The Orlando Magic fell 98-83 to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena, evening their first-round series as Game 3 shifts to Orlando. The decisive swing came in a third quarter Detroit won 38-16, breaking open a tie game.
Jalen Suggs pointed to execution and tempo control as the key issue after the break, focusing on how the Magic handled the run. “I think being faster to one and done, to kill the run. We were really good at that in game one. We were solid at it throughout tonight until that third quarter,” Suggs said. He added, “We just stayed in that lull a little too long and let them grow the lead.”
Suggs also emphasized decision-making on both ends during the stretch. “Whether it be getting better shots on offense or getting stops during those stretches, we got to choose to do one at a high level. We didn’t do either, and they took advantage of it,” he said. “We’ll go back and learn from it.”
Offensively, Orlando struggled to sustain efficiency against Detroit’s defense, finishing with a low shooting output. “Last time I looked, I think we were shooting 31% from the field. It’s hard to win a game like that against the best defense, the best offense, no matter who you’re playing, especially in the playoffs,” Suggs said. “We’ll shoot better, we’ll be better.”
The guard also pointed to game flow and missed early opportunities. “We had some chances there to really push our lead, and we didn’t,” he said, referencing missed free throws, turnovers, and second-chance opportunities in the first half.
On Detroit’s momentum surge, Suggs credited the environment and execution. “Home court advantage was great. When you’re going on those runs, it gets loud and it’s easy to snowball,” he said. “They went on their run, got the stops, and were executing offensively.”
Looking ahead to Orlando, Suggs expressed confidence in the team’s response. “We’re straight, we’re super straight,” he said in the tunnel after the game. He added, “I know how we rock at home. I know how Orlando rolls, especially come playoff time.”
Suggs also highlighted the importance of closing quarters and managing momentum swings. “Recognizing when we are in that run where it is starting to get loud, come back, get a great look on our side, and then really lock in defensively,” he said. “Maybe a kill to kill the momentum, quiet the crowd down a little bit.”
Despite the loss, Suggs acknowledged effort across the roster, including the bench unit. “Great fight from everybody. We stayed engaged,” he said, noting productive minutes from Orlando’s second group.
Game 3 now shifts to the Kia Center, where Orlando will look to respond in front of its home crowd.
