In Game 1, Cade Cunningham scored 39 points, but it was not enough to defeat the Magic. Paolo Banchero scored 23 points to lead his team to a 112-101 victory. The game finished under a total of 219.5 points, and tonight's line is just one point lower.
Two defenders I like to make an impact on both ends of the court are Ausar Thompson and Jalen Suggs. Let's get into my NBA Same Game Parlay Strategy Guide for Magic vs. Pistons Game 2 on Wednesday night.
NBA Same Game Parlay Strategy Guide for Magic vs Pistons
The Angle: Defensive Stoppers Leave Their Footprint
Ausar Thompson 2+ Steals | 3+ Assists
Ausar Thompson was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year. Though it will be hard to win it in years where Victor Wembanyama is healthy, Thompson will make his first All-Defensive Team, and he may just be the best perimeter defender in the league. Thompson has earned his honors, including a few Defensive Player of the Month awards, by piling up the "stocks", averaging two steals and 0.9 blocks per game this season.
Thompson closed the regular season with two steals in 11 of the final 13 games. He added three steals in Game 1 and now has had two steals in five of his last eight games against them. He has had three steals in four of those games.
While the Pistons' offense primarily runs through Cade Cunningham, Thompson is also an underrated facilitator. He averaged 3.1 assists for the regular season and 3.6 over his last 20 games. Thompson has recorded three assists in 14 of those games and four assists in seven of his last nine games.
Cunningham was out for many of those games with his collapsed lung. However, Thompson has had three assists in seven of his last 10 games with Cunningham and four assists in five of them, averaging 3.4 per game. He had just one assist in Game 1, a game in which the Pistons shot just 40% from the field.
It will also help Thompson if he gets more minutes in the second half. Thompson played just nine minutes in the second half, as head coach JB Bickerstaff likely wanted more offense. However, in those nine minutes with Thompson on the floor, the Pistons had a 133.3 offensive rating and a +11.1 net rating.
Orlando made its first six shots to begin the fourth quarter to keep the Pistons at bay with Thompson on the bench. If the Pistons want to even this series heading back to Orlando, Thompson's presence will be vital tonight.
Picks: Ausar Thompson 2+ Steals / Ausar Thompson 3+ Assists
The Contrarian SGP: Suggs & Thompson Overs
Jalen Suggs 2+ Steals | 2+ Three-Pointers Made
Jalen Suggs had his fingerprints all over Game 1 with his energy and diving on the floor for loose balls. He scored the Magic's first six points while knocking down two 3s. He would make just one of his final eight 3-point attempts, but that was enough to cash his 3s line.
Suggs knocked down two 3s in eight of his past nine games and three triples in six of those games. He has also made two 3s or more in six of his last seven games against the Pistons.
It would be ideal for the Magic if he matched his form from two years ago, when he nearly shot 40% from deep. However, the team still does not have a great deal of spacing around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, so Suggs has averaged six 3-point attempts in each of the last two years. He finished Game 1 with 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Suggs did not play enough games to be eligible for an All-Defensive Team selection this year, but he earned second-team honors two years ago. However, this season, he averaged a career-high 1.8 steals per game. He has picked off two passes in 58% of his games this season, and he has nearly matched that rate recently with two steals in six of his last 10 games.
Suggs has averaged 2.4 steals in five games against the Pistons this season. He has recorded two steals in four of those games and three steals in three of them.
Game 1 laid down the blueprint for what should be a physical series. That means Thompson and Suggs should be needed to make an impact on the defensive end.
Picks: Jalen Suggs 2+ Steals | Jalen Suggs 2+ Three-Pointers Made
Same Game Parlay Building Blocks (+551, FanDuel)
- Ausar Thompson Over 2.5 Assists
- Ausar Thompson 2+ Steals
- Jalen Suggs 2+ Three-Pointers Made
- Jalen Suggs 2+ Steals
Compounding Angle (+3182, FanDuel)
- Ausar Thompson 3+ Assists
- Ausar Thompson 3+ Steals
- Jalen Suggs 3+ Three-Pointers Made
- Jalen Suggs 3+ Steals
