Magic at Pistons
Two teams well within reach of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference despite rough stretches meet when the Orlando Magic visit the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. The Magic stand 3 ½ games behind eighth-place Brooklyn after a 127-99 loss to Oklahoma City on Sunday – their eighth defeat in 10 games – although they showed promise with victories over Houston and Chicago recently. Detroit won only five of its first 28 games, but is 11-3 since to pull within 1 ½ games of a postseason berth.
The Pistons are coming off a 93-82 loss against Eastern Conference-leader Atlanta on Monday after registering a season-low 12 points in the opening quarter. It was the lowest-scoring game since opening night for Detroit, which had been outstanding on the offensive end the previous 13 games while averaging 105.3 points. The Pistons must limit Nikola Vucevic and Victor Oladipo, who averaged almost 50 points combined the last five games.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE MAGIC (15-29): Coach Jacque Vaughn has seen his team play outstanding basketball at times this season, but it has lacked toughness in key stretches. “I want confrontation,” Vaughn told the Orlando Sentinel. “I want hostility. I want aversion, I want nastiness. I want all of the above for us to grow as a team.” The Magic won’t change their up-tempo style that they have used the last four games with rookie point guard Elfrid Payton at the helm, averaging 16.5 points and 7.8 assists in that span.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (16-26): Brandon Jennings (team-high 15.2 points) struggled his last two games while going 4-of-19 from the field after averaging 30 points in his previous three outings. Greg Monroe (14.9) is second on the team in scoring and has raised his game in January, averaging 16.2 points, 12.5 rebounds and shooting 51.1 percent from the floor. Jodie Meeks (12.5 points) continues to add offensive punch in the backcourt and produced a season-high 34 in the 109-86 in the win at Orlando on Dec. 30.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Orlando F Tobias Harris (ankle), the team’s second-leading scorer, has begun practicing but is still questionable for Wednesday.
2. Detroit C Andre Drummond is averaging 14.5 points and 16 rebounds in two games against Orlando this season.
3. Magic rookie F Aaron Gordon scored eight points on Sunday in his first game back after missing two months with a fractured left foot.