The pressure is on the Detroit Pistons as they prepare for Game 2 of their first-round series in the NBA playoffs against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. Orlando surprisingly took Game 1 on the road via a 112-101 decision on Sunday, so the top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference will be desperate to tie things up before the series heads south.
Let’s dive into my Magic vs. Pistons Game 2 prediction.
Orlando Magic vs. Detroit Pistons odds
Money line: Magic +310 / Pistons -395
Spread: Magic +8.5 (-105) / Pistons -8.5 (-115)
Total: Over 218.5 (-110) / Under 218.5 (-110)
Orlando Magic vs. Detroit Pistons best bet: Under 218.5 (-110)
The total has come down from 221.5 in the series opener – but it still probably isn’t low enough. A modest 213 points were scored in Game 1 this past weekend. Both teams were inept from three-point range; the Magic were 10-for-34 (29 percent) and the Pistons went 10-for-32 (31 percent). Detroit’s offense has been anemic in this particular matchup throughout the season. In four games (three during the regular season), the Pistons’ point totals are 109, 106, 107, and 101. If they want to restore order to this series, they may have to do it with defense — which would be nothing new. This team ranked second in the East and third in the NBA in scoring defense, giving up a mere 109.6 points per game.
What’s especially alarming for Detroit is that it scored only 101 points in Game 1 even though Cade Cunning went for 39 by himself. Tobias Harris (17) was the only other Piston in double-figures. Jalen Duren (eight points in the opening matchup) has exceeded the 20-point mark only once in the last five games. Meanwhile, the Magic need Desmond Bane to get going. Bane shot 1-for-8 from the land of plenty in Game 1 and is 1-for-11 from downtown over the past two contests. He has made more than one triple just once in the last 6 games. The under is 3-1 in the last four head-to-head meetings. It is also 5-0 in the Magic’s last five overall and 5-0 in their last five on the road.