Magic shock Pistons

Orlando walked into Detroit as the No. 8 seed and left with a 112-101 Game 1 win, taking home-court advantage on April 19. (nba.com) The Magic never trailed after Jalen Suggs opened the game with a 3-pointer, and they led 35-27 after one quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Paolo Banchero finished with 23 points, nine rebounds and four assists. (nba.com) Franz Wagner scored 19 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, while Desmond Bane and Wendell Carter Jr. added 17 points each. Suggs scored 16 as Orlando shot 44-for-90 from the field and posted 26 assists. (espn.com) Detroit got 39 points from Cade Cunningham, a playoff career high, and 17 from Tobias Harris, but the Pistons shot 31-for-77 overall. The rest of Detroit’s starters combined for 42 points. (nba.com; espn.com) The result flipped the opening script of the Eastern Conference bracket. Detroit entered the postseason at 60-22 and 31-9 at home, while Orlando arrived at 45-37 after earning the East’s No. 8 seed. (espn.com; sportsline.com) It also deepened a much older Detroit problem: the Pistons have now lost 11 straight home playoff games, a skid that dates to 2008, according to the Associated Press recap carried by NBA.com. Detroit has not advanced past the first round in 18 years, and Orlando has not done it since 2010. (nba.com) Orlando looked sharper early in part because it had played Friday in the play-in round, while Detroit was opening its postseason after a week off. The Magic jumped ahead 18-5 midway through the first quarter as the Pistons started 1-for-6 with four turnovers. (nba.com) Detroit did make a push in the third quarter, tying the game at 65-65 on a Cunningham 3-pointer. Banchero answered with a jumper over Jalen Duren, and Bane followed with a 3 to put Orlando back in control. (espn.com) Game 2 is set for Wednesday, April 22, at 7 p.m. Eastern on ESPN, back in Detroit. Orlando now has the 1-0 series lead and the opener it came for. (nba.com)