Pistons' Saddiq Bey Drops 51 vs. Magic for NBA's 8th 50-Point Game in March

There was only one NBA game Thursday, but the league's scoring surge continued.

Saddiq Bey poured in a career-high 51 points to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 134-120 win over the Orlando Magic. It marked the eighth 50-point game by a player in March.

Bey played a game-high 39 minutes and shot 17-of-27 from the field, including 10-of-14 from three-point range. He added nine rebounds, four assists and three steals.

A second-year swingman out of Villanova, Bey has made improvements across the board with season averages of 15.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists. But he'd been in a slump, as he had five straight game with 13 or fewer points.

The Pistons improved to 19-51 with the win over the Magic (18-53). Detroit has the third-worst record in the league and was already eliminated from playoff contention. But it could have a promising future if players such as Bey continue to develop.

Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 pick in last year's draft, sat out his second straight game Thursday with a non-COVID-19 illness. He's mostly lived up to expectations, averaging 16.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 54 games.

Detroit will return to action Saturday against the Cleveland Cavaliers (39-30).