NBA Matchups: April 27

DET @ ORL | OKC @ PHX | MIN @ DEN

Detroit Pistons at Orlando Magic

Team Totals: Pistons 108.5, Magic 105.5

Injury Report: Kevin Huerter (Q, hip), Jonathan Isaac (D, knee)

Magic projected starters: Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.

Pistons projected starters: Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Offensive Ranks: Magic 18th (17th halfcourt), Pistons 10th (16th halfcourt)

Defensive Ranks: Magic 14th (19th halfcourt), Pistons second (second halfcourt)

Season Series: 2-2

Noteworthy Missed Games: Paolo Banchero (1), Franz Wagner (2), Cade Cunningham (1), Tobias Harris (1), Caris LeVert (1)

Mosley quotes: Said they stayed the course and their defense was a big reason why, said Bane had some cramping, said they did so many things the right way in Game 3, said Franz was “big time” to play well down the stretch after a tough start to the series, said Paolo “is not afraid of the moment” and was “in attack mode all night long,” said Cain “does all the little things,” said they handle it “one day at a time” for how they are approaching Game 4. 

Bickerstaff quotes: Said they gave Bane too many opportunities in Game 3 and he was able to find a rhythm, said they’ll look to get home-court advantage back on Monday, said they have to be better with taking care of the ball and their spacing hasn’t been great, leading to tighter windows for passing.

Stats and notes:

*What a win for the Magic, and they’ve really been able to limit the paint points from the Pistons in this series. Detroit has just 3.0 PPG in roll-man points, and they have been horrendous at 86.3 points per 100 in the halfcourt. The Pistons are a playoff-low 28.8% on their C&S treys, and they are also losing the transition battle 81-66. There’s so much working against the Pistons right now, and it’s been so much on Cade Cunningham. The Magic aren’t exactly crushing on offense, averaging just 86.3 points per 100 possessions in the halfcourt. They’re the worst team at shooting on drives at 34.8%, and they’re at an abysmal 0.56 PPP on PNR handler plays. This series has seen a ton of great on-ball defense, while neither team is crushing on the boards. The Pistons are still at just 15.5 putback points per 100 misses, which is almost half of what they averaged this season. It’s a credit to the Magic for really turning it up in this series. 

*Cade Cunningham is leading the postseason with a whopping 16.0 PNR handler possessions per game, but the problem is he’s at just 0.75 PPP on those plays. Franz Wagner and Anthony Black have done a really solid job on him while also packing the paint. Cade is going to have an absurd role, and the efficiency should eventually come. Love Cade here.

*Jalen Duren is just a shell of himself. He’s only at 20.3 frontcourt touches per game and only shooting 53.3% at the rim. He has just five dunks in this series, and he’s somehow at 23.1% on his layups. It’s largely due to the Magic packing the paint and helping off from the non-shooters, which will make it a tough spot for him. I’d lean pass.