Cade CunninghamPlayer·Cade Cunningham orchestrated a masterclass in the clutch, dropping 32 points and dishing 12 assists to lead the Detroit PistonsTeam·Detroit Pistons to a 116-109 triumph over the Orlando MagicTeam·Orlando Magic in Game 7 of their first-round Eastern ConferenceCompetition·Eastern Conference playoff series. The victory at Little Caesars ArenaVenue·Little Caesars Arena completed one of the most improbable comebacks in recent NBA playoff history, as the top-seeded Pistons (60-22 regular season) rallied from a 3-1 hole to dispatch the eighth-seeded Magic (45-37).
Tobias HarrisPlayer·Tobias Harris complemented Cunningham's brilliance with 30 points, while Desmond BanePlayer·Desmond Bane chipped in 16 off the bench. For Orlando, Paolo BancheroPlayer·Paolo Banchero fought valiantly with 17 points, but the Magic could not overcome Detroit's relentless second-half surge. The Pistons, who went 31-9 at home during the regular season, leaned on their flawless 4-0 record in home Game 7s all-time to seal the deal.
The series had all the drama of a classic. Detroit trailed 3-1 after dropping the first three games, but Cunningham ignited the turnaround in Game 5 with a franchise playoff-record 45 points, including a step-back jumper that sealed a 116-109 win in Detroit. Game 6 in Orlando saw the Magic squander a 24-point halftime lead, missing 23 straight field goals—including 13 threes—in a collapse that handed the Pistons a 93-79 victory on a 35-5 closing run.
Game 7 unfolded as a heavyweight bout. Detroit entered as 8.5-point favorites and never trailed in the final frame, pulling away late behind Cunningham's playmaking and Harris's scoring punch. Orlando's repeated series collapses—failing to close out multiple leads—echoed their drought without a playoff series win since 2010. Detroit, meanwhile, snapped an 18-year first-round series drought dating back to 2008.
This resilience positions the Pistons for a marquee Eastern ConferenceCompetition·Eastern Conference semifinal matchup, likely against the winner of the Cleveland CavaliersTeam·Cleveland Cavaliers-Toronto RaptorsTeam·Toronto Raptors Game 7. Detroit's top seed and momentum make them a legitimate threat to climb higher in the bracket. For the Magic, the sting of defeat lingers, but their regular-season grit earned them a playoff spot worth building on.
Orlando Magic's Desmond Bane (3) pushes past Detroit Pistons' Dannis Jenkins (24) in Game 6. ZUMA Press/IMAGO
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