Jaden Ivey scored 22 points before suffering a potentially serious left leg injury as the Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 105-96 on Wednesday night.
Ivey got hurt when Orlando’s Cole Anthony dove for a loose ball early in the fourth quarter and collided with Ivey’s leg. Ivey had to leave the court on a stretcher.
Cade Cunningham added 19 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. Jalen Duren contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds, Tobias Harris had 17 points and eight rebounds, and Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 12 points for Detroit, which has won four of its last five games.
Jalen Suggs led Orlando with 24 points. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 21 points, and Wendell Carter Jr. finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.
The Pistons shot 64.1 percent from the field in the first half and led 65-49 at halftime. Ivey had 16 points, and Cunningham added 12 points as they combined to make all seven of their 3-point attempts. Orlando was already trailing by eight points with 3:30 left in the half, and Detroit extended its lead with a 14-6 run.
Orlando came out strong in the second half, scoring on its first three possessions, which led the Pistons to call a timeout. Detroit quickly pushed its lead to 18 points, 73-55, thanks to another 3-pointer from Ivey off a pass from Cunningham.
After a basket by Suggs cut the lead to 13, Duren scored two dunks during a 6-1 run for Detroit.
Suggs helped spark an Orlando comeback, scoring six points, making a block, and getting an assist during a 14-1 run. Detroit finished the third quarter strong, scoring the last two baskets, including a layup from Ivey, to lead 84-75 heading into the fourth.
The Magic opened the fourth quarter with the first four points before Ivey’s injury with 10:07 left.
Orlando kept pushing. Carter’s basket with 7:40 left cut the Pistons’ lead to three points.
With the score at 93-90, Detroit responded. Duren scored on a putback, Harris made a jumper, Hardaway hit a midrange shot, and Harris added a bank shot to push the lead to 101-90. The Magic never got closer than seven points after that.
