3rd Quarter Report
After a tough defeat on the road their last time out, the Pistons look much better today on their home court. They have jumped out to a 84-75 lead against the Magic.
The Pistons came into the match with some extra motivation after the loss they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We’ll see if they’re able to flip the script or if it’ll just be more of the same.
Who’s Playing
Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons
Current Records: Orlando 20-14, Detroit 14-18
How To Watch
- When: Wednesday, January 1, 2025 at 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Little Caesars Arena — Detroit, Michigan
- TV: FanDuel SN – Detroit
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $9.70
What to Know
The Magic have enjoyed a seven-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will venture away from home to challenge the Detroit Pistons at 7:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Little Caesars Arena. The Magic will be strutting in after a win while the Pistons will be stumbling in from a defeat.
Last Sunday, the Magic skirted by the Nets 102-101 thanks to a clutch shot from Cole Anthony with but a second left in the fourth quarter. The victory was all the more spectacular given Orlando was down by 21 with 7:55 left in the third quarter.
The Magic’s success was spearheaded by the efforts of Goga Bitadze, who dropped a double-double on 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Tristan Da Silva, who had 21 points in addition to seven assists and six rebounds. The dominant performance gave Da Silva a new career-high in assists.
The Magic were working as a unit and finished the game with 30 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as the Nets only posted 22.
Meanwhile, the Pistons unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Saturday. They fell 134-121 to the Nuggets. Detroit hasn’t had much luck with Denver recently, as the team’s come up short the last three times they’ve met.
Orlando’s win bumped their record up to 20-14. As for Detroit, their loss ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 14-18.
The Magic are hoping to beat the odds on Wednesday, as the experts think they’re headed for a loss. This contest might not be the best time to bet them against the spread since they’ve let bettors down the last three times they’ve played.
The Magic beat the Pistons 111-100 in their previous meeting back in November of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Magic since the squad won’t have the home-court advantage this time around. We’ll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Odds
Detroit is a slight 1.5-point favorite against Orlando, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Pistons as a 2-point favorite.
The oddsmakers are predicting a defensive showdown and set the over/under low at 213 points.
See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Orlando has won 7 out of their last 10 games against Detroit.
- Nov 23, 2024 – Orlando 111 vs. Detroit 100
- Mar 03, 2024 – Orlando 113 vs. Detroit 91
- Feb 24, 2024 – Orlando 112 vs. Detroit 109
- Feb 04, 2024 – Orlando 111 vs. Detroit 99
- Dec 08, 2023 – Orlando 123 vs. Detroit 91
- Apr 02, 2023 – Orlando 128 vs. Detroit 102
- Feb 23, 2023 – Orlando 108 vs. Detroit 106
- Dec 28, 2022 – Detroit 121 vs. Orlando 101
- Oct 19, 2022 – Detroit 113 vs. Orlando 109
- Mar 17, 2022 – Detroit 134 vs. Orlando 120
