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Pistons pound the Magic in paint and meet them at the rim to end their long home playoff win drought
TL;DR
The Detroit Pistons defeated the Orlando Magic 98-83, tying their playoff series at one game each. Isaiah Stewart contributed significantly with two blocks, including a crucial denial of Paolo Banchero's dunk.
Key points
- Pistons won 98-83 against the Magic
- Series tied at one game each
- Isaiah Stewart had two blocks
- Stewart denied Paolo Banchero a dunk
- Game featured physical play
Detroit PistonsOrlando MagicIsaiah StewartPaolo Banchero
DETROIT (AP) â Ben Wallace and Rick Mahorn, like proud uncles, watched the Detroit Pistons pound the Orlando Magic in the paint and meet them at the rim in a 98-83 win that tied their first-round series at a game apiece.
âI'm sure they appreciated it,â Pistons power forward Isaiah Stewart said.
Wallace, a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and Mahorn, an enforcer for the Bad Boys, helped the Pistons win a lot of games that looked like Wednesday night's slugfest.
Stewart had two blocks, including one that denied Paolo Banchero a dunk.
âIâm willing to lay my body on the line to make those plays for the energy,â Stewart said.
Top-seeded Detroit held eighth-seeded Orlando to 33% shooting and season lows in points and field goals. The Pistons forced 19 turnovers and blocked 11 shots.
âWhen we play defense at the level weâre capable of, it triggers everything for us,â Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. âWe can be an elite defensive team, a disruptive defense. It's Pistons basketball. Thatâs what it looks like.
âWe had one off night and it came at a bad time.â
In Game 1, the Pistons had a sluggish start in each half and allowed the Magic to make almost half their shots All five Orlando starters scored at least 16 points in a 112-101 win.
The Pistons were the aggressors in Game 2, blocking seven shots in the opening 12 minutes to tie a franchise playoff record for blocks in a quarter.
In the third, they went on a 30-3 run and outscored the Magic 38-16.
Detroit coasted in the fourth quarter, winning a playoff game for the first time at Little Caesars Arena. The Pistons ended an NBA-record, 11-game home losing streak in the playoffs that dates to 2008, when the franchise played at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
âObviously, we've heard it,â Tobias Harris said after scoring 16 points, blocking two shots and making two steals.
The Magic, a little reluctantly, gave the Pistons some credit for their defense.
Q&A
What was the final score of the Pistons vs. Magic playoff game?
The final score was 98-83 in favor of the Detroit Pistons.
How did Isaiah Stewart perform in the game against the Magic?
Isaiah Stewart had two blocks, including a key block that denied Paolo Banchero a dunk.
What does the Pistons' win mean for their playoff series against the Magic?
The win tied the first-round playoff series at one game apiece.
