ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic have made a habit of taking the difficult path this season.
Their journey to this playoff moment included a seven-game losing streak in March that nearly derailed their postseason hopes, followed by a must-win play-in tournament game that few expected them to survive. Saturday’s contest against the Detroit Pistons continued that theme as Orlando watched a commanding 17-point advantage evaporate in the fourth quarter, leaving them trailing their opponents.
But the Magic responded in characteristic fashion.
“Fight,” said center Wendell Carter Jr. when asked about his team’s approach.
That fighting spirit proved decisive as Orlando dominated the final stretch, outpacing Detroit 9-0 over the last 2:51 to secure a 113-105 victory. The win puts the eighth-seeded Magic ahead 2-1 in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup against the top-seeded Pistons.
“We did a good job of staying poised … not getting rattled,” commented Magic forward Paolo Banchero, who nearly recorded a triple-double with 25 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. “Very composed from the team, and we got the job done.”
Banchero delivered the crucial dagger shot as well — a three-pointer that struck the rim, bounced high into the air, then fell through the net with roughly 40 seconds remaining on the clock.
“The basketball gods don’t reward hesitation,” Banchero explained. “That one, I didn’t hesitate and they blessed me with that make. A funny shot, but a big shot.”
The dramatic finish came after Detroit mounted an impressive comeback effort.
The Pistons, who had been behind for most of the evening, unleashed a devastating 26-8 surge over approximately six minutes. This rally transformed a 96-79 Orlando lead into a 105-104 Detroit advantage on a free throw by Cade Cunningham, who topped all players with 27 points. During that explosive stretch, Cunningham and Tobias Harris combined for 22 points while Detroit connected on 9-of-11 field goal attempts.
“For parts of the game, we did some good things,” said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff. “But down the stretch, they made some tough shots that made it hard for us to finish it out.”
His assessment was partially accurate. The complete picture showed Detroit going scoreless after their impressive run concluded.
Once the Pistons’ 26-8 surge ended, Orlando claimed all nine remaining points in the contest. The Magic, who appear to thrive under intense pressure situations, discovered another path to victory.
Orlando’s reward is a 2-1 series advantage heading into Monday’s home game, positioning the eighth seed just two victories away from completing a major upset.
“There’s a lot to clean up as well,” acknowledged Magic coach Jamahl Mosley.
