Orlando — Javonte Green had Detroit Pistons fans inside the Kia Center cheering as if he had hit the winning basket.
The celebratory moment came at the 3:30 mark of the second quarter, when Green connected on a 3-point field goal. For the player who has shot 35.1% for the season, a triple late in the second period normally would not cause much excitement; however, Green’s basket marked the Pistons’ first 3-pointer of the night after they missed their first 15 attempts.
For the third time in four games, the Pistons had a poor shooting performance from beyond the arc. Despite their struggles, however, the Pistons secured a 106-92 victory over the Orlando Magic Sunday night. They finished shooting a season-low 4 of 30 on 3-point shots (13.3%).
“I don’t know how in the hell you are in a basketball game shooting 1-of-18 from 3 in a half,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “It is a credit to our guys’ grit, toughness and ability to get stops. As well as understanding who we are. They do not panic. They just continue to do the next right thing.”
The Pistons’ struggles with 3-point shooting against the Magic highlighted the team’s ongoing issue over the past three games. Before facing Orlando, they were shooting a league-low 24.4% from beyond the arc and averaging just 7.3 made 3-pointers per game during the stretch.
They have three players — Kevin Huerter, Chaz Lanier, and Marcus Sasser — who can help address the team’s shooting struggles. However, Bickerstaff decided not to play any of them.
Lanier is currently not with the team due to a G League assignment. The most action Huerter saw came at the 7:45 mark of the second quarter, when he was greeted by his former Chicago Bulls teammate, Jevon Carter, during a coach’s challenge.
Bickerstaff has stated on several occasions that trust is the reason he allows his team to shoot themselves out of a rut. After finishing the first half shooting 1-of-18 from behind the arc, Bickerstaff’s rotation started to get things going in the second half.
“He just keeps telling us, if we have good looks, take them. He knows our group. We know the game’s valuation, what is going for us, and what we need to keep gearing towards in moments like that,” Tobias Harris said. “There are certain times we just kind of have to adapt a little bit … Let’s get into the paint, let’s get our defense, and get us out in transition, so we have to figure it out on the fly, but Coach will give us that type of confidence as well. It is big for this whole group and we feed off of that.”
Detroit’s best shooting performance came during the third quarter. They shot 3 of 9 on 3-point shooting. Much of it was because of Cade Cunningham finding his rhythm, as he accounted for two made triples.
He ended the night shooting a disappointing 2-of-9, but his struggles from beyond the arc did not diminish why Magic coach Jamahl Mosley considers Cunningham his “frontrunner” for league MVP. Cunningham led the way with 29 points and 11 assists, recording his sixth consecutive double-double.
Harris gave the Pistons a major boost with 23 points and seven rebounds while playing 31 minutes. He scored 15 points in the second half alone. However, the Pistons were able to overcome another terrible shooting output by relying upon their defense.
“That’s who we are. We figure out a way. Our identity is winning in the trenches, trying to create as much chaos as we possibly can,” Bickerstaff said. “Finding ways to win no matter the situation, and I think that’s where our guys have done a good job. Shots going, shots not going. Good runs, bad runs, whatever it may be. They find a way to put together enough stops, which gets us out in transition where we’re elite and come away with a win.”
With Ausar Thompson (11 rebounds, nine points, three blocks and two steals) at the helm, the Pistons went on to have one of their best defensive performances of the season in the second half. They held the Magic to a combined 35 points on 12 of 39 shooting (30.8%) and 5 of 23 (21.7%) from behind the arc.
Detroit also forced Orlando to commit 10 of its 19 turnovers in the final two quarters, resulting in 16 points for the Pistons. Paolo Banchero led the short-handed Magic with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Tristan da Silva added 19 points.
“We defend at a level that many people aren’t willing to do. To hold them to 18 points, 17 points in the third and fourth quarter, that gives you an opportunity to win differently,” Bickerstaff said. “It puts a ton of pressure on your defense, obviously, but you’ve seen it time and time again, our guys can respond to it.”
Observations and notes
Road winning streak continues: Dating to their victory over the Toronto Raptors on Feb. 11, the Pistons have extended their road winning streak to six games. The victory also marked their first win in Orlando since the 2021-22 season.
Another double-double for Duren: Jalen Duren did not score 20 or more points for the first time since his ejection for fighting against the Charlotte Hornets on Feb. 9, but it was still another impactful performance. The All-Star big man finished with his fifth consecutive double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Last game without Stewart: When the Pistons continue their three-game trip Tuesday against the Cavaliers, they will have their full team back. The game against the Magic marked the end of Isaiah Stewart’s seven-game suspension for his role in the Pistons’ melee with the Hornets.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Resilient Pistons overcome dreadful 3-point shooting to beat Magic
Reporting by Coty M. Davis, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
