For the first time all season, the Orlando Magic had a full complement of healthy players Wednesday night when they faced the Detroit Pistons.
But for the second time in as many games, their play on defense left a lot to be desired.
The Magic made matters interesting in the fourth quarter after trailing by as many as 21 points before losing 128-118 to the Pistons, who raised their record to 12-3 since they waived Josh Smith on Dec. 22. One of their earlier victories was a 109-86 thumping of the Magic in Orlando, and this game was taking on a similar tone until a run sparked by Tobias Harris.
Harris, who had missed the Magic's previous five games with a sprained left ankle, scored all 19 of his points in the second half. Harris, Evan Fournier and Kyle O'Quinn accounted for 45 of the team's 53 points off the bench, and while Willie Green went scoreless, he brought a defensive intensity at the point guard position which was sorely lacking for most of the night.
The Magic could not stop the pick-and-roll offense of the Pistons, which consisted primarily of Brandon Jennings getting into the lane and either getting the ball to Greg Monroe or finishing on his own. Monroe had 20 points in the first half, which ended with a 13-2 run by the Pistons to give them a 65-47 lead.
The 128 points came on the heels of a 127-point outing Sunday night against the Magic by the Oklahoma City Thunder. While Nikola Vucevic had 26 points and Victor Oladipo 23, the Magic can't get away with trying to outscore other teams.
THE TURNING POINT
The Magic went more than four minutes without a field goal in the fourth quarter after Harris' three-point play had made it a 98-96 game. The Pistons went on an 18-6 run that included 3-pointers by Anthony Tolliver and Jodie Meeks.
THE DIFFERENCE MAKER
Jennings finished with 24 points and 21 assists, the first time anyone in the NBA had at least 20 in both categories in the same game since Steve Nash in 2009.
STAT OF THE GAME
The Pistons had 38 points in the paint and 27 field goals on 21 assists in the first half.
WHAT'S NEXT
Friday night at New York, 7:30 p.m.
You can follow Ken Hornack on Twitter @HornackFSFla or email him at khornack32176@gmail.com.
