DETROIT — Jaden Ivey suffered what appeared to be a significant leg injury while contributing 22 points to the Detroit Pistons’ 105-96 win against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday evening.
With just over ten minutes remaining in the game and Detroit holding a narrow lead of 84-79, Ivey and Cole Anthony of the Magic were both attempting to secure the ball. As Anthony lost his footing and fell, his momentum collided with Ivey’s planted leg, causing Ivey to immediately drop to the floor, visibly distressed and clutching his left shin.
Following a lengthy stop for medical attention, Ivey was carefully placed onto a stretcher and taken off the court.
The Magic managed to score the first four points of the fourth quarter, but Tim Hardaway Jr. responded with nine points over the next six and a half minutes, allowing the Pistons to establish a 99-90 advantage.
In addition to Ivey’s scoring, Cade Cunningham contributed 19 points and nine assists for the Pistons, who have found success in four of their last five games. Jalen Duren also played a pivotal role, adding 18 points and pulling down 11 rebounds, helping Detroit to offset their 24 turnovers.
On the opposing side, Jalen Suggs led Orlando with 24 points, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope supported with 21 points. The Magic are now struggling, having lost six of their last nine games.
Key observations from the game include that Orlando features five players with ties to Michigan colleges; however, Franz Wagner (oblique) and Moritz Wagner (knee) are sidelined due to long-term injuries. Caleb Houston and Jett Howard also represent Michigan, while Gary Harris is a Michigan State alumnus.
For the Pistons, Cade Cunningham, who is recovering from a knee issue, did not aggressively pursue rebounds as he typically would, finishing the first half with only two rebounds. Nevertheless, he appeared to move well while driving to the basket.
The pivotal moment came when Detroit led 73-55 with nine minutes remaining in the third quarter, seemingly on track for an easy win. However, the Magic mounted a 20-7 rally, narrowing it down to an 80-75 scoreline. During this stretch, Detroit’s turnovers increased, with the team committing eight turnovers over an eight-minute span, allowing Orlando to close the gap. Fortunately for the Pistons, they scored the last four points of the quarter, reestablishing a nine-point lead.
One noteworthy statistic from the game was Caldwell-Pope’s perfect first half, where he scored 14 points on five shots, including three successful three-pointers. Meanwhile, his teammates struggled, hitting only 13 of 39 attempts overall and missing all ten of their three-point shots.
This Friday, both teams will look to bounce back as Orlando travels to Toronto, while Detroit will host Charlotte.
