The Magic (4-1) got back on track after the Pistons handed them their first loss Tuesday. Orlando went home and knocked off previously undefeated Phoenix Wednesday, 122-100.

Dwight Howard bounced back from his Detroit foul-fest (six fouls, plus a technical, just 2-2 FGs and five boards in less than 17 minutes) to post 25 points on 9-of-14. But the 2009 rebounding champion had his second straight sub-par performance (for him) on the boards (6 reb), perhaps limited by the right shoulder injury that momentarily took him out of Tuesday’s 85-80 Pistons win.

Despite his 22-point-a-night presence in the paint, Howard at times seems like a complementary piece to an offense predicated around 3-pointers. (And Orlando is still missing the suspended Rashard Lewis, who attempted a team-high 554 treys last season.) Even with Howard effective inside, the Magic drained 12 of 23 triples (53%) against the Suns.

The Magic lost that balance when Howard couldn’t stay on the floor at Detroit (2-3). Orlando hoisted 35 triples - the most ever by a Pistons opponent, topping Golden State’s 34 in a 2007 contest - and made just 10. The main culprit was forward Ryan Anderson, who missed 10 of 11 triple-tries and shot 2-for-14 overall. Anderson, to be fair, scored 20 points in the game prior to Detroit and again versus Phoenix, shooting a combined 8-for-11 from three.

On the injury front, small forward Mickael Pietrus has returned from a nasty bout with the flu. He scored 15 points off the bench against the Suns. Pietrus, who is considered Orlando’s top perimeter defender, was sorely missed Tuesday as Detroit guards Rodney Stuckey, Will Bynum and Ben Gordon carved up the Magic for 63 of Detroit’s 85 points.

Vince Carter is again questionable after aggravating his sprained left ankle in the fourth quarter Tuesday. Carter missed the Phoenix game and might take a more cautious approach after suffering one setback already. That could inadvertently help the Magic, as Carter’s replacement, Matt Barnes, proved more effective against the Pistons. Carter was minus-9 in point differential over 30 minutes, Barnes plus-2 in 26 minutes. Barnes started for Carter Wednesday and posted 13 points and 11 rebounds.

A lengthy 6-foot-7 forward who is very active around the rim, Barnes had 11 points, seven boards, three assists and one block against the Pistons. One possible solution to the Barnes match-up problem is 6-foot-10 Austin Daye, who only played only four minutes against the Magic. After a promising outing in Toronto (5 pts, 3 asts, 1 stl, 2 blks in 17 min), the Pistons rookie could be the answer for Barnes.

Speaking of answers, it’s been a long time since the Magic had one for the Pistons. Detroit swept the Eastern Conference champs 3-0 last season, and after Tuesday’s win are now 18-3 against the Magic since 2006-07 (including 9-1 in postseason play).

Nonetheless, Howard is going to be mad (about as angry as the league’s happiest kid can get) about Tuesday’s performance and will be fired up to make amends. I see him going for at least 24 points and 12 rebounds. Orlando’s 3-point shooters, especially Anderson and J.J. Redick, should also get into a better groove than they did at The Palace.

In two home games, the Magic have scored 120 and 122 points. The Pistons haven’t cracked 100 yet, and they won't have Tayshaun Prince (back) or Rip Hamilton (ankle). It looks like the Pistons might have to settle for the split.

Pretzer’s Prediction: Magic 113, Pistons 94
(Records: Pistons 2-3, Ryan 1-4)