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In a thrilling showdown in Detroit, Cade Cunningham delivered an electrifying performance, setting a franchise playoff record with 45 points. His efforts, highlighted by a crucial step-back jumper in the closing 32 seconds, propelled the top-seeded Detroit Pistons to a 116-109 victory over the Orlando Magic. This win in Game 5 of their first-round series kept the Pistons’ playoff hopes alive, as they avoided elimination.
The series now stands at 3-2 in favor of Orlando, who will have another chance to secure their spot in the next round when they host Game 6 on Friday night. Despite their lead, the Magic’s history in Game 5 road matchups has been less than stellar, as this loss marked their tenth consecutive defeat in such scenarios.
Throughout the game, Detroit maintained control, never falling behind, and even established a commanding 15-point lead at the start of the final quarter. However, the Magic showed resilience, mounting a late surge as Paolo Banchero’s sixth three-pointer brought them within just three points with 1:09 remaining on the clock.
Detroit never trailed and went ahead by 15 early in the final quarter.
The Magic made one more run, pulling within three points on Paolo Banchero’s sixth 3-pointer with 1:09 left.
Banchero matched Cunningham with 45 points, also a playoff career-high — and missed 7 of 12 free throws.
The Pistons are hoping to bounce back from the brink of elimination as they did against the Magic two-plus decades ago.
Detroit’s comeback in 2003 as a No. 1 seed against eighth-seeded Orlando was the first of seven times NBA teams have come back from a 3-1 deficit this century.
The Denver Nuggets were the last team to pull off the feat in 2020, when they became the first franchise in the league to do it twice in one postseason.