Meet the Opponent: Pistons, Magic Open 2025 With Second Meeting

The Orlando Magic is in Detroit for a New Year's Day matchup with the Pistons. Here's what to know about J.B Bickerstaff's squad and the keys to the game for Jamahl Mosley's Magic.

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) brings the ball up court against Detroit Pistons guard Marcus Sasser (25) during the second half at Kia Center. / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The NBA's regular season rolls on as the calendar flips to 2025, with the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons set to square off Wednesday night. Tipoff is 7 p.m. ET from Little Caesars Arena.

Orlando, with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner still on the mend, are 20-14 entering the new year. It's been three days since a 21-point comeback victory over the Brooklyn Nets capped off the team's seven-game homestand, during which all three Magic victories featured comebacks of at least 15 points.

Detroit has had four days since a Dec. 28 loss to Denver, and they enter 2025 at 14-18. In head coach J.B Bickerstaff's first season with the team, the Pistons already have equaled their win total from all of 2023-24.

The Magic won the first meeting between these two teams on Nov. 23, defeating Detroit 111-100 in the Kia Center. But while Orlando was without Paolo Banchero, it still had Franz and Moe Wagner available. Now, the Magic is without all three players and the Pistons will have leading scorer Cade Cunningham, who missed the first matchup.

About the Pistons

Leading Scorers

• Cade Cunningham: 24.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 44.7 FG%, 36.2 3PT%
• Jaden Ivey: 17.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 45.3 FG%, 39.2 3PT%
• Malik Beasley: 16.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 43.4 FG%, 41.8 3PT%
• Tobias Harris: 12.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 42.9 FG%, 32.0 3PT%
• Tim Hardaway Jr.: 10.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 41.9 FG%, 36.1 3PT%

Injury News

• Simone Fontecchio: OUT (personal reasons)

Meet the Coach

• J.B. Bickerstaff, Detroit Pistons: Bickerstaff is in his first year as the Pistons head coach after being let go by the Cavaliers at the end of the 2023-24 season. He coached Cleveland to consecutive playoff appearances in his final two seasons of four. Bickerstaff also had part of a fifth season, 2019-20, as interim coach. He's been a head coach in Houston and Memphis, as well as an assistant in Cleveland, Memphis, Houston, Minnesota and Charlotte. He's won 262 games.

Notable Numbers

• 112.2 points/game (21st)
• -2.9 net rating (21st overall, 18th offense, 20th defense)
• 54.2 eFG% (13th)
• .230 FTA rate (25th)
• 15.7 TOV% (21st)
• 115.2 opp. points/game (21st)
• 5-8 at home, -6.1 point differential (25th)

Keys to the Game

Contain Cade Cunningham

In his fourth season, Cunningham is having the best year of his career. Through 28 games, he's averaging career-highs in:

• points (24.0),
• assists (9.7),
• rebounds (6.7), and
• three-point percentage (36.2%).

Cunningham already has 16 double-doubles (his previous season high was14) and six triple-doubles (previous high was two). According to Cleaning the Glass, Detroit is +4.2 points/100 possessions with him on the floor — the best mark of his career to this point.

Hold onto the ball

New Year's resolutions are common when the calendar turns over. After a deep inhale and a smile came, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley delivered his intention.

"Take care of the basketball," the fourth-year head coach said at Tuesday's practice.

Through 34 games, the Magic are committing 15.5 turnovers a game and surrendering 18.7 points off those giveaways. Considering Orlando allows only 103.5 points a game — the second-lowest mark in the NBA — points off turnovers account for nearly a fifth of the opposition's total.

In November, the Wagner brothers scored 48 of the Magic's 111 points. Without them, Orlando's offense will have to make the most of every possession. Since Dec. 8 — the first game with neither Banchero nor Wagner — the Magic are averaging a league-low 102.0 points a game.

Detroit turns opponents over on 14.5% of possessions and scores 18.6 points off the extra possessions.

Any empty opportunity with the ball can come back to haunt the Magic. They can live with missed shots, but giving up points on live turnovers is twisting the knife.

Related Stories on the Orlando Magic

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• MOE 'OVERWHELMED' BY LOVE FROM MAGIC AFTER ACL TEAR: Many of the Orlando Magic have said they're dedicating the rest of this season to Moe Wagner, who suffered an ACL tear in his left knee on Saturday. CLICK HERE
• MAGIC, MOE SEARCH FOR POSITIVES AFTER ACL TEAR: After a season-ending ACL tear, the Magic center is "trying [his] best to stay very positive" as he adjusts to a new reality. CLICK HERE
• MAGIC'S 2024-25 SCHEDULE: See the complete slate for the Orlando Magic in 2024-25 and all the details – dates, locations, TV, tip times, and more – that you need to know. CLICK HERE

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