
Detroit — If there is the rest to remove from the Pistons’ first recreation of the 2022-23 marketing campaign, without reference to the ranking, it is the crew’s resilience.
With 11.6 seconds left in the sport, Cade Cunningham drove to the basket and dished to a large open Isaiah Stewart, who frivolously knocked down a nook 3-point shot he’d been training right through the offseason.
The second was once important as a result of Stewart had overlooked his earlier 3 3-pointers, however depended on his talent to make the one who actually counted.
CaseThat closing one was once the best play. The play was once for cade, we created an open space for cade down the center of the paint and the man sucked in off the weakside nook and cade made the best basketball play, which was once large time.
Despite a overdue rally through Orlando, Detroit maintained composure and hung on for a 113-109 victory — its first win in a season opener since Oct. 23, 2019, when Detroit beat the Indiana Pacers 119-110.
“It was huge,” Casey mentioned in regard to Stewart. “for him, for his confidence. He was what 1-for-4 from 3? I was proud of him – he didn’t keep hunting ’em. The game didn’t present itself to him, and he made the right plays.”

Casey printed the overall play was once drawn up for Cunningham to name his personal quantity to take a look at and ranking within. However, when Cunningham noticed he was once trapped, he made the best basketball play and depended on Stewart with a very powerful shot of the night time.
“I try to play honest, and really see the floor and see what they give me. I had just missed two before. I wanted to score that last one, but I trust (Isaiah)’s work. He’s been working his butt off the whole summer, and last year. I saw him open and I felt like it was gonna go in. He stepped up and made the shot. I think that’s just a testament to his mental toughness.”
New Piston ahead Bojan Bogdanovic had a gradual preseason because of a calf pressure, however as soon as the Pistons ahead noticed his first 3-pointer cross down from the nook, the floodgates opened. He completed with a team-high 23 issues, 5 rebounds and two assists.
Despite the Magic’s dimension benefit, the Pistons opted for offense with a beginning lineup of Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Saddiq Bey, Bogdanovic and Isaiah Stewart.
Cunningham had a double-double of 18 issues and 10 assists. In his NBA debut, Ivey had 19 issues, 4 assists and 3 rebounds.
“It’s just special,” Ivey mentioned after the sport. “You dream as a kid to play your first NBA game. It’s just special that I get to play for Detroit as a kid that grew up watching Detroit.”
BOX SCORE: Pistons 113, Magic 109
The staff began out in entertaining model, as Cunningham discovered his teammates for simple baskets within at the Pistons’ first two possessions. The first was once to a slicing Ivey for his first occupation basket. The different, he drew two defenders and located Stewart for a two-handed dunk.
After Ivey discovered Bey for any other ranking, the Pistons’ magic ran out magic for the rest of the quarter. Orlando went on a 16-0 run to position an finish to any momentum Detroit had till Bey scored a floater to prevent the bleeding.
The Pistons have been discombobulated early on because of the Magic’s duration, from the outdoor and the internal. With 3 in their frontcourt gamers at 6-foot-10, that dimension made it arduous for the Pistons to pressure into the paint or even more difficult to shoot over.
However, the Pistons bounced again from a 17-point first quarter and exploded for 40 issues in the second one quarter to erase a 15-point Magic lead.
Jalen Duren had an outstanding NBA debut with 14 issues, 11 rebounds and the primary poster dunks of his occupation. The 18-year previous out of Memphis rose over Chuma Okeke for a one-handed slam, inflicting the lovers within Little Caesars Arena to present a rousing ovation. Later in the sport, he rose for a dunk on Magic middle Mo Bamba.
The Magic have been balanced offensively as 5 other gamers scored in double figures, led through 27 issues from No. 1 general select Paolo Banchero, who additionally added 9 rebounds and 5 assists in his NBA debut. Jalen Suggs, who began at level guard in position of Cole Anthony (sickness), had 21 issues. Franz Wagner added 20 issues and 4 rebounds.
The Pistons (1-0) will start a three-game highway travel beginning with the New York Knicks on Friday, adopted through the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.
mcurtis@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @MikeACurtis2