Game 3 of the first-round series between the Pistons and Magic on Saturday was unquestionably the best one yet, as the two squads could not have looked more equal down the stretch.
The Magic seemed to have control of the game up until the fourth quarter, but ultimately relinquished their lead, which led to an absolute dog fight till the end.
Through stellar play from Wendell Carter Jr. (14 points, 17 rebounds), and seven 3-pointers from Desmond Bane, the Magic walked away with a 113-105 win and now lead the series 2-1.
Let’s get into some takeaways.
When you think of Detroit’s Ausar Thompson, you’re probably thinking of him as a lob finisher, running in transition and finishing plays over the defense.
While that description isn’t wrong, the 6-foot-7 wing is also very capable of throwing the lob pass and the versatility was on full display to start Game 3, showcasing both skills to put Orlando’s defense on its heels.
Orlando has struggled to keep Thompson out of the paint, failing to press up on him enough when he’s away from the basket, giving him clear and unobstructed views of passing lanes.
Generally, the Magic can produce an effective defense, but they struggle against athletic wings who can cover a lot of ground in a short span of time. Thompson fits that bill.
The young wing asserted himself early, and kept the Pistons close, relentlessly attacking the rim and drawing fouls, as he finished with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks, 2 steals and 3 assists.
It’s becoming a theme in Orlando that Paolo Banchero is overtaxed as a No. 1 option. He’s given the ball too far out of the paint and is asked to constantly initiate like he’s Nikola Jokić, which he is not.
This isn’t on him, but rather the coaching staff, which seems to be under the impression the bulky 6-10 powerhouse doesn’t need to receive the ball as he goes downhill.
The current setup leads to too many turnovers, suboptimal scoring position, low shooting efficiency and him becoming less of a factor.
Fortunately, it didn’t cost Orlando in Game 3. But his raw line of 25 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists was offset by a 6-of-17 shooting performance.
Worst-“Cade” scenario for the first three quarters
Look, Cade Cunningham can have nights where he looks like a future MVP and a top-five guy in the league.
But he’ll blend in games like these, entering the fourth quarter with five made field goals on 17 attempts and eight turnovers, ultimately forcing the Pistons to play catch-up. (Orlando was up 17 points at one point.)
Cunningham finished with 27 points and turned on the jets in the fourth quarter, quieting the skeptics for a bit, but the issue remains.
If he has ambitions of a Finals run, Cunningham needs to set the tone and not allow the Pistons to fall into a hole. Relying on come-from-behind runs is too often a fool’s errand, and it’s an entirely unreliable approach in the postseason.
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