The Detroit Pistons are trending upward as they prepare to face the Orlando Magic on Saturday. Life on the road has been favorable for the Pistons, who have won 12 of their last 16 games, including a recent 114-104 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 29 points and 11 assists in that game.
Detroit has also secured four straight road wins and seven out of their last eight road games. The Pistons, one of the youngest teams in the NBA, have shown surprising success away from home.
Cade Cunningham is averaging 24.6 points and 9.4 assists per game, spearheading the Pistons’ push for their first playoff berth since 2019. Center Jalen Duren has been a force in the paint, averaging 12.1 points and 11.3 rebounds over his last 12 games.
The Pistons continue their five-game road trip with a matchup against the Orlando Magic, who have lost five straight games and seven of their last eight. The Magic’s recent 101-79 home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers saw them shoot just 34.2 percent from the field and 24.0 percent from three-point range.
Magic forward Franz Wagner returned to the lineup after missing 20 games due to a torn right abdominal muscle and scored 20 points in 24 minutes against Portland. Wagner’s return is a positive sign for an injury-plagued Magic team seeking to regain its early-season form.
Orlando is cautiously reintegrating star Paolo Banchero with a minutes restriction following his return from an oblique injury. Banchero has appeared in seven games since his comeback but struggled in the loss to Portland, scoring eight points on 1-of-14 shooting.
The Magic are also monitoring the status of Goga Bitadze (concussion protocol), Gary Harris (left hamstring), and Cole Anthony (illness), all of whom were unavailable on Thursday.
In their two previous meetings this season, Orlando and Detroit have each secured one victory. The Magic won 111-100 on November 23, while the Pistons claimed a 105-96 victory on January 1.
With both teams eager to improve their standings, this matchup promises to be an intense contest as the Pistons aim to continue their road success and the Magic look to bounce back from their recent struggles.
