizes how to get people involved.
“Franz is that guy that wants to take on those challenges. And I think that's a great thing for a player to recognize the greatness in another player and know what he can take from it, but also willing to take on that challenge to stop him from being and doing what he does.”
Orlando has also been able to keep Pistons center Jalen Duren at bay for the most part, and Mosley aspires to keep making things difficult for the fourth-year big man.
“Well, just the hope is that he doesn't,” Mosley said regarding Duren finding a counter to the Magic’s defensive gameplan. “So, we'll just leave it at that. I hope he doesn't. Jalen is a hell of a player. When Cade was out, he was averaging close to 25 points a game.And so, his ability to be aggressive, getting downhill, attacking the basket, rebounding the basketball, when Cade was out, the ball was in his hands a ton. So he knows how to make plays.
“And I think that's what J.B. [Bickerstaff] will lean on to some when Cade is out of the game,” Mosley added. “And so, our ability to just guard him physically, away from the basket, not letting him get to his easy spots and make it tough on him.”
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