Brandon Jennings dishes career-high 21 assists as Pistons drop Magic

Along with most of his Detroit Pistons teammates, point guard Brandon Jennings has taken off since the waiver of Josh Smith freed up the team's staid offense. 

Jennings' ascension reached a pinnacle Wednesday against the Orlando Magic, when he had one of the best games not only of his season but of his career. 

Jennings torched the Magic backcourt, dropping 24 points and handing out a career-high 21 assists, a handful coming via picturesque lobs to Andre Drummond, who finished with 26 points of his own. 

The Pistons led wire-to-wire en route to a 128-118 win, their 12th in 15 games, and their highest offensive output of the season. 

Jennings, whose previous career-high in assists was 19 (set with the Milwaukee Bucks back in March of 2013), is the first player this season to record at least 20 assists. He's also the first player to record a 20-20 with points and assists since Steve Nash in 2009, and the first Piston to do so since Isiah Thomas in 1985. 

Since Smith was waived on Dec. 22, Jennings has averaged 20 points and 7.8 assists in 15 games.