On Saturday night, the Detroit Pistons faced the Orlando Magic in a tense game. Following what some deemed a dubious play, the NBA’s two-minute report focused on the game’s greatest moment.
With 12 seconds left in the game, the score was knotted at 109. The Magic held possession, and Paolo Banchero received the ball. The former No. 1 selection then sized up Jalen Duren before converting a baseline shot with less than a second left. Bachero’s feet shifted before the shot, indicating that he may have traveled. The refs did not call anything at the moment, and the Pistons eventually lost by three.
The next day, the NBA released its two-minute report for the game. It stuck with the initial ruling, that Banchero did not travel. The report states he came to a legal jump stop before rising up to shoot over Duren.
Banchero battled for most of the game, but he came up huge when it counted. The All-Star forward ended with 15 points (29.4% shooting), five rebounds, and three assists. Cade Cunningham maintained his outstanding performance against the Magic after the interval. He had a team-high 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
Duren was also a star for Detroit, recording a double-double. The youthful big scored 16 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and blocked four shots. Simone Fontecchio (17 points, five assists) and Evan Fournier (13 points) were also effective newcomers. Following their painful defeat to the Magic, the Pistons will prepare to play Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks on Sunday night.
