Paolo Banchero scores 29 as the Magic ease past the Pistons 113-91
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Paolo Banchero scored 29 points for a second straight game and the Orlando Magic completed a four-game season sweep of the Detroit Pistons with a 113-91 victory on Sunday night.
Wendell Carter Jr. had 19 points and eight rebounds for Orlando and Markelle Fultz added a season-high 16 points, making all eight of his shots while playing 17 minutes.
Evan Fournier led the Pistons with 17 points and Simone Fontecchio added 15, both coming off the bench. Jalen Duren led Detroit's starters with 11 points.
The Magic (35-26) surpassed last season's victory total with 21 games remaining.
“I think it’s big but we’ve got a bigger picture,” Fultz said. “We definitely are aware of it, but we have bigger goals and higher standards for ourselves.”
Orlando has won 11 of 14 and is nine games over .500 for the first time since April of 2012.
“It's not easy to beat a team four times, but these guys understood what our game plan was from the start,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “Our ability to sustain our effort and continue to play together is something that I'm very proud of.”
Orlando shot 59.7% to Detroit's 38.4% and had a 48-28 rebounding advantage.
“We’ve played against physical teams all year and we’ve handled it better than we did tonight,” Pistons coach Monty Williams said. “To their credit, their defense was really physical. Did we get fouled some? Yeah, but the physical teams that are consistently putting forth that identity typically get the benefit of the doubt. So I didn’t think we handled that well at all. We spent too much time talking to the referees.”
Orlando led 59-50 after a first half in which Fultz scored 10 straight Magic points over a four-minute stretch.
Banchero scored 11 points during a 20-3 run that expanded the lead to 26 points early in the second half. The All-Star forward matched his scoring total from Thursday night's win over Utah and had eight rebounds and five assists.
“I thought we did a good job of getting stops, and not letting them get many second-chance opportunities,” Banchero said. “Then the offense just fed off of that.”
Fournier hit two 3-pointers and James Wiseman had four baskets during Detroit's brief bench surge late in the game. Wiseman's dunk with 10:36 left moved the Pistons within 13, but they got no closer.
Detroit (9-51) fell even with Washington for the league’s worst record.
“I was in this position my first year with the Magic (in 2014-15),” said Fournier, a 12-year NBA veteran. “We were very inexperienced. Unfortunately you have to go through that to learn because winning in this league is extremely hard.”
UP NEXT
Pistons: Visit Miami on Tuesday.
Magic: Visit Charlotte on Tuesday.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 |  | Jalen Duren vs. Wendell Carter Jr. (Paolo Banchero gains possession) | ||
| 11:40 | | Paolo Banchero misses two point jump shot | ||
| 11:37 |  | Ausar Thompson defensive rebound | ||
| 11:19 | | Jalen Duren misses two point layup | ||
| 11:19 | | Pistons offensive rebound | ||
| 11:06 | | Isaiah Stewart misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:04 | | Jalen Suggs defensive rebound | ||
| 10:55 | | +3 | Wendell Carter Jr. makes three point jump shot (Jalen Suggs assists) | 0-3 |
| 10:35 | | +2 | Cade Cunningham makes two point driving hook shot | 2-3 |
| 10:27 | | Gary Harris misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:24 | | Ausar Thompson defensive rebound | ||
| 10:20 | | Franz Wagner blocks Ausar Thompson's two point driving hook shot | ||
| 10:19 | | Franz Wagner defensive rebound | ||
| 10:06 | | Paolo Banchero turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 9:54 | | Wendell Carter Jr. blocks Jaden Ivey's two point driving layup | ||
| 9:54 | | Pistons offensive rebound | ||
| 9:42 | | Paolo Banchero shooting foul (Jaden Ivey draws the foul) | ||
