The Detroit Pistons pulled off one of basketball’s most remarkable achievements Sunday night, rallying from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the Orlando Magic 116-94 in a decisive Game 7 at home.
Leading the charge for Detroit were Cade Cunningham, who tallied 32 points and dished out 12 assists, and veteran Tobias Harris, who added 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds. The victory marked Detroit’s first playoff series win since 2008 and made them just the 15th franchise in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 series hole.
Bench contributor Daniss Jenkins chipped in 16 points while Jalen Duren dominated the paint with 15 points and 15 rebounds for the top-seeded Pistons, who will now face fourth-seeded Cleveland in the Eastern Conference semifinals starting Tuesday.
Despite a heroic 38-point performance from Paolo Banchero, who also collected nine rebounds and blocked five shots, the Magic couldn’t prevent their second blown 3-1 lead against Detroit, with the first occurring in 2003. Desmond Bane added 16 points in the losing effort.
Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff expressed unwavering confidence in his young squad throughout the series comeback.
“I mean, it’s expected, and that’s the amount of belief that we have in this group,” Bickerstaff explained. “This is a special group, and can’t count us out, no matter the circumstances, no matter the situation. I like our chances to fight our way back. I thought we did a hell of a job of that, obviously, in this series.”
The Pistons seized momentum early in the third quarter, outscoring Orlando 11-2 over the first few minutes, with Cunningham contributing six of those points to establish a commanding 71-51 advantage. While the Magic briefly cut the deficit to 13 points with a 7-0 run, Detroit quickly rebuilt their cushion to 20 points.
Detroit’s lead swelled to 25 points with just over eight minutes remaining before Orlando mounted one final charge, using a 15-4 run to close within 100-86 with 4:22 on the clock. However, the Pistons responded by outscoring the Magic 16-8 down the stretch to seal the historic comeback.
Harris delivered an exceptional shooting performance, connecting on 11 of 18 field goal attempts and 5 of 7 three-point tries. The 17-year veteran’s playoff experience proved invaluable for Detroit’s young roster.
“I think obviously, when we got down to 3-1 we looked at ourselves and just to see if we were going to step up to the moment,” Harris reflected. “We did a great job blocking out the noise and really just staying connected, understanding what our main goal was, really just taking one game at a time, in each and every game, taking one moment at a time every quarter, every possession. So I’m extremely proud of this group’s resilience all year long.”
The opening quarter featured defensive intensity from both teams, with five lead changes and three ties as physical play and contested shots limited scoring opportunities. Orlando held a slim 22-20 edge after the first 12 minutes.
Seven additional lead changes occurred in the second quarter before Detroit closed the first half with a dominant 20-6 surge to take a 60-49 halftime lead. The Pistons exploded for 40 second-quarter points, powered by Harris’ 17 points and Cunningham’s 10, while Banchero paced Orlando with 23 first-half points.
Detroit’s balanced offensive attack proved decisive, as they shot 51.2% from the field, 48.5% from three-point range, and 81.8% from the free-throw line. While Banchero and Bane combined to make 7 of 12 three-pointers for Orlando, their teammates struggled mightily from beyond the arc, missing 15 of 18 attempts.
A frustrated Banchero addressed Orlando’s recurring playoff disappointments after the loss.
“It’s frustrating being in the same spot three years in a row and getting the same result,” Banchero said. “We got to be better, and it doesn’t start in April when the playoffs start. It starts in September, October, when we get everybody in the building. You build habits. You create an environment where losing isn’t acceptable. Losing in the first round is not acceptable. It’s not good enough, and that should be the attitude.”
The 30-point performances by Cunningham and Harris marked the first time Detroit teammates reached that milestone in a playoff game since Bob Lanier scored 33 and Howard Porter added 30 against Golden State on April 17, 1977.
Coach Bickerstaff believes the challenging series will benefit his team moving forward.
“To do what we did this series only made us better for the next one,” Bickerstaff noted. “And I know a lot of people would have liked it to just be easier, but I think it was great for our guys to go through what they went through, to understand what it looks like and where they have to be in order to get it done. We understand that with it now we take that with us to the second round.”
