The Detroit Pistons’ 4-3 come-from-behind series victory over the Orlando Magic has claimed a victim.
The Magic fired head coach Jamahl Mosley on Monday, one day after the Pistons’ 116-94 victory at Little Caesars Arena completed a rally from a 3-1 deficit to win the best-of-seven first-round playoff series.
The Magic lost in the first round of the playoffs for the third consecutive season. They had navigated the play-in round to earn the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Orlando built a 24-point lead at home in Game 6 on Friday but managed only 19 points in the second half to drop the game and send the series, tied 3-3, back to Detroit for Sunday’s elimination game.
Mosley took the blame Sunday night, saying the defeat in Detroit and series collapse was “on me.”
“I’ve got to be able to do a better job of preparing them for what they were going to see tonight,” Mosley said. “We talked a little bit about it, but probably not enough.”
The Pistons dominated the second half again in Game 7, as Detroit became the 15th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the playoffs.
Orlando also lost in Game 7 of the 2024 first round against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Mosley, 47, spent five seasons as head coach in Orlando and accumulated a record of 189-221. Orlando won 41 or more games each of the past three seasons.
Former Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, previously the coach at the University of Florida, is considered a top target in Orlando’s search, according to multiple reports. Donovan resigned as coach of the Bulls last month in a franchise reset that included multiple changes in the front office.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley fired after loss to Detroit Pistons
Reporting by Detroit News wire services / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
