Detroit refused to fold. Down by 24 points in Orlando, the Pistons clawed back and stunned the Magic to keep their season alive, forcing a winner‑take‑all Game 7. Yankee Scores reports.
A Collapse in Orlando
The Magic looked ready to make history as the seventh No. 8 seed to eliminate a No. 1 seed. They led 62‑38 early in the third quarter, but then everything unraveled. Orlando missed 23 straight shots, and Detroit seized the moment with a 35‑5 run that flipped the game on its head.
The 22-point halftime lead was the fourth-largest by a No. 8 seed over a No. 1 seed in this format. And there was never an instance of a No. 8 seed, at least in the play-by-play era, which started in 1996-97, outscoring a No. 1 seed by 23 or more points in any quarter of a playoff game, either.
Cunningham Leads the Charge
Cade Cunningham embodied “Detroit grit,” scoring 32 points and sparking the rally. Tobias Harris added 22, while Duncan Robinson praised the team’s unity saying, “When things get sideways, people splinter. And this group does the opposite. It finds a way to just come together. There’s a lot of pride in that locker room, not wanting to go out like that.”
Magic Miss Their Chance
Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane each scored 17, but Orlando faltered again in a closeout opportunity. Without injured forward Franz Wagner, the Magic’s offense collapsed in the second half, leaving fans at Kia Center booing as the final buzzer sounded.
Game 7 Awaits
Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff credited the comeback to execution on every possession, from screens to rebounds. The Pistons now return home for Game 7 on Sunday, with a chance to complete one of the most improbable first‑round turnarounds in recent playoff memory.
