Magic at Pistons: What Went Right

There was plenty to like for the Magic in Tuesday’s 103-85 victory at Detroit. Orlando won their first game in the Palace at Auburn Hills since 2004, and they did in spectacular fashion as the team excelled both offensively and defensively.

We’re going to examine what went right for the Magic on this night.

1. Three point shooting- Orlando was on fire all night long from behind the arc. The Magic finished 13-20 from three-point land for 65%, and Rashard Lewis, Maurice Evans, and Keith Bogans hit a combined 11 of 13 three’s.

2. Great defense- The Magic held Detroit to just 38.6% from the field (32-83), and just 2-14 from behind the three-point line. Nearly every shot was challenged by Orlando and they looked like the superior defensive team on this night.

3. Bogans off the bench- Keith Bogans contributed in a big way as he scored 19 points on 6-8 shooting, and played solid defense on Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton. Definitely one of Bogans best games in a Magic uniform.

4. Rashard was worth the money- Lewis led the team with 20 points on 8-10 shooting, and he also grabbed 4 rebounds and dished out 4 assists. Lewis couldn’t be stopped by any of the Detroit defenders, and when the Magic needed a big shot, Lewis obliged.

5. Point guard play- The combination of Jameer Nelson and Keyon Dooling outplayed Pistons All-Star Chauncey Billups all night long, and that was one of the differences in the blowout.

6. Bench play- The Orlando bench hung with the Detroit reserves, especially in a key time in the second quarter when Orlando was down seven points. Their solid play allowed the Magic starters to get significant rest and outplay the Pistons starters.

7. Free throw shooting- Orlando hit 18 of 23 free throws on the night for 78.3%. Nice job of not leaving very many points on the court.

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Charlie Bernstein is the Editor-in-Chief of MagicIllustrated.com, and a regular syndicated contributor to FoxSports.com, Sirius Radio, MySpace Sports and Sportsillustrated.com. Charlie is also a columnist for the New Smyrna Observer. Feel free to contact him -HERE- with questions or comments.


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