Cade Cunningham dropped a career-high 32 to drag the Pistons back from the brink. Yankee Scores examines the historic shooting drought that forced a Game 7.
The Orlando Magic entered Friday as favorites to shock the top seed Detroit Pistons in what would be a historic upset victory at home.
Instead, they delivered one of the greatest second-half collapses in playoff history, falling apart after being up 24 against the Pistons in a 93-79 loss that sets up a decisive Game 7 for Detroit on Sunday.
But there’s more.
The Scoring Drought
It turns out the Orlando Magic couldn’t make a basket the entire second half. As in, they shot 23 consecutive misses from the field and didn’t score a single point for nearly nine minutes of play in the second half.
The Magic scored just 19 points in the second half on four makes out of 37 shots in the half – and one bucket in 20 shots in the fourth quarter. According to ESPN, this is the fewest points ever scored by a team in a playoff half, dating back to the dawn of the 3-pointer.
Cunningham Takes Over
Cade Cunningham made his presence felt when it counted most. The Pistons guard scored 19 points in the second half, finishing with a career-high 32 points along with 10 rebounds.
CADE FOR THREE 👌 pic.twitter.com/AFBElczeAj
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) May 2, 2026
Orlando Magic guard Franz Wagner missed his second straight game due to a calf strain. But this alone was not enough to account for why the Magic couldn’t make a basket in the fourth quarter.
Pistons played Magic evenly through the first quarter, showcasing solid defensive play. However, the Magic took control of the game in the second quarter when they went on an incredible run and took the biggest lead of the game into halftime at 22 points.
Pistons’ Comeback
The Pistons fought hard in the first quarter, showing good defense from both teams. However, the Magic exploded for points in the second quarter, taking the biggest lead of the game into halftime at 22 points.
In the last five minutes of the fourth quarter, as the Pistons put an end to Magic’s dream of a historic upset. The Pistons ended up outscoring the Magic 31-8 in the fourth quarter and 55-19 in the second half.
Largest Comeback Since 1982
According to the NBA, this comeback is the largest by a visiting team facing elimination since 1982. With this, the Pistons advance to face Orlando in Game 7 in Detroit on Sunday.