| 9:42 | | +1 | Jaden Ivey makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 3-3 |
| 9:42 | | +1 | Jaden Ivey makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 4-3 |
| 9:24 | | +2 | Franz Wagner makes two point driving layup | 4-5 |
| 9:14 | | Wendell Carter Jr. shooting foul (Jalen Duren draws the foul) | ||
| 9:14 | | +1 | Jalen Duren makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 5-5 |
| 9:14 | | +1 | Jalen Duren makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 6-5 |
| 9:01 | | Cade Cunningham shooting foul (Wendell Carter Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 9:01 | | +1 | Wendell Carter Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 6-6 |
| 9:01 | | +1 | Wendell Carter Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 6-7 |
| 8:50 | | Cade Cunningham misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 8:49 | | Franz Wagner defensive rebound | ||
| 8:34 | | +2 | Jalen Suggs makes two point floating jump shot (Paolo Banchero assists) | 6-9 |
| 8:25 | | Ausar Thompson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:25 | | Isaiah Stewart offensive rebound | ||
| 8:17 | | +2 | Isaiah Stewart makes two point dunk (Jalen Duren assists) | 8-9 |
| 7:54 | | +3 | Gary Harris makes three point jump shot (Paolo Banchero assists) | 8-12 |
| 7:41 | | Cade Cunningham misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 7:38 | | Wendell Carter Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 7:30 | | Isaiah Stewart shooting foul (Paolo Banchero draws the foul) | ||
| 7:30 | | +1 | Paolo Banchero makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 8-13 |
| 7:30 | | +1 | Paolo Banchero makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 8-14 |
| 7:14 | | +3 | Ausar Thompson makes three point jump shot (Cade Cunningham assists) | 11-14 |
| 6:59 | | +2 | Jalen Suggs makes two point cutting dunk (Gary Harris assists) | 11-16 |
| 6:49 | | Jalen Duren misses two point driving layup | ||
| 6:47 | | Jalen Suggs defensive rebound | ||
| 6:44 | | +2 | Franz Wagner makes two point running layup (Jalen Suggs assists) | 11-18 |
| 6:44 | | Pistons 60 second timeout | ||
| 6:30 | | +2 | Jaden Ivey makes two point jump shot (Jalen Duren assists) | 13-18 |
| 6:02 | | +2 | Wendell Carter Jr. makes two point jump shot | 13-20 |
| 5:46 | | +2 | Jaden Ivey makes two point jump shot (Ausar Thompson assists) | 15-20 |
| 5:29 | | Paolo Banchero misses two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 5:27 | | Jalen Duren defensive rebound | ||
| 5:25 | | Jalen Suggs blocks Cade Cunningham's two point driving hook shot | ||
| 5:23 | | Franz Wagner defensive rebound | ||
| 5:13 | | Jaden Ivey shooting foul (Wendell Carter Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 5:13 | | +1 | Wendell Carter Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 15-21 |
| 5:13 | | +1 | Wendell Carter Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 15-22 |
| 4:56 | | Jaden Ivey misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:51 | | Wendell Carter Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 4:50 | | Jalen Suggs offensive foul (Off the ball) (Jaden Ivey draws the foul) | ||
| 4:50 | | Jalen Suggs turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 4:39 | | +2 | Cade Cunningham makes two point pullup jump shot | 17-22 |
| 4:19 | | Jalen Suggs misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 4:15 | | Paolo Banchero offensive rebound | ||
| 4:13 | | Jalen Duren shooting foul (Franz Wagner draws the foul) | ||
| 4:13 | | Franz Wagner misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 4:13 | | Magic offensive rebound | ||
| 4:13 | | +1 | Franz Wagner makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 17-23 |
| 4:01 | | Franz Wagner blocks Jalen Duren's two point hook shot | ||
| 3:59 | | Franz Wagner defensive rebound | ||
| 3:48 | | Franz Wagner misses two point layup | ||
| 3:45 | | Jalen Duren defensive rebound | ||
| 3:37 | | +3 | Simone Fontecchio makes three point jump shot (Cade Cunningham assists) | 20-23 |
