Orlando — The Detroit Pistons have proven to be one of the top road teams in the league this season, with several contributing factors.

Cade Cunningham headlines a group of players who have made significant individual improvements while aligning with the team’s embrace of the “Detroit versus everybody” mentality. Every time they step onto an opponent’s home court, coach J.B. Bickerstaff attributed the team’s togetherness and strong relationships to its success on the road.

“The benefits include being with the group,” Bickerstaff stated while discussing the advantages of an extended road trip. “There are not any of the other distractions. When you are in the hotels, you go to lunch together. You go to dinner together — you go to practice and lift weights together. It gives you an opportunity to bond and become even tighter. When you are on the road, that is what you need and how you become successful.”

Saturday’s contest against the Orlando Magic positioned the Pistons in the latter half of their season-longest five-game road trip. However, despite their success away from Little Caesars Arena, the Pistons fell 121-113 at Kia Center. The loss ended Detroit’s four-game road winning streak and dropped their overall record to 23-22.

Six players scored in double figures, with Cunningham leading the way with a game-high 35 points, 11 assists and five rebounds. He scored 16 points in the fourth quarter.

The Pistons received a significant boost from rookie Ron Holland II. In 15 minutes, he scored 13 points and pulled down four rebounds. Holland’s contributions coincided with those of Ausar Thompson, who added 16 points, five rebounds, four steals and a block amid a season-high 29 minutes.

“I feel great; it feels good to have reached almost the 30-minute mark,” Thompson said. “I feel great. I feel conditioned. However many minutes they need me to play, I’ll be ready to play.”

Despite the loss, the Pistons showcased their close-knit chemistry during the first quarter. After a sluggish start by both teams, Detroit began to surge halfway through the period, taking a 30-18 lead into the second quarter. They began the night shooting 43.5% from the field and hitting four of eight 3-pointers.

Injuries have derailed the Magic’s once-promising season. They entered the night on a five-game losing streak, having dropped seven of their last eight. Coach Jamahl Mosley has used his preferred starting lineup for the sixth time this season due to the ongoing injuries of Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner’s extended absences.

BOX SCORE: Magic 121, Pistons 113

Banchero led the Magic with 32 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists and was vital in Orlando’s comeback during the first half. He scored 11 points in the second quarter and was essential in the Magic outscoring the Pistons 25-12 in the final six minutes. By intermission, they held a 54-53 lead.

Banchero missed the first two games against Detroit due to a torn oblique. His third triple of the game gave the Magic an 84-81 lead early in the fourth quarter, igniting a 20-4 run.

Wagner (32 points, seven assists and four rebounds) appeared in his second game after returning from his respective oblique injury. His 3-point field goal at the 9:11 mark of the fourth quarter extended the Magic’s lead to 93-83. He scored 25 points in the final period. Orlando also saw the return of Suggs (eight points), who missed the last 10 games due to a back injury.

Frustration reached a breaking point midway through the fourth quarter when Bickerstaff received consecutive technical fouls, resulting in his ejection at the 6:01 mark. Detroit finished with four technical fouls.

“I thought we did a lot of good things,” Bickerstaff said. “But I thought there were some moments where we shot ourselves in the foot when we had momentum going. We got outside of ourselves. These games against teams like this are going to be extremely physical. We understand that. We are good with that. Just make sure we maintain the physicality and do not allow the officials to become a part of the game because we take it too far.”

Observations and Notes vs. Magic

▶ Magic earns tie-breaker over Pistons: With this loss, the Pistons lose the regular-season series against the Magic 2-1, losing the tie-breaker.

▶ Harris and Suggs get into a minor altercation: At the 8:55 mark of the first quarter, Tobias Harris was assessed a flagrant foul penalty 1 following a brief altercation with Suggs. The incident occurred when Suggs intentionally collided with Harris during a change of possession. Harris reacted to Suggs’ aggression by shoving him to the floor. However, the Magic did not prosper from Suggs’ actions; he missed both free throws and committed a turnover during Orlando’s offensive possession.

▶ Head injury for Tobias Harris: Harris’ night ended early after he suffered a head injury. Two minutes into the third quarter, he was struck in the jaw during a shot attempt by Banchero. Bickerstaff substituted Harris after he fell to the floor. Following a quick evaluation from the team doctors, Harris walked to the back and did not return.

▶ A tough night for Stew: Isaiah Stewart faced a challenging game in Orlando. The physical nature of the match led to foul trouble for Stewart in the first half, limiting his usual impact off the bench. He also found himself in multiple altercations with several players from Orlando.

Up next

The Pistons will travel to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers on Monday night. They will then close the road trip in Indiana on Wednesday when they will face the Pacers. Tip-off between the Pistons and Cavaliers is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Coty.Davis@detroitnews.com

@cotydavis_24