Magic at Pistons
The Orlando Magic were on their way up with seven wins in nine games but have since dropped two in a row as the offense sputtered. The Magic will try to avoid a three-game slide when they visit the slumping Detroit Pistons on Monday.
Orlando coach Scott Skiles suggested his team played with low energy in a 103-91 loss at Washington on Friday and had the same problems crop up during a 104-79 setback at Cleveland on Saturday. Skiles wasted little time pulling his starters out of the game in Saturday’s drubbing after the team managed just 32 points in the first half. Detroit is enduring its own offensive issues and fell for the fourth time in five games with a 92-84 loss at Indiana on Saturday. The Pistons put up 115 points in a home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the previous game but averaged 92.8 points in their last four losses.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE MAGIC (19-15): Orlando center Nikola Vucevic established himself as an All-Star candidate while averaging 19.4 points and nine rebounds in December, including seven double-doubles. The new year is not as kind to the Swiss big man, who was held to 14 points and seven boards at Washington before enduring his worst performance of the season with four points at Cleveland. Vucevic committed four fouls in 13 minutes during the loss and was one of three starters to log 16 or fewer minutes.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (18-16): Detroit, like Orlando, is planning on making its way up the standings in the East and looked like a major contender with consecutive wins over Boston, Chicago and Miami last month before the recent slide. The Pistons’ last four losses have all come against Eastern Conference opponents, and Saturday’s 82-point effort matched a season low. Detroit went 3-of-20 from 3-point range at Indiana and Brandon Jennings’ return from Achilles surgery continued with a 1-of-5 effort from the field in 19 minutes off the bench.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pistons C Andre Drummond recorded 18 or more rebounds in three of the last four games.
2. Orlando PG Elfrid Payton totaled three points in the last three games on 1-of-11 shooting.
3. Detroit took two of the three meetings last season, including a 128-118 home win on Jan. 21 that featured 21 assists from Jennings.