ORLANDO, Florida – Saddiq Bey went on to hit a career-high 51 points in the Detroit Pistons’ 134-120 victory over the Magic on Thursday night, continuing what had already been a hot month of individual scoring in the NBA.
Bey’s performance marks the league’s eighth 50-point game in March, the most in a calendar month in the last 50 seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information Research. The last month with more was December 1962, when there were nine 50-point games.
In all, there have been 17 50-point games this season, and Bey is 13. At 22, he is the youngest player to have a 50-point game in Pistons history, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Two nights after being burned for 16 points in the first quarter by Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving on his way to a 60-point game, the Magic gave up 21 points in the first quarter to Bey.
“I saw the highlights and it was just very efficient. It was in the flow of the game,” said Bey of Irving. “That was a great performance to watch, and I just think in the NBA there have been a lot of great performances in the last two weeks. I’m just grateful to have the opportunity in this league.”
Marvin Bagley III added 20 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit in the matchup of the bottom two teams in the Eastern Conference. Franz Wagner led Orlando with 26 points.
“Rebuilding is always bad,” Detroit coach Dwane Casey said, “but there are a lot of great moments like tonight.”
Bey, whose former career-high 34 was spectacularly, finished the first half spectacularly, scoring five points in less than five seconds. He hit a 20-footer while falling out of bounds with 8.8 seconds, stole with a backhand and made a 3-point lead with 3.9 seconds, giving the Pistons a 73-62 lead.
“He had 30 points at the half so we definitely expected 50,” said Pistons center Isaiah Stewart, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds.
The Magic scored the first nine points of the game, but the lead was quickly erased by Bey. The Pistons advanced to keep a dunk from Stewart, who broke a 50-50 tie midway through the second quarter.
“I think it was just the flow of the game,” Bey said. “I did not come into the game and say that is what I will do, but you catch a rhythm and you go into a zone. My teammates did a great job of finding me and just encouraging me to stay aggressive.” ‘
The Pistons shot 50% and their 134 points were also a season high.
“[Bey] went early and he hit some really hard shots, but we have to do a better job – I have to do a better job – to not let him do what he wants to do, “said Wagner. He shot 14 3s, and we knew before game that we did not want him to shoot 3s.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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