| 3:12 | | Paolo Banchero misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:08 | | Cade Cunningham defensive rebound | ||
| 3:01 | | +2 | Cade Cunningham makes two point driving reverse layup | 22-23 |
| 3:01 | | Magic 60 second timeout | ||
| 2:45 | | Simone Fontecchio personal foul (Paolo Banchero draws the foul) | ||
| 2:45 | | +1 | Paolo Banchero makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 22-24 |
| 2:45 | | +1 | Paolo Banchero makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 22-25 |
| 2:32 | | +3 | Isaiah Stewart makes three point jump shot (Marcus Sasser assists) | 25-25 |
| 2:04 | | Magic turnover (shot clock violation) | ||
| 1:51 | | +2 | Isaiah Stewart makes two point layup (Evan Fournier assists) | 27-25 |
| 1:37 | | Joe Ingles misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:35 | | Isaiah Stewart defensive rebound | ||
| 1:26 | | Evan Fournier misses two point stepback jump shot | ||
| 1:22 | | Markelle Fultz defensive rebound | ||
| 1:16 | | +2 | Markelle Fultz makes two point turnaround jump shot | 27-27 |
| 1:03 | | Marcus Sasser misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 1:00 | | Moritz Wagner defensive rebound | ||
| 0:52 | | +2 | Markelle Fultz makes two point driving reverse layup | 27-29 |
| 0:27 | | Troy Brown Jr. misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 0:27 | | Cole Anthony defensive rebound | ||
| 0:01 | | +2 | Markelle Fultz makes two point jump shot (Jonathan Isaac assists) | 27-31 |
| 0:00 | | End of period |
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:48 | | Isaiah Stewart turnover (traveling) | ||
| 11:40 | | Cole Anthony misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:37 | | Markelle Fultz offensive rebound | ||
| 11:36 | | +2 | Markelle Fultz makes two point tip dunk | 27-33 |
| 11:25 | | Marcus Sasser misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:22 | | Cole Anthony defensive rebound | ||
| 11:15 | | Markelle Fultz turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 11:06 | | Cole Anthony shooting foul (Jaden Ivey draws the foul) | ||
| 11:06 | | +1 | Jaden Ivey makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 28-33 |
| 11:06 | | +1 | Jaden Ivey makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 29-33 |
| 10:50 | | Joe Ingles turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 10:50 | | Pistons 60 second timeout | ||
| 10:32 | | Marcus Sasser misses two point jump shot | ||
| 10:27 | | Jonathan Isaac defensive rebound | ||
| 10:22 | | Moritz Wagner misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 10:17 | | Isaiah Stewart defensive rebound | ||
| 10:16 | | Jaden Ivey misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 10:14 | | Evan Fournier offensive rebound | ||
| 10:13 | | +2 | Evan Fournier makes two point bank jump shot | 31-33 |
| 9:56 | | +2 | Markelle Fultz makes two point driving reverse layup | 31-35 |
| 9:40 | | Markelle Fultz blocks Isaiah Stewart's two point cutting dunk | ||
| 9:36 | | Cole Anthony defensive rebound | ||
| 9:35 | | Jonathan Isaac turnover (out of bounds lost ball) | ||
| 9:17 | | +2 | Jaden Ivey makes two point driving layup (Isaiah Stewart assists) | 33-35 |
| 9:07 | | +2 | Cole Anthony makes two point driving layup | 33-37 |
| 8:54 | | +3 | Evan Fournier makes three point jump shot (Simone Fontecchio assists) | 36-37 |
| 8:35 | | +2 | Moritz Wagner makes two point driving layup (Markelle Fultz assists) | 36-39 |
| 8:19 | | +2 | Isaiah Stewart makes two point alley-oop layup (Simone Fontecchio assists) | 38-39 |
| 7:49 | | +2 | Joe Ingles makes two point driving layup | 38-41 |
| 7:31 | | Evan Fournier misses two point pullup jump shot | ||
| 7:31 | | Jaden Ivey offensive rebound | ||
| 7:26 | | Evan Fournier misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:26 | | Moritz Wagner defensive rebound | ||
| 7:16 | | Moritz Wagner misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:14 | | Simone Fontecchio defensive rebound | ||
