March 1, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) passes by Detroit Pistons forward Ronald Holland II (5) in the second half at the KIA Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Image The Orlando Magic will try to find a way to turn first-half promise into second-half performance when they host the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.
Orlando had a strong performance Sunday in a 106-92 loss to the visiting Detroit Pistons.
The Magic led by seven at halftime and were up 31-18 and 25-17 in the final two periods.
Magic coach Jamal Mosley lamented the “26-point pain,” referring to the points his team gave up off 19 turnovers. “(The Pistons) did that. We talked about it before the game, showed them film. They reached for the ball, caught it, swung it.
“We were too loose in a lot of these moments, but you have to give Detroit a ton of credit. That’s why they’re the No. 1 team in the East. They get away physically and defensively.”
Paolo Banchero’s 24 points and 11 rebounds were offset by a whopping nine turnovers, and Tristan da Silva scored 19 points.
The collapse against Detroit came on the heels of a five-point loss at home to Houston, highlighted by the Rockets’ 21-0 third quarter lead that gave Orlando a 19-point lead.
da Silva shared his frustration and determination to make it right this time.
“It definitely stings,” he said after the Pistons game. “Everyone feels like we’re giving away games right now. It’s been two games in a row that we’ve had control over for quite some time. It doesn’t necessarily discourage us for the rest of the season. I don’t think that’s the problem. I don’t think that’s the problem. I think the guys are very locked in and very focused on the next game.”
Washington’s losing streak extended to five since the Wizards lost 123-118 to the visiting Rockets on Monday.
The Wizards got off to a hot start, shooting 8 of 11 from 3-point range in the opening quarter, and took a 30-26 lead at the end before being battered for a while.
Houston beat Washington 59-27 and outscored the Wizards in the paint 62-40.
“You’ve got to give (the Rockets) credit,” Washington coach Brian Keefe said. “We were undersized, but that’s no excuse. They definitely beat us on the second shot. Like I said, they’re pretty physical. Our clash wasn’t exactly where it (ideally) should have been.”
The Wizards trailed by as many as 19 points before rallying late despite the absence of several key players, including Anthony Davis (finger), Trae Young (quadriceps), Alex Sarr (hamstring) and D’Angelo Russell (not yet with the team).
Tristan Vukcevic (thigh) and Anthony Gill (illness) were also not fit for the game against Houston, while Keyshawn George was listed on the day-to-day list after suffering an elbow injury in the third quarter against the Rockets.
This gap has created opportunities for others, and Bilal Coulibaly is one who has taken advantage of them.
The third-year guard from France set season highs with 23 points and made five 3-pointers.
“He’s been doing a little bit of this lately, but I’ve seen the amount of effort he puts in,” Keefe said of Coulibaly. “I always trust him when he’s open. I tell him to take the shot. Let it fly, because he probably takes more shots than anyone in our gym.
“He has put in a tremendous amount of time and I have great faith in him. The work is starting to pay off.”
Young, like Davis, has yet to play for his new team following an in-season trade, but he showed on Monday that he’s ready to fight for the Wizards. Despite wearing casual clothes, he was ejected from the contest for going on the court and arguing a call.
Young will not be active in Orlando, but is expected to make his Wizards debut on Thursday against the visiting Utah Jazz.
–Field level media
