Magic defeat Pistons, 102-89, to snap nine-game losing streak

ORLANDO, Fla.—The Orlando Magic got their first win in more than three weeks thanks to major contributions from some unlikely sources.

Point guard Elfrid Payton and reserve centers Bismack Biyombo and Marreese Speights teamed up to spark the Magic to a 102-89 victory over Detroit that ended a nine-game losing streak.

Payton had 19 points, eight assists and eight rebounds, while Biyombo and Speights combined for 28 points and 18 rebounds as subs for injured starting center Nikola Vucevic.

Evan Fournier scored 17 points and Aaron Gordon had 14 for Orlando, but it was the Magic’s backup centers who made the difference in the game.

Speights helped the Magic seize control of the game at the end of the third period and start of the fourth. He scored Orlando’s last nine points in the third quarter, nailed a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter, then handed out an assist D.J. Augustin for another 3-pointer as the Magic turned a five-point deficit into an 86-73 lead.

The Pistons, who rallied successfully from double-digit deficits early in the game, never got closer than eight points in the final nine minutes of the game.

Tobias Harris scored 21 points for Detroit, which had won five of six. Andre Drummond had 17 points and 18 rebounds, and Ish Smith contributed 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Bucks 102, Timberwolves 96

MILWAUKEE—Eric Bledsoe scored 26 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 22 to help Milwaukee rally from a 20-point deficit and beat Minnesota.

Bledsoe had six points and made two key assists down the stretch and the Bucks found their missing defense, holding the Timberwolves to a season-low 12 points in the fourth quarter. Minnesota went cold over the last 4:21 and had its five-game winning streak snapped.

Bledsoe took a pass from Antetokounmpo and made an open 3-pointer from the corner to give the Bucks their first lead of the game at 95-93 with 2:25 to go. Bledsoe followed with a three-point play and then found Antetokounmpo under the basket for an easy two points, pushing the lead to 10093 with 1:04 left.

Minnesota perhaps wore down a night after a 128-125 overtime victory over Denver and had a four-game road winning streak snapped.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 22 points for Minnesota and Andrew Wiggins added 21.