Detroit Pistons head to Orlando for an uphill task
The Orlando Magic were staring at an agonising single point defeat at the hands of the Washington Wizards on Saturday night, until Dwight Howard clutched a rebound off a missed shot from Jameer Nelson, and slipped in a lay-up shot to take his side home
in a nerve jangling thriller.
He said after the match. "I don't think you can steal wins, I think you can just play hard until the end and that is what we did."
Good things tend to happen for Orlando when Dwight Howard is in the fray, and the Magic will be hoping he can continue his on-court heroics again come Tuesday night, against the Detroit Pistons.
The Pistons come into the match with a three-match losing streak on the road. They have been one of the worst teams at keeping the opponents off the glass, allowing 44.2 boards. The odds are heavily stacked against them as they come up against an inspired
team led by Dwight Howard at the Amway Centre in Orlando.
Match-up
The Detroit Pistons lead the all time match-up between the two teams at 33-46. Last season, Orlando won the series 3-1, but have lost 20 of their last 28 meetings against the Pistons overall. At home, the Magic have won the last three meetings.
Orlando Magic
The Magic (12-4) have won four games on the trot at home, and will be rearing to go against the Pistons.
Orlando is shooting 0.470 off the field, which ranks sixth in the National Basketball Association (NBA). They are also ripping it up from downtown with an impressive conversion rate of 37.1 percent, which also features among the top ten in the league.
While it is Orlando’s offense that often steals the limelight, their defence has been pivotal to their success so far. The Magic have only allowed 92.7 points per game, which is combined third in the NBA. They have also has held their opponents to under
100 points 12 times, and to 90-or-less points nine times, including a season-low 72 points against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Magic are also holding the opposition to 0.438 shooting from the floor. They have held the opposition to less than 50 percent shooting from the floor 14 times, and less than 40 percent four times, including a season-low 0.333 (28-84) versus the Minnesota
Timberwolves.
Detroit Pistons
While the Orlando Magic has gotten off to a rollicking start this season, the Detroit Pistons are struggling to find their feet. Languishing at 6-11 for the season, and with 2-7 on the road, the odds are heavily stacked against them.
A team which boasts the likes of Ben Wallace, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rodney Stuckey and Ben Gordon – who were named to the 2011 NBA All-Star Ballot – has so far struggled to perform together.
The Pistons have so far only averaged 96.6 points per game, shooting 44.8 percent. Detroit though is ranked fourth in the league shooting from outside the arc with 40.2 percent. They are also recording only 13.22 turnovers per game, which ranks second, including
a season low five turnovers against the powerful Los Angeles Lakers.
Players to watch out
Dwight Howard holds the key for the Orlando Magic. The phenomenal guard who leads his team with 22.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.44 blocks per game will be the player to keep an eye
on for the Pistons. In the four contests last season, Howard scored at an average of 19.8 points.
Rodney Stuckey and Tayshaun Prince will be crucial for the Detroit Pistons. Prince is coming off the back of a season high 31 points in the last game against the New York Knicks, and the Pistons will be hoping that he
carries his form into this encounter. Charlie Villanueva, who has been providing impetus to his team from off the bench this season, also needs to put in a fabulous performance if the Pistons are to outsmart the Magic.
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