| 7:01 | | Isaiah Stewart offensive foul (Charge) (Moritz Wagner draws the foul) | ||
| 7:01 | | Isaiah Stewart turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 6:45 | | +2 | Paolo Banchero makes two point layup (Wendell Carter Jr. assists) | 38-43 |
| 6:33 | | +2 | Jalen Duren makes two point layup (Cade Cunningham assists) | 40-43 |
| 6:33 | | Cole Anthony shooting foul (Jalen Duren draws the foul) | ||
| 6:33 | | +1 | Jalen Duren makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 41-43 |
| 6:22 | | Paolo Banchero turnover (bad pass) (Cade Cunningham steals) | ||
| 6:02 | | Simone Fontecchio misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:58 | | Wendell Carter Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 5:51 | | +2 | Paolo Banchero makes two point layup (Wendell Carter Jr. assists) | 41-45 |
| 5:51 | | Jaden Ivey shooting foul (Paolo Banchero draws the foul) | ||
| 5:51 | | +1 | Paolo Banchero makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 41-46 |
| 5:39 | | Jalen Suggs personal foul (Cade Cunningham draws the foul) | ||
| 5:28 | | Jaden Ivey misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 5:26 | | Paolo Banchero defensive rebound | ||
| 5:18 | | Paolo Banchero misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 5:15 | | Jalen Duren defensive rebound | ||
| 5:14 | | Wendell Carter Jr. blocks Jalen Duren's two point running layup | ||
| 5:11 | | Pistons offensive rebound | ||
| 4:56 | | Cade Cunningham misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 4:54 | | Paolo Banchero defensive rebound | ||
| 4:48 | | +2 | Paolo Banchero makes two point running dunk | 41-48 |
| 4:43 | | Pistons 60 second timeout | ||
| 4:27 | | +3 | Cade Cunningham makes three point jump shot (Isaiah Stewart assists) | 44-48 |
| 4:06 | | Franz Wagner misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:03 | | Ausar Thompson defensive rebound | ||
| 3:53 | | Jalen Duren misses two point cutting layup | ||
| 3:53 | | Magic defensive rebound | ||
| 3:32 | | Cade Cunningham personal foul (Franz Wagner draws the foul) | ||
| 3:23 | | +2 | Wendell Carter Jr. makes two point cutting dunk (Gary Harris assists) | 44-50 |
| 3:23 | | Ausar Thompson shooting foul (Wendell Carter Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 3:23 | | +1 | Wendell Carter Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 44-51 |
| 3:05 | | +2 | Jalen Duren makes two point dunk (Cade Cunningham assists) | 46-51 |
| 2:49 | | Franz Wagner misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 2:47 | | Wendell Carter Jr. offensive rebound | ||
| 2:43 | | +3 | Wendell Carter Jr. makes three point jump shot | 46-54 |
| 2:22 | | Cade Cunningham misses two point driving layup | ||
| 2:18 | | Jalen Duren offensive rebound | ||
| 2:11 | | Cade Cunningham misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:09 | | Ausar Thompson offensive rebound | ||
| 1:59 | | +2 | Jalen Duren makes two point cutting dunk (Cade Cunningham assists) | 48-54 |
| 1:40 | | Ausar Thompson personal foul (Franz Wagner draws the foul) | ||
| 1:24 | | +2 | Paolo Banchero makes two point driving layup | 48-56 |
| 1:06 | | Jalen Duren turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 0:56 | | Jalen Duren shooting foul (Paolo Banchero draws the foul) | ||
| 0:56 | | +1 | Paolo Banchero makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 48-57 |
| 0:56 | | Paolo Banchero misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 0:54 | | Isaiah Stewart defensive rebound | ||
| 0:43 | | +2 | Jalen Duren makes two point cutting dunk (Cade Cunningham assists) | 50-57 |
| 0:32 | | +2 | Markelle Fultz makes two point reverse layup (Franz Wagner assists) | 50-59 |
| 0:15 | | Markelle Fultz personal foul (Simone Fontecchio draws the foul) | ||
| 0:07 | | Cade Cunningham misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:03 | | Markelle Fultz defensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |